Alberta Wants Martha: Tour Recap

Alberta Campaign Office Opening

Martha joins fellow Alberta Liberals in opening the Alberta Wants Martha Office!

As Martha's Coordinator in Alberta, I had the pleasure of welcoming Martha Hall Findlay to this wonderful province, and I organized a tour that gave her the opportunity to visit various areas - both urban and rural.

June 7, 2006

3:00 pm

I received a Blackberry PIN from Elliot Hughes, Martha's National Tour Director, that their campaign bus has arrived in Grande Prairie, Alberta. I won't be able to join them because of my classes and my teaching schedule (I run a music school). They have two events to attend to in the area.

5:00 pm

Martha's bus rolls into Sexsmith, a small town just north of Grande Prairie. She is scheduled to meet with the Peace Country Tender Beef Co-op, headed up by members such as Neil Peacock (a former provincial Liberal candidate) and Don Thompson (from Calgary). She is given a tour of Jason Anderson's farm (one of a few centurion farms remaining in the province), and her team is treated to a wonderful array of home-grown food. Later that evening, Neil sends me an e-mail - "She should be our next Prime Minister!" - he is clearly impressed and has decided to support Martha.

7:00 pm

Martha's team heads south to Grande Prairie, meeting with about a dozen local Liberals and talking with local media. From what I hear, Martha had a wonderful discussion, touching on a wide range of topics - including national childcare. They wrap up their meeting and head to a RV camp in Whitecourt to rest.

June 8, 2006

9:00 am

I quickly get ready to meet Martha. It is my big day! I haven't seen her in more than 2 months, so I have plenty of reasons to be excited. Because Elliot and Everett (Martha's son, who is part of the tour team) are new to the city, I agree to meet with them in front of the LPCA Office. From there, we will drive to the Chateau Lacombe, where Martha has an interview with Alan Kellogg.

As I drive up to the LPCA Office, I see the bus. It's an RV actually, but an impressive one, to say the least. I park out in front of the RV, and then I am invited it! Martha gives me a giant hug, and I finally get to meet with Elliot (with whom I have worked with for several weeks for the tour) and Everett. We discuss several things for only a few minutes, since Martha and her team begin to busily type away at responding to e-mails. We then drive off to the hotel.

10:00 am

Martha meets Alan Kellogg from the Edmonton Journal. He writes a great article on her that appears in A2 of June 9, 2006's Journal. He is clearly impressed! I am not surprised.

...to be continued...