How do we save the earth?
Lorne Fitch, Professional Biologist
Thursday, December 20, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
This is a regular session but with a Christmas twist. Please come early and listen to Christmas music & song Special Music 11:45 am - 12:05 pm - Gilbert Paterson Handbells 12:30 - 1:00 pm (during lunch) - Gilbert Paterson Select Choir As we approach Christmas and the spirit that goes with it, environmental challenges – to air, water and land – are not going away. In Alberta we are polarized between development and environmental safeguards, between job and habitat protection, between corporate interests and citizen lobby/protest groups, between the dividends offered by hydraulic fracturing and those who fear its threat to water and health.
How is Activist Engagement Related to Liberal Education?
Josephine Mills and Bruce MacKay
Thursday, December 13, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
The debates around the recent Occupy movement have prompted questions about what constitutes effective action and whether the current young generation is engaged in social issues. Can these budding activist energies be sustained enough to create change? How can the interests of students who are focused on career training, or who approach learning with passivity, be expanded and nurtured so that they can act with greater alertness and attention to issues they face as global citizens?
The Challenges of Political Reconciliation
Trudy Govier
Thursday, December 6, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Most nations throughout the world have practiced discrimination against racial, religious, ethnic and ideological groups. Justification for these forms of exclusion has increasingly been discredited by the human rights revolution in the post colonization era and equal rights and non-discriminatory policies are now in focus. However, even as these older practices of exclusion are no longer in effect, they continue to have lasting consequences. Political reconciliation requires the rebuilding of damaged relationships.
China’s economy will soon become the largest in the world. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), China’s economy will be larger than the combined economies of the Eurozone countries by the end of this year, and will overtake the United States by the end of 2016. To fuel an expanding economy, China has been on a global quest for raw materials for decades. In the energy sector, that includes oil, natural gas and uranium from Canada.
Canada's Democratic Deficit: Is it Systemic and Can it be Fixed?
Duane Bratt
Thursday, November 22, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
It has not been uncommon to hear people decry the democratic deficit in Canada. Former Prime Minister Paul Martin defined a democratic deficit as MPs having, among other things, very limited independence. Prime Minister Harper has been accused of increasing the democratic deficit by using parliamentary tactics and omnibus bills to confine parliamentary debate. These tactics have not been limited to the federal government as provincial premiers across Canada have cancelled sittings of the legislature and used prorogation to severely restrict debate.
Should Flu Shots be Made Mandatory for Healthcare Workers?
Dan Johnson
Wednesday, November 21, 2012 12:00 PM
Lethbridge Public Library
Recently, British Columbia became the first province in Canada to implement a policy requiring health-care employees working at publicly funded facilities, including long-term care homes, to get a flu shot or wear a mask to protect patients during the flu season. This policy has been applied elsewhere, at some other major health centres. The B.C. Nurses’ Union has taken issue with that policy and is fighting to keep the vaccinations voluntary.
Lessons from the Arrival City: The Future of Poverty, Population and Environment in the Urban Landing Pad
Doug Saunders
Thursday, November 15, 2012 12:00 PM
University of Lethbridge
NOTICE OF A SPECIAL SESSION JOINTLY HOSTED BY: The Prentice Institute, SACPA on Campus, Friends of the Lethbridge Public Library, University of Lethbridge Thursday November 15, 2012 at 7pm in PE 250 (UofL) Doug Saunders, a Canadian born, world-renown journalist and author, comes to us from London, England where he has been the Globe and Mail’s European Bureau Chief. His journalism won the National Newspaper Award on four occasions and he has received international recognition for investigative reporting on the state of the middle class around the world.
Biochar – a Product of Ancient Technology with Possible Global Impact and New Opportunities for Alberta
Anthony Anyia
Thursday, November 15, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Biochar (the non-fuel use of charcoal) is a carbon-rich residue produced by low-oxygen pyrolysis from biomass (agriculture/forest residues and waste biomass). There is good evidence that soil-applied biochar establishes a long-term, stable and easily measurable carbon sink. Therefore, by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in plant tissues, and by converting it into a highly stable form of carbon, a low cost and effective type of carbon storage emerges. Furthermore, the addition of biochar to poor soils, such as the extensive marginal and solonetzic soils of Alberta hold the promise of increasing crop yields due to anticipated maintenance of soil fertility, quality and productivity.
The Historical Evolution of U.S. Federal Elections: What is the Trend?
James Tagg
Thursday, November 8, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
By looking at three historically significant eras in American history, the speaker will contextualize the 2012 US election and relate to how these eras shaped the results. First, he will look at the long view emphasizing the colonial, revolutionary and early republican inheritances. He will then look at the medium historical view, from Reagan through Clinton. Finally, the speaker will examine the short view, from 2000 to now, during which time Americans seemingly have adopted a kind of post-democratic polity based on ignorance and belief.
What Lessons can be Learned from the E. coli Beef Recall at XL Foods?
Ted Haney
Thursday, November 1, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
On September 27, 2012, nearly two weeks after E. coli 0157:H7 alarm bells first sounded, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) suspended the operating license of XL Foods Inc. beef processing plant in Brooks, AB. 1800+ products of potentially contaminated beef was recalled/destroyed here and in the US, the largest recall of beef ever in Canada. XL Foods Inc. is a privately held Alberta corporation with beef packing facilities located mainly in Alberta and Nebraska, US and is the largest Canadian owned and operated beef processor, although a sale to the huge multi-national Brazilian meatpacker JBS is pending.
Why the E. coli O157:H7 Puzzle is Not Easily Solved.
Tim McAllister
Thursday, October 25, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Escherichia coli, usually called E. coli, refer to a large group of bacteria that is commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless; however, some strains, such as E. coli O157:H7 can make people sick, causing severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and very occasionally kidney failure or even death. Food can become contaminated with E. coli when animals are slaughtered or processed, even if precautions are taken.
The Coulee Corridor: In Moving Lethbridge Forward, Will the Road to 2017, Canada's 150th Birthday, Include a Pedestrian Bridge?
Ron Bain
Thursday, October 18, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Results of three documents issued by the City of Lethbridge indicate that the river valley, albeit a beautiful force of nature, greatly reduces the ability for people to cross it other than by vehicle. The solution, already mentioned in two of the documents is to build a crossing that would span the coulees and eliminate the steep grades required to transit the valley. The Coulee Corridor Committee has already made a presentation to City Council to further explore this possibility.
Preparing for the Next Disaster: Experiences from Slave Lake
Judith Kulig
Thursday, October 11, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
The May 2011 Wildfires in the Slave Lake area brought international attention to a rural area that was devastated from the aftermath of some of the worst fires in our provincial history. Who could forget the images of the burnt basements, destroyed vehicles and residents living in evacuation centres? Such a disaster invites us to ask ourselves if we are ready for catastrophes of this magnitude in our own community and what role should public policy play in mitigating the effects.
Resource processing & industrial strategy in Western Canada: What can we learn from Western Australia?
Ian MacLachlen
Thursday, October 4, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Considering Western Canada’s continued dependence on crude and semi-processed resource exports, it could be argued that Albertans ought to find more sustainable and profitable ways to process their natural resource wealth. The speaker will briefly consider regional development challenges in Western Canada before turning to Western Australia, a booming resource-based economy that shares much in common with Alberta. This presentation will explain how the Kwinana industrial complex on Cockburn Sound has been in operation for nearly 60 years.
The Development of a Social Policy Framework: How to Move Forward?
Dave Hancock
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
A special session of SACPA will be held Wednesday, October 3, 2012 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S The event is free to the public and refreshments will be provided The Development of a Social Policy Framework: How to Move Forward? Social cohesion and an opportunity for all Albertans to be engaged members of our society are important to most.
Interrogating Disability: The De-Composition of a Recovering Paralympian
Danielle Peers
Monday, October 1, 2012 1:00 PM
University of Lethbridge
NOTICE OF A SPECIAL SESSION JOINTLY HOSTED BY: SACPA on Campus; University of Lethbridge Office of the President; Women’s Scholars; LPIRG; Depts. of Kinesiology, Sociology, Women & Gender Studies; Gender, Equity & Diversity Caucus (ULFA); OUTreach Southern Alberta How did you become able-bodied? What did you do to yourself? That must be so, so horrible to be confined to walking!! When will you get better….that is…become more like me? And so the interrogation begins….
The end of AIDS? Moving Towards an AIDS Free Generation
Charleen Davidson
Thursday, September 27, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
June 2011 marked the 30th anniversary of the AIDS pandemic. Since that time, there have been over 30 million deaths from AIDS-related causes, including 1,700,000 in 2011 alone. Currently, there are approximately 34 million people living with HIV/AIDS. Despite these staggering numbers, there was great optimism at the 19th International AIDS Conference, Turning the Tide on Together, which ran in Washington, DC this past July that an AIDS free generation is within our reach.
Climate Change and its Impacts on Food Security: What Can We Do?
Sandy Aberdeen
Thursday, September 20, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Climate change may be the biggest challenge humanity has ever faced. If the present trend continues, the world will likely experience a severe average increase in temperature by the end of this century, endangering our civilization, as we know it. The speaker will argue it is time to put the climate change debate behind us and get on with the tasks at hand. We will need to both mitigate and adapt.
Dying with Dignity: Will Canadians be able to choose?
John Warren, Brenda Ireland, and Berga Moen
Tuesday, September 11, 2012 1:00 PM
Lethbridge Public Library
SACPA, in partnership with the Lethbridge Public Library presents a special session on Sept 11 at 7pm at the Library Theatre Gallery. Dying with Dignity: Will Canadians be able to choose? The question of whether Canadians should have access to medically-assisted dying has been answered decisively and affirmatively by the Royal Society of Canada, by a commission of the National Assembly in Quebec and in the Carter case decision by the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
Is Organized Religion Antithetical to Democracy?
Tom Robinson
Thursday, September 6, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
In recent years Lethbridge has watched the local Roman Catholic community in tension with Bishop Henry over who has authority to make decisions around the life and future of that parish. This public debate raises important questions: Should the Roman Catholic Church be more democratic? What about other denominations - are they more democratic? If a church draws its energy and vision from revelation (the Bible, the Holy Spirit, the traditions of the larger Church) how can it be democratic?
2012 Annual General Meeting of Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs WELCOME APPROVAL OF AGENDA APPOINTMENT OF SECRETARY ADOPTION OF MINUTES – JUNE 16, 2011 ANNUAL REPORTS: Chairperson Finance Committee (Treasurer’s Report and Budget for 2012-2013) BREAK FOR LUNCH AT 12:30 pm Program Committee SACPA on Campus Program Committee Policy and Bylaw Committee Administrative Manager Personnel Committee Nomination Committee and election of board members. Appointment of Auditors and Open Discussion of SACPA’s Future Direction
First Nations Election Act: Will Democracy be Better Served?
Mike Frank
Thursday, June 7, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
At a January 24, 2012 meeting between the Federal Government and First Nation Chiefs, the Harper government told the Chiefs the Indian Act would not be abolished. Instead, a new act known as Bill S-6, The First Nations Election Act would be implemented. Bill S-6 is voluntary and First Nation Governments can opt into the First Nations Elections Act or continue to be legislated by the Indian Act election requirements.
James Lovelock, scientist and originator of the Gaia hypothesis, said in 2007 that; “Before this century is over, billions of us will die and the few breeding pairs of people that survive will be in the Arctic.” Recently, as reported in the Daily Mail, he said; “The problem is we don’t know what the climate is doing. We thought we knew 20 years ago. That led to some alarmist books – mine included – because it looked clear-cut, but it hasn’t happened.
Electrical Deregulation in Alberta: Has it Made Sense?
John Davies
Thursday, May 24, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
In 1995 Premier Ralph Klein and the Progressive Conservative party began the restructuring of electricity in Alberta with the introduction of “The Electrical Utilities Act”. In 2001 a fully deregulated electricity market was opened. The only province in Canada with a deregulated market in electricity, Alberta is said by many to have one of the highest electricity rates in Canada. Voices on both sides of this have debated the gains and losses of this deregulation.
