Clark, Joe (Charles Joseph Clark), 1939–, prime minister of Canada (1979–80), b. High River, Alta. He entered the Canadian House of Commons from Alberta in 1972 and became leader of the Progressive Conservative party in 1976. In the 1979 elections he led his party to victory and briefly replaced Pierre Trudeau as prime minister. His election represented the new political importance of W Canada, especially oil-rich Alberta. In 1983, Brian Mulroney replaced him as party leader. Clark served as external affairs minister (1984–91) and constitutional affairs minister (1991–93) under Mulroney. In 1993, Clark retired from politics; UN Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali appointed him special UN representative for Cyprus. In 1998, Clark again became leader of the Progressive Conservatives, who faced a strong challenge on the right from the Reform party (now the Canadian Alliance). He was again elected to the Canadian parliament in 2000, this time from Nova Scotia. Clark retired as Progressive Conservative leader in 2003, and became an independent later that year when his party merged with the Canadian Alliance to form the Conservative party of Canada.
