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From YouTube: Stories Behind the Service - Mary O'Neill
Description
Member Memories: The Stories Behind the Service is a Member-narrated video docuseries that highlights the experiences of Members beyond their service records. It explores Alberta’s changing political climate and illustrates the evolution of the role of an elected representative over the past century.
A
A
A
I
taught
high
school
in
toronto
and
I
taught
in
guelph
ontario
and
then
I
taught
in
calgary
after
I
had
moved,
and
I
did
some
enhanced
studies
for
a
year
at
fine
art
at
the
university
of
calgary
and
then
I
began
teaching
in
calgary
and
was
married
and
our
both
our
children
were
born
in
calgary.
And
then
we
moved
here
to
well
to
saint
albert.
A
For
my
husband's
career
jack
was
a
was
working
as
the
executive
director
with
alberta,
heart
and
stroke
foundation,
and
he
was
invited
to
come
here
to
work
actually
in
the
premier's
office
to
assist
with
the
universid
games.
And
so
that
was
the
reason
we
moved
initially
jack
and
I,
through
social
interaction
too.
I
had
the
opportunity
to
work
with
mrs
loheed
because
she
was
the
honorary
patron
of
the
heart
and
stroke
foundation
campaign.
A
A
A
One
was
because
in
1993,
premier
klein
had
made
incredible
cuts
in
the
civil
service
and
and
in
others,
in
health
etc,
and
I
was
quite
opposed
to
those
cuts,
and
so
it
was
a
challenge
for
me
and
it
was
those
with
greater
wisdom
such
as
myrna,
fife
and
others
who
said
well,
then
that's
why
you
need
to
be
there
to
I,
and
so
I
ran
on
a
platform
of
reinvestment
into
the
people
and
services
and
health
and
education,
etc,
and
and
the
arts,
and
all
that
had
through
those
incredible
years
of
great
prosperity
for
the
province
and
growth,
and
so
that
was
what
I
ran
on.
A
However,
that
took
a
lot
of
convincing
for
a
lot
of
people.
I
don't
like
negativity
and
I'm
not
by
nature
negative.
So
I
to
be
in
opposition
is
not
easy,
but
it's
not
to
my
taste
either,
and
so
I
thought
I'm
going
to
do
it.
I
know
the
community,
I
think
very
well,
and
so
that's
why
I
I
ran
with
it,
but
the
election
day
in
1997
was
quite
a
story.
A
St
albert
is
by
historically
a
french
metis
settlement
and
a
lot
of
liberal
thought
and
liberal
persuasion
politically,
but
a
number
also
if
we
had
had
previous
mlas,
who
were
progressive
conservatives
and
so
it
was-
and
I
had
been-
I
knocked
on
a
kazillion
doors.
Interestingly
enough,
I
didn't
live
in
my
own
constituency.
I
lived
12
doors
away
because
the
boundaries
had
been
drawn,
dividing
part
of
my
neighborhood,
for
which
I
was
on
the
very
very
edge
into
another
one.
I
had
opposed
those
at
several
forums,
but
I
never.
A
I
was
never
successful
in
all
of
the
times.
I've
opposed
boundary
reviews.
So
I
I
didn't
even
have
a
vote
for
myself
for
the
for
that
matter.
Also,
I
had
met
people
at
the
doors
who
were
really
not
happy
with
the
cuts
and
they
so
and
they
had.
Let
me
know-
and
I
had
so
I
I
didn't
know,
but
I
had
a
fantastic
team
of
volunteers-
incredible.
A
A
A
I
tried
to
to
do
the
best.
I
could
to
buoy
up
the
spirits
of
the
my
volunteers
and
they
left
the
campaign
office
and
re.
We
had
planned
a
a
celebration
which
would
we
then
realized
would
become
awake
at
st
albert
inn,
and
so
they
left
some
to
go
over
there,
but
some
most
of
them
to
go
home
to
their
families,
et
cetera,
so
left
in
to
turn
out
the
lights.
A
It
was
my
campaign
manager,
diane
story
and
her
sister
actually
mirna
fife,
who
a
previous
mla
for
saint
albert
and
the
phone
rang
and
diane
answered
it,
and
it
was
the
chief
returning
officer
for
for
our
area
and
she
said
we
found
well.
We
have
a
whole
poll
that
we
did
not
count
in
so
when
diane
wrote
down
the
results
with
such
excitement.
She
threw
the
phone
like
just
through
it
in
disbelief
and
her
sister
myrna
very
wisely
said.
Are
you
sure
you
heard
it
correctly?
A
Meanwhile,
diane's
screaming,
we
won,
we
won
and
I
think
patty
was
there
as
well
another
volunteer,
and
so
we
then
went
over
to
saint
albert
inn,
and
many
of
the
volunteers
got
out
of
bed
saw
it
on
the
news
and
came
down.
We
celebrate
him.
