Fonds MS-0017;98309-5 - British Columbia Alcohol Research and Education Council fonds

On August 25, 1915 a convention of temperance forces was held in Vancouver after the Premier, Sir Richard McBride, had decided to put the question of instituting prohibition of the sale of liquor as a war measure to a plebiscite of the electorate. Out of this Vancouver Convention came the formation of the British Columbia Prohibition Association [BCPA], otherwise known as the People's Prohibition Movement. A committee was set up on an ad hoc basis initially, with Mr. J. Rogers as President to mobilize support for prohibition and organize for the referendum McBride had decided to call. When it was announced that the anti-prohibitionists had won, the temperance forces charged that there had been serious irregularities in the soldiers' vote on the referendum. A Royal Commission was subsequently set up in 1917 to investigate these charges and it revealed that an overall majority of 3,875 were in favour of the Prohibition Act proposed by the referendum instead of the 800 majority originally tallied against it. As a result a Prohibition Act was passed by the Provincial assembly and became law on October 1, 1917. During the 1920s the Association carried on its activities under its executive secretary, W.G.W. Fortune, followed by Methodist minister, Rev. R.J. McIntyre, in 1925. At an executive meeting of the BC Prohibition Association on Nov. 27, 1933, a motion moved by Dr. Dobson was adopted by the Executive Committee which changed the name of the BCPA to the BC Temperance League. A constitution for the BC Temperance League was adopted by an executive meeting on Feb. 23, 1934, and this was formally approved on May 20, 1934 at the annual convention. The purpose of the BC Temperance League was to be "the solution of the liquor problem in the interest of human welfare by evangelism, abstinence, education and legislation, having in view the ultimate elimination of the drink evil" (Constitution, BCTL, adopted May 10, 1934). Almost a year after the Rev. McIntyre's retirement in May, 1947, the League appointed Rev. A.W. Small to carry on the work of executive secretary. On May 7, 1952, the Anglican Bishop Godfrey Gower was made the President of a new organization, the Alcohol Research Council, charged with the task of securing as large a vote as possible against the sale of liquor by the glass. In November 1952, the BC Temperance League and the Alcohol Research Council joined forces and became known as the BC Alcohol Research and Education Council, with A.W. Cowley appointed its first executive secretary.