Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Are the municipal taxes we pay on our property and our electricity bills too high? Do our elected representatives at City Hall exercise due diligence over expenditure and investments? Some citizens are critical of the way in which City Hall manages our money and accusations of gouging have even been made.

Yet despite the criticism of management, and that Council is a poor communicator, our three-term Mayor, Bob Tarleck, maintains that a culture of accountability prevails at City Hall. Mayor Tarleck is of the view that the City of Lethbridge has a financial system which is among the best in Canada in terms of accountability, openness, content and long-term sustainability.

What are the facts on local taxes and the process of overseeing expenditure? And is it certain that we only stand to lose a little on the investments that City Hall has made?

Speaker: Mayor Bob Tarleck

Since settling in Lethbridge in 1966, Bob Tarleck has been immersed in the community. He was first elected Mayor in 2001 and is now in his third term of office. He is the 27th mayor of the City of Lethbridge.

Mayor Tarleck served as Alderman on Lethbridge City Council for 18 years, from 1974 to 1992, and was the driving force behind the creation of the Lethbridge and District Community Futures Program and the Business Development Centre. For three years in the late 1990s, he was an elected trustee of the Lethbridge Regional Hospital Board.

Bob Tarleck has been an active volunteer – in many cases Chair or Board Member – with numerous community organizations. He is a long-time educator and a strong advocate of improving Alberta’s public schools. He is the recipient of the Alberta Human Rights award for work with the Aboriginal Community, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for work in education and the Melvin Jones Fellowship Honor by the Lions Club International Foundation.

Our newspapers are full of stories that the development of the oil sands is forging ahead without regard to the environmental impact on the immediate area or the consequences to the world as a whole.

What rules and regulations are in place to protect the environment and are they adequate?

Alberta Environment is charged with environmental oversight in our province and Shannon Flint will discuss its ongoing role in oil sands development and production. Actions taken to limit adverse effects on land, water, air and biodiversity will be discussed in the context of the totality of those assets in the region. Environmental protection regulations and practices that have been established over the years will be identified. The evolving use of the resource through the coming decades to include continuing restoration of affected land areas to an ecologically productive state is an important goal.

Speaker: Shannon Flint

Shannon Flint is Executive Director of Strategic Policy and Innovation with the Oil Sands Environmental Management Division of Alberta Environment. Prior to joining the Division, Shannon played a key role in bringing forward the Province''s Climate Change and Emissions Management Act and associated regulations. She has held previous positions in government looking at trade policy, royalty policy and revenue forecasting. She has also worked in the research area heading up the Carbon and Energy Management unit at the Alberta Research Council. She holds a Bachelor of Management degree from the University of Lethbridge.

Our newspapers are full of stories that the development of the oil sands is forging ahead without regard to the environmental impact on the immediate area or the consequences to the world as a whole.

What rules and regulations are in place to protect the environment and are they adequate?

Alberta Environment is charged with environmental oversight in our province and Shannon Flint will discuss its ongoing role in oil sands development and production. Actions taken to limit adverse effects on land, water, air and biodiversity will be discussed in the context of the totality of those assets in the region. Environmental protection regulations and practices that have been established over the years will be identified. The evolving use of the resource through the coming decades to include continuing restoration of affected land areas to an ecologically productive state is an important goal.

Speaker: Shannon Flint

Shannon Flint is Executive Director of Strategic Policy and Innovation with the Oil Sands Environmental Management Division of Alberta Environment. Prior to joining the Division, Shannon played a key role in bringing forward the Province''s Climate Change and Emissions Management Act and associated regulations. She has held previous positions in government looking at trade policy, royalty policy and revenue forecasting. She has also worked in the research area heading up the Carbon and Energy Management unit at the Alberta Research Council. She holds a Bachelor of Management degree from the University of Lethbridge.

How do we see people with disability?

Are they fellow humans? Do we treat them with respect?

Or are they a burden? Are some even exploited to serve the good of the wider community?

Dr. Malacrida will look at what happened at the Michener Institute at Red Deer and how disabled people have been used for political expediency.

Speaker: Claudia Malacrida

Claudia Malacrida is a University Scholar and Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Lethbridge, specializing in disability studies, sociology of the body, and gender. She is the author of several articles on disability, including articles relating to the historical and contemporary problems of eugenics, institutionalization and social control that are embedded in the Michener Center story.

