Robert Curtis Clark facts for kids

Robert Curtis "Bob" Clark (born July 2, 1937 – died July 10, 2020) was a teacher and a public servant who also worked in politics. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1960 to 1981. During this time, he was a Cabinet Minister for Premier Ernest Manning. He also led the Alberta Social Credit Party and was the Leader of the Official Opposition. After his time in politics, he served as the Alberta Ethics Commissioner from 1992 to 2003.

Bob Clark's Early Life

Robert Curtis Clark was born on July 2, 1937, in Acme, Alberta, Canada. He became a school teacher when he was nineteen years old, starting in 1956 in Mountain View County.

Clark's Political Journey

Starting in Politics

Clark was first chosen to be a member of the Alberta Legislature in a special election. This election happened in the area called Didsbury on November 30, 1960. The election was needed because the previous member had passed away. Clark won by getting twice as many votes as his opponent. At 23 years old, he became the youngest member of the Alberta Legislature.

Before the 1963 Alberta general election, Clark's area was combined with a nearby area called Olds. This new area was named Olds-Didsbury. Clark won this new district easily against two other candidates.

Becoming a Cabinet Minister

In 1966, Premier Ernest Manning chose Clark to be the Minister of Youth. This meant he was in charge of youth-related programs for the government. In the 1967 election, Clark won his seat again by a large number of votes. In 1968, Premier Harry Strom appointed Clark as the Minister of Education. Clark kept his seat easily in the 1971 election, even though his party lost the election.

Leading the Opposition

In September 1973, Clark was chosen by his party members to be the Leader of the Official Opposition. This happened after the previous leader left the party. Clark had tried to become the party leader earlier and had a lot of support. However, he was defeated by another candidate who was not yet a member of the legislature.

After a difficult election in 1975, Clark's party lost many seats. Clark, however, easily won his own seat. The party leader resigned, and Clark became the leader without anyone opposing him. For six years, he led the opposition. During this time, the government was led by Peter Lougheed, who was very popular.

In the 1979 election, Clark's party gained more public support. However, they did not win more seats in the legislature. Clark won his home district with his biggest lead ever, showing he was still very popular there. Less than a year later, Clark stepped down as the party leader. He also resigned from his seat on November 30, 1981. This marked the beginning of the end for his party's power in Alberta politics.

Life After Politics

After leaving his political role, Clark worked as a consultant for two companies from 1981 to 1992. In 1986, he became a board member and later the chairman for a company that managed special waste.

On June 8, 1988, Clark received an honorary law degree from the University of Calgary. This was special because he had not attended university. Clark also played a big role in the hockey community in Alberta. In 1987, he became the General Manager for the Olds Grizzlys, a junior hockey team. He helped the team win three championships in a row between 1992 and 1994. One of these wins included the 1994 Centennial Cup, which is awarded to the best junior team in Canada. Clark later served as the team's president and then as chairman of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. In 2020, he was recognized for his contributions to hockey and was added to the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame.

Clark passed away in July 2020 at the age of 83.

Serving the Public

In 1992, Clark was chosen to be the first Alberta Ethics Commissioner. He held this important position from April 1, 1992, to March 31, 2003.

He also served as Alberta's first Information and Privacy Commissioner from 1995 to 2001. In 2002, he was appointed chairman of a commission that decided how election areas in Alberta would be set up for the 2004 election.

In 2003, Clark received the Alberta Lieutenant Governor's Award for his strong commitment to public service.

After leaving his role as Ethics Commissioner, he worked as an Ethics Advisor for a board that dealt with energy and utilities. He held this job from 2002 to 2007. Since 2006, he has been the Chair of a fund that helps develop rural areas in Alberta.