Charles (Joe) Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark was born on June 5, 1939 to Grace and Joseph A. Clark of High River. He grew up in High River and graduated from High River High School. He obtained a BA degree in history in 1960 and a MA degree in political science in 1973 from the University of Alberta. While a student at the University of Alberta, Clark was editor of The Gateway, and from 1965-67 a lecturer in political science.Interested in politics from a young age, his early work included private secretary to then Alberta Progressive Conservative leader W.J.C. Kirby, 1959; national president of the Progressive Conservative Student Federation, 1962-64; a member of Premier Lougheed's political organization, 1966-67; special assistant to the Honourable Davie Fulton, 1967; and executive assistant to the Honourable Robert Stanfield, 1967-70.
Clark won his first government seat in 1972 as MP for the constituency of Rocky Mountain. From 1972-74, he was the chairman of the Progressive Conservative Caucus Committee on Youth. He was re-elected to the House of Commons in 1974, and from 1974-76 was chairman of the Progressive Conservative Committee on the Environment. In 1976 at the age of 37, he became leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. In 1979, he became Canada's sixteenth prime minister, at 39, the youngest person ever and the first native Westerner to hold that office. He served as Prime Minister from May, 1979 to February, 1980 when his minority government fell. Clark lost the Conservative Party leadership to Brian Mulroney.
The Clark administration adopted a determined stance in four areas: control of government spending and the encouragement of private sector growth, development of an energy self-sufficiency policy, the advancement of freedom of information legislation, and the strengthening of the consultative approach to federal/provincial relations.
Clark made important breakthroughs in Quebec. He learned to speak French, studied Quebec culture, and went into that province often to seek support and to promote the unity of the country.
During his term as leader of the opposition from March, 1980 to January, 1983, some significant accomplishments were achieved. He successfully led his party in its efforts to ensure that Canada's constitutional changes be more generally acceptable, particularly in Western Canada and in Quebec.
In the energy debate, Clark held the government to account for weakening Parliament and let the division bells ring until the government agreed to split its omnibus energy bill for more effective scrutiny by Parliament. In establishing the Via Rail Task Force, he challenged the government's right to act without the usual form of public consultation on a matter of vital importance to large and small communities throughout Canada.
Through the task force on the budget and the economy, and by determined efforts in the House of Commons, Clark and his party forced the reversal of over 50 measures in the 1981 MacEachen budget. He demonstrated that on economic matters, Parliament and all Canadians must be consulted, and their economic activities understood, if the country is to have a positive economic future.
A strong believer in the populist philosophy, Clark attempted to make the House of Commons more responsible and credible by stimulating and increasing debate. He sought to forge agreement on the idea of Canada being a community of communities.
Clark continued to be active in politics and when the Progressive Conservatives returned to power, Clark became Minister of External Affairs and Minister of Constitutional Affairs in the Mulroney government. Clark retired from politics in 1993, only to return again in 1998 as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party. Clark strongly opposed the plan to merge with the Canadian Alliance Party and in 2002, preferred to sit in Parliament as one of two independent Progressive Conservatives.
Clark has received numerous awards, among them the Alberta Order of Excellence, the Great Canadian Award in 1992, and was in 1994 a recipient of the University of Alberta Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Award.
He was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of New Brunswick in May, 1976, and was named a McLaughlin Fellow in the Faculty of Administrative Studies at York University.
Clark married Maureen Anne McTeer in 1973, and they have one daughter.
Source: The Right Honourable Charles Joseph Clark. The Alberta Order of Excellence.
Reprinted through the generous consideration of the Government of Alberta.