Vaughn Palmer: Macdonald will be remembered long after Mayor Helps

VICTORIA — Long before Quebec produced a political party bent on separatism, British Columbia entertained serious thoughts of quitting Canada.
The drive culminated in a resolution passed by the legislature 140 years ago this month under the leadership of then Premier George Walkem, elected on a promise to “fight Canada.”
Framed as a direct plea to Queen Victoria, the motion called on Her Majesty to “order and direct that B.C. shall have the right to withdraw from the unio