36 Facts About Harry Strom

Harry Edwin Strom was the ninth premier of Alberta, from 1968 to 1971.

Alberta's first native-born Premier, Strom was born in Burdett, Alberta.

Harry Strom worked most of his young adult life on the family farm, and was actively involved in his church.

When Manning decided to resign in 1968, Harry Strom became a candidate to succeed him, and finished on top of a six candidate field.

Harry Strom lacked both charisma and an overriding sense of purpose, and his government gradually lost popularity.

Harry Strom served as opposition leader for two years, but soon relinquished the position and did not seek re-election in 1975.

Harry Strom was born in Burdett, Alberta, on July 7,1914.

Harry Strom attended school in Burdett before moving to Calgary to attend high school at East Calgary High School and Calgary Technical High School, where he studied mechanics.

Harry Strom's father died the same year, and Strom returned home to help his mother with the operation of the family farm.

Besides his activities with the church, Harry Strom was involved in the Forty Mile Rural Electrification Association, the Burdett Home and School Association, and the Agricultural Improvement Association of Burdett.

In 1943, Harry Strom was elected to the council of the County of Forty Mile No 8 in southern Alberta.

Harry Strom served on local school boards at around the same time.

Harry Strom easily defeated his only opponent, Liberal Joe Flaig, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

Harry Strom passed a series of legislation, including the Soil Conservation Act and Crop Insurance Act, and undertook a major departmental organization.

Harry Strom served as Minister of Municipal Affairs for the last five months of the Manning government.

Harry Strom had no desire for the job and rejected any suggestion from the others that he be a candidate.

Harry Strom accepted their overtures, but as late as a week before he announced his candidacy he was still offering to step aside in favour of another candidate of the young Turks' choice.

At the convention, Harry Strom won a large plurality on the first ballot, finishing with nearly three times of the votes of the second place Taylor.

Harry Strom became Premier December 12,1968 and served until the 1971 election, when his government was defeated by Peter Lougheed's Progressive Conservatives.

Harry Strom created the Alberta Service Corps, which allowed young Albertans to work summers on public services and environmental projects for remuneration, and which was one of several models for the federal government's later Katimavik program.

The Harry Strom government made substantial reforms to Alberta's post-secondary education system, expanding distance learning through the creation of Athabasca University and laying the foundation's for ACCESS television, and effectively creating the province's College system.

Harry Strom took a number of non-educational policy initiative, such as naming Jim Henderson as the province's first Environment Minister.

Harry Strom resisted leadership and saw himself as a conciliator, charged with maintaining unity among his cabinet and caucus.

Harry Strom was not an effective speaker and often would not look at the text of his speeches until he was delivering them.

Harry Strom resisted calling an early election to give his government a fresh mandate, despite Hamilton's impassioned advocacy for this course of action.

Harry Strom was no more positive towards Anderson's proposals for a radical overhaul of the party, including the computerization of political data and the purchase of an office building to make the party a profit and free it from the need for fundraising.

The ideas that Harry Strom did not reject outright were referred to committees and study groups where they were watered down or shelved.

Accordingly, Harry Strom resolved to call an election in 1971, sometime between May and September.

Harry Strom briefly considered a spring campaign, in the hopes that the planting season would have farmers feeling optimistic and therefore inclined to support the incumbent government.

Harry Strom's lack of personal charisma was a liability: tellingly, of the large budget recommended by the central committee, only $72,000 was recommended for use on television advertising, where Harry Strom did not shine.

In one, which was pulled after a single showing, Harry Strom appeared scowling in his living room, urging Albertans to lower their expectations of government.

Harry Strom conceded defeat in Edmonton and returned home to Medicine Hat.

Harry Strom continued as Social Credit leader, serving as leader of the opposition, until 1972, when he resigned and was replaced by Werner Schmidt.

Harry Strom continued in the legislature until the 1975 election, in which he did not seek re-election.

Harry Strom died of cancer October 2,1984, and was buried in Medicine Hat.

In honour of his political services, Harry Strom received honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from the University of Calgary, the University of Lethbridge, and the University of Alberta.