Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Mandy will provide an overview of the Lethbridge Sustainable Living Association and all of their hands-on grassroot initiatives as they relate to local food security, sustainability, community building, and reducing waste. The speaker will offer suggestions for simple ways of engaging our local food supporting initiatives, businesses, and organizations. She will discuss the importance of relationships and how this fundamental caring for one another increases our community ability to feed ourselves better while increasing our resiliency to the changing climate and political world instability. During a time where we are seeing food prices and inflation skyrocketing, we want to know that we have agency in where and how our food comes to us. Mandy will point to many local examples of projects, and groups who are making traction towards a more community secure food system.   Speaker:     Mandy Sandbach - Lethbridge Sustainable Living Association and SOULfully SOIL             Mandy Sandbach is an ally, student and

The current social and educational discourse has brought to the forefront the urgent need to address systemic barriers and injustices that have historically excluded voices within academic spaces. The racial and social disparities were further exacerbated by the covid 19 pandemic which has also shown huge gaps within groups, communities, and countries around the world. Educational institutions as an agent of social change have an ethical responsibility to not only acknowledge its role in perpetuating the disparities of historically excluded groups but to be an active participant to call out and address them. The speaker will identify key foundational and guiding principles for EDI (Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) and Belonging and will make the ethical and business case for EDI. She will address the myths that continue to impact the successful implementation of EDI strategies, and discuss the importance of allyship & advocacy and the role faculty, staff, students, administrators play in championing equ

Treaty 7 is an agreement between the Canadian government and several, mainly Blackfoot, First Nation band governments in what is today Southern Alberta. The idea of developing treaties for Blackfoot lands was suggested to Blackfoot Chief Crowfoot in 1875. Negotiations were concluded two years later and on September 22, 1877, the agreement was signed at the present-day Siksika Nation reserve, east of Calgary. Chief Crowfoot was one of the signatories to Treaty 7. Another signing of this treaty occurred December 4, 1877 to accommodate other Blackfoot leaders who were not present at the primary September 1877 signing. The Canadian government wanted the treaty to allow them to build the railroad across Canada, but the implications for the Indigenous people after the signing of Treaty 7 were mainly suffering and hardship. The buffalo disappeared rapidly and the promised support from Canada’s government to help transition the First Nations bands into an agricultural lifestyle did largely not happen. The speaker wil

Farming Smarter is a policy governed, non-profit organization with by-laws under the Alberta Societies Act. It is also a Canadian Charity registered under the Canada Revenue Agency. Their farming related projects and programs access funds from numerous sources including research grants, foundations, industry, partners, and all levels of government. The speaker will argue, and many people tend to agree, that applied agri-food research is very important. Yet, funding is a big issue. Rarely have significant government investments been made available and future funding is uncertain. The research Farming Smarter does may not be the most attractive, but it’s the type farmers at field level most value. The fact that Farming Smarter works for farmers and not corporate interests, increases the trust among producers that the information they are getting, is more than just an advertisement for the latest product available. For the family farm to survive, research, innovation and funding of such will be a main challenge

A coordinated effort of reactionary columnists, conservative politicians, right-wing think tanks and others are lining up to push the narrative that our public health care is “broken”; they predictably go on to conclude that the only solution is to privatize it. But the truth is our system isn’t broken, it’s being intentionally dismantled for the benefit of private profits.  There is no doubt that our public health care system is struggling under a series of crises: the ongoing pandemic, a deadly drug poisoning crisis, chronic short staffing and burnout, bed and unit closures, chronic EMS red alerts, the impacts of years of austerity and cuts, and so much more. But rather than respond to this urgent situation with urgent action, our provincial government is using this to justify an aggressive spree of privatization - with recent announcements privatizing surgeries, community labs, ophthalmology, seniors care, home care, food services, and even a scheme to send Alberta surgeons along with their patients to pri

