Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

The speaker asserts that: “If ever there were a time for universities to assume a leadership role in providing the knowledge needed for socio-ecological change, this is surely that moment.” But what drives research and innovation in Alberta’s largest universities, and in what directions? What kinds of knowledge are our universities producing to help Albertans make a transition to a post-carbon economy that can provide income security and a good life for all? These are the questions that motivated the research that led to the June 2020 report, Knowledge for an Ecologically Sustainable Future? Innovation Policy and Alberta Universities, published by the Parkland Institute and the Corporate Mapping Project. Over five years, painstaking data collection from multiple sources allowed Adkin and her research assistants to reconstruct a picture of the funding flows to the Universities of Alberta and Calgary over a period of twenty years. Focusing on funding to the domains of energy and environmental research, located

On January 6, 2021, rioters supporting United States President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election stormed the United States Capitol. After breaching multiple police perimeters, they damaged, ransacked, and occupied parts of the building for several hours. The storming led to the evacuation and lockdown of the Capitol building, and it disrupted a joint session of Congress assembled to count the electoral votes and formalize Joe Biden's election victory for President. The rioters gathered in support of Trump's false claims that the 2020 election had been "stolen" from him. Summoned by Trump, thousands of his supporters gathered in Washington, D.C., on January 5 and 6 to demand that Vice President Mike Pence and Congress reject Biden's victory. On the morning of January 6, protesters assembled near the White House for a "Save America" rally. At the rally, Trump himself, Donald Trump Jr. and Rudy Giuliani among others, addressed the crowd. Trump encouraged his suppo

Canada has traditionally been a major exporter of both agricultural commodities, technology, equipment and food. Yet, in many ways, Canada’s position in global food exports indicates good potential for growth. In 2019, Canada ranked fifth among global commodity exporters and 11th in food. As the world’s population expands and especially the portion of it that is “middle class” grows, demand for better quality and higher-priced food will climb, which in turn creates opportunities for Canada to increase exports both to meet this need directly and to meet the technology and equipment needs for others who will also be increasing production to meet increased demand The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the global food industry and highlighted the importance of a robust agrifood supply chain at home and abroad. Canada’s competitive advantage in agriculture and food production are very relevant with abundant natural resources, productivity, innovative entrepreneurs and a well-established food safety reputation. Th

The Mustard Seed, a well-known non-profit across Western Canada, is bringing 35-plus years of experience in poverty alleviation to Lethbridge. In the cities where they serve, The Mustard Seed provides basic services, housing, and employment supports to those in need and partners with the community to address the root causes of poverty. In Lethbridge, The Mustard Seed is joining forces with Lethbridge Soup Kitchen in order to grow and expand the good work already taking place in the city. The establishment of a sober shelter and permanent supportive housing are two priority areas for The Mustard Seed Lethbridge. The case for additional shelter space and affordable housing in Lethbridge is strong. Between 2016-2018 Lethbridge experienced a 151% increase in the homeless population, 14% of Lethbridge households are considered low-income and 21% of renters pay more than half their income in shelter costs. More than 400 citizens are on the waitlist for affordable housing. The speaker will elaborate and argue for

The response to COVID-19 across the world has involved lockdowns in order to "flatten the curve" of cases and deaths. This public health response was initially based on inaccurate estimates of infection mortality rates and high-risk groups, overestimating the threat from COVID-19. In addition, the response did not consider many unintended effects of lockdowns on population well-being, including so-called collateral damage (for example, unemployment, loneliness, interrupted healthcare, interrupted education), and economic recession. Recently, debate has framed decisions as a trade-off between "lives and the economy", but the speaker will argue that this could be a false dichotomy, because the economy is about lives and a cost-benefit analysis of lockdowns shows that they cause more harm than benefit in terms of population well-being and deaths. Speaker: Dr. Ari Joffe Ari Joffe MD is a pediatrician who specialized in pediatric infectious diseases and critical care medicine. He has practiced