Emerging super-power or developing country? Communist dictatorship or economic miracle of free-market enterprise? What’s happening in China and what’s been going on since Chairman Mao’s successor Deng Xiaoping declared in 1985, that “it’s okay for some people to get rich first”? Is the country opening up politically as well as economically? How free are ordinary Chinese? What do they talk about around the kitchen table? Although Canada established diplomatic relations with China in 1970, a year before it occupied a seat at the United Nations, Prime Minister Harper got off to a rocky start with the Chinese leadership.
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
Nate Phelps
Thursday, May 17, 2012 1:00 PM
Southern Alberta Art Gallery
The SAAG, SACPA, McKillop United Church, Lethbridge Regional Police Service and OUTreach Southern Alberta Society are co-sponsoring the speaker Nate Phelps as part of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. MAY 17th from 7pm at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery. Few minority groups have been as discriminated against as gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, two spirit and queer people . But major breakthroughs have occurred, and lgbttq people are stepping out of the shadows.
A Perspective on Children's Mental Health: From Childhood Trauma to Adult Wholeness
Austin Mardon
Thursday, May 10, 2012 1:00 PM
Lethbridge Public Library
SACPA in Partnership with the Lethbridge Public Library A Perspective on Children’s Mental Health: From Childhood Trauma to Adult Wholeness Mental Health Awareness Week is May 7-11, 2012. In addition, in many parts of Canada and the United States May 9th is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. The week is dedicated to raising awareness of issues related to mental illness and mental health. One in five Canadians will experience mental illness at some point in their lives.
"Same Old Story?" - Unpacking the 2012 Alberta Provincial Election
Harold Jansen
Thursday, May 10, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
The front page headline in the Lethbridge Herald April 24 read, “Same Old Story”. Was it really? Was this another automatic victory for the PCs? How did the Conservatives manage to win this one? How did the Wildrose manage to lose it? Did the pundits and pollsters miss something? What do the various parties have to learn – as they look back on this election? How has the Alberta electorate changed in the past few years – and what did the outcome say about Alberta in 2012?
Why Aren't More People Using Bicycles for Transportation?
Annabree Fairweather and Mark Pijl Zieber
Thursday, May 3, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Lethbridge is a city that comes with many benefits including a small geographical footprint. Despite its small size it is largely a motorized vehicle culture. In light of rising costs for vehicle operation, health benefits from physical activity, and benefits in maintaining environmental integrity, very few citizens view bicycles as an effective mode of transportation. This presentation presents some perspectives on how public policy has influenced this perception. Speakers: Annabree Fairweather and Mark Pijl-Zieber
Where Did the Nuclear Industry Go Wrong?
Cosmos Voutsinos
Thursday, April 26, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
When it comes to energy, there seems to be a very large gap between scientific, economic and environmental facts, on the one hand and what the general public believes, on the other. While the public can be excused, because all the energy technologies involved are much more complex than they appear on the surface, the people behind each of these technologies have contributed in a significant way to the existence of many of these gaps in communication.
Does the Federal Omnibus Crime Bill C-10 Make Sense?
Sheila French
Thursday, April 19, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
During the past Federal election campaign the Federal Conservatives promised a number of changes in the area of justice. During this winter’s session of Parliament, that has taken the form of the “Federal Omnibus Crime Bill”. The bill, which arguable was passed with imposed minimal debate, has not only been criticized by opposition parties, but also by several provinces and some non-parliamentary organizations such as the John Howard Society. But what is really in this lumped together bill?
Logging the Oldman Headwaters â?? Whatâ??s all the Fuss About?
Marie-Pierre Rogeau, Lorne Fitch, and Sarah Elmeligi
Tuesday, April 17, 2012 1:00 PM
Lethbridge Public Library
SACPA in Partnership with the Lethbridge Public Library Logging the Oldman Headwaters – What’s all the Fuss About? Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Location: Lethbridge Public Library, 810 – 5th Ave. South Free admission, everyone welcome. Beginning in the late 1800s government recognized the importance of preserving the forests of the southern Eastern Slopes to protect the headwaters of prairie watersheds. In addition to creating Waterton Lakes National Park (that initially included the Castle drainage) the federal government took measures to manage timber harvest and control wildfires.
