Lougheed, Peter, Hon. (1928 - 2012)

The Queen's community was saddened by the loss of Peter Lougheed on September 13, 2012. "Peter Lougheed was a great Canadian leader as well as a distinguished chancellor for our university," said Principal Daniel Woolf. "I met him a number of times during my years in Alberta and he was a remarkably humble, generous and wise elder statesman. On behalf of the entire Queen's community I would like to express our deepest sympathies to the Lougheed family."

The Hon. Peter Lougheed was the 11th Chancellor of Queen's University (1996-2002).

Born on July 26, 1928, in Calgary, Alberta, Peter Lougheed was educated in Calgary. He founded a Student's Union at Central High School and served as its first President. He then went on to study at the University of Alberta, from which he obtained his BA in 1950 and his LLD in 1952. During his time at the U of A, Lougheed was a noted athlete and his efforts on the Golden Bears football team earned him a place in the University's sports hall of fame. He was also the President of the Students' Union and he edited a page for the school newspaper. During his later university years, he played professional football with the Edmonton Eskimos.

Lougheed received a MBA from Harvard in 1954. A year later, he was called to the Alberta Bar and began practising with the firm of Fenerty, Fenerty, McGillivray, Prowse, and Brennan. For the next several years he was active both in the legal field and in the business world. 

In 1965, Peter Lougheed was elected leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party. Two years later he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta as a representative of Calgary West and he was the Leader of the Official Opposition from 1967-1971. In 1971, he began a 14-year run as the Premier of Alberta.

While in office, Lougheed made it a priority to develop the natural resources of Alberta to improve the lives of its citizens. He also fostered the improvement of health and recreational facilities in the province and established the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust in 1976. Lougheed was also highly involved in the development of the Constitutional amending formula in 1982.

After a highly successful term as Premier, he resigned on November 1, 1985 and concentrated all his energies on his business and legal interests.

Peter Lougheed served on the Board of Directors of over 15 major Canadian companies and was honoured by many different sectors of the community for his achievements. There is a Provincial Park named after him in Alberta and a section of the Calgary General Hospital was named the "Peter Lougheed Centre." There is also a building named after him and his wife at the Banff Centre. He was a Companion of the Order of Canada and received honorary degrees from many Canadian universities.

Lougheed passed away on September 13, 2012 at the age of 84.