Cliff Wright made a huge impact on Saskatoon’s quality of life, first during a 10-year hitch as a city councillor, and then a 12-year term as mayor before stepping down in 1988. But his contributions to society continued, notably as an arbitrator in land treaty rights and an advocate of health care.
He looks back with much satisfaction that he turned his dreams as a 12-year-old into reality.
“There was never any question in my mind,” says Wright, now 84, “that I was going to be a builder. I couldn’t start soon enough. In the beginning, I was straightening the nails. I’d work Saturdays, during the Christmas holidays and the summer holidays. It was exciting and I was influenced by my father Sam.”
His father was hired by Smith Bros. and Wilson in 1911. He showed up for the first day of work and couldn’t find the foreman who had hired him the day before. Another man came over to where Sam Wright was sitting, told him the previous foreman was fired overnight, and asked if Sam could do the job.
“There was my dad, 26 years and a few months of age, accepting the challenge. He left 44 years later as president and general manager of Smith Bros. and Wilson.
“I take much pride in the significant buildings where he was part of the team. There was the Hotel Saskatchewan, built in Regina over an 11-month period. The Bessborough in Saskatoon was his pride and joy, built over two years. He’d always say you could tell the difference in the quality of the buildings by the extra time they were given to build the Bessborough.
“I’d guess the company, prior to my dad’s retirement, had a role in three-quarters of the buildings on the University of Saskatchewan campus. They included the original College Building, the homes of agriculture, engineering, physics, Saskatchewan Hall, Qu’Appelle Hall, plus St. Andrew’s College and Emmanuel College, the University Hospital and the nursing residence.”
The company was known as Smith Bros. and Wilson until 1987, when Cliff Wright took over the Saskatchewan assets and renamed it SBW-Wright Construction Inc. Later his son, Lorne, renamed it Wright Construction.
Blessed with a business sense, Wright decided to pursue politics in 1965.
“I was a complainer. One day, I told Eric Antonini that I should quit complaining and do something about what was bothering me. I went down on nomination day, filed my papers for alderman, and finished sixth at a time when five were being elected. The next year, I was elected.
“I loved my job as an alderman. It was all I think I ever wanted to be, but when Bert Sears stepped down as mayor, I saw an opportunity. I wanted council to maintain a strong middle-of-the-road political approach, the kind of approach where we would be free to connect with the provincial government no matter what their political affiliation was. We were always able to best serve the city,” says Wright, who became mayor in 1976 and won three more elections, all by commanding edges.
Wright was a major influence in the growth of recreational facilities, which included two civic centres as well as the Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre, the Saskatoon Field House and Saskatchewan Place.
“Saskatchewan Place was a tough sell. I always admired the symbolism attached to the downtown Arena, the way it was built in the 1930s by people buying $10 shares. By the mid-1980s, it was time to grow. We had to act quickly because there was a commitment by the provincial government and we wanted that commitment before another provincial election came around.
“The people of Saskatoon were divided three ways. One third, including a lot of my friends, wanted it downtown. One third saw the north end was the right place. The other third of the people weren’t sure whether they wanted a new arena at all.
“The night the building opened, I stood near the doors and listened to the people as they came in. Right afterwards, I sent a note to Obert Friggstad, the architect, commending them and calling it a night in one’s life where the realization was greater than the anticipation. Along the way came many thrills, including that great night when Canada beat the Soviets in the 1991world junior finals.”
Ensuring a strong financial position for Saskatoon was always one of Wright’s concerns.
“There was never a greater thrill than announcing, at my last December meeting as mayor, that the bonding company gave us a Triple A rating.”
Wright says that when he left office, he made a commitment to himself and a silent commitment to the citizens “that when you’re through, you’re through. I promised not to make political critiques about anyone who followed me. Was it hard? Yes, there were times when it was difficult, but I think I kept my promise.”
After serving as Royal University Hospital chair from 1969 through 1976, he later became chair of the Saskatoon Health Board.
“Someone in Regina had a simplistic idea that Saskatoon’s hospitals should be reduced from three to two. How do you choose between the only major teaching hospital, a Catholic institution and, at that time, the newest one in Canada? It was never necessary to close one but to make sure there was no duplication in services,” says Wright.
In 1989, he became a treaty commissioner in charge of pulling together the talks on land settlement.
“It was so entirely different than anything I ever experienced. The feds were saying they had no land to spare. The provincial people were saying the same things. In the end, we established the first agreements by any province in Canada, with 27 Saskatchewan bands receiving land which was rightfully theirs. I was so impressed with the integrity, patience and reasonableness of the elders.”
His wife for nearly 61 years of the amazing journey has been Betty, whom he met at the University of Saskatchewan. They are the parents of Lorne, Don, Jack and Nancy, grandparents of 10 and, just recently, they became the great grandparent of one.
