Don Getty: Difference between revisions

| captionimage = Premier Don Getty.jpg

| orderalt = 11th [[Premier of= Alberta]]

| constituency4 = [[Stettler (provincial electoral district)|Stettler]]

| successor4 = ''District abolished''

| constituency2 = [[Edmonton-Whitemud]]

| predecessor2 = New''District districtestablished''

| constituency1 = [[Strathcona West]]

| successor1 = ''District abolished''

| predecessor6 = New''Portfolio portfolioestablished''

| predecessor5 = ''NewPortfolio portfolioestablished''

| successor5 = [[Lou Hyndman]]

| death_date ={{nowrap| {{death date and age|2016|2|26|1933|8|30}} }}

| death_place = [[Edmonton]], [[Alberta]], Canada

'''Donald Ross Getty''', {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OC|AOE}} (August 30, 1933 – February 26, 2016) was a Canadian politician who served as the 11th [[List of premiers of Alberta|11th Premierpremier of Alberta]] between 1985 and 1992. A member of the [[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta|Progressive Conservatives]], he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of [[Peter Lougheed]] before leaving politics for the private sector in 1979. He returned to politics six years later to contestenter the Progressive Conservative leadership contest resulting from Lougheed's retirement. He defeated two other candidates, and became Premier November 1, 1985.

Don Getty was born on August 30, 1933, in [[Westmount, Quebec]],<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|title=Don Getty|date=February 14, 2008|encyclopedia=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]|publisher=[[Historica Canada]]|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/donald-getty|accessdateaccess-date=August 27, 2019|archive-date=December 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214074033/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/donald-getty|url-status=live}}</ref> the son of Beatrice Lillian (Hampton) Getty (1910&ndash;1973) and Charles Ross Getty (1909&ndash;1974).<ref name="pc563">Perry, Craig 2006, pg. 563</ref> His father had dropped out of [[McGill University]]'s medical school due to the [[Great Depression]] and worked a variety of jobs—sometimes more than one at a time—to support his wife, three sons, and two daughters. Getty's childhood was spent in [[Verdun, Quebec|Verdun]], [[Toronto]], [[Ottawa]], [[London, Ontario|London]], and [[Agincourt, Toronto|Agincourt]], sharing a three-room apartment with his seven-member family in the last. Returning for London in time for high school, he became an accomplished athlete (drinking [[eggnog]] to gain enough weight to play football) and was elected students' council president. Sports were his passion, and he was an especially great fan of the [[Montreal Canadiens]] and of [[Toronto Argonauts]] running back [[Royal Copeland (Canadian football)|Royal Copeland]].

After graduating, Getty enrolled to study business administration at the [[University of Western Ontario]], where he became a [[Canadian football|football]] star and a member of The [[Kappa Alpha Society]].<ref name="Lisac_2004">{{cite book |last=Lisac |first=Mark |editor=Bradford J. Rennie |title=Alberta Premiers of the Twentieth Century |year=2004 |publisher=Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina |location=[[Regina, Saskatchewan]] |isbn=0-88977-151-0 |pages=231–232 |chapter=Don Getty }}</ref> He quarterbacked the [[Western Ontario Mustangs]] to Eastern Collegiate Union Championships in 1954 and 1955,<ref name="60 years">{{cite web |url=http://www.esks.com/Team/60Seasons/Players/tabid/141/Default.aspx |title=60 seasons of Eskimo Greats |work=[[Edmonton Eskimos]] |accessdateaccess-date=2008-06-23|archiveurlarchive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080801002947/http://www.esks.com/Team/60Seasons/Players/tabid/141/Default.aspx |archivedatearchive-date = August 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was awarded the Claude Brown Memorial Trophy as the outstanding athlete at UWO in 1955.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.westernmustangs.ca/sports/2009/7/8/GEN_0708093516.aspx?tab=awardsexcellence |title=The Dr. Claude Brown Memorial Trophy and F.W.P. Jones Trophy Winners |work=[[University of Western Ontario]] |accessdateaccess-date=2015-06-07 |archive-date=2015-06-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607121141/http://www.westernmustangs.ca/sports/2009/7/8/GEN_0708093516.aspx?tab=awardsexcellence |url-status=live }}</ref> He also played [[basketball]], and was part of championship teams in that sport in 1952, 1953, and 1954.<ref name="60 years"/> A week after his 1955 graduation, he married Margaret Mitchell, his high school sweetheart. The [[Edmonton Eskimos]] had offered Getty a professional contract, so the newlyweds drove out west in an old blue [[Buick]].<ref name="Lisac_2004"/>

While still playing football, Getty was hired by [[Imperial Oil]] in 1955. He worked for Midwestern Industrial Gas Limited, beginning in 1961 as Lands and Contracts Manager with a promotion to Assistant General Manager following in 1963. In 1964 he founded his own company, Baldonnel Oil and Gas Company, before entering the world of finance as a partner with Doherty, Roadhouse, and McCuaig investments in 1967.<ref name="AB Heritage">{{cite web |url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/people/prem_getty.html |title=The Honourable Donald Getty |work=Heritage Community Foundation |accessdateaccess-date=2008-07-09 |archive-date=2008-03-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323064707/http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/people/prem_getty.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Getty was appointed Premier November 1, 1985. He returned to the [[Legislative Assembly of Alberta|legislature]] just over a month later, winning a by-election in his old riding of Edmonton-Whitemud. As Premier for nearly seven years, Getty presided over some of Alberta's toughest economic times. His time in office was characterized by attempts to reduce the government's [[budget deficit]] and interventions calculated to stabilize the economy during the [[recession]] of the 1980s. When Getty became Premier he left his [[Lougheed Ministry|predecessor's cabinet]] completely intact.<ref name="oathprem">{{cite news|title=Getty takes oath as Alberta premier|publisher=Winnipeg Free Press|page=37|work=Vol 113 No 319 |date=November 2, 1985}}</ref>

After Getty won the party leadership, Lougheed told him to expect a budget deficit of $2.5 billion in his first year in office,<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|234}} though the figure turned out to be $2.1 billion.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|236}} Things got worse the next year as a drop in energy prices led to the oil-rich province running a deficit of $3.4 billion, as energy revenues fell by $3 billion.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|237}} Getty's Treasurer, [[Archibald D. Johnston|Dick Johnston]], reacted by raising taxes by $1 billion and cutting program spending by 6.3%, including decreases of 3% in grants to schools, universities, municipalities, and hospitals.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|237}} In 1990, due to these measures, Johnston predicted that the government would be in surplus by the 1995 fiscal year.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|250}} By 1992, program spending was growing at a rate of 2.3% annually, among the lowest rates in Canada.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|249}} In fact, when adjusted for population growth and [[inflation]], government spending fell over Getty's term in office, with non-health care program spending 40% lower in 1993 than it had been in 1986 (health spending had remained approximately constant over the same period).<ref>{{cite book |last=Taft |first=Kevin |authorlinkauthor-link=Kevin Taft |year=1997 |title=Shredding the Public Interest |publisher=University of Alberta Press |location=[[Edmonton]] |isbn=0-88864-295-4 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/shreddingpublici0000taft/page/15 15–17] |url=https://archive.org/details/shreddingpublici0000taft/page/15 }}</ref> Even so, Getty entered the premiership with no public debt and left with the public debt at $11 billion.<ref>{{cite book |last=Barrie |first=Doreen |editor=Bradford J. Rennie |title=Alberta Premiers of the Twentieth Century |year=2004 |publisher=Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina |location=[[Regina, Saskatchewan]] |isbn=0-88977-151-0 |page=261 |chapter=Ralph Klein }}</ref>

As a former Minister of Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs, Getty had strong views about constitutional matters, and about [[Senate of Canada|Senate]] reform in particular. He made the cause the centrepiece of Alberta's constitutional policy going into the [[Meech Lake Accord]] discussions.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|238}} The Accord's final version included a provision whereby the [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] would continue to recommend senatorial appointments to the [[Governor-General of Canada|Governor-General]], but would have to make their recommendations from lists provided by the provincial governments.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|238}} Once it became apparent that the Meech Lake Accord would fail, Getty's government introduced the ''Senatorial Selection Act'', which provided for an election process whenever there was a vacant Senate seat for Alberta.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|239–40}} However, Getty's favoured candidate, Progressive Conservative [[Bert Brown]], was soundly defeated by [[Stan Waters]] of the upstart [[Reform Party of Canada]], which opposed Meech Lake and favoured aggressive senate reform.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|246}} Though Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] opposed the legislation, he eventually recommended Waters for appointment to the Senate.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|239–40}} Getty was still more successful at pursuing senate reform during the negotiations for the [[Charlottetown Accord]], when he won the addition of a [[Triple-E Senate]] to the package, against Mulroney's opposition.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|251}} However, the Charlottetown Accord failed after a national referendum in which a majority of Canadians, including 60.2% of Albertans, rejected it.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Canada/English/Proposals/charlottetown-res.html |title=Charlottetown Accord Referendum Results |work=The Solon Law Archive |accessdateaccess-date=2008-07-12 |archive-date=2008-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006234219/http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Canada/English/Proposals/charlottetown-res.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In contrast to his predecessor, who was actively involved in most elements of his government, Getty preferred to set the government's broad direction and leave lower-level details to his ministers.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|237}} [[Ralph Klein]], while serving as Environment Minister under Getty, commented that "If you are a minister, you run that portfolio yourself" and expressed an appreciation for the freedom that the Premier gave [[Getty Ministry|his cabinet]].<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|248}} [[Al Adair]], who served in two different portfolios under Getty, described this approach in his memoirs as "you make the decisions, you run your department, but make mistakes and you're gone".<ref name="Adair 99">{{cite book |title=Boomer: My Life with Peter, Don and Ralph |last=Adair |first=Al |author2=Frank Dolphin |authorlinkauthor-link=Al Adair |year=1994 |publisher=Polar Bear Publishing |location=[[Edmonton]] |isbn=0-9698741-0-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/boomermylifewith0000adai/page/99 99] |url=https://archive.org/details/boomermylifewith0000adai/page/99 }}</ref> Lisac credits him for knowing when to intervene and when not to,<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|247}} but Adair felt that his approach led to ministers working too much in isolation.<ref name="Adair 99"/>

