Albertans are mourning the loss of an iconic political leader who earned our reverence.
Former Alberta premier Ralph Klein passed away on Good Friday, March 29 at the age of 70 after battling numerous health issues including dementia.
Klein was born in Calgary in 1942 and become the city’s mayor in 1980. However, the former journalist made his mark when he jumped to provincial politics in 1989 and then became premier in 1992 — a position he held until his retirement in 2006.
What endeared Klein to the vast majority of Albertans was his approach to politics — an approach we do not see often anymore.
First, Klein was not what one would call a fence-sitter. When his mind was made up, he made a decision and he stuck with it. Most impressive is the fact he often made decisions which did not appease the general public but he did what he thought was best for Alberta and if his decision proved to be wrong, he would be the first to admit his error.
He was a breath of fresh air — in a time when politics was more about filibusters and debt he was about balanced budgets and plowing ahead.
Of course he is best known for eliminating Alberta’s debt and he did so by making some difficult and often unpopular choices, but again he did what he believed he had to do.
What many Albertans do not remember is a lot of people, especially doctors, nurses and teachers, made substantial sacrifices to ensure Klein’s economics were successful.
However, it was short-term pain for Alberta’s long-term gain and most taxpayers accepted it would be a painful process.
He will be forever remembered for making the tough decisions and standing behind those decisions.
The other reason Klein endeared himself to Alberta was the fact he was just a regular Joe.
Unlike today’s politicians, Klein rarely travelled with an entourage or had his handlers limiting people’s access to the premier.
He was often seen in coffee shops, cattle auctions or dinners across Alberta sharing a beer, shaking hands, talking with residents to get their viewpoint and priorities. It was honest, not doing so for a photo op.
Klein was incredibly approachable, a staunch conservative and arguably one of Canada’s most beloved politicians. He will be missed.
