innovative projects involving 
     
    

    
     a total investment of over 
     
    

    
     $1.2 million by the council 
     
    

    
     in addition to the more than 
     
     $2.4 million spent by the firms 
     
     involved. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Meanwhile, Kathleen remained 
     
     busy with running the 
     
     household, driving her sisters 
     
     to various appointments, 
     
     helping to look after a growing 
     
     number of grandchildren and 
     
     playing bridge, her favourite 
     
     leisure pursuit. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Bill finally retired from the 
     
     NRC in 1992, but even in 
     
     retirement, sought to keep 
     
     busy. He was elected to two 
     
     terms on the Charlottetown 
     
     City Council. He was named 
     
     as chair of the city’s human 
     
     resources committee, where he streamlined its out—of—date policies and 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     City Councillor Bill Mmpby standing in 
     
     the Charlottetown council chambers 
     
    
   
   
    
     practices, leading to a much improved working environment for city 
     
     employees. 
     
    
   
   
    
     His foray into municipal politics was the only indication of his political 
     
     interests. Given his high—profile role in DFO, he had always remained 
     
     above the fray of partisan politics, not an easy challenge in a province 
     
     where political affiliation is often attached at birth. Both the Murphy 
     
     and Keefe families were regarded traditionally as being Progressive 
     
     Conservatives, although several of Kathleen’s brothers, after serving 
     
     overseas in the Second World War, became known Liberal supporters. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Politics was rarely discussed in the Murphy household. Shawn, who 
     
     would later go on to be a Liberal member of parliament, does not 
     
    
   
   
    
     152 KATHLEEN MURPHY, MAITRIARC