Series 1 - Burrett, Alida : Personal

Alida Burrett (nee Schriel) was a Dutch-born Canadian teacher and environmentalist known for her women's rights and environmental activism. Born August 26, 1944 in Rotterdam, Netherlands to Johannes and Anne (nee Klein) Schriel, she immigrated to Canada at the age of six with her family where she graduated from Trent University with a B.A. (class of 1974) and Brock University with a B.Ed. (class of 1976). As a student at Trent, she met future husbad, George Burrett, whom she married in 1973. Burrett worked for B.F. Goodrich where she became involved in expanding the role of women in the company, and later worked as an elementary school teacher in Mississauga.

Burrett's passion for women's rights and environmental protection led her to become active in the student movement in the 1970s, helping to produce an early environmental magazine. Following graduation she became a champion of female equality as outlined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. She was a member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Status of Women Group in the 1980s and in 1997 she founded the Citizen's Advisory Council on Air Quality. In 2010 Burrett was awarded the YWCA Women of Distinction Award in recognition of her advocacy work.

George Burrett is also politically and professionally active in environmental protection as well as peace, particularly in terms of nuclear disarmament. George was a member of the Waterloo Region Peace Network and performs home energy audits in the Waterloo Region.

Alida Burrett died March 25, 2011, survived by husband George and daughter Melanie.