Grant Notley: The Social Conscience of Alberta, Second Edition by Howard Leeson

Author:Howard Leeson [Leeson, Howard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography & Autobiography, Social History, Post-Confederation (1867-), History, Political, Canada
ISBN: 9781772121285
Google: OoirDwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 26591027
Publisher: University of Alberta
Published: 1992-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

6

The MLA for Spirit River-Fairview

THE ELECTION ENDED with some internal wounds which needed healing. Hart Horn had provoked considerable hostility by some of his actions. About ten days before the end of the campaign Reg Basken and Hart Horn had had one final fight. When the smoke cleared, Reg had fired Hart (although he agrees that he really had no authority to do so), had taken away Hart’s keys, and taken over the remainder of the central campaign himself. Coincidentally, or perhaps because of the continual pressure, Hart became ill with a kidney infection, and remained in hospital until after election day.

For his part Reg Basken, who was then treasurer, disputes Hart’s contention that the campaign left the party with no debt. He recalls that the financial situation was as grave as ever, and that this led to a decision once again to close the provincial office. It was to be the last time that this happened. Grant’s election to the legislature changed the role of the NDP in Alberta decisively in the future.

Grant recalled that he had little time to savour his victory. Within a week of the election, several things happened. First, he was called by Stephen Lewis and asked to participate in the Ontario election. Being the good soldier that he was, and perhaps not yet fully aware of his new role, he spent the month of September in Ontario in the Nickel Belt riding. During the Alberta campaign he had promised to move to Spirit River-Fairview if he was elected and upon his return from Ontario he and Sandy went house hunting in Fairview. They found what Grant described as a “terrible old house, drafty and cold,” for the princely sum of $10,000. They moved to Fairview in November of 1971.

The house was really quite a place. It was a ramshackle old place. Right in the middle of a weed patch. We spent hours and hours and hours scraping down the plaster, and repainting. It had the most hideous kind of siding on, imitation stone. It was falling off. That year we stuccoed it. We brought in all kinds of loads of dirt and built up the lot, and smoothed it all out, seeded it down to grass, but of course grass takes a time to take hold so for a year it was a very big mudhole…. It was an awful looking place.

In October Grant lost no time in beginning what was to become the trademark of his tenure, the constituency tour. Twice a year Grant would hold office hours in every town in the constituency, making himself available for service to everyone. He knew that a potent way to win people over was to ensure that he used every effort to satisfy complaints, look into problems, and be a helpful “fixer” whenever possible. It was what Garth Turcott wanted to do, but was not able to undertake.

However, Grant also had larger considerations to deal with. He correctly understood that he was now in a changed position within the party as a result of his election.

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