Have you ever wondered who served premier of Alberta for 14 years? Well it was Peter Lougheed, and this is his story. 

On July 26, 1928 Peter Lougheed, born in Calgary, Alberta came into our world. The life of politics and public servus was practically in his blood, seeing that his grandfather was senator Sir James A. Lougheed. Peter Lougheed studied at the University of Alberta and there, served as president of Students’ Union from 1951-1952. At 23 years of age, Peter Lougheed earned a Bachelor of Arts degree of Laws from the University of Alberta and in 1954 he graduated Harvard University with a Master of Business administration. Jeane E. Rogers of Comrose married Peter Lougheed on June 21, 1952 and together they had 4 children (Stephen, Andrea, Joseph and Pamela Lougheed). The next year Peter Lougheed was called to the Alberta Bar to practise law with the Calgary firm. His impact in politics had began.

From 1956-1962 Peter served as general counsel to Mannix Corporation, a permanent construction firm where he served as general counsel, vice-president and elected director. That same year he founded a practise and partnership. Peter Lougheed was elected to the legislative assembly to represent Calgary West in 1967. He served as an opposition member and leader for the next 4 years of his life. In 1971 he was re-elected and the Alberta PC party won the majority of 49 out of 75 seats and de-threw the social credit administration that had been in power for over 35 years. This was the first Progressive Conservative government that Albertans had elected. On September 10, 1971 Peter Lougheed was appointed premier of Alberta and served as premier for 14 years. As premier he took control of natural resources, worked to improve health care and was instrumental in the creation of the Alberta Bill of Rights. In November of 1971 Peter Lougheed announced that Alberta must have more say in federal energy policies. He raised the royalties paid to province by oil companies by nearly 50 per cent, on July of 1972. Eventually Peter came to an energy agreement with the Federal Government. One of Peter Lougheed’s biggest honour’s is that in 1982 Her Majesty the Queen appointed him as a member of the Privy Council of Canada. Peter Lougheed was and still is the only Albertan ever knighted. On February 28, 1986 Peter resigned from premier and the legislative assembly to continue in a private sector of work. In early September 2012, Peter Lougheed was taken to the hospital named after him in Calgary, and passed away of natural causes at the age of 84.

Peter Lougheed impacted my life and the lives of others in a helpful manner. During Lougheed’s time as premier he founded the AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) program. He was inspired to found the program because one of his four children was born with cerebral palsy. “The AISH program made our family’s lives better” - Dawn Wheatland once said. The program is meant to increase the income to handicapped home’s keeping them below the poverty line.

“I’m a community person, I thinks in terms of community before individual. That's the essence of Albertans and to a large extent, that’s the essence of Canadians as well.” Peter Lougheed explained. This quote connected with me because it shows that people should care for everyone no matter their race, religion or gender. People need to give others a chance and not to judge them by how they look. Everyone deserves a chance, at least that’s what Peter Lougheed has taught me.