Dear Sister Siobhan,
On behalf of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta’s 28,000+ members, we want to express our gratitude for your service to the Alberta Federation of Labour, for the past eight years as Secretary Treasurer and prior to that as a committed member of the Executive Committee.
While your work as an officer of the AFL has been exemplary, ensuring the operations and finances of the federation have been run efficiently and with extreme diligence, your work as a labour leader in Alberta has left an indelible impact.
You have been first and foremost a champion for women in the workforce and in society. You have ensured our movement uses equity as a filter in all our decisions. You have valued diversity and given space to folks from the LGBTQ2S+, ethnically diverse, Indigenous, young workers’ communities, while providing access to those with unique lived experiences. You have tirelessly stood up for workers’ needs at all turns, both those who are within organized labour and those who are not. And, you have brought special attention to workers in the fine arts, something that has been particularly unique in your time with us.
Often, yours has been a supportive role. But we don’t want you to ever believe that your efforts have been unnoticed or undervalued. You have been instrumental in any success the AFL has achieved over the last decade and you should be proud.
HSAA would like to thank you for your assistance in numerous roles directly for our members including acting as Ombudsperson, Parliamentarian and advisor.
We would be remiss not to mention the endless volunteer hours you have given to our Alberta New Democrats as a table officer and supporter. Of course, this culminated in our historic win in 2015, in which you played a significant role. And, while we recognize it’s too soon to call, it looks like your work could lead to something great again in 2023 and we hope you will return home to experience that with us. Of particular note, under your leadership at the ANDP, the Party has transformed to one with strong fundraising capabilities and a healthy balance sheet.
Alberta will certainly need to scramble to fill your shoes, but we are excited that so long is not good-bye as we anticipate a new role for you on the national stage and we pledge our support to make that a reality in just a few short weeks. We are confident that the skills and dedication that you have brought to our movement in Alberta will only be magnified in a new role.
On a personal note, we both want to thank you for your ready assistance, advice, guidance and mentorship. You have become more than a colleague, you have become a friend who we both, individually and collectively, cherish.
Thank you, Siobhan. You will be missed.
In complete Solidarity,
Mike Parker,
HSAA President
Trudy Thomson,
HSAA Vice-President
