Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Many Albertans identify with wild landscapes and in southwestern Alberta, the Castle region is iconic. The struggle for protection dates back more than a century, when the young government of Canada set aside much of the Eastern Slopes in Alberta as a forest reserve to protect water sources and to benefit future generations on the Prairies. For several decades in earlier times, the Castle was part of Waterton Lakes National Park. Fast forward to January 20, 2017, the Alberta Government announced the establishment of the Castle and Wildland Provincial Parks. That all came about after years of advocacy and lobbying by many individual and groups, among them the Castle Crown Wilderness Coalition (CCWC) and Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y). The widely applauded protected area covers 105,500 hectares. However, there are concerns and voices about what a protected area should look like. The speakers will present science-based research and area-focused surveys that suggest legally protecting the area is in the best long-

Many Albertans identify with wild landscapes and in southwestern Alberta, the Castle region is iconic. The struggle for protection dates back more than a century, when the young government of Canada set aside much of the Eastern Slopes in Alberta as a forest reserve to protect water sources and to benefit future generations on the Prairies. For several decades in earlier times, the Castle was part of Waterton Lakes National Park. Fast forward to January 20, 2017, the Alberta Government announced the establishment of the Castle and Wildland Provincial Parks. That all came about after years of advocacy and lobbying by many individual and groups, among them the Castle Crown Wilderness Coalition (CCWC) and Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y). The widely applauded protected area covers 105,500 hectares. However, there are concerns and voices about what a protected area should look like. The speakers will present science-based research and area-focused surveys that suggest legally protecting the area is in the best long-

There are two stories from Alberta that illustrate the unintended consequences of utilities trying to beat the returns available from full regulation. One is the story of the phase-out of coal-fired generation. The other is the story of the treatment of regulatory assets that are not used and useful. In both cases, utilities have sought to get better than normal returns but are now paying the price for the chain of events they set in motion. Starting with the story of the coal-fired generators, the previously fully integrated electricity companies in Alberta were about 50/50 on deregulation when it was being rolled out as a policy. A compromise was reached that would allow the previously regulated plants to continue to be paid as if they were fully regulated through Power Purchase Agreements established by the Government. Since that timid beginning, all the companies have come around wanting to make more out of their assets than the previous regulatory model would allow. Arguable, they are big on the upsid

There are two stories from Alberta that illustrate the unintended consequences of utilities trying to beat the returns available from full regulation. One is the story of the phase-out of coal-fired generation. The other is the story of the treatment of regulatory assets that are not used and useful. In both cases, utilities have sought to get better than normal returns but are now paying the price for the chain of events they set in motion. Starting with the story of the coal-fired generators, the previously fully integrated electricity companies in Alberta were about 50/50 on deregulation when it was being rolled out as a policy. A compromise was reached that would allow the previously regulated plants to continue to be paid as if they were fully regulated through Power Purchase Agreements established by the Government. Since that timid beginning, all the companies have come around wanting to make more out of their assets than the previous regulatory model would allow. Arguable, they are big on the upsid

Disappearing jobs have become a major political issue in recent years, and clearly a factor in the election of Donald Trump in the recent US presidential election. As automation and globalization continue to wipe out many conventional jobs, politicians, voters and the general public wonder where the jobs of the future will come from.  The speaker will weigh in on what strategies governments and businesses could adopt to tackle these issues from the perspective of current economic realities. Speaker: Dr. Richard Mueller Richard E. Mueller is Professor and Chair in the Department of Economics and a Research Affiliate at the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy, both at the University of Lethbridge, where he has been since 2000. He is also Associate Director of the Education Policy Research Initiative (EPRI) at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Mueller has a wide range of interests and has taught and given presentations in Europe, Asia, the US and Latin America. He was seconded to Statistic

