Christine Silverberg

Christine Silverberg is the first female in Canada to become the chief of police. She was born in 1949. Christine was raised on a dairy farm just outside Brampton. She is the second youngest child in her family. She has a younger sister and two older brothers. Christine attended school in Toronto and studied sociology and political science at York University’s Glendon College. When she was studying in Toronto she married Ben Silverberg in 1971. She then had two kids - a son and a daughter. In 1972, at the age of 21, Christine Silverberg was the first female recruit for the Mississauga police force. Christine was the deputy chief of Hamilton. She then left that job to become the chief of Calgary police in 1995.

Christine Silverberg is a very BRAVE woman. Back in the days when she wanted to be a cop, people were sexist towards Christine. Every day when she went to her job people were threatening her and there was a group of people outside the headquarters. Christine was in the middle of a political war between the police commission and the city council over her contract.

Christine is an inspiring woman. She has shown that females can also be a part of the police force or any other jobs that men think that only they can do. She went through a hard time getting on the police force, but she still did it. People tried to stop her, but she didn’t let anyone get in her way and she still did the job. She inspires me to not give up. I, too, have people trying to stop me and telling me not to do that kind of job. So if Christine never gave up after all that she had been through, then I will never give up. Christine Silverberg inspires me to become a police officer.

Christine defended herself when she wanted to be a part of the police force, although people were saying that she couldn’t. She defended herself and proved herself to everyone. She still took the job and became the chief of police, not just a police officer, but a chief. That is what am going to do. I won't care what my family says, I will prove them wrong and I will let them know that just because I am Muslim, it doesn’t mean that I can't be a police officer. I can and I will. I am going to do what Christine did - defend myself and my goals and do the one thing that I want to do.

Christine Silverberg is a brave, inspiring and strong woman. After all the horrible stuff she went through just to get on the force, she never gave up on what she wanted to be. After her retirement she never gave up the career that she was in. Now she is a lawyer in Edmonton. Christine inspires me in many ways. I know that I will be going through a lot with my family, but I will NOT give up on the career that I want to do. I will always remember Christine Silverberg and what she went through just get on the force and that she never gave up. I will not give up as well.