| Re: "King Ralph’s reign coming to an end," by Gillian Steward, Viewpoint, June 9 - 15, 2005.
Gillian Steward’s article on Ralph Klein contains three minor factual errors that when combined call into serious question her credibility to weigh in on the issue of Klein’s legacy.
Ralph Klein was elected mayor of Calgary in 1980, not 1979. He became premier in 1992, not 1993, although that’s when he contested his first election in the top job. And the Socreds were in power for 36 years, not 35.
Steward is off by a single digit each time, but it’s a short article and it seems likely she never even bothered to crack open a reference book when writing it. Numbers appear in her article just six times and three of them are wrong. The other three numbers are "1980s," "1990s" and "almost 35 years," which allow some wiggle room.
Such carelessness thus makes her an easy target when she tries to convince readers that Klein is "a bum" and "will be trashed" by Albertans after he steps down. The hardcore Liberals and NDP stalwarts no doubt see things that way, but most Albertans will want to thank him for his time at the top. No debt, no deficit, a booming economy, very low unemployment and a growing influence in Canada – that will be Klein’s legacy, something from which generations of Albertans will benefit.
Steward has an impressive resumé as an author and journalist. But her article on Klein last week would receive a failing grade at any journalism school.
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