Dr. Malacrida is the author of three books: Cold Comfort: Mothers, Professionals and Attention Deficit Disorder (2003), University of Toronto Press, Mourning the Dreams: How Parents Create Meaning from Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Early Infant Death (1998/2007), Left Coast Press, and Sociology of the Body: A Reader (2008), Oxford University Press.

How do we see people with disability?

Are they fellow humans? Do we treat them with respect?

Or are they a burden? Are some even exploited to serve the good of the wider community?

Dr. Malacrida will look at what happened at the Michener Institute at Red Deer and how disabled people have been used for political expediency.

Speaker: Claudia Malacrida

Claudia Malacrida is a University Scholar and Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Lethbridge, specializing in disability studies, sociology of the body, and gender. She is the author of several articles on disability, including articles relating to the historical and contemporary problems of eugenics, institutionalization and social control that are embedded in the Michener Center story.

Dr. Malacrida is the author of three books: Cold Comfort: Mothers, Professionals and Attention Deficit Disorder (2003), University of Toronto Press, Mourning the Dreams: How Parents Create Meaning from Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Early Infant Death (1998/2007), Left Coast Press, and Sociology of the Body: A Reader (2008), Oxford University Press.

The appalling death toll of the First World War and the need for a sense of equality of sacrifice on the home front led to Canada’s first experience of overseas conscription. The backlash against enforced military service in Quebec was, and has been historically seen as the great threat to the wartime vision of national unity. This has obscured the important role of “conscientious objectors,” those who saw military service as incompatible with their religious or ethical beliefs.

The speaker argues that the experiences of these young men offer insight into evolving attitudes about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship during a key period of Canadian nation building. A claim of conscientious exemption to a war widely seen as holy was difficult both for the individual to make and for wider Canadian society to understand. As well, the speaker argues, the negative stereotype of the conscientious objector illuminates expectations of appropriate masculine behavior, while encompassing a sense that the claims of certain individuals and denominations were more justifiable than others.

Speaker: Dr. Amy Shaw

Amy Shaw is an Assistant Professor at the Department of History, University of Lethbridge. Since arriving at U of L in 2005, she has taught courses in Canadian history, including “Canada: War and Peace”, “Canada in two World Wars” and Canadian cultural history. Dr. Shaw’s current research includes the activities of Canadian women during the First World War.

Educated in Ontario, Dr. Shaw earned her University degrees from York, (B.A.) McMaster (M.A.) and her Ph.D. in 2005 from Western Ontario. Her book, Crisis of Conscience: Conscientious Objection in Canada during the First World War, has just been published by the University of British Columbia Press.

The appalling death toll of the First World War and the need for a sense of equality of sacrifice on the home front led to Canada’s first experience of overseas conscription. The backlash against enforced military service in Quebec was, and has been historically seen as the great threat to the wartime vision of national unity. This has obscured the important role of “conscientious objectors,” those who saw military service as incompatible with their religious or ethical beliefs.

The speaker argues that the experiences of these young men offer insight into evolving attitudes about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship during a key period of Canadian nation building. A claim of conscientious exemption to a war widely seen as holy was difficult both for the individual to make and for wider Canadian society to understand. As well, the speaker argues, the negative stereotype of the conscientious objector illuminates expectations of appropriate masculine behavior, while encompassing a sense that the claims of certain individuals and denominations were more justifiable than others.

Speaker: Dr. Amy Shaw

Amy Shaw is an Assistant Professor at the Department of History, University of Lethbridge. Since arriving at U of L in 2005, she has taught courses in Canadian history, including “Canada: War and Peace”, “Canada in two World Wars” and Canadian cultural history. Dr. Shaw’s current research includes the activities of Canadian women during the First World War.

Educated in Ontario, Dr. Shaw earned her University degrees from York, (B.A.) McMaster (M.A.) and her Ph.D. in 2005 from Western Ontario. Her book, Crisis of Conscience: Conscientious Objection in Canada during the First World War, has just been published by the University of British Columbia Press.

Only 41% of registered voters actually voted in Alberta’s last general election in March this year – an historical low for the province. But they gave the Stelmach government a massive majority of 86 percent of the seats at the Legislature. It’s mandate, however, came from less than one-quarter of the electorate.

