Rod Sykes facts for kids

Rod Sykes (born May 19, 1929, died January 3, 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 as a Liberal candidate in the 1984 federal election.

Early Life and Education

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

Childhood Challenges

Sykes's father was often away for work. Rod did not go to a regular school until he was 8 years old in 1937. This was when his family moved to Kent. His mother taught him to read and write at home. A year later, the family returned to Victoria, British Columbia after his grandfather died. They lived in his grandfather's old home.

When Sykes was young, his father joined the army reserves. He served overseas for six years during the Second World War. During this time, Sykes's family faced money problems. His mother also spent time in a nursing home due to mental health issues. Rod and his sister were placed in foster care. Sykes had a tough time at school and often got into trouble.

Turning Point in Education

Later, Sykes attended Oak Bay High School. He saw this as a big change in his life. He was able to catch up on his studies in what he called a positive place. Sykes also said that T.W.S. Parsons, a police commissioner and father of a school friend, was like a good father figure to him.

Starting a Career

Sykes's father came back from the war when Rod was 17. Rod soon moved out because he and his father did not get along. Sykes thought about becoming a lawyer. Instead, he went to Sprott Shaw College to study business. He started working as an apprentice at a small accounting firm.

When he was 19, Sykes reported the head of the firm to the Institute of Chartered Accountants. This happened after he was forced to show fake numbers for a client to a bank. The Institute helped Sykes continue his career at Price Waterhouse. He lived in Montreal for eight years (1954-1962) and also spent a short time in Zurich, Switzerland. After becoming a Chartered accountant, Sykes studied economics at Sir George Williams University in Montreal.

Working with Canadian Pacific Railway

In 1959, Sykes joined Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). He was invited by Ian David Sinclair. His job was to find better ways to use CPR's non-transportation properties. These included oil, gas, forests, and real estate. Sykes often traveled between his home in Montreal and Calgary. CPR was thinking about moving its train tracks out of downtown Calgary. They wanted to use that land for new buildings.

Moving to Calgary

Sykes moved to Calgary in 1962. He became the Project Manager for CPR's study on land use in Calgary. In Calgary, Sykes started and managed Marathon Realty, which was CPR's real estate company. He named it after a short story.

The plan to move the CPR tracks was a joint project between the city and the railway. Sykes had a good relationship with Mayor Harry Hays early on. When Mayor Hays left politics in 1963, Grant MacEwan became mayor. Sykes had a difficult relationship with MacEwan. Hays had strongly supported the redevelopment. However, MacEwan believed the people of Calgary should have the final say.

Political Career

Sykes served as the mayor of Calgary from 1969 to 1977. He stood up for people who were struggling. He believed in having financial support for those in need. He also spoke out against corruption among the wealthy and powerful. When he left office, he made sure Calgary would start building its LRT system. During his time as mayor, Calgary changed its voting system.

Leading a Political Party

Sykes was the leader of the Alberta Social Credit Party from 1980 to 1982. He left the party leadership in 1982. He was frustrated by the party's internal problems and money issues.

In 1984, he was chosen to run for the Liberal Party. He wanted a seat in the House of Commons for the Calgary East area. At that time, this was the largest voting area in Canada. Sykes was the only Liberal candidate supported by the Calgary Sun newspaper that year. However, he lost to Progressive Conservative Alex Kindy in the election.

Personal Life

Sykes and his wife, Marie Therese Claire Gisèle (who died in 2008), had five children and fourteen grandchildren.

From a young age, Sykes enjoyed gardening, reading, and stamp collecting. He remained a member of the American Philatelic Society throughout his life. His interest in reading, the British Royal family, and political 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. He later became a Catholic in his mid-20s. Sykes was also a long-time friend of professional wrestler and promoter Stu Hart.

Sykes passed away at his home in Calgary on January 3, 2025, at the age of 95.