Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

12-1:30pm

In the early 1990’s, each of the three Prairie Provinces held judicial inquiries into Aboriginal Justice. The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples followed these inquiries with a National analysis. All of these important studies reviewed the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal peoples in the Canadian Justice System.

At present about 20% of federal offenders are Aboriginal. On the Prairies, provincial Aboriginal incarceration rates range from 35% in Alberta to 80% in Saskatchewan. In the words of Justice Cawsey from the Alberta Inquiry: “The only things that have worked for Natives have come from Natives”. There are consistent statistics demonstrating the decreased rate of reoffending or recidivism where Aboriginal offenders have gone through Aboriginal programming including healing lodges, ceremonies and opportunities to commune with Elders. Just this past winter, Howard Sapers, Correctional Investigator for Correctional Services of Canada underlined these facts. Mr. Sapers emphasized the need for urgent action to improve support programs for Aboriginal prisoners or face a potential crisis.

In the face of these truths and the young and vulnerable demographic of the Aboriginal population, it defies logic that the Alberta Government would suddenly and arbitrarily decide to close the Kainai Minimum Security Corrections Centre and cut Aboriginal Correctional Programming on Reserves. It is in the interests of everyone in Alberta that these worthwhile programs on Kainai and other reserves be supported. The Director of Kainai Corrections will speak to this issue, its implications and what can be done about it.

Speaker: Rick Soop

Since his graduation with a political science degree from the University of Lethbridge in 1981, Rick Soop has worked in the Criminal Justice System. For the last 10 years Mr. Soop has been the Director of the Kainai Community Corrections Society. He is an active participant on various boards and committees for the Blood Tribe, and is helping to develop the Kainai Peacemaking Centre.

12-1:30pm

In the early 1990’s, each of the three Prairie Provinces held judicial inquiries into Aboriginal Justice. The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples followed these inquiries with a National analysis. All of these important studies reviewed the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal peoples in the Canadian Justice System.

At present about 20% of federal offenders are Aboriginal. On the Prairies, provincial Aboriginal incarceration rates range from 35% in Alberta to 80% in Saskatchewan. In the words of Justice Cawsey from the Alberta Inquiry: “The only things that have worked for Natives have come from Natives”. There are consistent statistics demonstrating the decreased rate of reoffending or recidivism where Aboriginal offenders have gone through Aboriginal programming including healing lodges, ceremonies and opportunities to commune with Elders. Just this past winter, Howard Sapers, Correctional Investigator for Correctional Services of Canada underlined these facts. Mr. Sapers emphasized the need for urgent action to improve support programs for Aboriginal prisoners or face a potential crisis.

In the face of these truths and the young and vulnerable demographic of the Aboriginal population, it defies logic that the Alberta Government would suddenly and arbitrarily decide to close the Kainai Minimum Security Corrections Centre and cut Aboriginal Correctional Programming on Reserves. It is in the interests of everyone in Alberta that these worthwhile programs on Kainai and other reserves be supported. The Director of Kainai Corrections will speak to this issue, its implications and what can be done about it.

Speaker: Rick Soop

Since his graduation with a political science degree from the University of Lethbridge in 1981, Rick Soop has worked in the Criminal Justice System. For the last 10 years Mr. Soop has been the Director of the Kainai Community Corrections Society. He is an active participant on various boards and committees for the Blood Tribe, and is helping to develop the Kainai Peacemaking Centre.

12- 1:30pm

There is widespread debate in academic, advocate, and public spheres regarding the legal status of the sex trade. Governmental policies concerning sex work vary from country to country and from state to state, ranging from prostitution being entirely illegal in some areas to a wholly decriminalized system in others.

This presentation will outline the differences between legalization and decriminalization, and provide information on governmental policies in Canada, the United States, and Overseas. Furthermore, it will highlight the very real and immediate effects such policies have on the day-to-day lives of sex trade workers, effects that often are disregarded in the hallowed halls of government.

By considering an array of legislative policies, the speaker will aim to provide the public with a broader understanding of sex work and the law, and to highlight the repercussions of legislation on the lives of sex workers.

Speaker: Tamara Larter

Tamara Larter was born and raised in the Edmonton area of Alberta, and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, in sociology and english, from the University of Alberta in 2006.

Presently, Tamara is a Master of Arts candidate in sociology at the University of Lethbridge. Her research interests are in the area of gender, sexuality, public policy and discourse.

Aside from her research, Tamara is an avid reader, particularly biographies and memoirs. She is also a devout vegetarian and a dedicated animal rights activist.

12- 1:30pm

There is widespread debate in academic, advocate, and public spheres regarding the legal status of the sex trade. Governmental policies concerning sex work vary from country to country and from state to state, ranging from prostitution being entirely illegal in some areas to a wholly decriminalized system in others.