Low turnout at the polls is symptomatic of a serious lack of commitment by the electorate. Voter apathy may have been helped by years of domination of Conservative governments and a perceived lack of viable alternatives. Paul Hinman, leader of the Wildrose Alliance, Brian Mason, leader of the Alberta NDP and Bridget Pastoor, deputy leader of the Alberta Liberal opposition have already provided their take on the subject. Now it’s the turn of the governing party’s MLA for Lethbridge-West, Greg Weadick.

If informed public debate is the lifeblood of democracy, has the time come to consider reforming our political process? How can we ensure that issues of concern to Albertans are subjected to rigorous debate at the Legislature before they become the law of the land?

Speaker: Greg Weadick MLA

Greg Weadick was elected to his first term as MLA for Lethbridge-West on March 3, 2008. In addition to his role as MLA, Mr. Weadick is chair of the Cabinet Policy Committee on the Economy and a member of the Special Standing Committee on Member Services and the Standing Committee on the Economy.

A graduate of the University of Lethbridge, Mr. Weadick began his career as a certified irrigation design consultant. He is a small business owner in Lethbridge and a longtime supporter of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Beginning in 1991, Greg Weadick served nine years on Lethbridge City Council. As a member of council he served on provincial task forces on police funding and air transportation. He has served on numerous city committees, is a committed Rotarian and was the founding president of the Lethbridge Youth Foundation and 5th on 5th Youth Services.

Only 41% of registered voters actually voted in Alberta’s last general election in March this year – an historical low for the province. But they gave the Stelmach government a massive majority of 86 percent of the seats at the Legislature. It’s mandate, however, came from less than one-quarter of the electorate.

Low turnout at the polls is symptomatic of a serious lack of commitment by the electorate. Voter apathy may have been helped by years of domination of Conservative governments and a perceived lack of viable alternatives. Paul Hinman, leader of the Wildrose Alliance, Brian Mason, leader of the Alberta NDP and Bridget Pastoor, deputy leader of the Alberta Liberal opposition have already provided their take on the subject. Now it’s the turn of the governing party’s MLA for Lethbridge-West, Greg Weadick.

If informed public debate is the lifeblood of democracy, has the time come to consider reforming our political process? How can we ensure that issues of concern to Albertans are subjected to rigorous debate at the Legislature before they become the law of the land?

Speaker: Greg Weadick MLA

Greg Weadick was elected to his first term as MLA for Lethbridge-West on March 3, 2008. In addition to his role as MLA, Mr. Weadick is chair of the Cabinet Policy Committee on the Economy and a member of the Special Standing Committee on Member Services and the Standing Committee on the Economy.

A graduate of the University of Lethbridge, Mr. Weadick began his career as a certified irrigation design consultant. He is a small business owner in Lethbridge and a longtime supporter of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Beginning in 1991, Greg Weadick served nine years on Lethbridge City Council. As a member of council he served on provincial task forces on police funding and air transportation. He has served on numerous city committees, is a committed Rotarian and was the founding president of the Lethbridge Youth Foundation and 5th on 5th Youth Services.

A controversy is raging in Lethbridge. The provincial health authorities, Chinook Health, have announced a shift in its approach to long-term care for the elderly. It plans to close down long-term care beds at Extendicare next year, but to add more Designated Assisted Living (DAL) beds in the city. They may have roofs over their heads and arrangements for meals, but what about the 24-hour on-call medical help that many of them need? Citizens are outraged by the cavalier fashion in which the transition is being orchestrated. How will appropriate care be assured for their loved ones? Will they be able to afford it?

And at a time when we stand on the brink of an economic recession, does it make sense to be moving further towards private healthcare?

These issues have been raised with the Minister of Health and Wellness at the Legislative Assembly in Edmonton. Political parties have been mobilized. Signatures on petitions are being collected.

What is happening to health care in our province?

Speaker: David Eggen

Since June 2008, David Eggen has been the Executive Director of the Friends of Medicare, Alberta, a non-profit group that advocates public healthcare. He was educated at the University of Alberta where he received a Bachelor of Education degree in 1984. He then went to Zimbabwe where he taught school for three years. After returning to Edmonton, he taught at local high schools from 1990 to 2004.

Mr. Eggen was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, as a New Democrat, in the general election of 2004, He served one term and was the NDP''s critic for Agriculture and Food, Environment, K-12 Education, Sustainable Resource Development, and Tourism and Culture.