Alberta’s wilderness is a rich place to live, recreate and co-exist with wildlife. Yet, are we doing enough to live harmoniously with wildlife? The speaker examines landscapes holistically, aiming to create management practices that balance biological, social and cultural needs. Through research & conservation work, Sarah sheds new light on bears, seeing them as more than just data points and graphs, studying their behaviour and habitat use and defining ways to incorporate that data into land management and planning. As an author, the speaker will share personal stories from the field, amazing photographs of bear behaviour and some of the current science about bear behavior and coexistence, as well as some excerpts from her new book “What Bears Teach Us.” Speaker: Sarah Elmeligi PhD Sarah Elmeligi has been passionate about conserving Alberta’s wildlife and wild landscapes since she was a child exploring Banff National Park with her parents. Sarah believes that most wildlife managemen

What does Brexit really mean? The UK government’s ‘global Britain’ aspiration, and future UK-EU relations, both political and commercial, is considered. What can Britain expect from a Biden Presidency? Is there scope for a UK/USA or UK/USMCA trade agreement? What is the security/defense implications for Britain, for the EU, and for NATO? Prime Minister Johnson promised to Get Brexit Done. In fact, we may expect endless negotiation, arbitration and long-running dispute settlement procedures. Speaker: Dr. Simon Sweeney PhD, SFHEA, CMBE Simon Sweeney is a Senior Lecturer in International Political Economy and Business at the University of York Management School in the UK. He is the author of Europe the State and Globalisation (Routledge, 2016). His PhD was on EU Security and Defense Policy (University of Leeds, 2015). Between 2006 and 2013 he served as a UK Bologna Expert, sponsored by the European Commission. His research interests are European integration and EU security and defense policy. https://u

Canada’s Indigenous people have suffered many injustices as a result of colonization. The Residential School system was one of them. Most First Nations, Metis and Inuit people today are themselves residential school survivors or the children/grandchildren of those who survived (many did not). These schools were sites of physical and sexual abuse. Children were taken away, sometimes forcibly, from their parents and from normal family life. They were unable to experience the daily contact, care, and love that parents provide to their children. This was traumatic, and further, it was not a single-event trauma but ongoing trauma, often for many years. Processing and recovering from trauma are difficult lifelong undertakings, yet residential school syndrome was not even recognized until recently. First Nations, Metis and Inuit children left these schools and tried to get on with their lives, carrying overwhelming emotional burdens, including untreated anxiety, clinical depression, and PTSD. Research demonstrates

For almost two years since the December, 2018 detention of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, and the subsequent arrest of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, Canada-China relations have been at the lowest point since the 1989 Tiananmen violence, and perhaps since Canada recognized the People’s Republic of China (PRC) 50 years ago. What are the prospects for a reduction in tensions in 2021? What are the chances that the “two Michaels” will be released soon? How will the election of President Biden affect US-China relations? Will the US election affect the tenor of the Ottawa-Beijing relationship? Canada-China trade has remained relatively stable through the diplomatic crisis, although Canadian exports of canola to China have been targeted by China. Is it possible that we will see a resumption of normal agricultural exports to China soon? Speaker: Dr. Gordon Houlden Gordon Houlden is the Director of the China Institute, Professor of Political Science and Adjunct Professor of the Alberta Schoo

In the recent US election on Nov 3, Americans voted at their highest rate in 120 years. In the vote for President, Democratic challenger Joe Biden accumulated more than 77 million votes, while Republican incumbent Donald Trump received over 72 million votes – the most and second-most in US history. What do the election results say about American voters? Did Joe Biden win by rebuilding the Obama coalition or have American voters re-aligned? Does Trump have any hope of still claiming victory? Why did the Republicans do so well in the congressional elections? And mostly important, what’s next for the American electorate? Speaker: Dr. Paul Fairie Paul Fairie has a PhD in Political Science from the University of Calgary, focusing on voter behaviour. He has taught politics courses at the University of Calgary since 2010 and ran The Globe & Mail Election Forecast in 2015. He is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Calgary, and tweets far too much, at @paulisci. Date and time: Thurs

