Peter Lougheed is a former premier of Alberta (1971-1985) who was in charge of the Progressive Conservative government in the province during an era of significant development for Alberta in relation to the energy sectors and provincial contribution to the national scene. Peter Lougheed was born in Calgary on July 26, 1928, son of Edgar and Edna Lougheed and grandson of Sir James Alexander Lougheed. He was educated in Calgary public schools, was awarded a BA. and LLB. from the University of Alberta in 1951 and 1952 respectively, and an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 1954, Lougheed was elected leader of a moribund Progressive Conservative party in Alberta in 1965, and went on to win a seat in the legislature in 1967, and to become premier at the head of a new Progressive Conservative government in 1971 He was premier of the province through tumultuous years of boom and bust, the development of the energy industry, and federal-provincial conflicts. Lougheed retired from politics in 1985 after winning four successive election victories. Since leaving politics, Lougheed has been partner and counsel with Bennett Jones law firm in Calgary, active in international business pursuits, and much involved in national issues of trade and constitutional reform. Today Lougheed makes his home in Calgary. He continues to be involved in business pursuits, actively supports various organizations, and speaks out on matters of public concern. For a more complete biography see archivist’s file.
These records were in Lougheed’s custody in various locations over the years. Some of the early scrapbooks and other material in the fonds was originally assembled outside Lougheed’s office and without his direction by other interested parties and given to Lougheed as part of his memorabilia collection. Originally, prior to 1971, items collected seem to have been kept in P. C. party or Official Opposition offices, but during Lougheed’s long term as premier, they were kept in his Calgary premier’s office, and after he left public office, in his law office at Bennett Jones. They were later stored at the Ranchmen’s Club and were transferred to the Lougheed House archives in 2004.
The fonds consists of quasi-personal material collected by Lougheed during the course of his political and post-political career, along with a few pertinent items saved from his pre-political life. This is essentially a collection of items chosen by Peter Lougheed (or, in the case of newsclippings, but staff under his direction) to document that part of his life which has been in the public eye since 1965, and to showcase aspects of those public achievements which gave him particular personal satisfaction, or were simply fun, In the manner of a scrapbook, this collection was always intended as a display.
The collection documents, from Lougheed’s personal point of view and from that of the mass media, his career in Progressive Conservative party politics and campaigns throughout his tenure as premier, his official activities while in public office as leader of the opposition and premier, and his ongoing service to the community and the nation since 1985.