Disappearing jobs have become a major political issue in recent years, and clearly a factor in the election of Donald Trump in the recent US presidential election. As automation and globalization continue to wipe out many conventional jobs, politicians, voters and the general public wonder where the jobs of the future will come from.  The speaker will weigh in on what strategies governments and businesses could adopt to tackle these issues from the perspective of current economic realities. Speaker: Dr. Richard Mueller Richard E. Mueller is Professor and Chair in the Department of Economics and a Research Affiliate at the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy, both at the University of Lethbridge, where he has been since 2000. He is also Associate Director of the Education Policy Research Initiative (EPRI) at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Mueller has a wide range of interests and has taught and given presentations in Europe, Asia, the US and Latin America. He was seconded to Statistic

Lethbridge faces many challenges in regards to its airport. At one time, when governments owned and operated airports, and regulated air service levels, a small city could count on being served under all circumstances. In the deregulated world however, lower prices tend to prevail. This also means carriers must pay very close attention to their revenues and expenses while the same hold true for the airports they fly into. Much has been made of the availability of cheap flights from Great Falls and the frequency of flights from Calgary. Previous attempts to attract new services to Lethbridge have not been successful. The response has been numerous expensive studies commissioned by the Airports Committee which, by and large, have been gathering dust as unimplemented recommendations. Arguably, Lethbridge County, who manages the airport, and the City are unable or reluctant to invest the funds necessary before needed improvements can be made to Lethbridge Airport. Funding, is only one of the barriers to making

Lethbridge faces many challenges in regards to its airport. At one time, when governments owned and operated airports, and regulated air service levels, a small city could count on being served under all circumstances. In the deregulated world however, lower prices tend to prevail. This also means carriers must pay very close attention to their revenues and expenses while the same hold true for the airports they fly into. Much has been made of the availability of cheap flights from Great Falls and the frequency of flights from Calgary. Previous attempts to attract new services to Lethbridge have not been successful. The response has been numerous expensive studies commissioned by the Airports Committee which, by and large, have been gathering dust as unimplemented recommendations. Arguably, Lethbridge County, who manages the airport, and the City are unable or reluctant to invest the funds necessary before needed improvements can be made to Lethbridge Airport. Funding, is only one of the barriers to making

The recent US election, following on the heels of the UK’s referendum on Brexit and the rise of right-wing movements throughout Europe, has been widely attributed to a rise in populism. This talk examines the concept of populism in its various historic manifestations, while also situating its recent reemergence within the theoretical tradition of Karl Polanyi’s work on the politically destabilizing nature of self-regulating markets, a.k.a., the thirty year experiment known as neo-liberal globalization. Speaker: Dr. Trevor Harrison Dr. Trevor Harrison is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Lethbridge and Director of Parkland Institute. He was born and raised in Edmonton. He holds a B.A. from the University of Winnipeg, an M.A. from the University of Calgary, and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Alberta. His broad areas of specialty include political sociology, political economy, and public policy. In addition to numerous journal articles and book chapters, Dr. Harrison is the au

The recent US election, following on the heels of the UK’s referendum on Brexit and the rise of right-wing movements throughout Europe, has been widely attributed to a rise in populism. This talk examines the concept of populism in its various historic manifestations, while also situating its recent reemergence within the theoretical tradition of Karl Polanyi’s work on the politically destabilizing nature of self-regulating markets, a.k.a., the thirty year experiment known as neo-liberal globalization. Speaker: Dr. Trevor Harrison Dr. Trevor Harrison is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Lethbridge and Director of Parkland Institute. He was born and raised in Edmonton. He holds a B.A. from the University of Winnipeg, an M.A. from the University of Calgary, and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Alberta. His broad areas of specialty include political sociology, political economy, and public policy. In addition to numerous journal articles and book chapters, Dr. Harrison is the au

Before WW II, Japanese people had long suffered the sting of racism in Canada. Ever since the first Japanese person, a man named Manzo Nagano, stepped ashore in 1877 at New Westminster, white settlers in British Columbia tried to exclude people whom they considered to be “undesirables.” In so doing, they passed laws to keep Japanese people from working in the mines, to prevent them from voting and to prohibit them from working on provincially funded projects. On the heels of Japan’s attacks on Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941, Canadian fears of a Japanese invasion were sparked and their flames fanned by a sensationalist press. Distrust of Japanese Canadians spread along the Pacific Coast. The RCMP moved quickly to arrest suspected Japanese operatives, while the Royal Canadian Navy began to impound 1,200 Japanese-owned fishing boats. On the recommendation of the RCMP and in order to avoid racist backlash, Japanese newspapers and schools were voluntarily shut down. Beginning in early 1942, the Canadian government

Before WW II, Japanese people had long suffered the sting of racism in Canada. Ever since the first Japanese person, a man named Manzo Nagano, stepped ashore in 1877 at New Westminster, white settlers in British Columbia tried to exclude people whom they considered to be “undesirables.” In so doing, they passed laws to keep Japanese people from working in the mines, to prevent them from voting and to prohibit them from working on provincially funded projects. On the heels of Japan’s attacks on Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941, Canadian fears of a Japanese invasion were sparked and their flames fanned by a sensationalist press. Distrust of Japanese Canadians spread along the Pacific Coast. The RCMP moved quickly to arrest suspected Japanese operatives, while the Royal Canadian Navy began to impound 1,200 Japanese-owned fishing boats. On the recommendation of the RCMP and in order to avoid racist backlash, Japanese newspapers and schools were voluntarily shut down. Beginning in early 1942, the Canadian government

The City of Lethbridge Capital Improvement Program, or CIP, is a plan that identifies required capital projects and provides a planning schedule and financing plan. The City of Lethbridge is currently in the process of planning for its next CIP (2018-2027) and has identified there is only $5.5 million available for community projects. The Performing Arts Centre Advocacy Group (PACAG) is working to ensure the Performing Arts Centre remains on the next CIP. Since Lethbridge’s beginnings there has been a need to build a suitable performance venue for both performers and audiences alike. The 488-seat Genevieve E. Yates Memorial Centre, while not a theatre but an auditorium, was built in 1966 when the population was 37,000. It is the only major community performance venue in Lethbridge. The Sterndale Bennett Theatre is a 180-seat black box theatre. The University of Lethbridge has two theatres and a recital hall which are used primarily for student productions. Lethbridge currently has less than 1000 traditional

The City of Lethbridge Capital Improvement Program, or CIP, is a plan that identifies required capital projects and provides a planning schedule and financing plan. The City of Lethbridge is currently in the process of planning for its next CIP (2018-2027) and has identified there is only $5.5 million available for community projects. The Performing Arts Centre Advocacy Group (PACAG) is working to ensure the Performing Arts Centre remains on the next CIP. Since Lethbridge’s beginnings there has been a need to build a suitable performance venue for both performers and audiences alike. The 488-seat Genevieve E. Yates Memorial Centre, while not a theatre but an auditorium, was built in 1966 when the population was 37,000. It is the only major community performance venue in Lethbridge. The Sterndale Bennett Theatre is a 180-seat black box theatre. The University of Lethbridge has two theatres and a recital hall which are used primarily for student productions. Lethbridge currently has less than 1000 traditional

Have you ever wondered what some of the big issues in southwestern Alberta are? With its annual Vital Signs report, the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta presents important issues, topics, and themes in six key impact areas. The Community Foundation uses Vital Signs to build local knowledge, set strategic priorities, inform granting, and connect donors with causes close to their hearts. One of the issues identified in this year’s report is the high rate of interpersonal violence in Alberta, the highest in the country, and the resulting demand on local women’s emergency shelters, which are increasingly forced to turn away women and children in distress due to a lack of space. Other issues include the impact of Alberta’s economic downturn on local food banks across our region, the cost of sport in Alberta, and the low percentage of high school completion rates. The speaker will address these and other issues identified in the 2016 Vital Signs report. Vital Signs is an initiative of t

Have you ever wondered what some of the big issues in southwestern Alberta are? With its annual Vital Signs report, the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta presents important issues, topics, and themes in six key impact areas. The Community Foundation uses Vital Signs to build local knowledge, set strategic priorities, inform granting, and connect donors with causes close to their hearts. One of the issues identified in this year’s report is the high rate of interpersonal violence in Alberta, the highest in the country, and the resulting demand on local women’s emergency shelters, which are increasingly forced to turn away women and children in distress due to a lack of space. Other issues include the impact of Alberta’s economic downturn on local food banks across our region, the cost of sport in Alberta, and the low percentage of high school completion rates. The speaker will address these and other issues identified in the 2016 Vital Signs report. Vital Signs is an initiative of t

Many factors played into the 1968 decision to build U of L’s new campus in what is now West Lethbridge. University administration, faculty, students and the City of Lethbridge all agreed the west-side location was well suited and autonomous from their temporary Junior College campus home. The Provincial Government however, did not agree and instead proposed a City referendum to determine where the university campus should be build. Student activists in particular fought that idea and took to the streets protesting in front of Lethbridge’s MLA. Police got involved and arrested two students, (without charging them) but the battle lines had been drawn and two days later another demonstration occurred following U of L’s first (1968) convocation ceremony in Southminster Church. With the pressure on, the Provincial Government finally relented and ratified the plans to build the new campus on the west-side. Arguable, it is the vision of these early university leaders that caused west Lethbridge to grow and flouri

Many factors played into the 1968 decision to build U of L’s new campus in what is now West Lethbridge. University administration, faculty, students and the City of Lethbridge all agreed the west-side location was well suited and autonomous from their temporary Junior College campus home. The Provincial Government however, did not agree and instead proposed a City referendum to determine where the university campus should be build. Student activists in particular fought that idea and took to the streets protesting in front of Lethbridge’s MLA. Police got involved and arrested two students, (without charging them) but the battle lines had been drawn and two days later another demonstration occurred following U of L’s first (1968) convocation ceremony in Southminster Church. With the pressure on, the Provincial Government finally relented and ratified the plans to build the new campus on the west-side. Arguable, it is the vision of these early university leaders that caused west Lethbridge to grow and flouri

Christmas is a big deal. In the religious pluralism of multicultural Canada, it is the dominant winter holiday. There are tensions between secular and religious aspects of Christmas, as well as debates about the merits of the more inclusive greeting, “Happy Holidays,” rather than “Merry Christmas,” but Buddhist festivities are not poised to replace Christmas in seasonal plays, pageants and concerts. In fact, there is no culture war raging between Buddhism and Christianity. Buddhism is quite tolerant of festivals and cultural practices from other religious traditions. Despite overlapping values of generosity and compassion, there are Buddhist teachings that are certainly wary of the rampant consumerism that many associate with Christmas. Critiques of the commercialization of the holiday are not new, but Buddhist critiques revolve more around the links between suffering, desire, and attachment rather than concerns about the loss of Christian specific teachings. In this talk, the speaker will share some Buddh

Christmas is a big deal. In the religious pluralism of multicultural Canada, it is the dominant winter holiday. There are tensions between secular and religious aspects of Christmas, as well as debates about the merits of the more inclusive greeting, “Happy Holidays,” rather than “Merry Christmas,” but Buddhist festivities are not poised to replace Christmas in seasonal plays, pageants and concerts. In fact, there is no culture war raging between Buddhism and Christianity. Buddhism is quite tolerant of festivals and cultural practices from other religious traditions. Despite overlapping values of generosity and compassion, there are Buddhist teachings that are certainly wary of the rampant consumerism that many associate with Christmas. Critiques of the commercialization of the holiday are not new, but Buddhist critiques revolve more around the links between suffering, desire, and attachment rather than concerns about the loss of Christian specific teachings. In this talk, the speaker will share some Buddh