Graham Harle
{{Short description|Canadian politician (1931–2022)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = The Honourable
| name=Graham Harle
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|ECA|size=100%}}
| image =
| imagesize = |
| birth_name = Graham Lisle Harle
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|12|9}}
| birth_place = Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|2|9|1931|12|9}}
| death_place = Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| residence =
| office = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
| constituency = Stettler
| term_start = February 14, 1972
| term_end = May 7, 1986
| predecessor = Jack Robertson
| successor = Brian Downey
| party = Progressive Conservative
| office1 = Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs
| term_start1 = April 3, 1975
| term_end1 = March 22, 1979
| predecessor1 = Robert Dowling
| successor1 =Julian Koziak
| office2 = Solicitor General
| term_start2 = March 23, 1979
| term_end2 = November 15, 1983
| predecessor2 = Roy Farran
| successor2 =Ian Reid
| religion =
| occupation = Lawyer
| alma_mater = University of Alberta
}}
Graham Lisle Harle {{post-nominals|country=CAN|ECA}} (December 9, 1931 – February 9, 2022) was a British-born Canadian provincial level politician from Alberta. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta 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.
Early life
Harle was born on December 9, 1931, in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, to James Alfred Harle and wife Constance Balfour.{{cite book |editor1-last=Normandin |editor1-first=Pierre G. |title=The Canadian Parliamentary Guide |date=1986 |publisher=P.G. Normandin |location=Ottawa |url=https://archive.org/details/canadianparliame1986unse |accessdate=August 9, 2020 |issn=0315-6168 |oclc=893686591 |page=[https://archive.org/details/canadianparliame1986unse/page/685 685]|isbn=9781414401416 }} Harle attended Denstone College 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 where he completed an agriculture degree and later law. Harle contracted polio in 1952 and was hospitalized for five months.{{cite news |last1=Harle |first1=Graham L. |title=Recollections of Lougheed and the Stettler years |url=https://www.stettlerindependent.com/opinion/recollections-of-lougheed-and-the-stettler-years/ |access-date=26 May 2021 |work=The Stettler Independent |date=October 3, 2012}}
Political career
Harle received a letter from Peter Lougheed 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.
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.{{cite web|title=By-elections 1905-1973|url=http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/742.htm#1905-1973|publisher=Elections Alberta|accessdate=November 22, 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090607094042/http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/742.htm#1905-1973|archivedate=June 7, 2009}}
Harle ran for his second term in the 1975 Alberta general election. He won re-election easily defeating two other candidates.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1975&Constit=Stettler| title=Stettler results 1975| publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=November 22, 2009}} After winning his second term in office Harle was appointed to a position in the Executive Council of Alberta 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1979&Constit=Stettler| title=Stettler results 1979| publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=November 10, 2009}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1982&Constit=Stettler| title=Stettler results 1982| publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=November 10, 2009}}
On November 15, 1983{{cite web|title=Rapports législatifs|publisher=Parliament of Canada|work=Revue Parlementaire Canadienne Vol 7 no 1 1984|url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/LOP/Infoparl/francais/issue.asp?param=108&art=583#1|language=French|accessdate=November 10, 2009}} Harle resigned his cabinet post after he was caught by police in a Government of Alberta vehicle with a prostitute.{{cite news|title=Seven not quite deadly sins |date=April 27, 2005 |author=Jonathan Gatehouse |work=Maclean's |url=http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20050502_104657_104657 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320052042/http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20050502_104657_104657 |archive-date=March 20, 2012 |volume=118 |issue=18 |issn=0024-9262}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Gorrie |first1=Peter |title=Alberta's scandal over a prostitute |url=https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1983/11/28/albertas-scandal-over-a-prostitute |access-date=26 May 2021 |work=Maclean's |date=November 28, 1983 |volume=96 |issue=48 |issn=0024-9262}} He kept his seat sitting in the back benches and did not seek another term after the legislature dissolved in 1986.{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Cheryl |title=Harle decides not to run, and after that goes fishing |work=Edmonton Journal |date=July 18, 1984 |id={{ProQuest|2401187933}}}}
Personal life
Harle died in Edmonton on February 9, 2022, at the age of 90.[https://edmontonjournal.remembering.ca/obituary/graham-harle-1084463401 Graham Harle obituary] obituary
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{AlbertaMLAbio|ID=0489 |2=Graham L. Harle}}
{{Lougheed Ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harle, Graham}}
Category:Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta MLAs
Category:Members of the Executive Council of Alberta
Category:Politicians from Newcastle upon Tyne
Category:University of Alberta alumni
Category:People educated at Denstone College
Category:English emigrants to Canada
Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta