Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein passes

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Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein passes

Postby radiofan » Fri Mar 29, 2013 1:18 pm

Former CFCN News Reporter, Calgary Mayor and long time Alberta Premier Ralph Klein passed away today at 70.

http://globalnews.ca/news/439547/former ... g-illness/
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Re: Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein pas

Postby hagopian » Fri Mar 29, 2013 2:58 pm

This man was a people person, and was re-elected by vast majorities, because people liked him. Yes, he was known to have a few pops and he smoked like a bonfire - but he spoke from the hip. He angered Trudeau and drove opponents nuts. Didn’t matter. He pulled Alberta’s finances together and will be remembered for his persona and his achievements.

Sincere condolences to the Klein Family and all the people who cared for “The People’s Premier”.

I met Mr. Klein once and he made me feel special, in the few moments we had to chat, on the receiving line.

Likeable as heck.

Goodbye, sir, and THANK YOU.
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Re: Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein pas

Postby Eldon-Mr.CFAY » Fri Mar 29, 2013 3:26 pm

Hi Everyone,
Yes I agree with what you just said Hagopian! I first met "Ralph" as he liked to be called when I lived in Calgary in the 80s and he was Mayor of Calgary. I used to go down to Calgary city hall to pay my hydro bill all the time. I enjoyed the visit and really like Calgary's City Hall. Used to buy a few lottery tickets and newspapers at the gift store there too. What really angered me was this Calgary City counciller Bev Longstaff who was criticizing expansion of the Calgary Northwest Transit Line C Train. She was throwing everything she could at Mayor Ralph saying he was going to disturb the peace in Northwest Calgary and everything else by building the northwest transit line. Anyway it turns out she wanted Ralph's job as Mayor and ran for it but lost the next Calgary civic election. I went storming down to Calgary City Hall and talked to Ralph, introduced myself and said I supported him one hundred per cent with this Northwest Transit Line expansion, I want to really blast Bev Longstaff but Ralph told me she had the right to her opinions to as a member of City Council. I told him I thought she was being unfair with some of her sharp comments and unfair criticism of his promotion of the transit line. Anyway thats how I met Ralph Klein for the first time at Calgary City Hall!! Gosh that must have been back around 1985 or so, just can't remember the year. I followed his career from that point onward and supported him all the way. Did I agree with everything Ralph did as Premier or even Mayor of Calgary, No but I think he was a damn good Mayor, excellent MLA and good Premier (one of the best Premiers in Canada as far as I am concerned). By the way I would have thought that regardless of what political party he ran for. Ann (Mrs. CFAY) didn't like some of his policies in later years in the late 90s about health care in Alberta but even she could live with that because she liked him too even though she has never lived in Alberta. I have some personal letters and campaign literature from him going back to the late 80s and very early 90s.

For those who may not know Ralph KIein was a former News Anchor with CFCN TV in Calgary so he was a broadcaster too! From what I understand he did a damn good job at that too (nothing like Twisty's talk show on NW). I never lived in Calgary when he was a broadcaster on CFCN TV but would love to see a video clip of it if anyone could post something! RadioFan I think was working at QR 77 when Ralph was in the studio several times for one of the talk shows. I think he told me at one point he talked to him at QR and if I am not mistaken gave him a cigarette or something??? I think thats what he told me. He had some interesting conversation with him! Anyway I think he did an overall good job of being Premier of Alberta and had a real grassroots down to earth approach! He used to frequent one of the budget hotel restaurants/bars just to keep in touch with the everyday Calgarian! I think that was when he was Mayor and even Premier although as Premier he kept pretty busy up in Edmonton.

To his wife Colleen and Family I send my sincere condolences from Ann and I on his passing, one of the better Canadian Politicians and a friendly down to earth person too. RIP Ralph, we will miss you!!!

Sincerely, Eldon
Bye . . Mr. CFAY "Frequently On The Frequency"
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Re: Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein pas

Postby jon » Fri Mar 29, 2013 5:00 pm

Although I've never lived in Calgary, what I've read says that Ralph Klein was City Hall Reporter for CFCN AM & TV. I'm not aware of him ever anchoring.

