Hana had a deep respect for nature, whether planting seeds in her garden or wildcrafting herbs to make salves and tinctures, she saw plants as healers.Olivia Soukup/Courtesy of family
Hana Marta Razga: Feminist. Advocate. Mentor. Community builder. Born May 28, 1947, in London; died Jan 31, 2026, in Edmonton; died of sepsis; aged 78.
Imagine what it must have been like to wake up in Prague on Aug. 21, 1968 when, overnight, thousands of Soviet tanks rolled into Czechoslovakia to extinguish the brief liberalization period known as the Prague Spring.
For 21-year-old Hana Marta Razga, it was a turning point. She left her homeland along with her fiancé Jan Soukup, to courageously forge a new life in Canada, knowing that she might never return home to see her family again.
Born in London to Czechoslovak diplomats, Hana was the fifth of seven children. She lived in England and Hungary, as well as Czechoslovakia as a child. It was an unusual upbringing that exposed her to other cultures, languages and political systems.
By the end of 1968, Hana and Jan had arrived in Canada. They were married in Banff in the spring of 1969 and shortly afterward, settled in Edmonton to start a family. They had four children: Katarina, Jana, Olivia and Alex, before they separated in 1988.
Hana made sure that her children received equal attention and resources. Having four children spread quite far apart in age meant that she was always managing a wide range of interests and demands. She created a monthly “Day Out” where she would take one child out for lunch and shopping for new clothes or toys, on a rotating schedule. This was her opportunity for one-on-one time. It was a day that made each child feel special, seen and heard.
Hana Marta RazgaCourtesy of family
Hana spent her life advocating for fairness and social justice in Canada. She championed women and children throughout her career, her political engagement and her volunteer work. She lived simply and deliberately, mindful of her environmental impact long before “global warming” became a household term. Hana’s dedication to conservation however showed up in quirky ways. Birthday cards arrived with messages written on sticky notes so the card could be reused. And she insisted on flushing her toilet with cold bath water left in the tub.
In 1983, Hana was hired at Transport Canada to create opportunities for women. Her female colleagues became lifelong friends and these feminists helped establish Edmonton’s Canada Place Child Care Society so mothers who worked for the government could have their children cared for in the same building. The centre still operates, over 35 years later.
When Hana retired from public service, she shared her pension with her two unmarried sisters in the Czech Republic. She also began running as an NDP candidate in numerous federal, provincial and municipal campaigns in Conservative Alberta years before the historic NDP win in 2015.
Hana invested thousands of dollars of her own money and countless hours door-knocking to meet constituents. She was deeply disappointed with each loss but she kept coming back because she held a steadfast conviction to her ideals and values. She was stubborn and in it to win.
She volunteered with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton, located in what would become her beloved neighbourhood of Riverdale, on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. She had a deep respect for nature, whether planting seeds in her garden or wildcrafting herbs to make salves and tinctures, she saw plants as healers. Most famously, she was known for promoting her “onion syrup” cough remedy made with chopped onions and honey.
In 1988, Hana received a pardon from the Czechoslovak government, allowing her to return. Since then, she spent many summers with her family in Prague, travelling back for over three decades. Her last trip was four months before she died.
Hana was delighted with the arrival of successive grandchildren. She was intelligent, compassionate, curious, caring and a generous individual who liked things to be her own way. She liked to end her day with a glass or two of prosecco. When travelling across the country to visit family, she would bring a water bottle filled with wine on the Greyhound bus so she could quietly sip as the sun went down.
Even after her death, Hana is the glue that keeps the family connected. Against her lawyer’s advice she named all four children as co-executors of her estate. All are committed to handling her affairs together as a team – Team Hana.
Jana Razga is Hana Razga’s daughter.
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