Getty called the [[1989 Alberta general election|1989 election]] less than three years into his 1986 mandate to take advantage of the economic optimism prevalent in the province, partly as a result of the [[North American Free Trade Agreement|Canada-U.S. free trade agreement]].<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|243}} While the P.C.s made spending promises including paving all of the province's secondary highways, the Liberals under new leader [[Laurence Decore]] stressed dealing with the deficit.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|243}} The overall end result was respectable for the government, as it won a sixth term in government with a net loss of only two seats. However, Getty was defeated in his own riding by Liberal [[Percy Wickman]].<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|244}} [[Brian C. Downey]] resigned his seat in the rural central Alberta riding of [[Stettler (provincial electoral district)|Stettler]] to allow Getty to run in a by-election, which he won handily.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|244}} He built a home in the riding on [[Buffalo Lake (Alberta)|Buffalo Lake]], and was later accused of arranging for the lake to be risen so it would be better-suited for fishing (though Adair claimed that the arrangements had been in place since 1979, when he had been Minister of Recreation, Parks and Wildlife).<ref name="Adair 163"/>

As Premier, Klein positioned himself in contrast to Getty, asserting that the government had "a spending problem",<ref>Barrie 262</ref> and stating that he had become Premier at a time of "uncontrolled spending".<ref>Taft 25</ref> Given Klein's aggressive spending cuts, which shaped the political climate of Alberta for much of the 1990s, Getty's legacy with respect to public finances has been criticized. However, [[Kevin Taft]], writing four years before entering politics, challenged this view, asserting that Getty was running "the tightest government in Canada".<ref>Taft 23</ref> Besides its management of the deficit, Getty's government is remembered for the creation of [[Family Day (Canada)|Family Day]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.assembly.ab.ca/lao/library/PREMIERS/getty.htm |title=The Honourable Donald R. Getty, 1985-1992 |work=Legislative Assembly of Alberta |accessdateaccess-date=2008-07-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113011955/http://www.assembly.ab.ca/lao/library/premiers/getty.htm |archivedatearchive-date=2008-01-13 }}</ref> For the most part, however, Getty dropped quickly from the public view and public memory.<ref name="Lisac_2004" />{{rp|230}} Lisac suggests that this is because, unlike his predecessor and successor, he lacked a central message:

Getty was one of the most successful Canadian-born quarterbacks in the history of the [[Canadian Football League]] and sits at third on the all-time passing yardage list of Canadian quarterbacks, behind [[Russ Jackson]] and [[Gerry Dattilio]], with nearly nine thousand yards. He was declared the outstanding Canadian player in the [[Western Interprovincial Football Union]] in 1959, and was the runner up (to Jackson) for the [[CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award|Schenley Award]] as the league's most outstanding Canadian player the same year.<ref name="CFLapedia"/> He was placed on the Eskimos' Wall of Honor in 1992.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.esks.com/page/history-woh |title=Eskimo Wall of Honour |accessdateaccess-date=2015-06-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028173300/http://esks.com/page/history-woh |archivedatearchive-date=2010-10-28 }}</ref>

In July 2008, after [[Ed Stelmach]] announced $2 billion in funding to industry to develop [[Carbon capture and storage|carbon capture]] technology, Getty's company sought some of the funding to bury [[carbon dioxide]] in salt caverns near [[Two Hills, Alberta|Two Hills]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=a4caf2d3-54c4-4ad6-98c0-eaaeedd11ccf |work=Calgary Herald |first=Jason |last=Fekete |title=Getty's company plans storage venture |date=July 11, 2008 |accessdateaccess-date=2008-07-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104160123/http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=a4caf2d3-54c4-4ad6-98c0-eaaeedd11ccf |archivedatearchive-date=November 4, 2012 }}</ref>

