Ralph Klein

The Honourable Ralph Klein OC AOE
Klein in 2005
12th Premier of Alberta
In office December 14, 1992 – December 14, 2006
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Lieutenant Governor	Gordon Towers Bud Olson Lois Hole Norman Kwong
Deputy	Ken Kowalski Shirley McClellan
Preceded by	Don Getty
Succeeded by	Ed Stelmach
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
In office November 28, 1992 – November 25, 2006
Preceded by	Don Getty
Succeeded by	Ed Stelmach
32nd Mayor of Calgary
In office October 27, 1980 – March 21, 1989
Preceded by	Ross Alger
Succeeded by	Donald Adam Hartman
Alberta Executive Council Minister of Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs In office June 30, 1993 – September 15, 1994 Premier Himself Preceded by Peter Elzinga Succeeded by Ken Rostad Minister of the Environment In office April 14, 1989 – December 14, 1992 Premier Don Getty Preceded by Ian Reid Succeeded by Brian Evans
Parliamentary constituencies Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Elbow In office March 20, 1989 – January 15, 2007 Preceded by David John Russell Succeeded by Craig Cheffins
Personal details
Born	Ralph Phillip Klein (1942-11-01)November 1, 1942 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Died	March 29, 2013(2013-03-29) (aged 70) Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Spouses	Hilda Hepner ​ ​ (m. 1961; div. 1971)​ Colleen Hamilton ​ (m. 1972)​
Children	3 (and 2 stepchildren)
Alma mater	Athabasca University
Profession	Journalist
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Canada
Branch/service	Royal Canadian Air Force
Unit	Primary 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]