A proud British Columbian, she has served as a member of Parliament, cabinet minister and, most recently, as the first female lieutenant governor of the province. As well, she continues to give generously of her time, notably in the areas of human rights and the environment. She served as chair of the Fraser Basin Council, as the first chancellor of the University of Northern British Columbia, and also helped to lead the Arctic Institute of North America. A champion of equality and democratic freedom, she also worked at home and abroad with organizations such as CUSO-VSO and the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development.