MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January, 2002.

OTTAWA HOPEFUL SEEKS SEAT ON ALLIANCE NATIONAL COUNCIL

"Margret Kopala offers "...experience, experience, experience."

An Ottawa resident, formerly of Alberta, has announced she is seeking election as one of Ontario's three Canadian Alliance National Councillors. "As an experienced organizer and communicator, I have useful skills to offer Council," the one time Tory candidate, now president of an Alliance constituency association, stated. Born in north-eastern Alberta, Margret was educated in Edmonton where she became her high school's first girl president of the student's union. Upon graduating from the University of Alberta (B.A., B.F.A.), she travelled in Europe before working in British television production, mostly for the BBC, and in the Canadian feature film industry.

Citizen's initiatives on the constitution led to her being selected as an "ordinary Canadian" in the conferences leading to the Charlottetown Accord. In 1993, she joined the Progressive Conservative constituency association of Ottawa West and served as its president for two terms. In the 1997 federal election, she was the PC candidate in the new riding of Ottawa West-Nepean. Support of the United Alternative led to her joining the Canadian Alliance where she is currently the president of the Ottawa West-Nepean constituency association. In this capacity, she has lobbied National Council and constituency presidents to adopt a procedural authority, currently lacking in the Alliance constitution, by which to conduct their meetings.

Active in citizen based public policy forums as well as church and community life, Margret's articles and letters have been widely published and can be read on her website www.margretkopala.com. In addition to frequent radio and television appearances, she produces a community television show. Through the PC Speakers' Forum and, latterly, the National Debaters' Forum, she has been involved in the conservative unity issue since 1994.

If elected as a Canadian Alliance National Councillor, she will pursue the nomination for president of the party. "So far, all our leadership candidates are from Alberta so Ontario is going to need a strong presence on council. An Ottawa based president will also provide the Calgary based party with useful balance and liaison," she states.

Having served over a dozen terms as president in various community and political organizations, her experience will help stabilize Council proceedings and improve communications. "The year 2001 will stand as the Canadian Alliance's ''baptism of fire'", she says. "A lesser party would not have survived. The Alliance survives because its basic strengths remain intact: namely strong principles and policies that other parties continue to adopt but, most of all, because of a large and committed membership that is ready, willing and able to assume its democratic responsibilities towards Canada." Her extensive history with the conservative unity issue will ensure its sensitive and appropriate management. "Whoever leads either the Tories or the Alliance, ownership of the unity issue finally belongs with the two parties' members. With this in mind, we can't go wrong," she says.

Margret, her husband Robert Sibley, and their son Daniel have lived in Ottawa since 1986. Questions or offers of support are welcome. Phone or fax Margret at (613)225-1736 or email [email protected].

-30-

To comment on this article why not send Margret an e-mail.