Terry Cavanagh was a Canadian politician, a long-serving member of Edmonton’s City Council, and a former mayor who dedicated over a quarter of his life to public service. Throughout his extensive career, he worked tirelessly with Edmonton’s growing multicultural community and volunteered his time and efforts to numerous charitable and business organizations, as reported by edmonton-yes.com.
Early Life and Youth
Terrence Cavanagh was born on July 19, 1926, in Edmonton, to Scottish immigrant parents. He attended Grandin School for his primary education, followed by St. Joseph’s High School. From a young age, Terry was passionate about hockey, dreaming of a professional sports career. He actively played in various hockey leagues across Canada, even joining the Ontario-based “Galt Red Wings.” After stints with the “Dallas Texans” in the U.S. hockey league and the “Valleyfield Braves” in the Quebec Senior Hockey League, he left hockey for good. He then took a position in the purchasing department at Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co. in Trail, British Columbia, where he remained until 1962 when the company was acquired by Stelco Steel.
Political Beginnings and a Brief Hiatus
In 1948, Cavanagh married June Gould. A few years later, he returned to Edmonton and continued his work in the western region for Stelco Holdings Inc. Terry made his first foray into politics in 1968 during the Edmonton municipal elections. He ran for City Council but faced defeat. His fortunes turned in the 1971 election, which proved more successful. That year, Edmonton shifted to a ward system—where three councillors were elected from each of four wards—replacing the former at-large system. Cavanagh secured second place among 17 candidates in Ward 4. In 1974, he was re-elected, outperforming nine other candidates to claim the top spot.
In 1975, then-Mayor Bill Hawrylak tragically passed away from a heart attack. The council elected Cavanagh to replace Lawrence Decore. However, in the 1977 municipal elections, Terry lost, stepping away from politics for six years.
While Terry was out of council, his wife served as a councillor for Ward 3 from 1980 to 1983. Meanwhile, he held positions as chair of the Provincial Rent Control Appeal Board and as a public relations consultant and corporate communications manager at Alberta Energy Company Ltd.
Return to Politics
In 1983, after the elections, Cavanagh made a successful return to City Council, finishing second out of eight candidates in Ward 6. He was re-elected in 1986. In 1988, when Lawrence Decore (who had been elected mayor in 1983) decided to move into provincial politics to lead the Liberal Party, council members voted for Cavanagh to serve as interim mayor. However, he faced another defeat in his 1989 re-election bid, securing less than half the votes and losing to Jan Reimer. Despite recurring setbacks over the years, Cavanagh’s unwavering determination kept him serving as a councillor from 1992 until 2007. In May 2007, he announced he would not be seeking re-election in the municipal elections.
Political Views, Initiatives, and Reputation
Terry Cavanagh maintained strong ties with Edmonton’s immigrant communities, particularly the Chinese community, who even hosted a dinner in his honour for his 80th birthday. During his time on City Council, he was a consistent advocate for developing the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton as a parkland area. In the 1970s, despite the lifting of rent control, Cavanagh urged Alberta Premier Ernest Manning to consider reinstating it during the province’s recent economic boom and the accompanying tight housing market. In his later years in politics, some observers noted that Terry played a less active role on the council compared to earlier in his career.
Beyond his political career, Terry taught effective speech courses at Victoria Composite High School for two years and at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) for seven years. He also led a purchasing management course at NAIT and through the University of Alberta’s Department of Extension for six years. Furthermore, this remarkable individual was involved with various organizations, serving as a director for many, including the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Alberta Heart Foundation. Terry Cavanagh stands as one of the longest-serving councillors in Edmonton’s history. Until his passing on December 17, 2017, he continued to assist numerous private companies and devoted himself to charitable organizations.
Analyzing Terry Cavanagh’s biography, it’s clear he made a significant contribution to the political and economic development of Edmonton and Alberta. Moreover, through his genuine service to the people, he earned widespread respect and recognition.