Ralph Phillip Klein (1942 - 2013)

Born 1 Nov 1942 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Ancestors

Died 29 Mar 2013 at age 70 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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Preceded by
Don Getty

12th Premier of Alberta
December 14, 1992 – December 14, 2006

Succeeded by
Ed Stelmach

Preceded by
Ross Alger

35th Mayor of Calgary
October 27, 1980 – March 21, 1989

Succeeded by
Donald Hartman

Biography

Ralph Klein is Notable.

Ralph Philip Klein was a journalist and Canadian politician who served as the mayor of Calgary from 1980 to 1989 and as the premier of Alberta from 1992 until his retirement in 2006.

Family

Ralph Philip Klein was born in Calgary, Alberta on 1 Nov 1942, the son of Phillip Klein and Florence Harper.

He married Hilda Hepner in 1961. They divorced in 1971. He married Colleen Hamilton in 1972.

Career

Before entering politics, Ralph worked in Calgary as a radio and television reporter.

After a rocky campaign, Ralph was elected as Mayor of Calgary on October 15, 1980. As mayor, he oversaw the construction of the Saddledome stadium and Calgary's Light rail transit as well as the hosting of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.

Ralph entered provincial politics when he was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the riding of Calgary-Elbow in the 1989 general election. He served as the Minister of Environment in Don Getty's government.

Ralph was elected leader of the Progressive Conservatives party of Alberta on November 28, 1992. His time as premier began with a downturn in the economy which prompted him to bring in an austerity program. This was meant to provide for balanced budgets and the repayment of the provincial debt. Due to the boom and bust nature of the Alberta resource-based economy, he was later able to issue a "Prosperity Bonus" to Albertan taxpayers known locally as "Ralph Bucks".

Ralph resigned as party leader on September 20, 2006 and was replaced by the new PC Leader, Ed Stelmach, on December 14, 2006. He resigned his seat in the legislature on January 15, 2007.

After leaving politics, he joined the law firm Borden Ladner Gervais as a senior business adviser.

Awards and Honours

In 1980, shortly after he was elected Mayor of Calgary, he was made an honorary Blackfoot Chief under the name "Oots-squi-peeks" meaning "Blue Bird". Ralph Klein Park in Calgary was named in his honour. It was the first park to be named for a former mayor during his lifetime. The park was dedicated on on July 19, 2010 and opened to the public on June 18, 2011.

His other honours include:

• received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002
• received the Order of La Pléiade (for individuals who have contributed to the promotion of the French language and culture) in 2005
• awarded an Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005
• made an Officer of the Legion of Honour by France in 2008
• appointed to the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2010
• awarded and Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from University of Calgary in 2011
• made a member of the Order of Canada in late 2012
• awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

Death

He died in Calgary on March 29, 2013. He was buried in Eden Brook Memorial Gardens in Calgary, Alberta.^[1]

Research Notes

In the 1931 census Ralph (age 12) was the son of Hollins Harper in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

• "1931 Census of Canada", Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Seventh Census of Canada, 1931; Folder Number: T-27351; Census Place: Calgary East, Alberta, Canada; Page Number: ny, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry ca Record 62640 #5841395 (accessed 30 June 2023), Ralph Harper (12), single son, in household of Hollins Harper (40) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

He was born in 1942, so this is not him.

Sources

1. ↑ Memorial: "Find a Grave," database with images, (Find A Grave: Memorial #107500525 : accessed 18 August 2023), Memorial page for Ralph Phillip Klein (1 Nov 1942-29 Mar 2013), citing Eden Brook Memorial Gardens, Calgary, Calgary Census Division, Alberta, Canada; Maintained by Find a Grave. Includes gravestone image with birth and death years.

See also:

• Wikipedia: Ralph Klein
• Wikidata: Item Q1395297, en:Wikipedia
• Harrison, Trevor W. "Ralph Klein". The Canadian Encyclopedia, 04 March 2015, Historica Canada. (https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ralph-klein : Accessed 18 August 2023).
• Ralph Klein, Order of Canada