Don Getty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Don Getty OC AOE
Getty in the 1990s
11th Premier of Alberta
In office November 1, 1985 – December 14, 1992
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Lieutenant Governor	Helen Hunley Gordon Towers
Preceded by	Peter Lougheed
Succeeded by	Ralph Klein
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office May 23, 1967 – August 30, 1971
Preceded by	Randolph McKinnon
Succeeded by	District abolished
Constituency	Strathcona West
In office August 30, 1971 – March 14, 1979
Preceded by	District established
Succeeded by	Peter Knaak
Constituency	Edmonton-Whitemud
In office December 11, 1985 – March 20, 1989
Preceded by	Robert Alexander
Succeeded by	Percy Wickman
Constituency	Edmonton-Whitemud
In office May 9, 1989 – December 14, 1992
Preceded by	Brian Downey
Succeeded by	District abolished
Constituency	Stettler
Minister of Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs
In office September 10, 1971 – March 1975
Preceded by	Portfolio established
Succeeded by	Lou Hyndman
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
In office March 1975 – March 1979
Preceded by	Portfolio established
Succeeded by	Merv Leitch
Personal details
Born	Donald Ross Getty (1933-08-30)August 30, 1933 Westmount, Quebec, Canada
Died	February 26, 2016(2016-02-26) (aged 82) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Spouse	Margaret Mitchell
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Western Ontario
Occupation	Businessman, professional athlete
Signature
Football career
No. 27, 87
Getty after winning the 44th Grey Cup in 1956
Career information
CFL status	National
Position(s)	QB
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg)
College	Western Ontario
Career history
As player
1955–1965	Edmonton Eskimos
Career highlights and awards
Awards	2× Grey Cup (1955, 1956) Outstanding Canadian, Western Interprovincial Football Union (1959) Runner up, Schenley Award (1959)
Honors	Edmonton Eskimos Wall of Honour, 1992

Donald Ross Getty (August 30, 1933 – February 26, 2016) was an important Canadian politician. He served as the 11th premier of Alberta from 1985 to 1992. Before becoming Premier, he was a minister in the Alberta government. He also had a successful career as a professional football player. Getty was known for leading Alberta during tough economic times. He worked to strengthen Alberta's role within Canada.

Don Getty's Early Life and Football Career

Don Getty was born in Westmount, Quebec, on August 30, 1933. His parents were Beatrice and Charles Getty. His father worked hard to support their family of seven. Don grew up in several different cities. These included Verdun, Toronto, and London, Ontario.

He was a talented athlete in high school. He loved sports, especially football and basketball. He even drank eggnog to gain weight for football! Don was also elected student council president.

Playing Football in College

After high school, Don studied business at the University of Western Ontario. He became a football star there. He was the quarterback for the Western Ontario Mustangs. His team won championships in 1954 and 1955. In 1955, he was named the best athlete at his university. He also played on championship basketball teams.

Right after graduating in 1955, he married his high school sweetheart, Margaret Mitchell. The Edmonton Eskimos (now Elks) offered him a professional football contract. So, the newlyweds moved to Alberta.

From Football to Business

While playing football, Don also started his business career. He worked for Imperial Oil in 1955. Later, he worked for Midwestern Industrial Gas Limited. In 1964, he started his own company, Baldonnel Oil and Gas Company. By 1967, he was working in finance.

Don Getty's Political Journey

In 1965, Don Getty was asked to join politics. Peter Lougheed, another former Eskimos player, asked him to run. Lougheed was the leader of the Progressive Conservative party. Getty won his first election in 1967. He became a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).

Becoming a Cabinet Minister

In 1971, Getty was re-elected. He was then appointed as a minister in the government. He became the Minister of Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs. This meant he handled Alberta's relationships with the Canadian federal government.

Later, in 1975, he became the Minister of Energy. This was a very important role for Alberta. Energy policy was a big topic between Alberta and the federal government. Don Getty left politics in 1979 to work in the private sector.

Returning to Politics as Party Leader

After six years, Don Getty decided to return to politics. In 1985, Peter Lougheed retired as party leader. Getty entered the race to become the new leader. He was the favorite and won the leadership contest. On November 1, 1985, Don Getty became the Premier of Alberta. He then won a special election to get back into the legislature.

Don Getty as Premier of Alberta

Don Getty was Premier for almost seven years. This was a challenging time for Alberta's economy. Oil prices dropped, which hurt the province. Alberta's economy relies a lot on oil.

Managing Alberta's Money

When Getty became Premier, Alberta faced a large budget deficit. This means the government was spending more money than it was collecting. In his first year, the deficit was $2.1 billion. The next year, it grew to $3.4 billion because energy revenues fell.

To fix this, Getty's government raised some taxes. They also cut spending on programs. These cuts included money for schools, universities, and hospitals. By 1992, government spending was growing very slowly. Despite these efforts, Alberta's public debt grew to $11 billion during his time.

Helping the Economy

Getty's government tried to help Alberta's economy. They focused on supporting key industries. For example, they helped the farming sector with a $2 billion loan program. They also supported the energy sector. They gave loan guarantees to companies like Husky Oil and Syncrude. This helped these companies start new projects.

The government also tried to help other businesses. One example was a meat-packing plant called Gainers. The government provided loans and guarantees to help it. These efforts showed Getty's government wanted to support large businesses.

Working with Other Governments

Don Getty had strong ideas about how Alberta should work with the rest of Canada. He especially wanted to see changes to the Senate. The Senate is part of Canada's Parliament. He pushed for provinces to have more say in who becomes a senator.

He worked on two major agreements, the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord. These agreements aimed to change Canada's constitution. Getty helped include ideas for Senate reform in them. However, both agreements were eventually rejected. The Charlottetown Accord was rejected by Canadians in a vote.

Getty's government also made English the only official language of Alberta. This was against the wishes of the federal government. He also worked on land claims for Indigenous peoples in northern Alberta. His government created Canada's first Métis land base in 1989.

Getty's Leadership Style

Don Getty had a different leadership style than his predecessor. He preferred to set the main goals for the government. Then, he let his ministers handle the details. Ministers appreciated this freedom. However, some felt it meant ministers worked too much on their own.

Getty was a private person. This sometimes made him seem distant. He had a difficult relationship with the media. Despite this, he led the government with strong majorities. However, the opposition parties grew stronger during his time.

Leaving Politics

In 1989, Getty's party won the election. But he lost his own seat in Edmonton-Whitemud. Another MLA stepped down to allow Getty to run in a special election. Getty won this election easily.

His relationship with his own party was sometimes difficult. Some members felt the party needed new ideas. In 1992, Getty decided to retire from politics. He left some popular decisions for his successor to make. Ralph Klein was chosen as the new leader. Getty resigned as Premier in December 1992.

Don Getty's Legacy

After Getty, Ralph Klein became Premier. Klein focused on cutting government spending. He said Getty's government had spent too much. However, some people argue that Getty's government was already managing spending carefully. Don Getty's time as Premier is also remembered for creating Family Day in Alberta.

Don Getty's Professional Football Career

Before politics, Don Getty played 10 seasons for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was a quarterback. He helped the Eskimos win two Grey Cup championships in 1955 and 1956. In the 1956 Grey Cup, he started as quarterback. His team won 50-27 against the Montreal Alouettes.

Getty was one of the most successful Canadian-born quarterbacks. He is third on the all-time passing yardage list for Canadian quarterbacks. In 1959, he was named the outstanding Canadian player in his league. He was honored on the Eskimos' Wall of Honor in 1992.

Retirement and Passing

After leaving politics, Don Getty kept a quiet life. He served on company boards. He spent time with his grandchildren. He usually did not comment on political issues.

Don Getty passed away on February 26, 2016, in Edmonton. He was 82 years old.

Honours and Awards

Don Getty received many honors for his service.

• He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1998. This is one of Canada's highest honors.
• He became a Member of the Alberta Order of Excellence in 1999. This is Alberta's highest honor.
• He received several medals from Queen Elizabeth II. These included the Silver Jubilee Medal (1977), Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), and Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).
• He also received the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992).
• In 2012, he was inducted into the London Sports Hall of Fame. This recognized his achievements in Canadian football.
• In 2013, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta.

Images for kids

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  Ribbon for the Order of Canada

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  Ribbon for the Alberta Order of Excellence

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  Ribbon for the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal

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  Ribbon for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal

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  Ribbon for the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal

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  Ribbon for the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal