Red Deer North MLA Mary Anne Jablonski has apologized in person to a Red Deer family for the unauthorized use of a picture in one of her brochures.
Earlier this week, Red Deer homes received in the mail a brochure created for Jablonski and Red Deer South MLA Cal Dallas, both members of the Progressive Conservative government.
One of the pictures inside shows Jablonski posing at the Bethany Collegeside care centre in Red Deer with former Mayor Roy McGregor, who died in early February after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease and lung cancer.
The picture was taken about a month and a half before McGregor’s death, his wife, Rene McGregor, said on Thursday.
She, her family and friends were shocked to see that his image had been used without the family’s permission.
“It just breaks my heart. He wouldn’t even know what she was doing. I don’t know what right she thought she had to do that,” said Rene.
Later in the day, she and members of her family had a private meeting with Jablonski, who told The Advocate afterward that she feels “just awful” about the hurt she has caused.
Jablonski, minister of seniors and community supports, said she had assumed that permissions had been given when she approved the brochure, which had been produced while her office was in transition to a new assistant.
“I did apologize to them and they graciously accepted my apology. They did ask for a public apology and I agreed that I would speak with (The Advocate) about the hurt that I caused by using Roy’s picture,” said Jablonski.
“I felt that I was honouring Roy, because he was a great man and a great mayor. The worst thing is that I hurt the family, so I’m hoping that by making a public apology I can help in some way,” she said.
The McGregor family’s distress had been expressed in letter submitted to The Advocate on Wednesday by 13 members of Rene’s heart attack support group, which meets at Bethany Collegeside three times a week to exercise and have coffee.
In the letter, fellow survivor Robert Blumenschein and 12 others talk about the “profound dismay and disgust” they feel over what they view as a government official exploiting a family’s tragedy for personal gain.
“The sad and unflattering picture of Roy in the above mentioned brochure was published without permission of the family or the Bethany Care Centre and Roy himself was in no condition to grant such permission,” says their letter.
Val Trotter, administrator for Bethany Collegeside, declined to comment and would not state whether she had granted permission for the picture to be taken or used.
In an interview with The Advocate on Thursday, Blumenschein described McGregor as an honourable man who had dedicated his life to the service of others, including serving in the navy during the Second World War, serving numerous terms on city council before his term as mayor and his membership in the Rotary and Kinsmen clubs.
However, when Rene could no longer manage his care, McGregor was not well served by the community he helped build, said Blumenschein. Before his move to Bethany Collegeside, McGregor had been placed in the psychiatric ward at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre, where he had no outside windows and no TV, he said.
The picture showing Jablonski with one arm wrapped around McGregor’s shoulder and her other hand holding his misrepresents the way he was treated during his weeks in the psychiatric ward, said Blumenschein.
bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com
Letter to the Editor
It was with profound dismay and disgust that we read the recent brochure issued on behalf of our MLAs Mary Anne Jablonski and Cal Dallas entitled Working Together for You . . . Red Deer — Year in Review.
In particular we refer to the picture of Mary Anne Jablonski, arm around former mayor Roy McGregor, taken at the Bethany Care Centre where he passed away about two months ago.
We find it disturbing that a government official would exploit a family tragedy for political gain.
Roy McGregor suffered through long final months of distress and sadness with Alzheimer’s disease. When he could no longer be cared for at home, he was placed in the psychiatric unit of the Red Deer Hospital because there was “no other place for him” in the system.
It was like being in jail for Roy, who once asked his wife if he was in jail.
Finally, he was moved to Collegeside Bethany Care. His final months there proved to be a considerable improvement over the unsuitable placement that he had received previously, no thanks to Mary Anne Jablonski or the Alberta government.
The sad and unflattering picture of Roy in the above mentioned brochure was published without permission of the family or the Bethany Care Centre and Roy himself was in no condition to grant such permission.
How low will politicians stoop for political gain?
Robert Blumenschein
and 12 more friends of Roy McGregor