User:CDseitz/Kathleen Ganley

Political Career
Kathleen Ganley is a Canadian politician who is a member of the New Democratic Party of Alberta. Her nomination and election to the Legislative Assembly in 2015 resulted in her being appointed as the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Minister of Justice/Solicitor General, representing the people of Alberta and her riding of Calgary/Buffalo. Her nomination and re-election in 2019 was an outcome of her change from the Calgary/Buffalo riding to the Calgary/Mountain View riding. Ganley is considered one of the first non-conservatives to be appointed as a minister of justice since the early 1960's.

Political Activism
In her Calgary riding she has advocated for and openly supported the reusable and non-reusable energy sectors, increases in healthcare services, environmental sustainability through flood control, and the creation of more jobs within Alberta's labour market.

Education
Her educational background includes a juris doctoral distinction in the field of law after finishing her two degrees from the University of Calgary in the areas of philosophy and psychology. During her time at the University of Calgary she received multiple scholarships and bursaries from donors that helped to assist Ganley in achieving an undergraduate merit award and a silver medallion for her work in the discipline of philosophy.

Law Career
During her time as justice minister Kathleen attempted to change regulations regarding the number of judges on the Court of Queen's Bench increasing the chances that an Albertan would make it to the Federal Judiciary Court. She has worked to change a bylaw associated with reduced sentences for individuals riding Calgary C-Train without payment and has reviewed the process of bail hearings in response to the treatment of offenders.

Consequently in 2014, Kathleen forced an inquiry into a case involving the sexual assault of an Indigenous women and a comment made by a court justice regarding the woman's sexuality. Her reasoning behind it was to prevent further incidences of systematic injustice and to provide confidence for the judiciary council.

Work Experience
Before graduating from the U of C at the age of 36 Kathleen would fill her summers working at RESOLVE Alberta where she would use her work experience as a court clerk to assist her with legal research on topic of violence reduction towards women. Her law career began shortly after she graduated in the labour, employment, and human rights sector before securing a permanent position with the private law firm McGowan Johnson.

Personal Life
Kathleen is a wife to Mark Hennessey and a mother to her daughter Wren.

In Kathleen's spare time she enjoys volunteering in her community of Calgary and the surrounding area. These volunteering activities include counselling children, coaching swimming lessons, and providing legal services and patient care to individuals.