Joe Clark

Clark in 1979, photo by Canada Jack

Birth Name: Charles Joseph Clark

Place of Birth: High River, Alberta, Canada

Date of Birth: June 5, 1939

Ethnicity:
*Scottish (father)
*Irish (mother)

Joe Clark is a Canadian statesman, businessperson, writer, university professor, journalist, and politician. As a member of the Progressive Conservative Party, he served as the sixteenth Prime Minister of Canada, from June 4, 1979 to March 3, 1980. He is the only person ever to overtake Pierre Trudeau in a major election. Prime Minister Clark was Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian Parliament, from February 22, 1976 to June 3, 1979, and again from March 4, 1980 to February 1, 1983, and Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, from February 22, 1976 to February 19, 1983, and again from November 14, 1998 to May 31, 2003.

Prime Minister Clark is the son of Grace Roselyn (Welch) and Charles Archibald Clark. His father was of Scottish descent and his mother was of Irish ancestry. He is married to author and lawyer Maureen McTeer, with whom he has a daughter, journalist Catherine Clark. Prime Minister Clark is Catholic.

Prime Minister Clark is the first person born in the province of Alberta to serve as Prime Minister of Canada.

He was also Secretary of State for External Affairs, from September 17, 1984 to April 20, 1991, and President of the Privy Council, from April 21, 1991 to June 24, 1993. He was an MP for Rocky Mountain (AB), from January 4, 1973 to March 26, 1979; for Yellowhead (AB), from May 22, 1979 to September 8, 1993; for Kings—Hants (NS), from September 11, 2000 to October 22, 2000; and for Calgary Centre (AB again), from November 27, 2000 to June 28, 2004.

Prime Minister Clark’s paternal grandfather was Charles Clark (the son of Donald Clark and Mary McDougall). Donald and Mary were born in Argyll, Scotland.

Prime Minister Clark’s paternal grandmother was Mary Elizabeth MacDonell/McDonell (the daughter of Archibald Garaidhnich MacDonnell/McDonell and Mary J. Day). Prime Minister Clark’s grandmother Mary MacDonell was born in Michigan, U.S., and had Scottish ancestry. Archibald was born on Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Prime Minister Clark’s maternal grandfather was Joseph Welch (the son of William/Guillaume Welch and Elizabeth M. Kenney). Joseph was of Irish descent.

Prime Minister Clark’s maternal grandmother was Sarah Mee (the daughter of Michael Mee and Mary Havecan). Sarah was Irish.

Source: Genealogy of Joe Clark (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com