Speaking of polititians...
... anyone remember "Flying" Phil Gaglardi? Minister of HighwaysGaglardi was appointed Minister of Public Works on the day Bennett's
cabinet was sworn into office, August 1, 1952. His office included responsibility for highways. In 1955 Bennett created a new Department of Highways and appointed Gaglardi as the first Minister of Highways. His term was marked by rapid expansion of the province's paved road system, as well as the completion of most of the major road bridges in
British Columbia.
Bennett described the building program as "the greatest highway building program...per capita in the entire Western world."
Gaglardi as Minister of Highways was also given responsibility for
BC Ferries and its rapid expansion soon after it was nationalized in 1960. He claimed he "built the whole system around my own impatience."
He is probably mostly remembered for his flamboyant style. He was first noted for the "Sorry for the delays" signs he had put up at road construction areas (hence, "Sorry Phil").
What really got him noticed was the way he managed to convince a reluctant W.A.C. Bennett to buy the government a
Learjet (hence, "Flyin' Phil"). Premier Bennett was travelling in a newly inaugurated government-owned ferry to
Prince Rupert. To demonstrate that the ferry was too slow for government business, he convinced a pilot friend to fly him to Prince Rupert in a Learjet, thereby managing to get there before Bennett did. Gaglardi waited on the dock to greet the Premier with a purchase contract for the plane. The plane was quickly purchased.
Another explanation of Gaglardi's nickname was his propensity for getting speeding tickets whilst driving in large-engined cars around the province checking on the progress of road construction or in his own words "testing the curves". http://en.wikipedia....Philip_Gaglardi