Byron Ingemar Johnson | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Byron Ingemar Johnson

Byron Ingemar Johnson, "Boss," businessman, politician, premier of BC 1947-52 (b at Victoria 10 Dec 1890; d there 12 Jan 1964). After service in WWI, Johnson and his brothers formed a building supply company in Victoria. Elected as a Liberal in Victoria in 1933, he was defeated in 1937.

Byron Ingemar Johnson

Byron Ingemar Johnson, "Boss," businessman, politician, premier of BC 1947-52 (b at Victoria 10 Dec 1890; d there 12 Jan 1964). After service in WWI, Johnson and his brothers formed a building supply company in Victoria. Elected as a Liberal in Victoria in 1933, he was defeated in 1937. During WWII he was in charge of building RCAF airports in BC.

In 1945 he was elected Coalition (Liberal) MLA for New Westminster and on 29 December 1947 he succeeded John HART as the 24th premier of the province. The coalition disintegrated in 1952. Johnson, who lost his own seat in the election, was replaced by W.A.C. BENNETT. He retreated from public service shortly after. To his credit, Johnson's government introduced compulsory hospital insurance and the retail sales tax, negotiated the Alcan agreement, promoted highway expansion and began extension of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway.