The new Conservative government attempted to stabilize the economy by cutting spending and raising new taxes. It also introduced progressive reforms of the province's labour law. In 1909 McBride unveiled plans for a provincial university and promised to build more railway lines. The party won commanding majorities in the 1909 and 1912 elections, almost shutting the Opposition out of the legislature. McBride's Conservatives were aligned with the federal Conservatives of Robert Borden, and helped them take power in the 1911 federal election. On the first day of the First World War, the provincial government purchased and took possession of two submarines to defend the province from the threat of German attack. As provinces are not constitutionally allowed to maintain militaries, they were quickly transferred by order to the federal government within 48 hours and entered service with the Royal Canadian Navy in August 1914. His government was also responsible for the creation of the province's first university, the University of British Columbia, which opened its doors in 1915. The government's popularity waned as an economic downturn hit the province along with the mounting railway debts. McBride resigned on December 15, 1915, to become the province's representative in London, where he died in 1917.
Legacy
The small community of McBride, British Columbia was named after this premier during the time he was in office. Also named for the premier, the McBride River in northern British Columbia is a major tributary of the Stikine. Richard McBride Elementary School in New Westminster was built in 1912 and replaced the Sapperton School nearby, after burning down it was rebuilt as the current school being completed in 1929. Sir Richard McBride Elementary School in Vancouver was named after him in 1911 during his tenure as Premier as well as McBride Park in Kitsilano on July 26, 1911. Mount McBride, a peak in Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island, is also named after the premier. Also named for him is McBride Boulevard in New Westminster which is the western ramp for the Pattullo Bridge. Premier McBride was very anti-immigration and had strong prejudices against people descended from Asia, views which he campaigned on widely. McBride was strongly in favour of restricting immigration, expelling people of Asian descent and sought to build a "White man's province." McBride echoed these sentiments in 1909: "We stand for a white British Columbia, a white land and a white empire."
