EDMONTON - Until Friday, 12-year-old Sneh Yadav knew what she would see when she looked at pictures of former Alberta premiers: Boys, boys, and more boys. In fact, until Friday, there were 13 “boys” in the province’s top job.
“I think it’ll be cool to see a girl leader now, because it’s like changing,” the young Calgarian said Friday morning, standing outside the premier’s office, overlooking the Legislature rotunda where Alison Redford was about to be sworn in as Alberta’s 14th premier.
Sneh and her dad, Dave Yadav, drove up to Edmonton from Calgary Thursday night. Dave Yadav has been friends with Redford since they were in high school and, he said, when the two families had breakfast together Friday morning Redford hadn’t seemed nervous at all about the landmark event.
“She’s more excited,” he said.
Another friend, Natalie McFadden, who drove up Friday morning from Calgary, also doubted Redford would be apprehensive: “Knowing her, probably not. She’s just got it together.”
Through a half-hour ceremony in the Legislature’s rotunda, Redford seemed at ease, smiling often at the hundreds of people who crowded into the building to see her sworn in.
Afterward, before leaving the area with her arm around her nine-year-old daughter Sarah, her husband Glen Jermyn behind her and surrounded by security, Redford made a point of stopping to shake hands with the Grade 6 students of Edmonton’s Kensington Elementary School.
“I wanted them to personally enjoy the atmosphere and understand this is a moment they probably won’t experience again,” said teacher Keri Haskell. “They were pretty darn excited.”
“A lot of the girls got all dressed up,” added fellow teacher Jaelene McEwen.
In a sea of buttoned-up suits and business-casual dresses, 64-year-old Nazek Cayai was dressed casually to see democracy in action. Originally from Egypt, the Edmonton woman said the ceremony was exciting. She was there not as a member of the Progressive Conservative party, she said, but as a member of the public.
“It’s wonderful to see. She has very good values, and to see a woman in this position,” Cayai said.
For Bawlf, Alta. couple Bill and Marion Leithead, the ceremony was the culmination of months of volunteer work, knocking on doors on Redford’s behalf and selling party memberships.
“We quizzed Alison about a number of things, and she convinced us to support her,” said Bill Leithead, for whom land rights issues are paramount.
“We’re very happy,” he said.
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| Lt.-Gov. Donald Ethell, right, witnesses Alison Redford sign the Roll Book as Alberta’s 14th premier at the Alberta Legislature on Oct. 7, 2011 |
“I think it’ll be cool to see a girl leader now, because it’s like changing,” the young Calgarian said Friday morning, standing outside the premier’s office, overlooking the Legislature rotunda where Alison Redford was about to be sworn in as Alberta’s 14th premier.
Sneh and her dad, Dave Yadav, drove up to Edmonton from Calgary Thursday night. Dave Yadav has been friends with Redford since they were in high school and, he said, when the two families had breakfast together Friday morning Redford hadn’t seemed nervous at all about the landmark event.
“She’s more excited,” he said.
Another friend, Natalie McFadden, who drove up Friday morning from Calgary, also doubted Redford would be apprehensive: “Knowing her, probably not. She’s just got it together.”
Through a half-hour ceremony in the Legislature’s rotunda, Redford seemed at ease, smiling often at the hundreds of people who crowded into the building to see her sworn in.
Afterward, before leaving the area with her arm around her nine-year-old daughter Sarah, her husband Glen Jermyn behind her and surrounded by security, Redford made a point of stopping to shake hands with the Grade 6 students of Edmonton’s Kensington Elementary School.
“I wanted them to personally enjoy the atmosphere and understand this is a moment they probably won’t experience again,” said teacher Keri Haskell. “They were pretty darn excited.”
“A lot of the girls got all dressed up,” added fellow teacher Jaelene McEwen.
In a sea of buttoned-up suits and business-casual dresses, 64-year-old Nazek Cayai was dressed casually to see democracy in action. Originally from Egypt, the Edmonton woman said the ceremony was exciting. She was there not as a member of the Progressive Conservative party, she said, but as a member of the public.
“It’s wonderful to see. She has very good values, and to see a woman in this position,” Cayai said.
For Bawlf, Alta. couple Bill and Marion Leithead, the ceremony was the culmination of months of volunteer work, knocking on doors on Redford’s behalf and selling party memberships.
“We quizzed Alison about a number of things, and she convinced us to support her,” said Bill Leithead, for whom land rights issues are paramount.
“We’re very happy,” he said.
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