Like one of Edmonton's best mayors ever (Lawrence Decore), Ralph Klein was right at home eating at popularly priced eateries. The last time I saw Mr. Klein was at Moxie's in Edmonton perhaps 4 years ago. He smiled and said "Hello", knowing that he was recognized. The only time that I saw Lawrence Decore was at the food court at what was then Edmonton Centre downtown. Both times, the men were out alone to eat lunch, without fear, or staff lurking nearby.
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Re: Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein pas

Postby Mike Cleaver » Fri Mar 29, 2013 5:14 pm

Ralph did anchor on CFCN doing the 6pm 'cast when I was working in Calgary at CKXL in 1971-'72.
People at competing stations were friendly with each other and would often go out for a few wobbly pops or barley sandwiches together.
I got to know Ralph quite well through our mutual memberships in RTNDA and attending one memorable pool party at CFCN ND Thompson MacDonald's place after Ralph became Mayor of Calgary.
After about an hour, he sent his handlers home and let his hair down with his media buddies from across Canada.
Many drinks were had and many indulged in some lit material and a great time was had as he reverted to Ralph the news guy.
It was the reporting and anchoring that he did that gave him the high profile and enabled his win of the Mayor's chair.
We re-connected again when I worked at CJCA in Edmonton, doing several interviews with him in person and on the phone.
He was the people's Premier, down to earth, loved to have a good time during his jaunts to that sleazy beer parlour in that seedy downtown Calgary hotel, the name of which escapes me.
I'll miss Ralph, a great Mayor and Premier but I'll always remember him as the news person he was, back in the early '70s.
And unless someone has some black and white 16mm film that we used to shoot TV news back then, I doubt there is much video as the film generally was dumped after a few years and any videotape that existed would have been re-used almost immediately (2" quad reels were expensive.)
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Re: Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein pas

Postby Mike Cleaver » Fri Mar 29, 2013 5:35 pm

I wrote too soon.
My friend John Ackerman at News 1130 managed to find this clip: http://t.co/c5oNPF3IqF

Note: contains the "f" word, more than once....
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Re: Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein pas

Postby radiofan » Fri Mar 29, 2013 9:30 pm

Mike Cleaver wrote:He was the people's Premier, down to earth, loved to have a good time during his jaunts to that sleazy beer parlour in that seedy downtown Calgary hotel, the name of which escapes me.


Lunch at The St. Louie on Fried Chicken Fridays!
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Re: Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein pas

Postby drmusic » Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:17 pm

Too lazy to find the link but the CBC Archives site has a fifth estate profile of Klein from the early 80s. Part of the piece is about his work at CFCN.
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Re: Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein pas

Postby pieinthesky » Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:52 pm

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Re: Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein pas

Postby Eldon-Mr.CFAY » Sun Mar 31, 2013 2:34 am

Hi Everyone,
Yes thanks again for further information about Premier Ralph Klein. Very interesting comments Mike, glad to know of your meeting Premier Ralph too. Also thanks for mentioning about his news anchor position at CFCN. I had heard that from several Calgarians when I lived there in the 1980s but had never seen him on-air at the station because it was before I was there. Thanks also to everyone for the links. Yes the St. Louis Hotel on the eastside of downtown Calgary, not exactly a five star hotel by any stretch! Basically the working man's location, it was old and no longer is open currently. I had lunch there a couple times, not too bad, I did not find it as bad as some of those greasy spoon cafes in a few cities!!! At least when I ate there it was okay. Most people ordered drinks there however I just had a coffee or pop. I used to have any drinks at the Calgary Tower at the restaurant on top over dinner there usually! Anyway interesting comments about Premier Ralph and television news coverage has been quite good too! Thanks everyone for posting about this!

73s Eldon
Bye . . Mr. CFAY "Frequently On The Frequency"
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Re: Former CFCN Reporter and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein pas

Postby mccrady » Sun Mar 31, 2013 8:34 am

I've watched a great deal of the television coverage since news of Klein's death broke on Friday. Most of it was the predictable, respectful pablum of tributes that follows the passing of any prominent person and certainly helped fill shows on what is generally the second-slowest news day of the year. Ralph seems to have retained his keen sense of timing, even in death.

But one item stood out: Paul Hunter's retrospective on The People's Network. If you missed it, here's the link:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/s ... berta.html

Hunter and his crew managed to take some footage of a gutted old firetrap of a building and bring it alive again ... and he put a human face on Klein in the process.

It was a great piece of television done by a seasoned reporter. I hope the competition was watching. And learning.
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