Graham Lisle Harle (December 9, 1931 – February 9, 2022) was a British-born Canadian provincial level politician from

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

. He served as a member of the

Legislative Assembly of Alberta The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is the deliberative assembly of the province of Alberta, Canada. It sits in the Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton. The Legislative Assembly currently has 87 members, elected first past the post from sin ...

from February 14, 1972, to 1986 sitting with the governing Progressive Conservative caucus. During his time in the legislature Harle served in a couple of different portfolios in the cabinet of Premier

Peter Lougheed Edgar Peter Lougheed ( ; July 26, 1928 – September 13, 2012) was a Canadian lawyer and Progressive Conservative politician who served as the tenth premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985, presiding over a period of reform and economic growth. Bo ...

Early life

Harle was born on December 9, 1931, in

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land ...

, England, to James Alfred Harle and wife Constance Balfour. Harle attended

Denstone College Denstone College is a mixed, independent, boarding and day school in Denstone, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England. It is a Woodard School, having been founded by Nathaniel Woodard, and so Christian traditions are practised as part of Colleg ...

before moving to Edmonton in 1947 at the age of 16 with his parents. He finished high school in Edmonton and attended the

University of Alberta The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a Public university, public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexande ...

where he completed an agriculture degree and later law. Harle contracted

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

in 1952 and was hospitalized for five months.

Political career

Harle received a letter from

in 1965 letting him know of his candidacy for leader of the Progressive Conservative Association. Harle worked as an organizer for the party, assisting with the organization of a candidate for the

1967 Alberta general election The 1967 Alberta general election was held on May 23, 1967, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to the 16th Alberta Legislature. The election was called after the 15th Alberta Legislature was prorogued on April 11, 1967, and ...

. Harle ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in a by-election held on February 14, 1972, in the electoral district of Stettler. He defeated former Social Credit MLA Galen Norris in a hotly contested race to hold the seat for the governing Progressive Conservatives. Harle ran for his second term in the

1975 Alberta general election The 1975 Alberta general election was held on March 26, 1975, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to the 18th Alberta Legislature. The election was called on February 14, 1975 prorogued and dissolved of the 17th Alberta Legis ...

. He won re-election easily defeating two other candidates. After winning his second term in office Harle was appointed to a position in the

Executive Council of Alberta The Executive Council of Alberta (the Cabinet) is a body of ministers of the Crown in right of Alberta, who along with the lieutenant governor, exercises the powers of the Government of Alberta. Ministers are selected by the premier and typica ...

by Premier Peter Lougheed as Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs. Harle ran for a third term in office in the 1979 general election. He won a larger share of the popular vote in his district and cruised to an easy victory. Harle was shuffled to the Soliticiter general portfolio by Lougheed immediately following the election. Harle ran for a fourth term in office in the 1982 general election. He won the best popular vote of his career. On November 15, 1983 Harle resigned his cabinet post after he was caught by police in a

Government of Alberta The government of Alberta (french: gouvernement de l'Alberta) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Alberta. As a constitutional monarchy, the Crown—represented in the province by the lieutenant governor—is ...

vehicle with a prostitute. Harle claimed that he was conducting a personal investigation of prostitution control and was seeking "firsthand information", but admitted he had not disclosed his plan with any police or government officials. Harle also claimed he invited the woman into the car he thought she was looking for a ride. He kept his seat sitting in the back benches and did not seek another term after the legislature dissolved in 1986.

Personal life

Harle died in Edmonton on February 9, 2022, at the age of 90.Graham Harle obituary
obituary

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Harle, Graham 1931 births 2022 deaths Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta MLAs Members of the Executive Council of Alberta Politicians from Newcastle upon Tyne University of Alberta alumni People educated at Denstone College Lawyers in Alberta English emigrants to Canada