It
was
a
roller
coaster
night,
but
it
also
it
required,
of
course,
that
we
have
a
recount
and
so,
and
that
was
quite
an
education
watching
a
thousand
votes
hand
by
one
by
one
being
recounted
and
at
the
end
of
that
I
think
it
was.
A
I
think
I
had
won
by
13
by
then
no
by
16.
I
guess
that
was
the
final
thing,
so
that
was
a
relief
and
celebrating
for
that
post
election
day.
Meanwhile,
my
opponent,
mr
braco,
then
I
was
served
with
a
request
for
he
challenged
it
and
requested
a
judicial
recount
to
which
we
eventually
then
went
to
the
law,
courts
and
justice
joanne
wright.
A
A
But
I've
always
thought
if
you
don't
like
something,
let's
figure
out
how
we
can
fix
it,
and
so
my
challenge
to
myself
was.
I
want
to
hear
more
specifically
what
are
those
issues
as
they
have
been
already
articulated,
and
I
want
to
get
to
the
tables
where
I
can
express
that
so
that,
as
a
unfortunately,
I
was
elected
into
government,
which
I
have
to
say
was
a
very
supportive
enabling,
if
you
will
to
respond
to
the
the
needs
of
the
community
and
and
the
requests
cetera.
A
So
I
always
every
every
week
into
at
that
time.
We
had
two
paper.
Local
papers
always
invited
people
to
come
in
and
tell
me
what
were
their
issues
and
then
I
held
a
whole
number
of
forms
actually
had
forgotten
how
many
of
them
on
the
issues
that
were
hot
in
the
legislature,
hot
topics
to
be
discussed
and
voted
on
for
two
reasons,
because
I
felt
the
role
of
being
in
the
legislature
was
to
communicate
to
the
people
of
saint
albert.
A
What
really
was
the
essence
of
either
a
bill
or
a
motion
or
a
initiative,
but
also
to
take
the
issues
from
the
people
in
my
community
to
the
legislature
to
get
them
addressed
as
well.
Communication
is
huge.
You
have
to
know
what
is
the
issue,
but
and
then
you
need
not
just
the
facts
because
you'll,
you
often
get
more
opinion
than
fact
and
how
to
message
the
facts
and
massage
the
opinion
being
in
mla
is
work
and
it
takes
commitment,
and
I
I
felt
I
had.
A
A
What
are
the
issues
that
not
only
are
there
for
you
to
participate
in
and
identified
by
others,
but
the
the
issues
that
you
wanted
to
bring
to
bring
forward,
because
you
have
a
because
I
could
see
the
need
for
them
or
the
need
for
clarification
of
them
or
the
need
for
adjusting
them
and-
and
I
think
politics
unfortunately
does
not
have
the
greatest
cheerleading
squad.
A
That
disheartens
me.
I
think
it's
a
very
noble
role
to
play.
It's
representing
the
people,
but
it's
also
bringing
your
own
sense
of
your
own
moral
compass
number
one.
So
you
ask
for
the
trust
of
the
people.
You
trust
them
to
tell
to
trust
in
you
and-
and
I
felt
I
had
that
from
from
the
people
within
saint
albert.
We
disagreed
on
a
number
of
issues
sometimes
or
I
found
it
very,
very
challenging
for
which
they,
let
me
know
that
they
weren't
happy.
But
on
the
other
hand
I
felt
surely
we
can.
A
I'm
very
familiar
with
the
famous
five
and
irene
parlby
and
and
those
who
did
serve
at
which,
and
they
faced
incredible
ones.
In
fact,
the
mla
for
saint
albert
in
1920
voted
against
giving
women
even
the
right
to
vote.
I've
always
believed
that
a
democrat
democracy
and
those
who
are
elected
to
represent
the
people
should
reflect
the
people
whom
they
are
representing
and
to
give
a.
A
But
I
didn't
know
the
exact
incredible
breadth
and
strength
of
the
public
service,
and
all
of
that
that
is
put
into
the
support
systems.
I
learned
a
great
deal
both
from
my
colleagues,
but
I
also
learned
a
great
deal
from
those
who
were
very
knowledgeable
in
the
areas
of
of
expertise
and
of
government
business.
A
I
had
some
very
some
people
would
call
them
ugly
days
where
people
screamed
shouted
put
me
down
and
in
fact
I
have
in
my
I
had
I
had
wonderful
assistant
at
the
legislature
and
an
incredible
constituency
manager
amy
in
the
in
the
legends
in
the
constituency,
office
and
myrna
drew
in
the
at
the
legislature,
and
they
kept
a
record,
and
I
said
to
them,
always
always
keep
a
record
of
what
people
said
against
me
as
well.
As
I
don't
need
to
hear
what
successes
we've
had.
A
We
just
need
to
deal
with
what
we,
what
is
not
making
our
not
pleasing
our
constituents.
Oh
I
wouldn't
do
everything
the
same
way.
