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April XXXth, MMXIV
Hon. Jeff Johnson, B. Ed., MLA, Minister of Education, Progressive Conservative, Athabasca-Sturgeon-RedH2O
Dear Jeff:
As Executive Dissertations Wednesday focus continues on Premiers of Alberta, we look today at the great Ralph P. Klein, who was our XIIth (12th) Premier from December XIVth, MCMXCII-December XIVth, MMVI, a total of XIV (14) years. The IIIrd longest in provincial history & only VII (7) weeks & IV (4) days short of breaking Premier E. Peter Lougheed's record.
- Ralph started out in media as a broadcast journalist.
- Ralph was Mayor of Calgary for III (3) terms & successfully brought the MCMLXXXVIII (1988) Winter Olympic Games to Calgary, his home town. He was known as the "people's mayor" & would have a drink or two with average citizens at bars to get the feel of the city & its residents so he could relate to them better.
- Ralph was one of only III (3) Premiers to win IV (4) terms of office more. The others being Premier Ernest C. Manning with VII (7) terms & Premier E. Peter Lougheed with IV (4) terms. He also represented Calgary-Elbow like his successor's successor as Premier, Alison Redford. Unlike Redford, you could respect Ralph Klein
- Ralph got excited about education as Premier & while in office he obtained a Bachelor of Communications Degree from Athabasca University, also where I got my Bachelor of Administration Degree from.
- Sadly, Ralph is no longer with us, having died from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a lung disease & Pick's Disease, a rare form of dementia. We lost Ralph & his political smarts at age LXX (70), let his death raise awareness of these terrible diseases so that others who suffer from them can be helped.
Ralph's Widow Colleen Klein & Many Albertans Miss This Great Man Who Got Us Out Of Debt,
Rory
Source: The Airdrie City View.
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