Premier Herbert Greenfield With Envy

Rory J. Koopmans, B. Admin., #6, 14504-108 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5N 1G8

June XXVth, MMXIV

Hon. Jeff Johnson, B. Ed., MLA, Minister of Education, Progressive Conservative, Athabasca-Sturgeon-RedH2O

Dear Jeff:

IVth (4th) Premier of Alberta Herbert W. Greenfield, United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) never really got a handle on the job. He was sort of like Premier Redford, no focus. I mean what is the problem with Alberta Premiers with colours in their last name? Herbert ruled from MCMXXI-MCMXXV (1921-25) & part of the reason he struggled is he didn't run for a seat in the Alberta Legislature Assembly Chamber in the MCMXXI General Election, thus his party was hampered by having no leader & having other MLA's such as John Brownlee & Richard Reid run things, all while not having the actual power of the Premier's office to do so.

- Herbert was born in Winchester, Hampshire England. Just as Former Liberal Prime Minister John Napier Turner was born in London, England.

- Students reading this will be glad II know that Herbert in his early political career really enjoyed working for their educational rights. He served as a school board trustee for a dozen years. Including stints as secretary, treasurer, & chairman. Plus, he gained administrative experience as Vice-President of the Alberta Educational Association. This led him to learn how II chair meetings & such.

- Herbert was strong on female equality & rights, it was he who appointed Alberta's Ist female cabinet minister, Mrs. Irene Parlby in MCMXXI as Minister without Portfolio. This was due II the strong influence of his wife Elizabeth, who gave him two healthy sons: Franklin & Arnold. Elizabeth died during surgery the next year & a year after leaving the Premier's chair, Herbert married Marjorie & became a proud stepdad to II more children.

- Herbert Greenfield created the Alberta Wheat Pool & together with his successor John Brownlee got Alberta farmers & their family's more localized control of their natural resources away from the federal government.

- Just like Premiers Stelmach & Redford, who got inII trouble for hugely ridiculous increases to MLA's salaries, perks, & expenses, Herbert got inII trouble for his idea to increase MLA pay exponentially. So much so that MLA's would earn more meeting just VI (6) afternoons a year in the Legislature than struggling farmers did in a whole year. Herbert should have known better & not been so clueless, especially as he was a farmer by vocation himself.

Herbie Goes Bananas,

Rory

Source: "The Liberal Party In Alberta", C. MCMLIX, L. G. Thomas, Author.