He later returned to the Williams Lake area, where he became a cattle rancher and a practitioner of horse logging. He was also active as a consultant in various federal, provincial and First Nations projects related to public policy and economic development.
He and his wife Susan have three sons together.[4]
Politics
Zirnhelt's first entry into politics was in the 1969 British Columbia general election, where he stood as a candidate for the Liberal Party in the riding of Cariboo. He was unsuccessful in his run, placing third against victor Alex Fraser. Fraser's widow later recalled that despite his resounding victory, Fraser was impressed with Zirnhelt and that "if he was older [he] might have given him some trouble."[3]
With the election of a New Democratic government in 1991, Premier Mike Harcourt appointed Zirnhelt minister of economic development, small business and trade.[7] He was named minister of agriculture, fisheries and food in September 1993,[7] and initially remained in that post when Glen Clark took over as premier from Harcourt in February 1996.[8] Following the 1996 election, Clark appointed Zirnhelt minister of forests[8] — a powerful portfolio in a province where forestry is a major economic sector. In that position, Zirnhelt initiated an intensive review of the province's forest practices, as concerns mounted over the logging of old growth forests and the insufficient restocking of logged areas by timber companies.
After Clark's resignation in August 1999, Zirnhelt retained the forestry portfolio in Dan Miller's cabinet.[9] With Ujjal Dosanjh sworn in as premier in February 2000, Zirnhelt was initially without a cabinet post.[10] However, he was named minister of aboriginal affairs that November to replace Dale Lovick, who was dropped from the cabinet after declining to run again in the 2001 provincial election.[11][12]
Zirnhelt failed in his attempt at re-election in 2001. In 2024, he became president of the Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association.