OnAfter Februaryyears 26,of 2016declining health, Getty died offrom heart failure at thea age of 82hospital in Edmonton, followingon yearsFebruary of26, declining2016, healthat age 82.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2542140/former-alberta-premier-don-getty-dies-at-82/ |title=Former Alberta Premier Don Getty dies at 82 |website=Globalnews.ca |access-date=2016-02-27 |accessdatearchive-date=2016-02-2726 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160226135937/http://globalnews.ca/news/2542140/former-alberta-premier-don-getty-dies-at-82/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

He was appointed as an Officer of the [[Order of Canada]] on 21 October 1998. He was appointed as a Member of the [[Alberta Order of Excellence]] in 1999. AlsoHe received the Canadian Versionversion of the [[Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal]] in 1977, the [[125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal]] in 1992., Thethe Canadian Versionversion of the [[Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal]] in 2002 and the [[Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal]] in 2012.

In 2012 he was inducted into the London Sports Hall of Fame in [[London, Ontario]], in recognition of his achievements in Canadian football.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://londonsportshalloffame.com/inductees/don-getty/ |title=Don Getty |publisher=The London Sports Hall of Fame |date=1933-08-30 |accessdateaccess-date=2016-02-27 |archive-date=2016-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311055139/http://londonsportshalloffame.com/inductees/don-getty/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 19 November 2013 he received the [[Honoraryhonorary degree|Honorary Degree]] of [[Doctor of Laws]] from the [[University of Alberta]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.senate.ualberta.ca/HonoraryDegrees/PastHonoraryDegreeRecipients.aspx#G |title=Past Honorary Degree Recipients - University of Alberta |website=Senate.ualberta.ca |accessdateaccess-date=2016-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304185921/http://www.senate.ualberta.ca/HonoraryDegrees/PastHonoraryDegreeRecipients.aspx#G |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<div class="center">

[[File:QEIIUK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.pngsvg|100px]]

[[File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.pngsvg|100px]]

[[File:QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.pngsvg|100px]]</div>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"

<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=3913&t=12&ln=Getty |title=The Governor General of Canada > Find a Recipient |website=Gg.ca |access-date=2016-02-27 |accessdatearchive-date=2016-0203-2707 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307073517/http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=3913&t=12&ln=Getty |url-status=live }}</ref>

* <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lieutenantgovernor.ab.ca/Aoe/business/donald-getty/index.html |title=Donald Ross Getty &#124; The Alberta Order of Excellence |website=Lieutenantgovernor.ab.ca |date=2011-03-30 |accessdateaccess-date=2016-02-27 |archive-date=2016-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328131437/https://www.lieutenantgovernor.ab.ca/aoe/business/donald-getty/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

|[[File:QEIIUK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.pngsvg|40px]] || [[Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal]] ||

*Canadian Versionversion of this Medalmedal

|[[File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.pngsvg|40px]] || [[Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal]] ||

* Canadian Versionversion of this Medalmedal

* <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=42112&t=6&ln=Getty |title=The Governor General of Canada > Find a Recipient |website=Gg.ca |access-date=2016-02-27 |accessdatearchive-date=2016-0203-2707 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307072943/http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=42112&t=6&ln=Getty |url-status=live }}</ref>

|[[File:QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.pngsvg|40px]] || [[Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal]] ||

* Canadian Versionversion of this Medalmedal

* <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=103028&t=13&ln=Getty |title=The Governor General of Canada > Find a Recipient |website=Gg.ca |access-date=2016-02-27 |accessdatearchive-date=2016-0203-2707 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307072534/http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=103028&t=13&ln=Getty |url-status=live }}</ref>

! <{{center>| &nbsp;}}

|[[Nicholas Taylor (politician)|Nicholas Taylor]]

| <{{center>| &nbsp;}}

{{1967 Alberta provincialgeneral by-election,/Strathcona December 11, 1985/Edmonton-WhitemudWest}}

{{1971 Alberta provincialgeneral election, 1986/Edmonton-Whitemud}}

{{Reflist|30emreflist}}

* {{cite book |last=Perry |first=Sandra E. |last2=Craig |first2=Jessica J. |title=The Mantle of Leadership : Premiers of the Northwest Territories and Alberta |year=2006 |publisher=Legislative Assembly of Alberta |location=[[Edmonton]], [[Alberta]] |isbn=0-9689217-2-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/centennialseries03perr }}

[[Category:Western Ontario Mustangs basketball players]]

[[Category:Western Ontario Mustangs football players]]

[[Category:Edmonton EskimosElks players]]