The Lethbridge Drug Treatment Court is contained within the criminal justice system and operates within the same legal framework that governs all adult criminal court proceedings in the Provincial Court of Alberta. The drug court operates based on a guilty plea with a delayed sentencing process (s.720 (2) of the Criminal Code) with entry being dependent on the consent of the Crown, Court, and the Accused. The Lethbridge Drug Treatment Court program is founded on national and international principles for drug treatment courts, is committed to community justice and restoration and are a support service program under the direction of McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association. The speaker will talk about what the court is, how it operates, and the expectations and model of the program.   Speaker:   Chelsey De Groot and Brett Carlson           My Blackfoot name is Naamiitaapii Aahkkoiyiiniimaki. I hold a Master of Arts in Leadership, Bachelor of Applied Arts in Justice Studies, and a Diploma in Child

There are an increasing number of urban jurisdictions that are allowing egg-laying chickens/hens. Arguable, the reasons are clear - chickens provide protein, great fertilizer, pest control and are easy to maintain. But the bigger reason for keeping chickens may be for people to get more control of their food supply, just like growing vegetables etc. Following the past few years of the Covid pandemic, we all know food security should not be taken for granted and urban planning to allow for small scale food production can help many people meet their basic needs. The speakers will argue that urban food production is sustainable and helpful for us to live in this world without depleting its resources. Speakers:                    Gilles Leclair and Kelti Baird Gilles is a founding member and past-president of the Lethbridge Sustainable Living Association. He created the Applefest (an event to promote local food sustainability) and was a long-time executive member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Leth

People increasingly spend a lot of time looking at screens and particularly so during these past two years of the Covid pandemic. Social media chatter and news on computers, phones and other devices have become a big part of our lives. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are two technologies that are changing the way we use screens, while creating new and exciting interactive experiences. Virtual reality uses a headset to place you in a computer-generated world that you can explore. Rather than transporting you to a computer-generated world, augmented reality overlays digital content on top of the physical world using a wearable headset of mobile device. The speaker will explain the exciting world of VR/AR and discuss the consequences of this ever-expansive technology.   Speaker:  Michael McCready   Mike McCready is educator and researcher with a focus on immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. He has over 20 years of development and is driven to explore new technologies and

Kathleen hopes to illuminate the ongoing colonial agenda and its extension into COVID-19 and public health relations. Particularly, she will focus on how anti-mask groups- who refer to themselves as Freedom Fighters have interacted with formal institutions like public health, and vice versa, to create expendable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. She hopes to demonstrate how Freedom Fighters and public health alike perpetuate colonialism through a new arena of the COVID-19 pandemic. This will provide a perspective critical of both public health and groups like Freedom Fighters’ role in the erasure of lives and ways of knowing. Most importantly, this presentation will ask viewers to reflect upon their positions in society and locate how they may contribute to colonialism knowingly or unknowingly. Speaker:   Kathleen Mah                 Kathleen Mah is a recent graduate of the University of Lethbridge with her BA in Anthropology and a minor in Women and Gender Studies. She originally comes from Calgary A

The United Conservative Party (UCP) members voted by mail-in ballots from April 9 to May 11 whether or not they have confidence in their leader and on May 18, 2022, the result was scheduled to be announced. Originally, a special general meeting was planned to be an in-person voting event in Red Deer, but because of soaring attendee numbers, it was decided by the provincial UCP board to move the vote to a mail-in ballot over a five-week period. Plenty of questions have surrounded the leadership of Premier Jason Kenney and his UCP government since being elected in 2019 and even before, in 2017, when Kenney won the UCP leadership race ahead of Brian Jean in a contest still being investigated by the RCMP. The speaker will look back on the past few years of notable controversies involving Kenney before the leadership review and as well, analyze how the result of such, may affect the UCP, Albertans and Alberta politics.         Speaker:  Dr. Duane Bratt Duane Bratt is a political science Professor in the Department

