This Great Country of Ours... Saskatoon

It has been so busy lately that I have not had enough time to report on recent outreach efforts. I have been to Alberta, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and various points in Ontario. There is much to report on--please watch for a flurry of posts on recent activities.

Here is the first:

Red Bras Rock!!

This was my fifth annual Red Bras Rock event. It has only become bigger and wilder. It has traditionally been a fundraiser for both breast cancer research and local Liberals; this year it focused solely on breast cancer. (My little sister is a survivor twice over, and we all really appreciate the effort that so many people put in to raising money for research.) I first attended Red Bras Rock during the 2006 LPC leadership campaign, and have made sure to return each following year. Marie-Therese Verma hosts it, and it is an extraordinary effort. (Should I mention the “Martha May I” martini which forms part of the martini bar line-up?)

However, I wanted to take advantage of my visit to Saskatoon, and in less than two days, I attended a 'Women in Mining’ Event, at which I met some extraordinary, successful women. I participated in an event to support two of our Liberal candidates in Saskatoon, Patricia Zipchin (Saskatoon—Wanuskewin) and Darren Hill (Saskatoon—Humboldt). I did a morning radio interview. Then, at the University of Saskatchewan, I was given a tour of the Toxicology Centre (did you know that baby walleye engage in chain cannibalism?), then a tour of VIDO / Intervac, then had a meeting with Dr. Richard Florizone, VP Finance and Resources, and then a meeting with representatives of the University of Saskatchewan Student Union (key issues discussed were child care and aboriginal education). The University of Saskatchewan is a rapidly growing, exciting place. We then visited the "Health Bus”, the Mobile Primary Health Centre, a public-private success story involving the Sask. Ministry of Health, M.D. Ambulance and the Saskatoon Health Region. The added bonus was that we did so with Sakena Yacoobi, founder and President of the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), an extraordinary organization (and an extraordinary woman) dedicated to bringing education and health services to rural and poor urban girls, women, and other poor and disenfranchised Afghans. (Sakena was just profiled in the Globe and Mail, Monday June 7). The Health Bus is a terrific innovation, and meeting and chatting with Sakena was fascinating and inspiring.

And yes, the final stop on this most recent visit to Saskatchewan, Red Bras Rock, was a great success.

Martha