Of Christmas Parties Past

Nine years ago this month, Sylvia and I attended a Christmas party held for staff of then Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole. It was at this party I obtained the only and only photo I have of myself with Lois, and thankfully it's a good one.

I have several fond memories of this event: Sylvia in her Emma Peel-esque spy dress, Lois' very kind remarks about my work during her speech to the staff, chatting with Lois' aides-de-camp and administrators. In a way, serving as Lois' speechwriter was a queer sort of prologue to my work at the Alberta Legislature; I'd run into quite a few familiar faces after making the transition from Hole's to the Official Opposition.

Unfortunately this Christmas affair of 2003 was Lois' last; by Christmas of 2004 she was too sick with cancer to host another, and she passed away in early 2005. But her memory lives on in the many thousands of lives she touched during her tenure as author, philanthropist, gardener and inspirational political figure.