Alberta Premier Alison Redford will be joining a national delegation heading to a memorial service for former South Africa president, Nelson Mandela.
Redford made the announcement Sunday via Twitter.
En route to Ottawa, then on to South Africa to say good-bye to Nelson Mandela. Thank you @pmharper for your invitation. #Mandela #ableg
— Alison Redford (@Premier_Redford) December 8, 2013
A spokesperson for the premier confirmed that Redford will be added to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s list of attendees, which include former Canadian prime ministers Jean Chretien, Kim Campbell and Brian Mulroney.
Redford said she first met Mandela in Ottawa, a year before she went to work in South Africa.
“I worked for the European Union and for the Commonwealth Secretariat for the legal and constitutional affairs committee for the African National Congress,” she explained, adding she spent about two years working there as a lawyer.
“Whenever he smiled he had a twinkle in his eye. It is always what I remember about him.
“He was a very patient man but he expected people to stay on path, stay on course, not to compromise their values and to get the work done.”
She said she felt very sad after hearing of his death.
“He was a man who gave so much and if he's in any kind of peace right now, then that is a wonderful thing. I don't think there are many people in the world that have had a life like his.
“Every single opportunity that the man had to make the world a better place, even if it came from personal sacrifice and tragedy, he did it.”
The delegation will be attending a public memorial service on Tuesday in Johannesburg.
They are also expected to attend the lying in state in Pretoria on Wednesday.
