Former premier dies at 70 | Politicians, agricultural lobbyists give accolades and condolences
Accolades and condolences continue to accumulate this week for former Alberta premier Ralph Klein.
The man many referred to as King Ralph, or simply as Ralph, died March 29 at the age of 70 from chronic lung problems and dementia. A public memorial is planned April 5 at Calgary’s Jack Singer Concert Hall.
Klein was Alberta’s premier from 1992 to 2006, winning four consecutive majority governments. During his tenure, he restructured government and famously slew the $23 billion debt dragon of the time. As Calgary’s mayor from 1980-89, he presided over the 1988 Winter Olympics, gaining international recognition for the city and province.
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Many in agriculture and in rural Alberta remember him fondly, perhaps more for his personality than for his policies.
“He certainly knew how to catch the attention of rural Alberta. He had his hand on the pulse of what people wanted to hear,” said Rod Scarlett, who dealt with Klein’s government as both a political insider and an agriculture group representative.
“He was very approachable, willing to listen,” he said.
“I think those are the traits that kind of endeared him to rural Alberta, was kind of his down hominess. He didn’t necessarily have to have policy for popularity. He had personality for popularity.”
Dave Solverson of Alberta Beef Producers shared many a smoke with Klein outside meeting halls as the cattle industry and Canada’s largest beef-producing province dealt with the BSE crisis in 2003.
“He didn’t have much patience for some of our customers who weren’t basing things on science,” recalls Solverson. “He was a very candid spokesman.”
One evening Klein met with red meat industry representatives at Edmonton’s tony Royal Glenora Club. At the time, the premier was under siege over major cuts to the health care budget.
“He was so happy to get down with us conservative cattlemen. He stayed with us all evening,” said Solverson.
“We were out on the deck, drinks in our hands. Such a personable guy. He didn’t seek the limelight all the time, but he seemed to attract it.”
Stan Eby was president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association when BSE was discovered in an Alberta cow. At the time, Klein famously wondered about the actions of Marwyn Peaster, the farmer who found the first case and started a crisis that brought the cattle industry to its knees.
“I guess any self-respecting rancher would have shot, shovelled and shut up, but he didn’t do that,” said Klein.
Eby is forgiving of the comment, which provoked widespread criticism.
“That particular remark, I think, was maybe made in haste. I certainly wouldn’t hold that against him at all. Emotions were running high during the BSE in many areas,” said Eby.
He said the Alberta government, with Klein at the helm, initiated a $30 million program that helped the industry at a troubled time.
Roy Romanow was premier of Saskatchewan when Klein was premier of Alberta.
“As a human being, what one saw on television is basically what one experienced when you met him on a one to one basis,” Romanow said.
“In private and in public … there was absolutely no difference. He was a genuine person. He was a lot of fun. He was easy to deal with even in moments of disagreement.”
As a New Democratic premier, Romanow said he and the Progressive Conservative Klein had philosophical and ideological differences, but both inherited major financial difficulties when each became premier. That created common ground.
“There is a certain levelling factor that comes into play when you have to deal with very threatened fiscal and financial pictures which affect your delivery of programs.”
Klein was known for controversial remarks and off-the-cuff actions that made him a larger-than-life political figure.
But Scarlett said Klein was adept at surrounding himself with politically astute and capable staff “to maybe make up for some shortfalls.”
Scarlett was a student at Carleton in Ottawa when Klein, then mayor of Calgary, made his infamous remark about “eastern bums and creeps” who were moving to the booming city seeking jobs.
“That winter I was there, I had Alberta plates on. I had probably a flat tire every month. I had rocks thrown at the van. It was very interesting to be an Albertan at that point in time.”
