Various news media are reporting that Ralph Klein has passed away at the age of 70. Mr. Klein served as Mayor of Calgary from 1980 to 1989 and Premier of Alberta from 1992 until his retirement from politics in 2006.
Despite leading the Progressive Conservatives to form four majority governments – in 1993, 1997, 2001, and 2004 – his own party turned against him in a 2006 leadership review. He announced his resignation shortly afterward.
He had suffered from numerous ailments, including temporal dementia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, since his retirement.
Here is some coverage of former Premier Klein’s passing:
Colby Cosh: Ralph Klein, R.I.P.: the deceptive shape of a shadow
Graham Thomson and Tony Seskus: Ralph Klein was unconventional, controversial, entertaining – and often underestimated
CBC: Alberta’s Ralph Klein dead at 70
Toronto Star: Former Alberta Premier Ralph Klein dies
Globe and Mail: Ralph Klein, long-time and colourful Alberta premier, has died
5 replies on “Ralph Phillip Klein (1942-2013).”
This man deserves a state funeral
[…] Former Alberta premier Ralph Klein died Friday at the age of 70. Here’s the Edmonton Journal’s obituary, and here’s the Globe and Mail’s. You may also want to read Premier Redford’s statement. I really enjoyed Chris’ take on Klein. Dave has aggregated more coverage here. […]
Thanks Dave for this article. While it is good to have sympathy for Ralph’s family at this time, it is good that your post didn’t indulge in the kind of glorification that I have seen on a lot media(some I wasn’t expecting like the CBC). The truth has to be told, even on a day like this.
Frankly, I think the idea of a state funeral isn’t going to happen because I think family may wise to do it privately(which is a very understandable motivation). I am not sure I am comfortable with state funerals because there is something quite imperial about them. The other point is that if Ralph is man of the people, than this doesn’t fit with brand(a brand I have always been somewhat skeptical of). I think you will see something low-key and hopefully not too excessive(something we should concerned about given the state of the provincial budget).
[…] Ralph Klein passed away last week, numerous people have emailed me with their stories about his time politics and reactions to legacy […]