Royalty Revenue: Why is Alberta "Giving" Away Our Resources?
David Campanella
Thursday, April 12, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
A new report from the U of A’s Parkland Institute says that despite a provincial deficit, the Alberta government will forego some $55 billion in potential revenue over the next three years as a result of overly generous royalty cuts and the government’s failure to meet even the modest targets set by previous administrations. The report looks at the most recent data on profits in the oil and gas industry versus government share and determines that despite tremendous growth in the industry the share of profits to Albertans is shrinking.
Art, Security and the Arctic: New Understandings
Rob Huebert
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 1:00 PM
Southern Alberta Art Gallery
April 11th from 6-8pm at the SAAG. Southern Alberta Art Gallery, The U of L Department of Political Science and Southern Alberta Council of Public Affairs is pleased to present: Art, Security and the Arctic: New Understandings A presentation by Dr. Rob Huebert, Associate Director of the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary Rob Huebert, Associate Director of the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary and professor of Political Science, will present a new outlook on arctic security at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery on April 11th.
The Road to Illegality? Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada
Glenda Bonifacio
Thursday, April 5, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
The business model of Canadian immigration policy has dramatically resulted in the rise of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) through a combination of federal and provincial labour migration schemes. In Alberta, TFWs even surpassed the number of “landed immigrants” in 2006. The limited work visa issued to employers, not the worker, and structural barriers in place to regulate their mobility imply that TFWs will eventually return to their home countries when labour demands decline; they have become Canada’s “disposable labour.
Election Forum - Lethbridge West
Candidates
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 1:00 PM
Lethbridge Public Library
SACPA in Partnership with the Lethbridge Public Library Presents the 2012 Alberta Provincial Election Forums Dates: April 3 for Lethbridge East and April 4 for Lethbridge West Time: 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. Venue: LPL Theatre Gallery, 810 5th Ave. S. The April 23, 2012 Alberta Provincial Election promises to be an interesting contest and is bound to attract more attention than normally would be expected of such. The SACPA forums will be conducted using both formulated and audience questions.
Election Forum - Lethbridge East
Candidates
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 1:00 PM
Lethbridge Public Library
SACPA in Partnership with the Lethbridge Public Library Presents the 2012 Alberta Provincial Election Forums Dates: April 3 for Lethbridge East and April 4 for Lethbridge West Time: 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. Venue: LPL Theatre Gallery, 810 5th Ave. S. The April 23, 2012 Alberta Provincial Election promises to be an interesting contest and is bound to attract more attention than normally would be expected of such. The SACPA forums will be conducted using both formulated and audience questions.
Why Don't Homosexual Men Become Extinct? Evolutionary Insights from Samoa
Paul Vasey
Thursday, March 29, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Research indicates that there is some genetic influence on male homosexuality, yet homosexual males reproduce at a fraction of the rate of heterosexual males, if at all. This raises the question as to why genes associated with male homosexuality do not become extinct? Cross-cultural research conducted in the Polynesian island nation of Samoa provides intriguing and unexpected answers to this question—answers which underscores the importance of biology and culture. Speaker: Paul L Vasey, Ph.
Is There a Systemic Crisis in the World and If So, How Can it be Resolved ?
Sea Marsland and Michael Orr
Thursday, March 15, 2012 1:00 PM
Country Kitchen
The fourth annual Student Speaker Challenge kicked off on Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 with a total of eight students, Stephen Graham, Michael Orr, Leslie Mahoney, Kylie Kettles, Sea Marsland, Madison Webber, Danika Jorgensen McGuire and Martin Heavy Head competing in this year’s event. Through four preliminary rounds, two semi-finals and a final, they addressed the question: “Is there a systemic crisis in the world and if so, how can it be resolved?
Is there a systemic crisis in the world? If so, how can it be resolved?
Student speaker challenge
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 1:00 PM
University of Lethbridge
Is there a systemic crisis in the world?.…If so, how can it be resolved? The fourth annual Student Speaker Challenge will kick off on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 with a total of eight students competing in this year’s event, addressing the question: “Is there a systemic crisis in the world?….If so, how can it be resolved?” The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of SACPA, LPIRG and the U of L Students Union, with financial and promotional support from the University of Lethbridge.
