{"id":3055,"date":"2024-12-06T10:14:05","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T16:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/?p=3055"},"modified":"2024-12-06T10:14:07","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T16:14:07","slug":"ralph-klein-the-32nd-mayor-of-calgary-and-premier-of-alberta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/ralph-klein-the-32nd-mayor-of-calgary-and-premier-of-alberta","title":{"rendered":"Ralph Klein: The 32nd Mayor of Calgary and Premier of Alberta"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Ralph Klein was a journalist and politician who served as the 32nd Mayor of Calgary and the 12th Premier of Alberta. His political career was marked by an extraordinary ability to win the hearts of voters and by controversial statements that captured public attention. Known as &#8220;King Ralph&#8221; for his remarkable electoral successes, Klein left an indelible mark on municipal and provincial politics. More on <a href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/\">calgaryes.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a1221c194f26\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a1221c194f26\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/ralph-klein-the-32nd-mayor-of-calgary-and-premier-of-alberta\/#Early_Life\" >Early Life<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/ralph-klein-the-32nd-mayor-of-calgary-and-premier-of-alberta\/#Career_in_Journalism\" >Career in Journalism<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/ralph-klein-the-32nd-mayor-of-calgary-and-premier-of-alberta\/#Mayor_of_Calgary\" >Mayor of Calgary<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/ralph-klein-the-32nd-mayor-of-calgary-and-premier-of-alberta\/#Premier_of_Alberta\" >Premier of Alberta<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/ralph-klein-the-32nd-mayor-of-calgary-and-premier-of-alberta\/#Illness_and_Death\" >Illness and Death<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Early_Life\"><\/span>Early Life<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ralph Philip Klein was born on November 1, 1942, in Calgary. His paternal grandfather immigrated to Canada from Germany, and his grandmother came from England. His parents worked in construction, struggling to make ends meet. When Ralph was about 5 or 6 years old, his parents divorced. He spent part of his childhood with his maternal grandparents in North Calgary and later with his mother in Rocky Mountain House, a small town in central-west Alberta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1020\" height=\"788\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-7.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3056\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-7.png 1020w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-7-300x232.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-7-768x593.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-7-696x538.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Klein joined the Royal Canadian Air Force Reserve before finishing high school. Although his aspirations for a military career were not realized, the discipline he gained during service became a foundation for completing his education. He studied accounting and business administration at Calgary Business College, where he excelled and was invited to teach and later become the institution\u2019s director. Klein later enrolled at Athabasca University. He also worked in public relations for the Red Cross and the United Way from 1963 to 1969. During this time, he married Hilda Mae Hepner, with whom he had two children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Career_in_Journalism\"><\/span>Career in Journalism<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1969, Ralph began working for CFCN, a Calgary-based radio and television station. Over 11 years, he worked as a radio and TV host, eventually becoming a senior reporter covering civic affairs. He developed a keen interest in municipal politics and Indigenous issues, particularly the struggles of the Blackfoot Nation in the 1970s. In 1972, he married Colleen Hamilton, who became his soulmate and source of inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"742\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-8-1024x742.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3059\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-8-1024x742.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-8-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-8-768x557.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-8-696x505.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-8-1068x774.png 1068w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-8.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mayor_of_Calgary\"><\/span>Mayor of Calgary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Klein\u2019s career as a journalist allowed him to build valuable connections. In 1980, he surprised friends, family, and colleagues by announcing his candidacy for mayor. Running a modest campaign with a limited budget, a small team of volunteers, and a borrowed trailer, Klein achieved an unexpected victory on October 15, 1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As mayor from 1980 to 1989, Klein implemented Calgary&#8217;s light rail transit system, strengthened environmental protection for the Bow River, and successfully prepared the city for the 1988 Winter Olympics. In 1982, Klein sparked controversy by criticizing Eastern Canadians who moved to Calgary for work, calling them &#8220;bums&#8221; and urging police to remove undesirable newcomers. Despite the uproar, many Calgarians supported his tough stance, reflecting their concerns over rising crime rates and homelessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1020\" height=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-7.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3062\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-7.png 1020w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-7-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-7-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-7-696x464.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Premier_of_Alberta\"><\/span>Premier of Alberta<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1989, Klein transitioned to provincial politics and quickly became Alberta\u2019s Environment Minister. In this role, he spearheaded one of Canada\u2019s most progressive environmental protection laws. In 1992, he succeeded Don Getty as Alberta&#8217;s premier. Sworn in on December 14, Klein served until 2006, earning a reputation as one of Canada\u2019s most successful politicians. His leadership saw four consecutive majority governments, driven by his populist persona, strict fiscal policies, and sharp, sometimes controversial, rhetoric against opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key achievements during his tenure included eliminating Alberta&#8217;s $23 billion debt, making it the first debt-free province in Canada. Klein also advocated for transparency in government decision-making, conducted large-scale public consultations, and reduced corporate taxes. He opposed the federal Liberal Party\u2019s support of the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gases, arguing it would harm Alberta\u2019s oil industry. His tenure saw resource revenues grow more than fourfold over 14 years, while Alberta\u2019s oil sands became a globally recognized resource.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"819\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-7-1024x819.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3065\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-7-1024x819.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-7-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-7-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-7-696x557.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-7-1068x854.png 1068w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-7.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Klein also established Canada\u2019s first Ministry of Children\u2019s Services, proposed privatizing Alberta\u2019s healthcare system (an idea that was ultimately not implemented), and oversaw growth in medical research and university infrastructure. Despite personal controversies, including a public struggle with alcoholism, Klein retained strong public support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Illness_and_Death\"><\/span>Illness and Death<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After retiring, Klein worked as a business consultant, sharing his expertise in Alberta\u2019s economic and political landscape. In 2010, he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and later with Pick\u2019s disease, a rare degenerative brain condition. He passed away in Calgary on March 29, 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For his friends and colleagues, Ralph Klein is remembered as a caring, humorous, and dedicated individual. His unique blend of strength, determination, and charisma left an enduring legacy for countless Albertans, who view him as a strong leader and a proud representative of their province.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ralph Klein was a journalist and politician who served as the 32nd Mayor of Calgary and the 12th Premier of Alberta. His political career was marked by an extraordinary ability to win the hearts of voters and by controversial statements that captured public attention. Known as &#8220;King Ralph&#8221; for his remarkable electoral successes, Klein left [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":414,"featured_media":3068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[490],"tags":[1387,1394,1395,1382,1397,1385,1388,1386,1391,1384,1392,1390,1389,1396,1393,1383],"motype":[491],"moformat":[1252],"moimportance":[101,104],"class_list":{"0":"post-3055","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pro-polituky","8":"tag-1988-winter-olympics-calgary","9":"tag-32nd-mayor-of-calgary","10":"tag-alberta-debt-free-province","11":"tag-alberta-oil-sands","12":"tag-alberta-politics","13":"tag-alberta-premier","14":"tag-calgary-history","15":"tag-calgary-light-rail-transit","16":"tag-calgary-mayor-achievements","17":"tag-premier-of-alberta-history","18":"tag-ralph-klein","19":"tag-ralph-klein-controversies","20":"tag-ralph-klein-environmental-policies","21":"tag-ralph-klein-leadership","22":"tag-ralph-klein-legacy","23":"tag-ralph-klein-political-career","24":"motype-eternal","25":"moformat-c-l","26":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","27":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/414"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3055"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3055\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3071,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3055\/revisions\/3071"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3055"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=3055"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=3055"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=3055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}