I
did
it
with
the
tools
that
and
the
the
people
and
the
opportunities
that
I
had
then.
But
now
I
I
would
you
mellow.
When
you
get
older-
and
I
would
be
more,
I
would
be
harder
harsher
on
those
who
are
critical
and
angry
without
being
knowledgeable.
A
I
would
do
it
again,
one
of
the
greatest
purposes
I
feel
as
being
an
mla
is
to
communicate
and
to
understand
and
to
trust
both
ways.
It's
a
two-way
street
and
the
pandemic
has
thrown
a
wrench
into
every
personal
interaction
and
that
when
you
add
to
that,
then
the
increase
in
social
media,
which
is
not
face
to
face
which
is
not
getting
the
full
context
of
a
concern
of
the
concerns
of
others,
etc.
A
A
A
They
are
too
unbalanced
to
balance
the
world
and
our
world,
whether
it's
the
cosmic
world,
whether
it's
the
earth,
whether
it's
whatever
I
fortunately
felt
that
we
we
had
huge
differences
of
opinion
or
end
of
take
in
the
legislature.
I
learned
an
incredible
amount
about
the
whole
province.
I
learned
about
cormorants.
A
I
learned
about
agriculture
because
I
had
the
I
had
the
wonderful
opportunity
in
the
community
of
saint
albert
to
live
close
enough,
that
I
returned
to
my
community
every
night
and
I
also
had
the
opportunity
just
to
work
with
the
local
government
that
level
of
government
with
with
one
fire
department
with
with
one
rcmp
contingency
with
one
seniors
group,
etc.
A
I
was
really
fortunate
because
my
husband
understood
the
whole
context
in
which
I
was
working
as
an
mla.
I
also
was
I
had
to
make
several
moves
from
the
constituency
office
that
I
inherited
from
lynn
before
I
got
to
where
I
wanted,
which
was
mainstream
storm
front
open
to
people,
and
this
and
at
that
time
the
or
I
don't
know
whether
the
legislature
is
still
organized
this
way,
but
we
sat
till
in
evenings
except
for
thursday
night,
which
allowed
those
who
represented
constituencies
around
the
province
further
away.
A
So
thursday
nights
was
for
their
travel,
etc,
but
friday
in
the
constituency
saturday,
sunday
too,
but
I
had
my
husband
understood
it
and
while
sometimes
it
was
not
convenient,
it
wasn't
easy,
but
it
was
and
and
our
our
two
kids
were
quite
understanding
of
it
too.
I
didn't
like
it
a
lot
but
at
times,
but
they
were
also
they're
terrific,
I
have
to
say
I'm
just
I'm
very
proud
of
them.
A
A
A
A
It
it
it's
a
loss,
you
grieve
it
etc,
and
I
grieved
it
for
particularly
for
my
two
assistants
for
myrna
here,
the
legislature
and
for
amy
and
the
constituency
office,
because
they
really
served
the
community
extremely
well
and
for
all
of
my
volunteers,
etc.
You
will
remember
sign
chatty,
who
was
a
liberal
mla.
A
A
A
It
is
a
long
journey
and
an
incredible.
So
I
was
there.
I
also
had
sat
on
the
is
no
longer
in
existence,
but
the
alberta
cancer
board.
I
currently
sit
on
a
federal
board
called
the
canadian
partnership
against
cancer,
which
is
a
pan-canadian
organization
which
basically
this
is
people
don't
know
about
this,
but
you
know
cancer,
care
and
cancer.
Is
such
a
a
big
issue
and
concern,
and
what
we
do
is
we
create
partnerships?
A
I'm
on
the
board.
I
shouldn't
say
I,
the
administration
and
the
staff
do
for
research
or
clinical
care
that
is
really
working
for
the
patient-centered
for
the
patient.
A
A
So
it's
creating
partnerships
just
to
tell
you
jack's
work
both
with
human
rights,
but
he
worked
with
gertrude,
sinbatya
sikh
and
jaret
professor
jerry
gaul,
a
jew,
jack,
a
christian,
and
I
say
that
because
they
were
the
ones
who
organized
in
1998
the
international
conference
for
human
rights
for
its
50th
anniversary
when
it
was
instituted
at
the
u.n
in
1945
at
the
end
of
world
war
ii.
That's
when
desmond
desmond
tutu
mary
robinson.
A
A
The
one
thing
I
would
I
hope,
albertans
would
know
is
that
we
are
part
of
of
a
country.
We
are
residents
of
alberta.
We
are
citizens
of
canada
and
while
we
are
unique,
having
lived,
I've
lived
in
a
couple
of
provinces,
we
are
part
of
a
an
incredible
country
and
we
need
to
work
together
and
that's
what
I
see
the
legislature's
role
in
doing
we.
It
is
in
looking
after
the
affairs
and
the
common
good
and
putting
in
place
legislation
that
is
for
the
benefit
of
all
in
the
province.