Thin Power

Thin Power is the unauthorized biography of former mayor of Calgary, Rod Sykes, featuring the achievements and bitter controversies of his eight-year term ending in 1977. Publicly revealed for the first time are details of Sykes' unorthodox upbringing in Victoria, B.C., his rise to the mayoralty, and his doomed attempt at provincial politics as leader of the Alberta Social Credit Party in the early 1980s. It offers an entertaining look into a fascinating era of growth and change in the history of Calgary and Alberta, and takes the reader up-close to the successes and failures of one of the nation’s most divisive politicians. Sykes' friendship with prominent former leaders including Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Alberta Premier Ernest Manning are explored in detail. His fractious relationship with Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed, and his strange connection to British royalty are also examined. The gall and the guts of this stick-thin politician in a grey suit will amaze modern readers, just as it did those who watched as he single-handedly transformed Calgary’s political landscape.