In my new role, I’ve been trying to learn about our provincial government and discover ways to lean in to develop the necessary relationships that will aid our work. Not a quick process. Of course, there are lots of people and groups that are anxious to have the ear of a particular minister or of the premier.

In our previous time here, Premier Ed Stelmach, was very encouraging to us and kind enough to have us in his office a few times. There on the wall was his portrait and that of the long serving Ralph Klein who was our neighbour when we lived in Calgary.

I took note of the Speaker’s office as we also had been in there several times. This day we were hosted by a Calgary MLA and he very kindly had provided lunch for us before we entered the Chamber. Several other MLA’s joined us and the conversation was relaxed and friendly.

Of course we are not allowed to take our phones into the Chamber – nor a few other things.

If you’re wondering if that’s Alberta marble, it is not …. we don’t have marble quarry’s. That’s from Italy. Yup – they brought Italian marble to Alberta to build the building.

And then there’s the fountain – in the foyer. This is where the annual Remembrance Day service is held. These buildings always contain loads of history and I love the old flags that hang – some from when this land was part of the North West Territories.