Rod Sykes facts for kids

James Rodney Winter Sykes (born May 19, 1929 – died January 6, 2025) was a Canadian politician from Alberta. He was the 30th Mayor of Calgary from 1969 to 1977. He also led the Alberta Social Credit Party from 1980 to 1982. Later, he ran for the Liberal Party in the 1984 federal election.

Early Life and Learning

Sykes was born in Montreal, Quebec, on May 19, 1929. His father, Leslie Sykes, was an electrical engineer. His mother, Muriel, stayed at home. Soon after he was born, his family moved to Sooke, British Columbia.

His father was often away for work. Rod did not go to a regular school until he was eight years old. This was in 1937, when his family moved to Kent. Instead, his mother taught him to read and write. A year later, his family moved back to Victoria, British Columbia. They lived in a home his grandfather had left them.

After returning to Victoria, his father joined the army reserves. He served overseas for six years during Second World War. During this time, the family faced tough times. Rod and his sister lived with other families for a while. Rod had some struggles at school. But things got better when he went to Oak Bay High School. He felt it was a good place to learn and catch up. He also looked up to T.W.S. Parsons, a police commissioner.

When Rod was 17, his father came back from the war. Rod soon moved out. He thought about becoming a lawyer. But he decided to study business at Sprott Shaw College. He started working at an accounting firm. Later, he moved to Price Waterhouse, a bigger accounting company. He lived in Montreal for eight years (1954–1962). He also spent a short time in Zürich, Switzerland. After becoming a Chartered accountant, he studied economics at Sir George Williams University in Montreal.

Working with Canadian Pacific Railway

In 1959, Sykes joined Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). He became the Supervisor of Economic Projects. His job was to help the CPR use its non-railway properties better. These included land, oil, and gas. Sykes traveled a lot between Montreal and Calgary. The CPR was thinking about moving its train tracks out of downtown Calgary. This would free up land for new buildings.

In 1962, Sykes moved to Calgary. He became the Project Manager for the CPR's land study there. In Calgary, Sykes started and managed Marathon Realty. This was the CPR's real estate company. The plan to move the tracks was a joint project. It involved both the city and the railway. Sykes worked well with Mayor Harry Hays at first. Mayor Hays strongly supported the redevelopment.

When Mayor Hays left politics in 1963, Grant MacEwan became mayor. Sykes found it harder to work with MacEwan. MacEwan believed the people of Calgary should have the final say on the project.

Becoming a Politician

Sykes served as the Mayor of Calgary from 1969 to 1977. As mayor, he stood up for people who needed help. He also worked to make sure Calgary had good financial support for its citizens. He spoke out against corruption. Before he left office, he made sure Calgary started building its LRT (Light Rail Transit) system. During his time, Calgary changed how it elected its city council members.

After being mayor, Sykes became the leader of the Alberta Social Credit Party. This was from 1980 to 1982. He left this role in 1982. He was frustrated by problems within the party.

In 1984, he decided to run for the Liberal Party. He wanted a seat in the House of Commons. This is Canada's main law-making body. He ran in the Calgary East area. This was a very large area at the time. He was the only Liberal candidate supported by the Calgary Sun newspaper that year. However, he lost the election to Alex Kindy, a Progressive Conservative candidate.

About His Life

Rod Sykes and his wife, Gisèle (who has passed away), had five children. They also had fourteen grandchildren. He had a sister named Anne, who lives in Victoria.

From a young age, Sykes enjoyed gardening, reading, and collecting stamps. He was a member of the American Philatelic Society for many years. His love for reading, the British Royal family, and history led him to become friends with Lord Mountbatten. This friendship allowed Sykes to attend some important events.

Sykes was raised Christian in the Church of England. Later, in his mid-20s, he became a Catholic. He was also a long-time friend of Stu Hart, a famous professional wrestler and promoter. Rod Sykes passed away in January 2025, at the age of 96.