Media releases | June 03, 2011

EDMONTON—Public Interest Alberta is pleased to announce that on June 4th at 3:10 PM, two very well- deserved awards will be given to three individuals who have dedicated many years of their lives to effectively advocating for the public interest in Alberta.Carol and John Wodak have been nominated for their extensive and essential work to fight for improvements in Alberta’s seniors care system. Carol is one of the founders of the “Citizens Watch for Continuing Care” group and has been a prominent researcher and speaker on seniors care issues. John has also worked unrelentingly for disabled adults in distress in Alberta.In his nomination of John and Carol Wodak, Brian Staples, the Chairperson of SALT says, “One can see the intersection of the public services role of this dynamic couple. Albertans are fortunate indeed to have this husband and wife team speaking out for the advancement of civil society in general and the sick and disabled in particular.”Keith Wiley has been nominated for his decades-long work in the fight to preserve and enhance health care through the Klein years up until today. He is a strategist, mobilizer and communications specialist and has participated in a range of coalitions and socially responsible organizations, including a number of years as editor of the Bissell’s Centre’s “Our Voice” Newspaper.Heather Smith, President of United Nurses of Alberta, says, “Keith is an activist ‘extraordinaire’. He is a man with a social conscience as big as all Alberta and his skills and participation were an essential element of the successes achieved in driving back the health care privatization dragons.”Michael Walters, who worked with Keith for many years at the Bissell Centre says, “Keith’s contributions to building a community of story tellers, poets and anti-poverty activists is an important one in the city of Edmonton and he deserves high praise and much gratitude for his work.”The Public Interest Award ceremony will follow the Annual General Meeting of Public Interest Alberta from 2:00 – 3:10 on Saturday June 4th in the Iron Workers Local 720 Hall at 10512 – 122 St. The award ceremony will run from 3:10 – 3:30 and is open to the media and general public.-30-Media Contact: Bill Moore-Kilgannon (780) 993-3736