"I have faith in a better future, because I have faith that most human beings want to do the right thing." - Lois Hole In early 2005, Alberta lost one of its greatest treasures--a woman who not only voiced her thoughts, but also acted upon them. Lois Hole was a compassionate being who remained, even as Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, modest and approachable to those inspired by her. This collection of speeches, edited by Mark Lisac, will appeal to everyday Albertans whose lives Lois Hole touched, and particularly to those interested in how this remarkable woman reacted to and affected Alberta's history and political life. Foreword by Hon. Jim Edwards PC.

Jim Hole grew up in the renowned gardening family that owns Western Canada's largest commercial greenhouse operation, Hole's Greenhouse & Gardens. He is the coauthor of five books with his mother, the best-selling garden writer Lois Hole. Jim has also written extensively for the Old Farmer's Almanac, Canadian Gardening and the National Post.Since earning a bachelor of science in agriculture, Jim has continued to work for the family operation and has become a popular gardening personality. He writes a weekly gardening column for the Edmonton Journal and appears regularly on CBC radio and television call-in shows. Over the years, Jim has played an important role in Alberta's horticultural community. He served six years as chairman of the Special Crops Committee with the Alberta Agriculture Research Institute, four years as chairman of the Alberta Fresh Vegetable Marketing Board, and from 1985-86 was chairman of the Alberta Plant Health Advisory Committee.Jim is a frequent speaker before garden clubs and at trade shows across North America. He loves to share what he's learned from over 30 years of hands-on experience in the greenhouse. His guiding principle when sharing gardening knowledge is to stick to "practical advice and the science behind it."

Lois Hole's profile page

Mark is a writer living in Edmonton, Alberta. Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, he began working as a journalist in Regina in 1973, moved to Edmonton in 1978 to join The Canadian Press as a reporter-editor, became provincial affairs columnist at the Edmonton Journal in 1987, and was publisher and editor of an independent political newsletter from 2005 to 2013. He has since been a freelance editor and written novels, the first being Where the Bodies Lie, which was shortlisted for the 2017 Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Award for best first novel. He edited a collection of speeches by former Alberta lieutenant-governor Lois Hole, titled Lois Hole Speaks, and wrote two books about Alberta politics, The Klein Revolution and Alberta Politics Uncovered, the latter winning the Writers Guild of Alberta Wilfred Eggleston Award for Nonfiction in 2005. He enjoys the work of many authors, including David Adams Richards; his favourite authors of mysteries/thrillers include Ross Macdonald, K.C. Constantine, Nicolas Freeling, Dorothy Sayers, and Josephine Tey.

Mark Lisac's profile page

"[Lois Hole] was the most political, the most outspoken, and the most gracefully cantankerous-at-government Lieutenant Governor in Alberta's history. . Lois Hole: gardener, author, educator, businesswoman, politician. She knew exactly what she was talking about." Gordon Morash, Alberta Views, May 2009

"Astute editor Mark Lisac has gathered an eclectic selection of speeches from one of Alberta's best-loved public figures. Lois Hole Speaks brings us echoes of the late lieutenant-governor's compassion and generosity from a wonderful variety of public speaking engagements in her final years of life." Edmonton Journal, Christmas Gift Guide, November 19, 2008

"Hole had frequent opportunities to exercise her words through numerous books and speeches. Hole spoke about timely issues, personalizing her words to allow her audience to relate to her experiences. Her collected speeches are now in one place, courtesy of the University of Alberta Press, in the collection Lois Hole Speaks. Her writings on gardening and other subjects have already been immortalized on the printed page. It¹s about time the same treatment was given to her notes from her public addresses while in office as lieutenant governor. This is as valuable a book for its inspiration as it is for its insight into one of our most beloved public figures." Scott Hayes, St. Albert Gazette, July 19, 2008

"This compilation of selected speeches, edited by Mark Lisac, is mostly from Hole's time as lieutenant governor, offering some private insight into her public persona. The speeches span almost a decade-from Hole's induction as the University's chancellor in 1998 to just before her death in 2005-but there are certain themes that occur again and again, such as a passion for education and literacy, the arts and community building." Folio, July 18, 2008

#1 on the Edmonton Journal's Top Ten Non-Fiction Bestseller List

"These speeches will, I hope, be read with some care. They are the conscience of the people. The fifty page introduction by Marc Lisac is a masterful analysis, based on interviews with those who knew her best." Frits Pannekoek, Canadian Book Review Annual Online, 2009

"Caring is something the world needs more of. "Lois Hole Speaks: Words That Matter" is a collection of speeches about a woman who does care--about life, education, and her country. A university chancellor, gardener, and lieutenant governor, she made a career out of caring... Inspiring and moving, "Lois Hole Speaks" is a must..." James Cox, Midwest Book Review

"Lois Hole, Alberta's 15th lieutenant governor, was a remarkable individual with an infinite capacity for kindness. Hole, who died in January 2005 at the age of 71, believed that kindness and words could change lives. With those firm beliefs, Hole used her roles to champion arts, education, health care and human rights. She chose her words well, always going for the simplest way to convey her thoughts, which show a passionate and eloquent individual, who was not afraid to voice her opinions or even disagree with the government, including then-premier Ralph Klein. This book should be required reading for all Albertans. It not only leaves readers with one heck of a warm and fuzzy feeling, but also it reminds us of what we can achieve when we are generous, kind, unafraid and passionate, and if we follow Hole's lead, we could have a kind and just society. That may sound like pie-in-the-sky idealism, but Hole's approach was simple and elegant and it seems to have worked." Rob Alexander, Rocky Mountain Outlook, August 7, 2008

"This book highlights Hole's strong belief in the necessity for both individual responsibility and collective caring and action, by governments and by the many community and non-profit organizations to which she spoke. A short review cannot cover the rich and varied themes that run through Hole's speeches. Sincerity, passion, compassion, humility, persistence and a sense of hope shine through in them all, regardless of her audience. For all of us who had the honour of knowing and working with Hole, this book brings back warm memories of a woman who inspired us to be better than we thought we could be. Everyone who reads these speeches will be filled with hope and will remember, with a smile or maybe a tear, what an extraordinary person Lois Hole was. And I am reminded that one person can make a difference." [The Honourable] Anne McLellan, Legacy Magazine, Winter 2008

#5 on The Edmonton Journal's Bestsellers List

#7 on The Edmonton Journal's Top Ten Bestsellers List

#4 on the Edmonton Journal's Top Ten Non-Fiction Bestseller List