Source: The Right Honourable Lois Hole - remarks at Caritas Annual General Meeting for the Community, 2003

It's a great pleasure to be here today to help celebrate the work of Caritas Health Group, who
have never failed to provide dignity, respect, care and concern for all.

Many of you may be aware that my husband Ted, in the weeks that eventually culminated in his passing, spent his final days on 9Y at the Edmonton General, one of the Caritas facilities, Ted was always treated with dignity, respect, care and concern, and I'll always be grateful that the doctors, nurses, and support staff gave Ted so much support. He loved the attention, and knowing he was in such good hands was a great comfort to me and my family.

As important as your help was to us, its just one example of the countless thousands of people who have benefited from the presence of the Caritas Health Group. Your mission - Healing the Body, Enriching the Mind, Nurturing the Soul- is among the most important any human being can pursue, and your dedication reminds us all that every citizen of this nation must do his or her part to help you succeed in that mission. We all have a duty to ensure that every Canadian has access to the highest standards of care to our citizens, regardless of their ability to pay. That's what being Canadian is all about-making sure that our neighbours have the dignity of proper, civilized care, that their lives will never be needlessly cut short or impaired simply because of money. Martin Luther King once illustrated this principle quite nicely, when he said:

"I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered people have torn down, other-centered people can build up."

To me, this is the key to the success of the Caritas Health Group: each of you understands that to be human is to take an appropriate degree of responsibility for the well-being of others. I truly believe that other-centered people in other words, people like the men and women of Caritas will be the ones to ring in the era of true prosperity, of true equality, of true justice.

For you act not out of self-interest, but altruism: the hope that all people can enjoy a standard of living and of health commensurate with dignity and self-respect. Your presence in this city is a great gift, and I hope that the people of Alberta have the wisdom to recognize that it is in everyone's interest to fully support your work.

Thank you all so much for your unparalleled compassion and your outstanding service to the people of Alberta. It has been a privilege to join you today