Helen Hunley

Wilma Helen Hunley, OC, AOE ( born September 6, 1920 in Acme, Alberta, † 22 October 2010) was a Canadian politician. She was Minister of Health and Deputy Governor of Alberta.

Biography

Hunley attended in her childhood several rural schools in southern Alberta. 1933 her family moved into the district Rocky Mountain House, where she attended Rocky Mountain House High School.

After school Hunley worked as a telephone operator until she was drafted into the Canadian army in 1941. Between 1943 and 1945 she served overseas with the Canadian Women's Army Corps and acknowledged their service there with the rank of lieutenant. After working for a year on the farm her mother, she spent nine years at a company operates, which specialized in truck and tools, and then at an insurance company. She bought both companies in 1957.

Hunleys political career began in the 1960s. She was initially at the local level active from 1960 to 1966 as a member of the City Council of Rocky Mountain House, from 1966 as mayor. She resigned this office, when she was elected in 1971 in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. From 1971 to 1973 she was Minister without Portfolio and Chairman of the Health Commission. Subsequently, she was Vice - Minister of Justice ( Solicitor General ) and in 1975 Minister of Health of the province. In 1979, she decided not to seek re-election.

After five years as Chair of Psychiatry Advisory Board Hunley was appointed on the recommendation of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to the Deputy Governor of Alberta on January 22, 1985. She was the first woman to hold this office and practiced it out until March 11, 1991. 1985, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Alberta, 1992, the Order of Canada.