Mahdi will share his journey crossing the gate as Afghanistan fell and the events leading up to it. He will also cover current events, what to believe and what not to believe as well as his process times and integration into first, the United States and now into Canada.  He still has a brother stuck in Abu Dhabi that has been left behind from the NGO that brought him out. There is lots to cover and much to be still resolved. Jennel will share her own journey of desperation in finding ways to get Mahdi out of the country via Canadian Politicians, as well as her involvement with the evacuation of other Afghans and their procurement of special immigrant visas. Speakers:   Mahdi and Jennel Taheri                 Mahdi and Jennel Taheri met six years ago through a high school friend who deployed four times to Afghanistan for the United States Military.  It was through a friend of a friend on social media, that brought this unlikely pair together. Mahdi spent many years serving as a combat Interpreter and Cultural

The Canadian Red Cross has played a significant role in Canadian society for over 120 years, helping people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need and supporting communities in strengthening their resilience.   The speaker will provide an overview of the Canadian Red Cross’ membership in the IFRC (International Federation Red Cross), as well as discussing their mandate, mission and fundamental principles and how they work in Canada and around the world.  Additionally, the speaker will reflect on the Canadian Red Cross’ work and learnings from the Covid-19 pandemic; and provide an update on the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis.    Speaker:     Mark Holzer               Mark began his career in Emergency Management with the American Red Cross, prior to returning to Canada and joining the Canadian Red Cross in 2018. While in the U.S. Mark supported many local responses in Southwestern Pennsylvania, as well as Hurricane Sandy and the Haiti earthquake. Now based in Edmonton, AB Mark supports th

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces that for weeks had been gathering along their border. The invasion also included attacks across the Belarus-Ukraine border and was followed by targeted airstrikes on military and civilian buildings in Ukraine. Chris Burton will analyze the conflict in Ukraine in light of the development of Putin’s regime over the years  and the longer history of Ukrainian relations with Russia. Speaker:  Dr. Chris Burton Chris grew up in St. John’s, Newfoundland, taking his B.A. in History at Memorial University, followed by an M.A. from Carleton University. He worked in the Soviet Union during the glasnost’ years, then studied with Sheila Fitzpatrick in the 1990s at the University of Chicago for his PhD.  He is Associate Professor of History at the University of Lethbridge and has been teaching Russian History there, and Modern European History more generally, for the last twenty years.  His research interests includ

The speaker will define and provide examples of “Access Block” within our Health Care system, and discuss what it means for patients and patient outcomes.   An overview of the current challenges and issues growing within our system, that impair timely access to acute health care in our province will be considered.    Speaker:     Dr. Paul Parks MD, FRCPC              From 2006 to the present, Dr. Parks has been actively involved in provincial & national Emergency Department Overcrowding (EDOC) advocating for important access initiatives and changes.  Since 2009, he has been advocating provincially for the open & unfettered ability for physicians to advocate on behalf of their patients, & was actively involved in the government-initiated Health Quality Council of Alberta Review which concluded in 2012. This review stated unequivocally that both “Access Block” & Physician Intimidation were & still are significant issues in health care delivery within Alberta.  Dr. Parks’ advocacy has been ho

The Stephen Lewis Foundation will share how their community-based partners in South Africa are safeguarding the years of progress made in the fight against HIV and AIDs while battling the challenges of COVID-19.      Speaker: Leah Odle-Benson  (she/her) | Deputy Director, Impact and Learning Stephen Lewis Foundation                   The Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) is a progressive, feminist organization rooted in the principles of social justice, international solidarity, and substantive equality. The SLF was created with the express purpose of supporting community-based organizations working on the frontlines of the AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Many of these grassroots organizations were originally formed by small groups of individuals responding to the crisis AIDS had wrought in their own lives and in the lives of their neighbours.  Over the years, they have developed into thriving local institutions with deep connections to their communities. The SLF’s community-based partners are turning the t