A complex intersection of economic, political, environmental, and social conditions are fueling the rise of populism, political polarization, xenophobia, and racism in The United States, and other countries. Indeed many predicted the rise of divisive politics and decreased social cohesion as economic inequality soared, with globalization and neoliberal politics further contributing to the increasing precarity of employment and earnings among the working and middle classes of western countries. While few have been spared these challenges, the face of these emerging angry populist movements, militias, and white supremacist movement’s remains overwhelmingly male, white, and working class. Applying the lens of masculinities theory, this talk will discuss how aggrieved white masculine entitlement, multiple marginalization’s influencing many men's ability to achieve the unrealistic expectations of hegemonic masculinities, and feelings of fear, hopelessness, and abandonment, are providing the fuel that has been i

Lethbridge was once home to the busiest supervised consumption site in North America, operated by ARCHES. On August 31, 2020, this supervised consumption site was permanently closed. As the number of overdose deaths in Lethbridge continued to climb at record-breaking rates, harm reductionists and people who use drugs were left wondering where to go. In September 2020, a handful of former ARCHES employees and clients got together and formed the Lethbridge Overdose Prevention Society (LOPS) with the mission to keep our neighbours, friends, and loved ones alive. LOPS launched a GoFundMe fundraiser, and within 24 hours saw over $10,000 in donations. With this generous support from the community, LOPS purchased a tent, some furniture, a space heater, and harm reduction supplies. With no time to waste, LOPS set up in a local park and began to provide services. As the first unsanctioned overdose prevention site to operate in Alberta, the process has not been without significant challenges. LOPS continues to tack

Ghost stories are part of our community's folklore, teaching us about ourselves and our history. Discover some of the ghost stories of southern Alberta in this light-hearted look at the things that go bump in the night. Speaker: Belinda Crowson Belinda Crowson is a story teller, tour guide and author who researches and shares Lethbridge's history and stories. She is the president of the Lethbridge Historical Society, for whom she has written several books, and sits as a member of Lethbridge City Council. Some of her books include: We Don't Talk About Those Women; Vice, Virtue and Lust: Lethbridge's Cemeteries and Squirrel Whiskey. Her books are available via the Lethbridge Historical Society website at (lethbridgehistory.org). Date and time: Thursday, October 29, 2020 at 10 am YouTube Live link: https://youtu.be/Ilo3FbQnNjw In order to ask questions of our speaker in the chat feature of YouTube, you must have a YouTube account and be signed in. Please do so well ahead of the scheduled s

As we approach the 75th Veterans Day ceremonies since World War II, we hopefully prepare ourselves to remember past and current Canadian Armed Forces veterans who have served both in Canada and in numerous conflicts around the world. While many civilians are familiar with the battles of World War I and II, they are typically less familiar with the other important and challenging missions the Canadian Military have served in, such as Korea, Rwanda, Bosnia, Namibia, Haiti, Cyprus, and Afghanistan, to name just a few. While members of the Canadian Armed Forces receive excellent training and are proud of the work they have done, many of them encounter significant challenges when they are released and re-enter civilian society. The speakers will address these various challenges veterans face (financial, vocational, emotional, physical injuries, psychological, relationships, PTSD, etc.), the kinds of services and support that are available for veterans, and how we as civilians can best recognize and support the

October 16 is World Food Day. This year’s theme of the Food & Agriculture Organization is: Grow, Nourish, Sustain Together. But this is no ordinary World Food Day, hunger is on the rise due to conflict, climate change & now COVID-19. The battle against COVID-19 is shifting across the globe, making the poorest poorer, and the hungriest hungrier. It is multiplying misery by preying on the weak & vulnerable, pushing millions out of work & into hunger, disrupting vital supply chains & threatening the very fabric of society. COVID-19 is having a devastating effect on smallholder farmers. Despite producing most of the world’s food, they tend to be food insecure themselves forming the majority of people living in poverty globally. Helping raise their incomes and improve their livelihoods holds the key to building sustainable food systems, advancing food security and achieving Zero Hunger. The World Food Programme (WFP) interventions can have a positive influence on food systems including: Home

Mental Illness Awareness Week is October 4th-11th; a national campaign created to educate the public on the importance of mental illness, end the stigma of mental illness, and advocate for mental health support. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges to the mental health of many people within Canada and made this campaign especially important this year. The speaker will talk about this campaign, the difference between mental illness and mental health, how COVID-19 has impacted people's mental health, and strategies for practicing positive mental health during the pandemic. Speaker: Brad Moser Brad Moser is a Registered Psychologist at Associates Counselling Services. He has been providing professional therapy for children and teens, adults, couples, and families, since 2007. His areas of practice include anger, anxiety, bereavement, childhood and family of origin concerns, depression, identity concerns, marital/relationship distress, men’s and dad’s issues, parenting, self-esteem, separat

When you think of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, including the Oldman Watershed in Southern Alberta, you probably think of scenic mountaintops, rolling foothills and clear blue streams. You probably don’t think of decommissioned parks or open-pit coal mines, but that’s exactly what the future could hold. On June 1, 2020, the Government of Alberta rescinded the provincial Coal Policy, created in 1976, restricting open pit coal mining and coal exploration in Alberta’s most environmentally sensitive areas in the Rocky Mountains. The area most affected by this change covers 1.5 million hectares of lands that provide drinking water to downstream communities in Alberta and beyond. These areas also provide essential habitats for wildlife and plants, including grizzly bear, elk and native trout and have provided beauty and bounty for generations. This comes on the heels of another government decision in March 2020 to remove protections on 175 provincial parks and recreation areas – approximately one third of all of Albe

Alberta already has the most choice in K-12 education in Canada, with private school pupils being funded to the tune of 70 percent per pupil compared to public school pupils, more than any other province. Charter schools, started in 1994 by Ralph Klein, receive the same level of per pupil funding as public schools, but are run by private parent or corporate boards. No other province in Canada even has charter schools. Since gaining power in the spring of 2019, Alberta’s UCP Government has lifted the cap on establishing charter schools and is advocating for a voucher system that would increase the per student public funding to Alberta’s private schools from 70 percent to 100 percent. The shift would arguably encourage many more private and religious education schools, more segregation—and more inequality. To top off the “Politics of Education”, Alberta’s Government has paused the previous NDP Government’s work on curriculum changes and is employing panels of “experts”, including an all-male group of advisors

Recognized as the provincial organization representing parents on school councils in Alberta, Alberta School Councils’ Association (ASCA) has worked alongside other education partners and stakeholders to advise the Ministry of Education on matters related to the K-12 Re-entry plan. As schools reopen, ASCA will continue to help parents on school councils fulfill their legislated roles, engage with parents and their school communities, advise their principals, and work with their school boards on education issues including, but not limited to, COVID-19. ASCA strives for the empowerment of school councils locally and provincially, and provides support and messaging for parents on school councils related to matters such as the new funding model, the assurance model, and COVID-19 concerns. Parents are partners in education and President Brandi Rai will explore some of the ways ASCA elevates parent voice through provincial advocacy, as well as how ASCA supports school councils in their work they do in their commun

The past few months have certainly been a difficult time for all of us, but as we look around the world and to each other, we can see that this pandemic has shone a light on the importance of Canada’s universal public health care system. This pandemic has made it clear that the true measure of a government's leadership will be made evident through the political choices they make as we deal with this health crisis, and as we move forward to deal with the new political and economic reality that will face us after it is done. Sandra will discuss how during an unprecedented pandemic we are witnessing the dismantling of our universal public health system. How Bill 30: Health Statutes Amendment Act, sets the legal framework for privatization at a time where it has become clear that Alberta must fortify our commitment to a health care system not based on profit, but instead on the shared belief that health care is a human right. Speaker: Sandra Azocar, Executive Director Friends of Medicare