NEWS RELEASE

The Honourable Douglas Black, QC, Senator

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SENATOR BLACK DELIVERS STATEMENT IN THE SENATE ON FLOODING IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA

OTTAWA, June 21, 2013 This morning, Senator Black delivered a statement in the Senate of Canada on flooding in Alberta, in which he thanked emergency services personnel, the Canadian Armed forces, and average Albertans for their efforts to help their neighbours in need. Excerpt: As I watched the news yesterday and spoke to family and friends back home, I was particularly struck by the response of individual Albertans; the incredible outpouring of support from family, friends and neighbours for those affected by the floods. Albertans were knocking on doors, calling on the phone, and writing on twitter to open their homes to those in need of a bed to sleep in last night. Countless volunteers were and are lined up, wanting to find some way, anyway, to lend a hand. Albertans are always at their best when things are at their worst.

Senator Blacks statement (check against delivery) and bio follow.

For more information, please contact: Matthew Berry, Advisor Senator Blacks Office (613) 716-4147 berrym@sen.parl.gc.ca

Page 1 of 5

NEWS RELEASE
The Honourable Douglas Black, QC, Senator
The Hon. Senator Douglas Black, QC Statement in the Senate of Canada on Flooding in Southern Alberta Delivered June 21, 2013

HONOURABLE COLLEAGUES, I RISE TODAY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ALBERTANS OFFERING ASSISTANCE TO THEIR NEIGHBOURS IN NEED, DUE TO THE TERRIBLE FLOODING IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA.

FIRST AND FOREMOST TO THE EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL POLICE, FIRE, AMBULANCE, AND PROVINCIAL AND MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS THAT I KNOW ARE WORKING DAY AND NIGHT TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL ALBERTANS.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK PRIME MINISTER HARPER FOR PROVIDING CANADIAN ARMED FORCES SUPPORT TO ASSIST WITH URGENTLY NEEDED RESCUE AND EVACUATION EFFORTS.

THESE FLOODS HAVE HIT SOUTHERN ALBERTA HARD, AND MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE HAD TO BE EVACUATED.

AS OF THIS MORNING, CALGARY, STONEY RESERVE, TURNER VALLEY, SIKSIKA RESERVE, HIGH RIVER, BRAGG CREEK, BLACK DIAMOND, AND THE DISTRICT OF FOOTHILLS ARE ALL UNDER CRITICAL ALERT, MEANING IMMINENT LIFE THREATENING DANGER.

MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING MY HOME OF CANMORE, WERE ALSO UNDER EMERGENCY ALERT.

Page 2 of 5

NEWS RELEASE
The Honourable Douglas Black, QC, Senator

WE ARE STILL PRAYING FOR A WOMAN WHO IS MISSING AFTER BEING SWEPT INTO THE HIGHWOOD RIVER NEAR BLACK DIAMOND

COLLEAGUES, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW SIGNIFICANT THE CURRENT FLOODING IS, YESTERDAY MARKED THE CITY OF CALGARYS FIRST STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION IN NINE DECADES.

LAST NIGHT I WAS SENT PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF RIVERS ACROSS SOUTHERN ALBERTA AND IN THE ROCKIES THAT WERE TRULY SHOCKING. I HAVE SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE IN ALBERTA, AND I HAVE SIMPLY NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS,

AS I WATCHED THE NEWS YESTERDAY AND SPOKE TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS BACK HOME, I WAS PARTICULARLY STRUCK BY THE RESPONSE OF INDIVIDUAL ALBERTANS; THE INCREDIBLE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FROM FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY THE FLOODS.

ALBERTANS WERE KNOCKING ON DOORS, CALLING ON THE PHONE, AND WRITING ON TWITTER TO OPEN THEIR HOMES TO THOSE IN NEED OF A BED TO SLEEP IN LAST NIGHT.

COUNTLESS VOLUNTEERS WERE AND ARE LINED UP, WANTING TO FIND SOME WAY, ANYWAY, TO LEND A HAND.

ALBERTANS ARE ALWAYS AT THEIR BEST WHEN THINGS ARE AT THEIR WORST.

AS OUR FIRST PREMIER, ALEXANDER RUTHERFORD, SAID IN 1906 OF ALBERTANS, WE ARE A HOPEFUL PEOPLE. WE HAVE NO PESSIMISTS IN
Page 3 of 5

NEWS RELEASE
The Honourable Douglas Black, QC, Senator
ALBERTA A PESSIMIST COULD NOT SUCCEED. WE ARE OPTIMISTS, AND ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF AFFAIRS. ALBERTA IS A COLLECTION OF COMMUNITIES, FIRST NATIONS LATER JOINED BY SETTLERS, WHO HAVE SURVIVED AND THRIVED DESPITE A HARSH ENVIRONMENT AND VAST DISTANCES. THEY SIMPLY COULD NOT HAVE DONE SO WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO RELY ON EACH OTHER. I CAN TELL YOU THAT FROM WHAT I SAW YESTERDAY, THAT SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY THAT DRIVES ALBERTA IS AS STRONG AS EVER. I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU WILL BE HEADING TO ALBERTA NEXT WEEK, OR PERHAPS AT OTHER POINTS DURING THE SUMMER. I KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN OUR PROVINCE FIRST-HAND. AND I KNOW THAT, WATER OR NO WATER, ALBERTANS ARE READY TO WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS AND A SMILE.

Page 4 of 5

NEWS RELEASE
The Honourable Douglas Black, QC, Senator

Doug Black is confident in the promise of Alberta and Canada. He placed strongly in first position in the 2012 Alberta Senate Nominee Election, and was appointed to the Senate on January 25, 2013. Senator Black serves on the National Finance and Banking, Trade and Commerce committees. Senator Black is Senior Counsel at Dentons Canada LLP, a global law firm. He studied at the University of Alberta, and holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax. Senator Black was appointed Queens Counsel in 2002 and was named as one of Canadas 25 most influential lawyers for 2012 by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. Senator Black is deeply involved in his community, and was awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005 in recognition of his many contributions. He served as Chair of the Board of Governors of the University of Calgary, where he guided the development of the bold and ambitious Eyes High strategy to become one of Canadas top five research universities by 2016. Senator Black is Governor Emeritus of the Banff Centre, Albertas nationally and internationally renowned centre of excellence in creativity and the arts, and was National Co-Chair of the Centres successful $128 million campus revitalization campaign. He has served as Chair of the Michalle Jean Foundation, which equips disadvantaged youth with the tools to ignite change in their communities through the arts. Senator Black was also the Founder of Lake Crest School in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador. Senator Black has been a long-time proponent for responsible energy development and an advocate for diversifying Canadas energy markets. He was founding president of the Energy Policy Institute of Canada, a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the development of a Canadian energy framework. Senator Black lives in Alberta with his wife Linda, and they have two adult children. Together, Senator Black and his wife are active swimmers, cyclists, and supporters of the arts.

Abridged version: Senator Black was appointed to the Senate on January 25, 2013, and serves on the National Finance and Banking, Trade and Commerce committees. He is Senior Counsel at Dentons Canada LLP, and was appointed Queens Counsel in 2002. Deeply involved in his community, Senator Black was awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005 in recognition of his many contributions. He has served as Chair of the Board of Governors of the University of Calgary, Chair of the Michalle Jean Foundation, is Governor Emeritus of the Banff Centre, and was Founder of Lake Crest School in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador. Senator Black was founding president of the Energy Policy Institute of Canada, a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the development of a Canadian energy framework. He lives in Alberta with his wife Linda, and they have two adult children.
Page 5 of 5