Ralph Klein

Ralph Klein
Klein in 2005
12th Premier of Alberta
In office
December 14, 1992 – December 14, 2006
MonarchElizabeth II
Lieutenant Governor
Deputy
Preceded byDon Getty
Succeeded byEd Stelmach
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
In office
November 28, 1992 – November 25, 2006
Preceded byDon Getty
Succeeded byEd Stelmach
32nd Mayor of Calgary
In office
October 27, 1980 – March 21, 1989
Preceded byRoss Alger
Succeeded byDonald Adam Hartman
Alberta Executive Council
Minister of Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs
In office
June 30, 1993 – September 15, 1994
PremierHimself
Preceded byPeter Elzinga
Succeeded byKen Rostad
Minister of the Environment
In office
April 14, 1989 – December 14, 1992
PremierDon Getty
Preceded byIan Reid
Succeeded byBrian Evans
Parliamentary constituencies
Member of the
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
for Calgary-Elbow
In office
March 20, 1989 – January 15, 2007
Preceded byDavid John Russell
Succeeded byCraig Cheffins
Personal details
Born
Ralph Phillip Klein

(1942-11-01)November 1, 1942
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
DiedMarch 29, 2013(2013-03-29) (aged 70)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Spouses
  • Hilda Hepner
    (m. 1961; div. 1971)
  • Colleen Hamilton
    (m. 1972)
Children3 (and 2 stepchildren)
Alma materAthabasca University
ProfessionJournalist
Signature
Military service
Allegiance Canada
Branch/service Royal Canadian Air Force
UnitPrimary Reserve

Ralph Philip Klein OC AOE (November 1, 1942 – March 29, 2013) was a Canadian politician and journalist who served as the 12th premier of Alberta and leader of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta from 1992 until his retirement in 2006. Klein also served as the 32nd mayor of Calgary from 1980 to 1989.

Ralph was born and mostly grew up in Calgary, Alberta. After dropping out of High School in grade 11, Klein joined the Royal Canadian Air Force reserves for one year and then attended the Calgary Business College. Klein later worked as a teacher and principal at the Calgary Business College, and later public relations with non-profits. After that, Klein became a prominent local journalist in Calgary where he reported on the challenges of the working class, social outcasts and First Nations, endearing himself to those groups. In 1980, Klein turned his attention to politics and as an underdog was elected Mayor of Calgary, where he oversaw the boom and bust of the oil industry in the 1980s, expansion of the CTrain, and the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Klein resigned as Mayor in 1989 and turned his attention to provincial politics where he served as Environment Minister in the Cabinet of Don Getty for four years.

In 1992, Klein was elected as leader of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta and went on to lead the party to a majority government in the 1993 Alberta general election; Klein continued the Progressive Conservative dynasty and won three more majority governments afterwards. Klein's informal style endeared him to Albertans early in his term, and his political longevity and centralized management style earned him the nickname "King Ralph".[1] As premier, Klein oversaw a short period of drastic cuts to the public service and privatization of government services; this fiscal strategy ended in the late 1990s as rising oil and gas prices increased provincial tax revenues resulting in spending increases and paying down of the provincial government debt. Klein's 14-year-long tenure as premier ended when the Alberta Progressive Conservatives' new leader, Ed Stelmach, assumed office on December 14, 2006.[2]

  1. ^ Bergman, Brian (February 16, 2004). "King Ralph's Long Reign". Maclean's. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  2. ^ "Stelmach sworn in as Alberta's 13th premier", CBC News, December 14, 2006, retrieved February 3, 2015