International Womenâ??s Day: Assessing Womenâ??s Status in Canada â?? Past, Present and Future â?? Is Gender Equality Being Achieved?
Auburn Phillips
Thursday, March 8, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
This talk will consider women’s status in Canada, beginning with a brief history of the Women’s Rights Movement in Canada. There will be a focus on the Western Canadian provinces and their early embracing of women’s advancement. This will be followed by a discussion of the present status of women in Canada, including such important aspects as the persistent presence of violence against women, the under-representation of women in politics, and issues surrounding childcare.
Fundraiser for SACPA and Womanspace Resource Centre Friday, March 2 from 6-9pm at Country Kitchen Catering $50/ticket Join Lyndon Penner, CBC Radio’s gardening guru, will join us for a delicious supper and then after dessert he will dazzle us with a slideshow and talk on the garden like you have never heard before. Prepare to giggle and blush as Lyndon describes all that goes on in the garden when the lights go out.
The Art of Living Together - How Parasites Shape Our World
Doug Colwell
Thursday, March 1, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
In everyday terms, parasites make their living off other unsuspecting organisms. Traditionally researchers, veterinarians and medical doctors have focused on the disease aspects of parasitism. These aspects are certainly not trivial and are deserving of the attention (e.g., malaria). In the last decade, it has been observed that there are much more subtle and far reaching effects of parasitism that have real consequences. There are numerous examples of parasites taking control of their hosts and making them do very strange things.
Urban Planning: Are Aboriginal Needs Adequately Being Considered?
Naheed Nenshi
Tuesday, February 28, 2012 12:00 PM
University of Lethbridge
NOTICE OF A SPECIAL SESSION JOINTLY HOSTED BY: SACPA-on-Campus, NASA, The Native American Studies Department and the U of L Tuesday, Feb 28, noon-1:30 pm 1st Choice Saving Centre U of L Room PE264 Urban Aboriginal people often face challenges above and beyond those faced by the non-Aboriginal urban population. Lower education and income levels, coupled with higher unemployment rates are mainly to blame for an over-representation in the criminal justice system, as both victims and offenders.
Should Abortions be Outlawed
Maaike Rosendal and Bryson Brown
Thursday, February 23, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Canada is one of the few countries in the world with no legal restrictions on abortion, although regulations and accessibility vary according to provinces. In 1969, Pierre Trudeau’s government had brought in liberalized abortion laws, but in 1988 that law was struck down (in Regina versus Morgentaler) by the Supreme Court, and no government since then has brought forward a new law. Pro-choice advocates argue that the matter should be a private one between woman and doctor.
The Office of Religious Freedom and Canadian Foreign Policy: Myth or Reality?
Christopher J. Kukucha
Thursday, February 16, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party of Canada first announced its intention of creating an Office of Religious Freedom during the federal election campaign of May 2011. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird subsequently reiterated this goal in a speech at the United Nations, where he cited the initiative as consistent with “core Canadian values such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.” As a result, Canada vowed to protect these principles in the international community “whether it was popular, convenient, or expedient.
Emergency Preparedness: How Ready are You?
Brian Cornforth
Thursday, February 9, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Last years massive grass fire came within a whisker of causing life-threatening and property damaging conditions in west Lethbridge. Only a fine effort by emergency response teams and some luck prevented a serious dissaster. Lethbridge and area has an emergency response plan specific to local concerns and is also included in a provincial/national plan dealing with larger emergencies. However, for these plans to be successful, public cooperation with officials are paramount and communication through the media, including social media, is also very important.
Climate Reality: The Science, the Denial Industry, the Way Forward
Marian and Robin White
Thursday, February 2, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
The scientific consensus is in: man-made global warming is real and the major cause of various extreme weather events around the world. Rich countries will suffer losses worth billions and poor countries 95 percent of the deaths from worsening extreme weather and rising seas – unless urgent action is taken immediately on global warming. So says the conservative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in its November 18, 2011 Special Report approved by 194 of the world’s 196 nations.
