Alberta’s 15th premier now has his portrait on the walls of the legislature.
The painting of Dave Hancock was unveiled Monday in a ceremony in the legislature rotunda, with Hancock and his family on hand.
Hancock was premier for almost six months in 2014 on an interim basis after former premier Alison Redford stepped down in a spending scandal.
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“Indeed, it was the best summer job that I’ve ever had,” Hancock joked with the crowd.
He said the idea of a portrait for such a short tenure does seem a bit strange.
“This is kind of an embarrassing day for me,” he admitted.
He recalled being asked by reporters as soon as he took the job whether or not he would get a portrait.
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READ MORE: Former Alberta premier Dave Hancock to be honoured with portrait at legislature
“My response as I recall was that perhaps it would be one the size of a postage stamp,” he said.
“But apparently history must be fed. There can be no gaps (in the portrait line), even six months, hence here we are.”
While his term in the premier’s chair was short, Hancock served more than 17 years in government.
He was a five-term Edmonton MLA and was a Progressive Conservative cabinet minister in eight portfolios, while also serving as government house leader for three premiers.
The cabinet jobs included health, justice, social services, and education.
Hancock said he has now come around to celebrating “my public hanging” because it is a symbol of the teamwork required to lead.
“While it is a picture of me, it’s not my picture,” he told the crowd. “Each and every one of you are complicit in it.
“And I hope that as you look at the portrait today or on any occasion you happen by, that you’ll see yourself rather than me and that you’ll know and see that it is your work, your passion, and your commitment that is reflected in it.”
Earlier in the ceremony, Premier Rachel Notley recalled that while Hancock gave no quarter in house debate, he would help the opposition in their joint responsibility to get legislation through the house.
“He never said no to a meeting that began at 6:30 or 7 in the morning and he was still here at eight or nine o’clock in the evening,” said Notley.
“He served in whatever capacity his premier asked him to, shouldering the heavy workload of the government’s largest and most complex ministries until he took the heaviest responsibility of all as premier.”
Ric McIver, the interim leader of the Progressive Conservatives, said Hancock was famous as the politician who not only knew his portfolio inside and out, he know everyone else’s as well.
“I knew every single day he had forgotten more since breakfast than I would learn and know for the rest of my political career,” said McIver.
“I often called him the master of the game.”
Hancock, 61, retired from politics after PC party members picked a new leader, Jim Prentice in September 2014.
Speaker Bob Wanner said while Hancock’s remit varied widely, public education “was without doubt the cause closest to his heart.”
He recalled the ever-present pin on Hancock’s lapel: Children First.
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