Social Credit Downfall
The Social Credit party of British Columbia was never able to truly consolidate their power. Alone without federal or municipal counterparts they fought for 30 years to maintain power in British Columbia. By 1986, even with a World Exposition coming to see the province, the cracks within the party structure were virtually irreparable. Bill Bennett was believed to be so disliked that he could not be reelected as Premier and the stage was set for a decisive leadership race. In 1986 Grace came second to Bill Vander Zalm. Although the Socreds won another term in an election held later that year, in hindsight that leadership race marked the beginning of the end for the party.
By 1991, when Premier Vander Zalm was forced to resign amid scandal allegations, the Social Credit party had become bitterly divided. Socred members elected the lesser-known Rita Johnston, a close ally of Vander Zalm, as their new leader, over McCarthy. Many viewed this as a mistake, as Johnston was close to the Vander Zalm legacy; even provincial NDP leader Mike Harcourt admitted later that he preferred Johnston over McCarthy, as the latter would be a much tougher opponent in an election. Johnston lost the 1991 provincial election badly, with the party only winning third-place status in the legislature. Johnston resigned as leader shortly thereafter, and McCarthy was chosen to replace her.
However, McCarthy had no seat in the legislature, and the Socreds were in danger of being dismissed as an increasingly irrelevant political force in British Columbia. She missed a chance to re-enter the legislature when she lost a by-election in 1994 by 42 votes in the provincial riding of Matsqui. Social Credit lost official party status in the BC Legislature when four of their six MLAs left the party to join the fledgling BC Reform Party. Subsequently, she stepped down as leader in 1994 amid further infighting. In the 1996 election the Socreds lost all their remaining seats.
In 1992, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2004, she was awarded the Order of British Columbia.
Read more about this topic: Grace McCarthy
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