CALGARY – In the wake of Friday’s passing of legendary Alberta premier Ralph Klein, Canadians from across the country have come together to mourn, celebrate a life, and praise a man they are choosing to believe they did not hate.
“Ralph was one of the most natural and effective politicians I ever worked with,” said Liberal leader and former Ontario premier Bob Rae, who once called Klein out for being too drunk to attend a meeting between the two.
“I think what I will miss most about him was his generosity and warmth,” said Edmonton resident Aileen Rose, who now works part time at a sewage plant after being laid off from her job as a nurse as a result of the premier’s massive spending cuts to healthcare.
In Calgary, where Klein was mayor from 1980 to 1989, current mayor and child of immigrant parents Naheed Nenshi hailed Klein’s “tremendous impact” on the city, and managed to not mention Klein’s previous position that city police remove the “bums and creeps” that were moving to Calgary in search of work.
As they mourn Klein, Canadians are reminded again of the loss of the political icon Jack Layton, as well as our mutual agreement to pretend he was not responsible for bringing down the Martin government and causing the last 6 years of Harper’s rule.
