David King is a writer, speaker, and consultant with an extensive background in citizen engagement, provincial and local politics, and public education. He has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to public education and working with local governments, local civil society organizations and citizens concerned about strong democracy, viable, strong local communities and excellent public school education. David is a strong believer that all education is political: in a civil democracy it is vital that citizens attend to public school education.
He is the former (and first) Executive Director of the Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta, a role he fulfilled from February, 1990 until July, 2010, when he retired. The Association is a voluntary membership organization for public school jurisdictions in Alberta.
Between 1971 and 1986, Mr. King was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, during which time he was Legislative Secretary to then Premier Lougheed (1971 – ’76), Minister of Education (1979 – ’86, upon the appointment of Premier Lougheed), and Minister of Technology, Research and Telecommunications (1986, upon the appointment of Premier Getty). Also during this time, he was manager of the national (Ottawa) office for the Joe Clark Leadership Campaign (Progressive Conservative Party of Canada) of 1975 – ’76.
During his seven years in three different Alberta Cabinets, Mr. King served for a time as Deputy Government House Leader and as a member of various Cabinet Committees, including: Social Planning; Economic Planning; Labour Relations; Science; Communications Policy; and, Legislative Review. For two years he was the Minister Responsible for the implementation of the Government’s Policy on Professions and Occupations.
As Minister of Education, Mr. King was responsible for a number of major initiatives, including the establishment of: Provincial Diploma Examinations (end of grade XII) and Provincial Achievement Tests; the educational Management Finance Plan; the computer Technology in Schools Program; the Designated Community Schools program; the Teacher Internship Program; the Council of Alberta Teaching Standards (which sets standards for, and oversees the evaluation of, all teachers in the province); a major review of the secondary program of studies; and, elected trusteeship for Northlands School Division. In 1985 Mr. King was Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Education of Canada.
Prior to leaving elected office in 1986, Mr. King was responsible for creating and staffing the (then new) Department of Technology, Research, and Telecommunications.
Mr. King also has experience in merchant banking (with Capwest Capital Services Ltd.), and in social science research (as Research Director for the Edmonton and District Council of Churches and as Research Assistant to the Leader of the Opposition in the Alberta Legislature). He has served on the Board of Directors of a number of public and private companies, including L.S.I. Logic Corporation of Canada, Inc., Domglas Canada, and Firstclass Systems Corp. From 1986 – 1990 Mr. King was President of Effective Strategies Incorporated, specializing in strategic planning, issue management, and political relations.
Mr. King was a founder and charter member of: Communitas; the Edmonton Citizens for Better Housing Society; the Boyle Street Community Services Cooperative; the Boyle-McCauley Health Centre; and, the Urban Reform Group of Edmonton. Currently, he is a member (and has served on the Provincial Council) of the B.C. Green Party. He is also a member (and a former long time Director) of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights and a long time supporter of Amnesty International, Habitat for Humanity, and the TUXIS Parliament of Alberta Alumni Society. He has served as Chair of the Board of the Gorge View Housing Society and as President of the Victoria branch of the United Nations Association in Canada.
Mr. King has a life-long close association with the United Church of Canada, especially at the congregational level.
Previous associations that Mr. King values include: the Rotary Club of Edmonton Northeast and the Banff International Affairs Summer School. For more than 25 years Mr. King was also a member of the World Future Society.
In 2007 Mr. King was honoured by the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba as a Distinguished Lecturer and in 2010 he was recognized by the Alberta Teachers’ Association and then by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation as a Friend of Education.
In June, 2016, the Edmonton Public School District honoured Mr. King by naming a new K – 9 school the “David Thomas King” school.
Mr. King has written and spoken extensively about public school education and community, for audiences across Canada and in Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Teachers, trustees, former colleagues in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and media commentators have referred to his imagination, commitment to local self-government and public education, advocacy of citizen engagement, ability to find common ground among apparently conflicting positions, and persistence.
David and Clare (nee Piven) were married October 19th, 1968, in Venice, Alberta. They have two sons (Troy, and Jason), and a daughter (Sarah), six grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.
Born: June 22nd, 1946 in Perth, Ontario; to Rev. A.E. and Mrs. Ethel King
Education: B.A. (Poli. Sci.), the University of Alberta