Editing Rod Sykes (section)

==Political career==
Sykes served as mayor of Calgary from 1969 to 1977. He was defender of the underdog and the importance of financial safety nets for the needy, attacked corruption among the rich and powerful, and left office after ensuring Calgary would begin on [[Light rail|LRT]] construction.<ref>Marshall, Thin Power</ref> During his time as mayor, Calgary switched from the [[Single transferable vote|pro-rep (STV)]] system to plurality election in single-member wards.

Sykes was leader of the [[Alberta Social Credit Party]] from 1980 to 1982. He quit as party leader in 1982, frustrated by the party's internal and financial problems.

In [[1984 Canadian federal election|1984]], he was nominated by Alan Clarke, Calgary East Federal Liberal Riding Association Vice President, to run for the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] for a seat in the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]], in the riding of [[Calgary East]]. At the time this was the largest riding in Canada.

Sykes was acclaimed at a nomination meeting with over six hundred members in attendance. Despite being the only Liberal candidate endorsed by the ''[[Calgary Sun]]'' that year, he lost to [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]] [[Alex Kindy]] in the general election.