Beyond Politics - Joe Clark

Joe Clark, Canada's 16th prime minister, was one of three children born to Grace and Charles Clark in High River, Alta. Clark's father was a newspaperman and Joe seriously thought of pursuing journalism as a career but was eventually drawn to the art of politics. While in university, at Dalhousie and U.B.C., Clark became active with the Progressive Conservative party, serving as youth wing president for two terms. At the age of 28, he ran unsuccessfully as a provincial PC candidate in Alberta, but ended up working in the office of Peter Lougheed, then opposition leader. In 1972, he ran again, federally, in the riding of Rocky Mountain and won. Four years later, when he was 36, he became the youngest leader of a federal party when he defeated Claude Wagner on the fourth ballot to become leader. In 1979 the Canadian population, disillusioned and tired of Pierre Trudeau, voted in a minority government led by Clark. Despite its brief eight-month tenure, the Clark government introduced a system of spending controls and access to information legislation that were adopted by the returning Liberals. In 1993 after a distinguished career in cabinet, Clark left political life for teaching but returned to lead the party from 1998 until 2003, when Peter MacKay became the new and ultimately final leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. Joe Clark continues to teach and has his own consulting firm. Catherine Clark -- Joe's daughter -- spoke to him about his life Beyond Politics.