ACT Alberta provides training and education on human trafficking to service providers and stakeholders throughout the province. Incidents of human trafficking often happen in plain sight, yet may go unnoticed due to lack of citizen understanding and information. The speaker will discuss the tools needed to accurately identify red flags and indicators of human trafficking and what citizens can do to safely respond to such instances. Human trafficking, charges and convictions in Alberta, as well as ACT Alberta’s victim response will be discussed.      Speaker:   Jessica Brandon - Director of Programs for the Action Coalition on Human Trafficking                                                     (ACT) Alberta               Jessica has 15 years of advocacy experience with a strong focus on Human Rights. She began as a volunteer with the Action Coalition on Human Trafficking (ACT) Alberta in 2015 and took the leap from a leadership role in the tech sector to manage the Education Program at ACT Alberta in 2018. S

Bees and beekeepers face many challenges. The Speaker will discuss what a bee is, which bees are introduced, and which groups are indigenous to Alberta, ongoing threats to bee populations, the benefits of bees to society, bee regulations and policy, and how bees are going global. Speaker:  Shelley Hoover                 Shelley Hoover studies apiculture and pollination in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Lethbridge. Her research focuses on bee health and management, breeding, and nutrition, as well as canola pollination, and the effects of environmental change on plant-pollinator interactions. Previously, Shelley was the head of the Apiculture Program for the Province of Alberta and has held Research Associate positions at the Universities of Canterbury (Christchurch, NZ) and British Columbia (Vancouver and Beaverlodge, Canada). She completed her PhD on honey bee worker ovary development, nutrition, and behaviour at Simon Fraser University.  Shelley is also the past President of the

The Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) is one of the most important Crown corporations operating in the province. It was, until recent controversies, perhaps the least known and understood of Alberta's provincial agencies. In "Can AIMCo be Fixed?" a research paper published by The Parkland Institute, Bob Ascah examines the investment track record of AIMCo, the critical role played by the provincially-appointed board of directors and AIMCo's independence from the government. Dr. Ascah's talk will present a number of sensible recommendations to improve AIMCo's governance, independence and operations.    Speaker: Robert L. (Bob) Ascah, Ph.D.  Research Fellow, The Parkland Institute                 Bob Ascah was born in Lachine, Quebec. He holds degrees in Commerce and Public Administration from Carleton University and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Alberta. He joined the Alberta public service in 1984 (Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs) and moved to Alberta Treasury in 198

The CPP came into effect on January 1, 1966 and applied to all provinces and territories except Quebec, where the separate but similar QPP was established in the same year. The contribution rates for QPP are higher than those for CPP. Although the year’s maximum pensionable earnings ($61,600 for 2021) and annual basic exemption ($3,500) for both plans are the same, an employee paying into the QPP will pay contributions at a higher rate (5.90% for 2021) compared to the rate for an employee who pays into the CPP (5.45% for 2021).   In terms of value, CPP Investments holds a very diverse $550.4 billion global investment portfolio. Its most recent results showed it produced a 10-year annualized net return of 11.6%. The speaker will elaborate on its sustainability and discuss elements including its use of green bonds and approach to investing in opportunities related to the energy industry’s evolution.   Speaker: Jeffrey Hodgson   Jeffrey Hodgson joined CPP Investments in July 2017. He oversees the Global Stakehol

The development of large irrigation projects in Southern Alberta over 100 years ago brought secure water supplies to a previously arid landscape, establishing irrigation as an integral part of our society and environment.  On October 9, 2020 the Government of Alberta and the Canada Infrastructure Bank announced an $815 million investment in partnership with eight irrigation districts to “modernize irrigation district infrastructure and increase water storage capacity”, which is now known as the Alberta Irrigation Modernization Program. The announcement projected that over 200,000 acres of new irrigated farmland would be created from this “single largest irrigation expansion in Alberta’s history”. On November 12, 2021 it was announced that two more irrigation districts and numerous additional projects were included, with the program value increased to $933 million. The presentation will cover details of the Alberta Irrigation Modernization Program and compare its projected impact to past irrigation modernizati