Thank You Megan Leslie, MP Halifax

Thank you Megan Leslie,

community activist and New Democrat Party
Member of Parliament
for Halifax, Nova Scotia

Yesterday, Megan graciously welcomed Alec
into her office in the North End of Halifax,
for the Take Our Kids To Work Day for 9th grade
students across Nova Scotia.

My brother Rick, Legislative Assistant
to Claude Gravelle, MP for Nickel Belt,
Ontario arranged the introduction
of his nephew Alec with Megan.

Megan voiced her concern that
Alec would not see a "typical"
day in the life of an MP;
along with his Honour Brigadier-General The Honourable J.J. Grant,
CMM, ONS, CD (Ret'd), the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia,
Megan was to award the
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
to 30 recipients from her riding. 

A Medal?  From the Queen?
Oh Megan, Alec is all over this one!
While Tuesday may not have
been a typical day for Megan
it was a perfect day for Alec.

Alec lunched with Megan and a team
of community movers and shakers
who chose the 30 recipients of the Jubilee
Medal.  These citizens of Halifax
volunteered their time while advocating
for the homeless, for  literacy, native and women's rights,
 for  those living with  HIV/Aids and for
the the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered
communities of Halifax and Nova Scotia.
From age 11 to 100, these  activists
enlivened their community.  They focused
their passion to help  immigrants integrate
into their new country,
to protect women and children from living in poverty,
to support the Red Cross,
encourage linguistic duality and restorative justice and
to ensure that the arts were alive and well in Halifax.

Alec witnessed how volunteerism is at the
heart of any, vibrant community.

    "I don't know what your destiny will be,
      but one thing I know: the only ones among 

      you who will be really happy are those who have 

      and found how to serve."
                -Albert Schweitzer

After lunch,  Alec and Megan walked
over to the Governor's House.

Lieutenant Governor's Official Residence
Governor's House, Halifax, NS

  

For Alec, arriving at The  Governor's House
was the next best thing
to Westminster Palace in London.

After the ceremony of bestowing
the Diamond Jubilee Medal,
"you bow to the Lieutenant Governor just as you would
to the queen," Alec inspected the
downstairs rooms.

Driving back to Blue Rocks
at the end of the day,
we were treated to a virtual tour
of the Governor's Mansion via
Alec's descriptive narrative.


Huge paintings of several of the Kings
(he knew them all of course!) hung from the walls.

"There was a painting of the black sailor, William Hall,

a Nova Scotian who won the Victoria Cross." he informed us.

William Hall

Alec mentioned to Jeffthe specific medals people were wearing,
understanding what each medal entailed.
"You should have seen the clock with the
the Lion Rampart and Unicorn."

Heraldry should have been Alec's middle name.He was thrilled to know that the Lieutenant Governor's
personal flag does not conform to the Nova Scotia standard.

During the ride back to Blue Rocks,we talked about how the
Lieutenant Governor was chosen and we really
didn't know. Alec wasn't home five minutes
before he researched the history of the Lieutenant
Governor and gave us a mini history lesson.

Megan Leslie welcomed Alec into a bit of modern day
history with rich ties to the monarchy.

Last night he said, "When I'm MP I'll....."

You never know how one day,
spent in the shadow of a person at work,
be it a member of parliament or
a teacher or a city sweeper,
may have a lasting imprint
on the life of a teenager.

                 Never doubt that a small group of committed people
                  can change the world.
                 Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
                                               Margaret Mead

Megan Leslie, NDP Member of Parliament
with Alec Connor

We thank Megan Leslie

for her one day,

for welcoming Alec

into her life as a Community Activist,

for showing Alec

the importance of being 

a passionate voice

for a community,

especially for those

who may not have a voice.


Oh and Rick,
thank you for being
such a fabulous Uncle
to your nephew Alec.     

I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about that. 

Then I realized I was somebody.

--Lily Tomlin