June 6, 2007 Alberta Hansard 1579 Legislative Assembly of Alberta turn out that there would be 21 people contesting this election in the trenches in northern France for these two seats in Alberta. Her Title: Wednesday, June 6, 2007 1:00 p.m. campaign slogan, very skilful, said, “Give one vote to the man of Date: 07/06/06 your choice and the other to the sister.” At that time “sister” referred [The Speaker in the chair] to a nurse. Twenty-one people contested that election in the trenches in northern France: one woman, 20 men. head: Prayers Under the slogan, “Give one vote to the man of your choice and the other to the sister,” Roberta MacAdams became the second The Speaker: Good afternoon. woman to be elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. She Let us pray. Grant us daily awareness of the precious gift of life received 4,023 votes, which was almost 700 votes ahead of her which has been given to us. As Members of this Legislative closest next competitor on the list. The other 20 competitors, of Assembly we dedicate our lives anew to the service of our province course, were men. Ninety-plus per cent of the people voting for and our country. Amen. Roberta MacAdams in the summer election of 1917 in northern Please be seated. France were men. So she joined Louise McKinney as one of the first two women ever to have been elected anywhere in the British head: Introduction of Visitors Empire. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Agriculture and Food. When she returned to Alberta, she became the first woman in the British Empire to have a piece of legislation introduced and passed. The bill that she introduced and passed was on the War Veterans’ Mr. Groeneveld: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is my Next-of-Kin Association. This is a remarkable part of the history of pleasure to introduce to you and through you to the members of this this Legislative Assembly and a remarkable part of Alberta’s history Assembly His Excellency Werner Baumann, ambassador of as well. Switzerland, and his charming wife, Susanne; Mr. Walter Deplazes, Little has really been known about Roberta MacAdams until now. the consul general from Vancouver, and his wife, Siegrid; as well as Last evening a book was released in co-operation with the University Mr. Andreas Bayer, the honorary consul from Calgary, and his wife, of Calgary press. I’m now going to call on the Minister of Public Yolanda. It was my pleasure to meet them all at lunch and earlier Security and the Solicitor General for the appropriate introductions. today to welcome them to Alberta. I might add one thing. This picture was commissioned in 1967 as Two-way trade between Alberta and Switzerland averages about a centennial project here in the province of Alberta. It’s a painting. $200 million per year, so we have a bonding relationship with them. It then rested in the archives for years. It has been retrieved, and The Swiss have also had an important role in building Alberta. The we’re now going to place it on permanent residency on the 5th floor town of Stettler in central Alberta was founded in 1904 by Carl of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta so that all people in the Stettler, a prominent Swiss immigrant, and the Swiss mountaineers future can come and see it. It’ll be accompanying the Famous Five were crucial in the development of Banff as a world tourism in the gallery. destination. I would ask that all the honoured guests who are seated in your gallery today please rise and receive the traditional and warm head: Introduction of Visitors welcome of the Assembly. (continued) head: Statement by the Speaker Mr. Lindsay: Mr. Speaker, last evening in the Legislature rotunda we jointly participated in a book launch for Give Your Other Vote to Roberta MacAdams the Sister: A Woman’s Journey into the Great War, a story of Roberta MacAdams, one of the first two female members elected in The Speaker: Hon. members, just a bit of background before I call 1917 to the Alberta Legislative Assembly. I’m very pleased, Mr. on the next member to do an introduction. In 1916 in this Assembly Speaker, to introduce to you and through you to all members of this an act called the Alberta Equal Suffrage Act was passed. That act Assembly family members of our former colleague, Roberta did two things. One, it provided for the first time the opportunity for MacAdams, and also the author of this work and her family. They women to vote. As well, it also offered an opportunity for women are seated in the Speaker’s gallery. to run for political office. In 1917 a second act was passed that’s I would ask our guests to rise as I call out their names: Robert relative