Ralph Klein passes away

[Barnet Flame]

Was anyone ever unclear what Ralph stood for? Was there ever any ambiguity?

How many other politicians or indeed people can you say the same about?

I loved that he was our Mayor and what he did for our city. Sitting in class at school while an announcement came over the intercom from our vice principal declaring that "important news has just come in from overseas. Calgary has been selected as the host of the 1988 Winter Olympics!"

It feels like yesterday - thank-you Ralph.

RIP

[drhu22]

Are the marshmallows ready?
I didnt agree a lot of times.
I thought he cut some things too carelessly...Too much Alberta is for sale/buisiness.
Now we hear stories about the conservatives not having the balls to ban sharkf soup. Hello China
Ralph was charming.

[undercoverbrother]

He used to come to my rugby club's clubhouse after the bars closed.

Man of the people.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by 1stLand

Klein's infamous visit to a homeless shelter while drunk will continue to live in our hearts and our minds. For him to yell at homeless people to get jobs,while throwing money on the floor - raw emotion fueled by a little liquid courage.

He was blunt. He was honest. His responses weren't measured. That's what I like about Ralph. He was just a normal, regular guy who shooted straight from the hip.

The Nenshi equivalent of this Ralph Klein Episode?

Nenshi could crash a UDI / Homebuilders Meeting and yell at the decision makers in the room to start building more multi-family in Inner City Communities. Leaves room and starts debating P3 Funding Formula's with the Building Janitor.

He doesn't drink alcohol, so it'd have to be on a pretty wild diet-coke binge.

[Bunk]

The story by Markusoff of Ralph's tenure as Mayor of Calgary in the 80s: As much as he had a reputation as a "Conservative" for aggressive debt reduction and spending cuts in the 90s as Premier, he was equally known as a prolific "Liberal" spender as Mayor in the 80s.


http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/al...626/story.html

[username]

I miss king Ralph already.

The guy was a political phenomenon. How many other politicians could get away with the stuff Ralph did? None.

I loved watching him in debates where his responses to almost every question was "I just want to leave this province in such good shape that not even the liberals can mess it up"

Man he was funny

[ricosuave]

He was the right guy for the right time, both municipally and provincially.

RIP Ralph, they dont make em like you anymore.

[4X4]

So who's going to be the first opposition MLA to use "Ralph Klein would be rolling in his grave", and how soon?

[peter12]

Originally Posted by 4X4

So who's going to be the first opposition MLA to use "Ralph Klein would be rolling in his grave", and how soon?

You're right. Politicians are disgusting.

[Bindair Dundat]

Originally Posted by peter12

You're right. Politicians are disgusting.

But Ralph was never "one of those"...and that's what sets him apart.

RIP Ralph...you EARNED it. Respect brother.

[mrvee]

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen

[nieuwy-89]

I was in high school in 1992 when Ralph ran for the PC leadership. At the age of 16 I bought my first political party membership and voted in my first election. Ralph was my guy - my parents were Nancy Betkowski supporters.

I think it was his straight talk, clear vision, and everyman persona that inspired me. He just seemed like a regular guy with a simple message.

That leadership race sparked a life long interest in politics. In high school my friends and I tried to start a "Ralph Klein Fan Club" but we couldn't get a teacher to sponsor us, which was a requirement to form an official student group in our school. I'm sure the teachers really appreciated a bunch of snot nosed kids worshipping the guy who forced them all to take a 5% rollback.

After High School I became very involved in the youth wing of the Alberta PC party. Throughout University and the first couple of years after graduation I volunteered and organized for the party for countless hours. I met Ralph many times and he was a very down to earth guy. Needless to say my friends and I put in many hours campaigning for the PC party and our local MLA candidates - but it was all because we supported Ralph. I look back at this period of my life with great fondness. We were extremely optimistic for Alberta and we had a lot of fun in the process!

I'm no longer involved in the party, but I will always be a small-c conservative and political junkie - and I owe it all to Ralph!

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Bunk

The story by Markusoff of Ralph's tenure as Mayor of Calgary in the 80s: As much as he had a reputation as a "Conservative" for aggressive debt reduction and spending cuts in the 90s as Premier, he was equally known as a prolific "Liberal" spender as Mayor in the 80s.


http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/al...626/story.html

I love that article. Would Calgary be the same city it is today without the things mentioned in that article?

