Premier Harry Strom

1 premier

1.1 policy initiatives
1.2 leadership style
1.3 defeat

premier

harry strom became premier december 12, 1968 , served until 1971 election, when government defeated peter lougheed s progressive conservatives. tenure makes him fourth shortest-serving former premier in alberta s history, after dave hancock, jim prentice, , richard g. reid.

policy initiatives

many of strom s policy initiatives revolved around education , youth. created alberta service corps, allowed young albertans work summers on public services , environmental projects remuneration, , 1 of several models federal government s later katimavik program. in response increasing use of illicit drugs alberta youth, government, led education minister bob clark, inserted anti-narcotics messages province s school curriculum. strom implemented trial kindergarten programs in edmonton , calgary—the calgary program, provided jointly inner-city community association , mount royal college, has been called 1 of canada s first public-private partnerships. interest in educational matters perhaps best exemplified government s commission on educational planning, travelled province solicit albertans views , final report, choice of futures, credited barr setting tone , direction education in alberta next generation . strom government made substantial reforms alberta s post-secondary education system, expanding distance learning through creation of athabasca university , laying foundation s access television, , creating province s college (as distinct university) system. latter move led creation of grant macewan college.

strom took number of non-educational policy initiative, such naming jim henderson province s first environment minister. other priorities reform of premier s office , establishment of intergovernmental affairs secretariat, converted peter lougheed s government full ministry under don getty. in 1970, government established alberta alcoholism , drug abuse commission.

leadership style

strom resisted leadership , saw himself conciliator, charged maintaining unity among cabinet , caucus. after becoming premier, strom chief of staff don hamilton , strategist owen anderson scheduled strategy meetings agendas drawn strom s leadership platform. meetings did not lead action, , began grumble talking decisions form of action . according barr, hamilton started using same agenda every week, date changed, , strom did not notice.

strom not effective speaker , not @ text of speeches until delivering them. realizing this, hamilton once handed him folder nothing paper reading sock em, harry before premier give speech @ university of alberta. premier opened folder and, became visibly alarmed, gratefully received real speech when aide brought him.

strom resisted calling election give government fresh mandate, despite hamilton s impassioned advocacy course of action. no more positive towards anderson s proposals radical overhaul of party, including computerization of political data (such voting trends, demographic shifts, , polling results) , purchase of office building make party profit , free need fundraising. ideas strom did not reject outright referred committees , study groups watered down or shelved.

despite these failings, strom recognized possessing number of virtues: kind, considerate, , honest. of all, humble: had not sought party leadership , notoriously asked after being repeatedly addressed premier @ first cabinet meeting why not plain harry anymore . when travelling ottawa, stayed @ un-posh skyline hotel , ate meals in basement cafeteria, ordered bread , pea soup $0.25. on final analysis, barr concludes temperament, commendable though may be, unsuited running government of emerging economic powerhouse.

defeat

though legislature s mandate 1967 election not due expire until may 1972, 5 years after started, convention in canadian politics legislatures dissolved every 4 years or less. accordingly, strom resolved call election in 1971, sometime between may , september. after considering spring, in hopes planting season have farmers feeling optimistic , therefore inclined support incumbent government, strom settled on august 30 (partly out of concerns farmers resent election called in middle of planting or harvest seasons). campaign committee assembled, , recommended budget of $580,000.

the party recruited star candidates, including calgary alderman george ho lem , former calgary stampeder star don luzzi (edmonton alderman , future mayor cec purves defeated in bid win social credit nomination in edmonton-strathcona strathcona centre incumbent joseph donovan ross), handicapped in these efforts strom s unwillingness offer cabinet posts or other incentives potential new candidates. strom s lack of personal charisma liability: tellingly, of large budget recommended central committee, $72,000 recommended use on television advertising, strom did not shine. party tried revitalize premier s image through publicity movies, though efforts mixed. in one, pulled after single showing, strom appeared scowling in living room, urging albertans lower expectations of government. another, produced tommy banks , showing strom in variety of settings talking province s changing face, more successful.

the campaign did not give social credit partisans reason optimism. strom did not draw crowds progressive conservative peter lougheed did, although august 25 rally in edmonton s jubilee auditorium featuring speeches strom , manning full. after criticizing conservatives medicare platform, promised free medicare albertans older 65, spendthrift, strom announced social credit s barely cheaper alternative: medicare albertans older 65 1 dollar per month. edmonton journal, had earlier published poll showing plurality of edmontonians intended vote p.c., endorsed lougheed premier. election night saw social credit defeated, taking 25 seats p.c.s 49. though social credit s share of vote had slipped slightly, lougheed benefited substantial reduction in new democrats vote , near-collapse of liberals . party decimated in province s 2 largest cities, losing of seats in edmonton , 5 in calgary.

strom conceded defeat in edmonton , returned home medicine hat.