The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Bob Tarleck (centre) receives congratulations on
receiving honorary ATA membership from his
Lethbridge Public Local colleagues.
—Photo by Tim Johnston

An honorary member of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, a member of the Kanai Chieftainship and a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medallist—Bob Tarleck has clearly followed his passion for teaching and public service.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Tarleck got his start in politics in Grade 5 when he won a mock provincial election on the basis of his first political speech. He later served as student council president of his high school and as a member of the student council at Western Washington University. Subsequently, Tarleck relocated to Lethbridge, where he met his future wife and began teaching at the University of Lethbridge, in the County of Lethbridge, and ultimately, in Lethbridge School District.

In 1974, he decided to run for an aldermanic position. He quickly realized that he had to outwork the other candidates, a strategy he applied to that and future elections. “My strategy was very simple: if I knocked on every door in north Lethbridge, I would probably get elected,” he says.

The strategy proved effective, and Tarleck spent the next 18 years serving as alderman. After a nine-year hiatus from politics, he mounted a successful bid for the mayor’s chair in 2001.

In addition to hard work, Tarleck emphasizes the importance of building strong teams and having fun as key to his volunteer endeavours. He also emphasizes the importance of leading by example: “You have to work as hard at any part of the organization, or you won’t have credibility,” he says.

Tarleck cites as his most important accomplishment during his three terms as mayor the creation of Economic Development Lethbridge. The organization, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, has been recognized as one of the 10 most successful economic development models in Canada. Its board members include representatives from the business, Aboriginal, environmental and ethnic communities and more besides. “The idea is to get together a group of committed people who care about the community but care about it from different perspectives and bring their wealth and their experience into that,” he explains.

Tarleck, who served Lethbridge Public School Local as an Annual Representative Assembly delegate, communications officer, vice-president, president and past president, describes teachers as natural politicians. “Everything I learned about leadership and about being a politician, I learned in a school setting,” he says. “You learn about building a vision, bringing other people into that vision, respect and celebration. These are things every educator knows.”

Tarleck has never been reluctant to take the first step to community engagement—even when he was forced to delay his entrance into the mayoralty campaign in 2001. “I realized that, as a teacher and an administrator, I had been telling students for years to have the courage to follow your passion, and I thought, If I don’t do that, how can I ever look another student in the eye?” he recalls.

Even in what he describes as “not-quite” retirement, Tarleck remains engaged. He is presently involved with an Aboriginal housing society and served as a volunteer for the Alberta Summer Games, held in Lethbridge this past summer. He is also a member of the Alberta Economic Development Authority, which makes recommendations to cabinet. “My volunteerism is ongoing,” he says.

Many years ago, in 1960, Tarleck, who was a talented sprinter, was invited to attend a junior Olympic training program organized by the Canadian Legion, in Toronto. One of the presenters, an English steeplechaser, pointed out to his audience of would-be Olympians the importance of giving back to society: “He said that, as athletes … we never recognized how many people had been supporting us, and it was going to be our responsibility in the future to pay back what we had been given.”

Obviously, this lifelong teacher, politician and volunteer took these words to heart.