Joe Clark rose very quickly in life to become Conservative leader and prime minister at a relatively young age. But then he didn't get a chance to do much as prime minister because his minority government was defeated after nine months in office when it tried to bring in a budget that offered Canadians "short term pain for long-term gain." Canadians weren't ready for Clark, and neither were Conservatives, who eventually stripped him of his leadership. Clark then served loyally as a prominent minister under Brian Mulroney -- he was really a dedicated professional politician -- but he must always have wondered about the might-have-beens of his short time at the top.
