Video, Past Event, Social Justice, Urban Issues
Bob Williams Talk: Economic Democracy
The 99% versus the 1%. Is that the result of casino capitalism or corporate kleptocracy? The financial crisis showed that capitalism trumps people every time. The good news is that there are successful models of economic democracy. In Bologna and their region of Emilia-Romagna, there is a flourishing co-operative and pluralistic economy, where people participate fully and share the benefits. In Vancouver, how can cooperative economics build the social economy in BC? Thoughtful economists now see happiness as the best measure of quality of life. How can we in BC move more in this direction?
Speaker Bio
Bob Williams is a former Vancouver city councillor and B.C. government cabinet minister who has had a long involvement with Vancity credit union, including as Chair for three years (1988 - 1991) and as Vice-Chair for three years (1985-1987 and 1991). He is passionate about community leadership, economic development and progressive change, and brings his experience and vision since he returned to the Vancity board in 2007.
In B.C., Bob Williams is perhaps best known for his distinguished career in politics – first as a Vancouver city councillor (1965-66) and then as a B.C. MLA for the constituency of Vancouver East (1966-1984). Between 1972 and 1975, Bob was Minister of Resources in the government of former Premier Dave Barrett, and is most proud of his role in saving Blackcomb Mountain from logging and creating Whistler Town Centre; his efforts with renowned architect Arthur Erickson to create Robson Square in downtown Vancouver; and, supporting the establishment of the Central City/ SFU project in the Surrey City Centre, which won international awards. Bob was also instrumental in establishing three million acres of wilderness parks in B.C., including Kalamalka Lake, Spatsizi and Naikoon, among many others. More people know Bob as an avid supporter of the Arts in Vancouver and as a former owner of the Railway Club in downtown Vancouver, a pioneering music venue where k.d. lang got her first gig out of Alberta.
As a former Vancity Chair and as a board director, Bob was instrumental in supporting the founding of two subsidiaries – Vancity Capital Corporation, which provides mezzanine financing to small- and medium-sized businesses, and Vancity Enterprises, which works in partnership with local groups and societies to undertake socially responsible real estate developments. He also worked to create the Vancity Community Foundation in 1989.
In the 1990s, Bob returned to public service as Deputy Minister for Crown Corporations and then as Chair of the Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC). Bob has degrees in Economics and City and Regional Planning from UBC, and is a former volunteer Senior Research Fellow with Vancity.
Co-Presented by
SFU's Vancity Office of Community Engagement and Vancity
