Christine Silverberg's life and
career is traced through interviews with family, friends and
colleagues. According to her sister, one of the keys
to Silverberg's success is that she spent her childhood keeping
up with 2 older brothers. She didn't realize gender
stereotyping was even an issue until she joined the police
force. As a female rookie she wasn't allowed to carry
a gun or go on uniformed patrol and she learned early on how
to deal with sexism and harassment in the macho police world.
When she landed the job as Calgary's top cop, Silverberg
had her work cut out for her. She was a woman - an outsider
- whose job was to lead an under-staffed, command-driven hierarchy
into the 21st century. If that weren't challenge enough,
for her first two years in office she was caught in the middle
of a turf war between the Calgary Police Commission and City
Council over her contract.
Despite the obstacles, Silverberg has not only won over the
rank and file, she's become something of a celebrity in Calgary.
Original Air Date - March 1, 1999 |