Olympics, Saddledome, CTrain ?

Nice things cost money. Would Calgary have less debt if it didnt have a CTrain? I am sure it would. Would it be a better city - to some sure, to normal people... No.

[Kavvy]

I liked Ralph. I think he started his political career as an honest person, and did a lot of good while in power. He did a lot of things I disagreed with, and when he left, I was happy to see him leave public office.

I wish I had met him, he seemed like a good guy.

Best weird thing that occurred – when we got our ralph bucks and his postal code somehow manage to get two checks. I don’t think there was any scamming going on here, I would just love to hear what actually happen, this one still makes me laugh.


This has been discussed in other threads, we need to name something big after him, and I am NOT OK with a hospital based on his history. It doesn't mean anything as heathcare wasn't something he promoted and therefore wasn't his legacy.

Ralph was a man of business investment and reducing dept. If SimCity has taught me anything, it is that airports and seaports bring in foreign investment. Start the discussion (as from other threads) of naming the airport after him. It shouldn't be done lightly, but it should be discussed.

[Bunk]

There is Ralph Klein Park. Pretty big thing. Only things more substantial are airports and hospitals really - or maybe a major roadway or cultural facility.

http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pag...lein-Park.aspx

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Kavy

I liked Ralph. I think he started his political career as an honest person, and did a lot of good while in power. He did a lot of things I disagreed with, and when he left, I was happy to see him leave public office.

I wish I had met him, he seemed like a good guy.

Best “scandal” – when we got our ralph bucks and his postal code somehow manage to get two checks. I don’t think there was any scamming going on here, I would just love to hear what actually happen, this one still makes me laugh.


This has been discussed in other threads, we need to name something big after him, and I am NOT OK with a hospital based on his history. It doesn't mean anything as heathcare wasn't something he promoted and therefore wasn't his legacy.

Ralph was a man of business investment and reducing dept. If SimCity has taught me anything, it is that airports and seaports bring in foreign investment. Start the discussion (as from other threads) of naming the airport after him. It shouldn't be done lightly, but it should be discussed.

Look, this isn't really the thread for it, but there were others that I think are somewhat overlooked or forgotten now. I'm not going to get into it here, but let me just mention the word "Multicorp".

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by Slava

Look, this isn't really the thread for it, but there were others that I think are somewhat overlooked or forgotten now. I'm not going to get into it here, but let me just mention the word ".

???
This isn't what I was trying to start here, this was an actual fond memory of mine regarding Ralph, this is not the thread for this at all, this is a memorial thread.

I edited my OP

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Slava

Look, this isn't really the thread for it, but there were others that I think are somewhat overlooked or forgotten now. I'm not going to get into it here, but let me just mention the word "Multicorp".

C'mon Slava, really? You're not going to get into it, but you'll just leave a little mention of it to hopefully kickstart a discussion? We know what you're doing by posting that, we're not stupid.

If you really "weren't going to get into it" because "this isn't the thread for it", then you wouldn't have posted anything at all. What a BS move on your part. Poor form.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by flameswin

C'mon Slava, really? You're not going to get into it, but you'll just leave a little mention of it to hopefully kickstart a discussion? We know what you're doing by posting that, we're not stupid.

If you really "weren't going to get into it" because "this isn't the thread for it", then you wouldn't have posted anything at all. What a BS move on your part. Poor form.

Believe me, if I was going to get into it there would be more to say than just that!

I actually have a lot of respect for a lot of the legacy and province/city building the Ralph both spearheaded and accomplished. Its something sorely lacking in what we see at all levels of politics today. I have been debating whether to attend the memorial in fact, so its not like this is false praise.

The other poster brought up something about the Ralph bucks and how that was the biggest scandal. I might've misread that, but let's be honest, that wasn't the biggest scandal. I also don't think its 'poor form' either. Ralph accomplished a lot, but he wasn't a saint.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Slava

Look, this isn't really the thread for it, but there were others that I think are somewhat overlooked or forgotten now. I'm not going to get into it here, but let me just mention the word "Multicorp".

Your first instinct was correct.