Gubernatorial-South Dakota

Rory J. Koopmans, B. Admin.
#6, 14504-108 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5N 1G8

August IIIrd, MMXV

Hon. Dave Eggen, B. Ed., MLA
Minister of Education,
New Democratic, Edmonton-Calder

Dear Dave:

Giving folks in politics a lesson in "civics" this Civic Holiday is Governor Dennis Daugaard of South Dakota. Dennis is the first Governor of a state to have been born to two fully deaf parents. I myself have a deaf aunt & uncle so maybe I should take some sign language courses. Dennis talks about his love & respect & admiration for his dad, even though he was hearing disabled. The Governor showcases that folks with disabilities can be great parents too. The comments also stress the importance of learning sign language if you are a hearing child to deaf parents so that the household functions normally for all. It also stresses the continued need for proper sign language translation on Parliament Hill in The House Of Commons, Senate & in Committee Hearings so that hearing impaired parliamentarians & Canadians can still in the next parliament have full access to to the parliamentary process of dealing with Her Majesty's Government, Her Majesty's Loyal Official Opposition, & other opposition groups!

"He loved my mother & was attentive to her needs. He gave me & my sisters love, & taught us that all work has dignity. He never used his disability & as an excuse & he did not let it define him. He was the best father one could ever want. On this Father's Day, I remember my father, & thank God for the generous gift of his life. He may not have been able to hear or speak, but the way he lived his life spoke volumes to me."

Pierre,

Rory

Source: XXXIInd Governor Dennis Daugaard, Republican-South Dakota.