This presentation will outline the differences between legalization and decriminalization, and provide information on governmental policies in Canada, the United States, and Overseas. Furthermore, it will highlight the very real and immediate effects such policies have on the day-to-day lives of sex trade workers, effects that often are disregarded in the hallowed halls of government.

By considering an array of legislative policies, the speaker will aim to provide the public with a broader understanding of sex work and the law, and to highlight the repercussions of legislation on the lives of sex workers.

Speaker: Tamara Larter

Tamara Larter was born and raised in the Edmonton area of Alberta, and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, in sociology and english, from the University of Alberta in 2006.

Presently, Tamara is a Master of Arts candidate in sociology at the University of Lethbridge. Her research interests are in the area of gender, sexuality, public policy and discourse.

Aside from her research, Tamara is an avid reader, particularly biographies and memoirs. She is also a devout vegetarian and a dedicated animal rights activist.

12-1:30 PM

The rising rates of obesity and sedentary living among aging Canadians is a major public health issue. The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation recently reported that the next generation of seniors may be the first to experience a relative decrease in quality of life compared to previous generations.

Although it seems we often hear about the importance of physical activity for children and youth, we don’t hear as much about the vital role physical activity plays in successful aging. An active lifestyle reduces the risk of chronic disease, problems with mobility, and loss of independence - yet, less than half of Canadians meet recommended guidelines for physical activity and adults over the age of 65 are the least active group of all.

Join us in learning more about this important topic as the speaker explores the difference between life-expectancy and dependence-free life expectancy, the role of physical activity in successful aging, and the barriers we all face to maintaining an active lifestyle.

Speaker: Jennifer Copeland

Jennifer Copeland completed her Ph.D. at the University of New Brunswick and she is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Lethbridge where she teaches courses in exercise physiology, fitness assessment, and health.

Jennifer’s research laboratory is part of the Southern Alberta Centre for Successful Aging, an interdisciplinary research centre dedicated to the improvement of physical functioning and wellness among aging Canadians. She has conducted research examining the effects of aging and exercise on hormone levels and is using new technology to study how patterns of activity change with age and during life transitions. Jennifer strives to translate research into practice and is a board member of various local and provincial organizations.

12-1:30 PM

The rising rates of obesity and sedentary living among aging Canadians is a major public health issue. The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation recently reported that the next generation of seniors may be the first to experience a relative decrease in quality of life compared to previous generations.

Although it seems we often hear about the importance of physical activity for children and youth, we don’t hear as much about the vital role physical activity plays in successful aging. An active lifestyle reduces the risk of chronic disease, problems with mobility, and loss of independence - yet, less than half of Canadians meet recommended guidelines for physical activity and adults over the age of 65 are the least active group of all.

Join us in learning more about this important topic as the speaker explores the difference between life-expectancy and dependence-free life expectancy, the role of physical activity in successful aging, and the barriers we all face to maintaining an active lifestyle.

Speaker: Jennifer Copeland

Jennifer Copeland completed her Ph.D. at the University of New Brunswick and she is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Lethbridge where she teaches courses in exercise physiology, fitness assessment, and health.

Jennifer’s research laboratory is part of the Southern Alberta Centre for Successful Aging, an interdisciplinary research centre dedicated to the improvement of physical functioning and wellness among aging Canadians. She has conducted research examining the effects of aging and exercise on hormone levels and is using new technology to study how patterns of activity change with age and during life transitions. Jennifer strives to translate research into practice and is a board member of various local and provincial organizations.

7-9pm

Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery

In 2006-2009, a wretched place for a construction worker in Indonesia was to be on a “humanitarian” tsunami reconstruction project in Aceh, Sumatra. Instead of receiving benefits from the largest, most generously-funded humanitarian operation in history, tens of thousands of Javanese construction workers were arguably victims of human trafficking and falsely recruited for exploitative use and/or involuntary labour, under conditions defined as “human trafficking” or “modern slavery.” The social disaster throughout Aceh and Java was borne mostly by Javanese laborers, some of whom died in Aceh because of abuse.

The speaker will contend that disproportionate numbers of trafficked victims were from larger projects managed by Red Cross, U.N., development banks and NGO’s. The more remote a project site was, the more likely workers would be trapped and would eventually walk or hitchhike trying to escape. Witnesses have testified in every affected community visited, that many or most Javanese workers were unpaid, hungry and had to escape to find other work or ways to get home. Arguably, Red Cross, UN and the NGO’s ought to have known that they were complicit in the trafficking of slave labour.

Speaker: Virgil Grandfield

Virgil Grandfield grew up in Texas and achieved degrees in Political Science at the University of Lethbridge (1992) and Journalism at Concordia in Montreal (1993). In the mid 90s, he started the first Canadian educational consulting agency in Mexico and in 1999 after Hurricane Mitch, began a career in the humanitarian field of work in Central America.