to comments being made now, an act called the Alberta Price, son of Roberta MacAdams; granddaughters Nancy Long, Jane Military Representation Act. Remember, Canada was at war in Price, and Cathy Price; great-grandchildren Phoebe Price, Lucy 1917. That particular Military Representation Act indicated that in Marsden, Brittney Price, and Kelby Price. With Roberta MacA- the next provincial election in Alberta two seats would be available dams’ family is Debbie Marshall, author of Give Your Other Vote to for men or women of military background to earn a seat in this the Sister, who happens to be a constituent of mine in Stony Plain; Assembly. and Monica Newton, daughter of Beatrice Naysmyth, Roberta’s The provincial election of 1917 was held on June 7. The first campaign manager. There are also a number of Marshall and woman in the history of the British Empire, one of the first women Newton family members sitting in the members’ gallery. They are anywhere in the world, Louise McKinney, was elected as an Monica Newton, Jr., Rosemary Heidinger, Heather Marshall, Rachel independent in the constituency of Claresholm. At the same time Culbertson, and Tom Davey. I would ask all members to offer their servicemen and servicewomen had the right to elect two members of warmest traditional welcome. this Assembly. They were all located, of course, in northern France, in the trenches. The Speaker: All members will soon receive a copy of the book A lieutenant nurse by the name of Roberta MacAdams was in Give Your Other Vote to the Sister. It makes wonderful reading. London, England, in the summer of 1917, and she visited a lithogra- pher, who took a picture of her. The picture to my right, your left, head: Introduction of Guests is a painted portrait of the original picture. She then went and had a campaign poster printed with a very interesting slogan. It would The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Energy. 1580 Alberta Hansard June 6, 2007 Mr. Knight: Well, thank you very much. It’s a pleasure for me Canada’s fifth-largest professional orchestra. They have represented today on behalf of the hon. Minister of Finance to introduce to you Alberta in Ottawa and at the Smithsonian in Washington, and they and through you to all members of the Assembly a group of have always done this province proud. The Edmonton Symphony youngsters and parents from Rosemary school. Twenty-four Orchestra plays a vital role in music education in this province, students are here in the Assembly along with 14 parents, and mentoring thousands of talented young musicians. accompanying them are two teachers, Mr. David Blumell and Mrs. Today the people I am introducing are here to celebrate the Lenora Dyck. Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I would ask them appointment of a new managing director, Mr. Jay Katz, who is a new please to rise and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly. arrival to Alberta and to Edmonton. He brings many years of 1:10 experience, and we wish him well. I would ask Mr. Katz to rise in the members’ gallery. Joining Mr. Katz is the musical director of The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lacombe-Ponoka. the symphony, otherwise known as the conductor, Mr. Bill Eddins, who I think has completed his second season and does a very Mr. Prins: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me a great deal of exciting job leading the symphony. With Jay and Bill are a number pleasure to introduce to you and through you to all members of the of others, and I would ask them to rise: Steven LePoole, vice-chair, Assembly a group of children and adults from the Lacombe Edmonton Symphony Society; Marc Carnes, fund development Christian School. This is one of the 10 private independent schools manager; Melayne Shankel, publicist; Nora Bumanis, harpist; Susan in my constituency. There are 41 exceptionally bright young Ekholm, viola; Stefan Jungkind, viola; John McPherson, trombone; children in grade 6 and 15 adults. The teachers accompanying this Donald Plumb, French horn; Colin Ryan, cello; Chris Taylor, bass group are Mr. Tim Van Doesburg, Mrs. Stephanie Littel, Mrs. Trudy trombone; Jan Urke, double bass; and, of course, my sister, Rhonda Veenema, and Mrs. Noella Van Doesburg. The parent helpers are Taft. Please give them a warm welcome. Mr. Herman Scholing; Mr. Martin Folkerts, who is also the princi- pal, but he is accompanying one of his children; Mrs. Darlene The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. Kleinjan; Mrs. Anita Zuidhof; Mrs. Marja Van Dam; Mrs. Lisa Bailey; Mrs Lin Luymes; Mrs. Sandy Ubels; Mrs. Vivian Kooyman; Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr.