Robert Samuel Bawlf (June 7, 1944 – August 20, 2016) was a Canadian politician and author.

Sam Bawlf
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Victoria
In office
December 11, 1975 – May 10, 1979
Preceded byDavid Anderson
Newell Morrison
Succeeded byGordon William Hanson
Personal details
Born
Robert Samuel Bawlf

(1944-06-07)June 7, 1944
Winnipeg, Manitoba
DiedAugust 20, 2016(2016-08-20) (aged 72)
Saltspring Island, British Columbia
Political partySocial Credit
SpouseMarnie Bawlf
ChildrenChauney
Natasha

Biography

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In 1972, Bawlf was elected to Victoria City Council, the youngest person ever to have been so.[1] In 1975, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for the riding of Victoria as a member of the Social Credit Party. He was soon appointed Minister of Recreation and Conservation by Premier Bill Bennett. As minister, he oversaw the enactment of B.C.’s first Heritage Conservation Act. He subsequently served as Minister of Deregulation. He was defeated in the 1979 general election.[2]

Bawlf's book, The Secret Journey of Sir Francis Drake, was published in 2003 and has sold more than 20,000 copies. In it he challenged the conventional historical wisdom that fellow British explorer James Cook was the first European to visit the B.C. coast when he sailed into Nootka Sound in 1778 [1]

He died of cancer on August 20, 2016.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b Schaefer, Glen (August 24, 2016). "Was Sir Francis Drake the 'founder' of B.C.? The late Sam Bawlf believed it". The Vancouver Sun.
  2. ^ "The Canadian Parliamentary Guide". 1976.
  3. ^ Wilson, Carla (August 24, 2016). "Ex-B.C. cabinet minister Sam Bawlf has died at 72". Victoria Times-Colonist.