Born in Toronto,[2] Collver earned an arts degree in economics from the University of Alberta, and articled as an accountant for Price Waterhouse in Calgary before moving to Saskatchewan in 1965.

He was defeated in a run for the Saskatoon mayoralty, but attracted the attention of the then-moribund Saskatchewan PC Party, and gained its leadership in 1973.

It became the official opposition after winning two by-elections and convincing two Liberal Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), including Colin Thatcher, to defect to the PCs.

He was charged with illegal possession and improper use of a firearm after he discharged a .357 Magnum gun from the window of his Regina apartment on the night of his resignation.

Fotheringham quoted Collver as saying that he had ruled out independence for western Canada, as advocated by the Western Canada Concept and other small parties at the time, because: Collver briefly returned to Saskatchewan in 1984, to testify against Colin Thatcher in the trial that convicted him of the murder of his ex-wife Joanne Wilson.