Grandfield became a Canadian Red Cross delegate after working as part of the Blood Reserve flood response in 2002 and was deployed to Aceh, Indonesia in 2006 to work as Information Delegate for the tsunami operation of the International Red Cross. Returning to Aceh in 2007, Grandfield recognized the human trafficking and resigned as Canadian Red Cross delegate in 2008, to advocate for the “modern slavery” workers and their families, seeking justice from those relief agencies which used and abandoned them in Aceh.

7-9pm

Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery

In 2006-2009, a wretched place for a construction worker in Indonesia was to be on a “humanitarian” tsunami reconstruction project in Aceh, Sumatra. Instead of receiving benefits from the largest, most generously-funded humanitarian operation in history, tens of thousands of Javanese construction workers were arguably victims of human trafficking and falsely recruited for exploitative use and/or involuntary labour, under conditions defined as “human trafficking” or “modern slavery.” The social disaster throughout Aceh and Java was borne mostly by Javanese laborers, some of whom died in Aceh because of abuse.

The speaker will contend that disproportionate numbers of trafficked victims were from larger projects managed by Red Cross, U.N., development banks and NGO’s. The more remote a project site was, the more likely workers would be trapped and would eventually walk or hitchhike trying to escape. Witnesses have testified in every affected community visited, that many or most Javanese workers were unpaid, hungry and had to escape to find other work or ways to get home. Arguably, Red Cross, UN and the NGO’s ought to have known that they were complicit in the trafficking of slave labour.

Speaker: Virgil Grandfield

Virgil Grandfield grew up in Texas and achieved degrees in Political Science at the University of Lethbridge (1992) and Journalism at Concordia in Montreal (1993). In the mid 90s, he started the first Canadian educational consulting agency in Mexico and in 1999 after Hurricane Mitch, began a career in the humanitarian field of work in Central America.

Grandfield became a Canadian Red Cross delegate after working as part of the Blood Reserve flood response in 2002 and was deployed to Aceh, Indonesia in 2006 to work as Information Delegate for the tsunami operation of the International Red Cross. Returning to Aceh in 2007, Grandfield recognized the human trafficking and resigned as Canadian Red Cross delegate in 2008, to advocate for the “modern slavery” workers and their families, seeking justice from those relief agencies which used and abandoned them in Aceh.

12- 1:30pm

Do we want others to think that landscapes by the Group of Seven are representing Canadian Art? Or is it Northwest coast totem poles by the native Gitxsan people? The Vancouver Olympic Committee certainly seemed to think the later and art by First Nation people truly represented Canadian identity, judging by the design of the opening ceremony at the 2010 Winter Olympic.

The speaker will suggest that such was not always the case. In fact, during the early Twentieth Century, the Canadian government actively rejected that native people’s culture represented Canada. Canada was European, if not just British. The policy of the Canadian government regarding native people was assimilation. “Indians must become Europeans” was the dictum. Cultures, languages, and religions of First Nation people were made targets of eradication. Native art was totally rejected. In fact, some artistic forms of art such as dance were made illegal.

However, Europeans found immense artistic value in Native art at a Paris exhibition in 1927 and Canada eventually rediscovered Native art, partly because it became a very lucrative business during the great depression of the 1930''s.

Speaker: Leslie Dawn

Leslie Dawn is Professor of Art History at the University of Lethbridge. He obtained his

PhD from the University of British Columbia and has for many years been active as a critic of contemporary art. Leslie’s historical research investigates problems in the construction of Canadian national identities, colonial landscapes, and the representations and arts of Native people in Western Canada.

Leslie has published many articles on the subject and his book “National Vision/National Blindness - Canadian Art and Identities” received the Raymond Klibansky Prize.

12- 1:30pm

Do we want others to think that landscapes by the Group of Seven are representing Canadian Art? Or is it Northwest coast totem poles by the native Gitxsan people? The Vancouver Olympic Committee certainly seemed to think the later and art by First Nation people truly represented Canadian identity, judging by the design of the opening ceremony at the 2010 Winter Olympic.

The speaker will suggest that such was not always the case. In fact, during the early Twentieth Century, the Canadian government actively rejected that native people’s culture represented Canada. Canada was European, if not just British. The policy of the Canadian government regarding native people was assimilation. “Indians must become Europeans” was the dictum. Cultures, languages, and religions of First Nation people were made targets of eradication. Native art was totally rejected. In fact, some artistic forms of art such as dance were made illegal.

However, Europeans found immense artistic value in Native art at a Paris exhibition in 1927 and Canada eventually rediscovered Native art, partly because it became a very lucrative business during the great depression of the 1930''s.

Speaker: Leslie Dawn

Leslie Dawn is Professor of Art History at the University of Lethbridge. He obtained his

PhD from the University of British Columbia and has for many years been active as a critic of contemporary art. Leslie’s historical research investigates problems in the construction of Canadian national identities, colonial landscapes, and the representations and arts of Native people in Western Canada.

Leslie has published many articles on the subject and his book “National Vision/National Blindness - Canadian Art and Identities” received the Raymond Klibansky Prize.