The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1971, Blaðsíða 24

22
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
WINTER 1971
be called for what he termed a pro-
gressive capitalist system with expan-
sion of social service.
In 1937 Victoria dropped him from
the legislature, but he came back in
1945 as the member for New West-
minster—'with a very handsome major-
ity.
In 1948 he became a cabinet min-
ister and premier at one stroke by win-
ning the Liberal leadership over At-
torney-General Gordon Wisrner by a
hair-breadth vote . . .
In 1949 Premier Johnson introduced
compulsory hospital insurance into
B.C., stating that he was “not worried
about taxes if they are for health, pen-
sions and educational opportunity for
all.”
White-haired and strikingly hand-
some, Byron Johnson seemed to be one
of B.C.’s greatest premiers. But he was
badly injured in a Quebec car accident
in 1950 and his government was defeat-
ed by Premier W. A. C. Bennett’s
Social Credit group in the surprise of
1952.
A stroke ended his political career
and left him an invalid. But he retains
a fabulous number of first-name
friends, including many who played
with him or watched him play lacrosse
and rugby.”
In this article, which was published
a few months before his death, at 73,
on January 16, 1964, it was noted that
in his younger days Johnson had be-
-ume “the idol of local fans for his
exploits on the rugby and lacrosse
fields.”
Let it be added that he was the first
and so far the only Icelander to be
elected to the Provincial Legislature
in British Columbia, and also, so far,
the only Icelandic Canadian who has
been elected the Premier of a Cana-
dian province. Tributes to him in the
British Columbia press, on his passing,
lauded him for his ability, integrity
and devotion to duty, and his social
consciousness. (For his life and politic-
al career up to that time, see Mrs. Lil-
lian T. Sumarlidason’s article “Boss
Johnson, Premier of British Columbia”
The Icelandic Canadian, Spring 1948.
His noteworthy address, “Thoughts of
a Canadian”, delivered at a concert
under the auspices of The Icelandic
Canadian Club in Winnipeg, Feb-
ruary 23, 1954, is printed in the
Spring 1954 issue of The Icelandic
Canadian).
In his article “The Sivertz Family—
A Success Story” (referred to earlier in
this survey) Halldor J. Stefansson had
told the story of that remarkable fam-
ily up to 1949. The record will here
briefly, be brought up to date.
Gustav (Gus) served, during the lat-
ter part of his career, in various cap-
acities on the editorial staff of The
Vancouver Sun until his retirement
to Victoria in 1965, where he and his
wife still reside. His articles “When
We Were Very Young” used to be a
popular feature in The Victoria Daily
Times.
After long and notable academic
careers at Western University, London,
Ontario, and The University of Wash-
ington, Seattle, Wash., respectively,
Dr. Christian Sivertz and Dr. Victorian
Sivertz have now retired. Upon his
retirement the former organized the
Chemical firm London Laboratories
Limited in New Haven, Connecticut.
The later and very prominent public
carreer of Bent G. Sivertz, following
his significant service in the Royal
Navy during the Second World War,
is effectively summarized by W. O.
Ketchum in his article “Bent Gestur
Sivertz” (The Ottawa Journal, Dec.,
10, 1966, reprinted in Logberg-Heims-
kringla, January 12, 1967):
“Following the cessation of hostil-
ities Mr. Sivertz came to Ottawa as a
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