Climate Reality: The Science, the Denial Industry, the Way Forward
Marian and Robin White
Thursday, February 2, 2012 12:00 PM
Galt Museum
The Galt Museum & Archives is committed to sustainability within its own organization. 2012 marks the third year it is participating in Earth Hour [March 31, 8:30-9:30 pm] and it will be host to the exhibit “Earth’s Climate in the Balance” from January 21 – April 22, 2012. Date: Thursday, February 2, 2012 Time: 7:00 – 9:00 PM Location: Galt Museum & Archives, West End of 5 Avenue South Cost: Free for everyone and refreshments will be served.
Who Will Be the New Leader of Canada's Official Opposition Party?
Nathan Cullen
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 12:00 PM
University of Lethbridge
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 7:00 – 9:00 pm University of Lethbridge, 1st Choice Saving Centre, Room PE264 Free event: Refreshments provided More than seven years ago, the people of Skeena-Bulkley Valley, BC elected Nathan Cullen as their voice in Parliament. He believes the Stephen Harper “divide and conquer” style of ruling Canada is not in our best interest and that a new approach to politics is needed. Therefore, Nathan Cullen entered his name into the NDP leadership race September 2011 in his desire to build on Jack Layton’s vision for leadership in Canada.
Alberta Federation of Labour: 100 Years of Promoting Unity... Will it Last?
Winston Gereluk
Thursday, January 26, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
Seeking better working conditions, representatives of all Alberta’s trade unions met, along with members of the recently (1909) formed United Farmers of Alberta (UFA), at a founding convention of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) in Lethbridge on July 14-15, 1912. The convention was chaired by Donald McNabb, a Lethbridge coal miner who had served a brief term as Alberta’s first independent labour MLA (supporting the governing Liberals). The AFL blossomed early and in 1926, they had several MLA’s elected resulting in many improvements to Alberta labour laws and the Workman’s Compensation Act, making Alberta a leader of such laws in Canada for several decades.
Why Public Education Funding Should Not Be Tied to the Price of Oil
Barry Litun
Thursday, January 19, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
When the Lethbridge School District Board of Trustees approved the 2011/12 updated budget, it reflected the final student enrolment as of September 30, 2011 and the additional funding provided for by Alberta Education this past October when Premier Alison Redford restored $107 million to school boards province wide, approximately 60% of the amount that was reduced in the government’s spring budget. Arguably, funding for public services in Alberta has been somewhat dependent on the boom and bust cycles of the oil and gas industry over the past many years.
A New Alberta: Is It Prime Time to Change the Culture of Political Entitlement?
Raj Sherman
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
With a provincial election imminent, the leader of the official provincial opposition will suggest and discuss the changes we arguably need in Alberta if we are to meet the challenges facing us on many fronts. From health care, education and social services to balancing economic development with growing concerns about the environment and clean water security, the speaker will offer solutions. Speaker: Dr. Raj Sherman, Leader of Alberta’s Official Opposition
What is the Slow Food Movement & Why Does it Matter?
Jacqueline L. Chalmers
Thursday, January 12, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
What started twenty plus years ago as a regional eco-gastronomic movement in northern Italy has grown to become a world wide peaceful revolution for change with over 100,000 members in 160 countries. To quote founder Carlo Petrini: “Human greed has destroyed our soil fertility, water, biodiversity. The Earth is not an infinite resource. We need to strengthen the true drivers of sustainable farming, small and medium sized farmers.” Petrini argues that the key to changing the way we produce food is through “glocal” action – linking up local initiatives using technology to create a global force, the “multi-nationals for tomorrow.
Financial Malpractice: Is Canada Soft on White Collar Crime?
Larry Elford
Thursday, January 5, 2012 12:00 PM
Country Kitchen
The speaker will offer a glimpse behind the curtains, into the world of your investments as well as public money entrusted to governments, pension funds and institutions. We will hear how millions of dollars can be diverted from your pockets and your governments, into the hands of others and how self regulation can lead to decriminalization. Do investment regulators work for the public, or against? What about the police? Your Government?