Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Myths about our brains are everywhere. Some of the myths, such as the "Mozart effect" and "we only use 10% of our brain", are relatively harmless. Other myths though, such as "girls can''t do math", have had a huge direct or indirect negative impact on our beliefs and attitudes and on governmental policies. Patti Sorensen points out that myths have regularly been manipulated or misinterpreted to justify unpopular policies (for example, early retirement) or to sell products and services (for example, "OptiMind") that are not needed. She will look at some of the more common myths (especially those related to brainwaves and to aging), the origins of those myths and what the research actually tells us about our brains.

PRESENTER: PATTI SORENSEN

Patti grew up in Red Deer in a family of pilots. She didn''t realize that everyone else''s family didn''t know how to fly until she was about 10 years old. Her family was very surprised when she decided to become a speech-language pathologist instead of a flight instructor. Patti earned her B.Sc. from the U of Alberta (speech pathology and audiology), her M.Sc.from the U of Western Ontario (speech-language pathology) and M. Ed. from the U of New Brunswick (adult education). In 1989 she started to work at Barons-Eureka-Warner Health Unit and subsequently, for the Chinook Health region. She then returned to the U.of Lethbridge to obtain her PhD in neuroscience and is currently finishing her PhD. Her dissertation focuses on brain wave activity in adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Patti has started a neurofeedback and research office in Lethbridge called "NeuroAdvances".

DATE: Thursday, February 7, 2008

TIME: Noon – 1:30 PM

LOCATION: Ericksen’s Restaurant (lower level of The Keg)

1715 Mayor Magrath Drive S., Lethbridge

COST: $10.00 (includes lunch)

From Welfare to Social Justice

Compassion and Social Justice:

Redesigning Social Policy for Alberta

Given the realities of poverty, homelessness and increasing inequality in Alberta, it is time to re-examine and redesign our social welfare system. The neo-conservative approach of “workfare” has been a failure, according to the Alberta government’s official opposition deputy whip, Liberal MLA, Bruce Miller. He feels that what we need is a social development model based on the values of equality, justice and compassion. Numerous policy options beckon including a living wage policy, make work pay programs and tax reform, he says. As many western nations are discovering, he believes that meeting the challenge of inequality means adopting a progressive agenda of social investment.

Speaker: Rev. Dr. Bruce Miller, MLA

Official Opposition Deputy Whip

Critic, Employment, Immigration and Industry

Bruce Miller is MLA for Edmonton-Glenora and Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Employment, Immigration and Industry. Dr. Miller earned his PhD in Social Ethics from Divinity School, University of Chicago in 1984, and he has taught at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Bethel College in Kansas, and at the U of A here in Edmonton. Dr. Miller has had a long career as a minister in both Canada and the United States, most recently serving as Minister of Robertson-Wesley United Church in Edmonton. Dr. Miller has been a politically active member of the community for many years, and was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Award for community service in 2002. As MLA he continues to work on issues of social justice and quality of life in Alberta.

TIME: Noon – 1:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Ericksen’s Restaurant (lower level of The Keg)

COST: $10.00 (includes lunch)

From Welfare to Social Justice

Compassion and Social Justice:

Redesigning Social Policy for Alberta

Given the realities of poverty, homelessness and increasing inequality in Alberta, it is time to re-examine and redesign our social welfare system. The neo-conservative approach of “workfare” has been a failure, according to the Alberta government’s official opposition deputy whip, Liberal MLA, Bruce Miller. He feels that what we need is a social development model based on the values of equality, justice and compassion. Numerous policy options beckon including a living wage policy, make work pay programs and tax reform, he says. As many western nations are discovering, he believes that meeting the challenge of inequality means adopting a progressive agenda of social investment.

Speaker: Rev. Dr. Bruce Miller, MLA

Official Opposition Deputy Whip

Critic, Employment, Immigration and Industry

Bruce Miller is MLA for Edmonton-Glenora and Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Employment, Immigration and Industry. Dr. Miller earned his PhD in Social Ethics from Divinity School, University of Chicago in 1984, and he has taught at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Bethel College in Kansas, and at the U of A here in Edmonton. Dr. Miller has had a long career as a minister in both Canada and the United States, most recently serving as Minister of Robertson-Wesley United Church in Edmonton. Dr. Miller has been a politically active member of the community for many years, and was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Award for community service in 2002. As MLA he continues to work on issues of social justice and quality of life in Alberta.

TIME: Noon – 1:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Ericksen’s Restaurant (lower level of The Keg)

COST: $10.00 (includes lunch)

Oil prices are at record levels. But who will benefit in Alberta: the oil companies or Albertans? The above headline from the Calgary Herald article “2007, THE YEAR IN POLITICS” calls the Alberta Royalty Review “the most important economic decision in Canada this year”. Ricardo Acuna, Executive Director of the Parkland Institute believes that increased oil prices are not the result of anything the industry has done to add value, but rather a reflection of the increased value of the resource itself. He feels that the lion’s share of those increased prices should go to the owner of the resource, not the company we are paying to extract it for us. Come hear Ricardo Acuna expound on the issues surrounding the Royalty Review.

Speaker: Ricardo Acuna

Ricardo Acuna is Executive Director of the Parkland Institute, a policy think-tank situated in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta – a position he has held since May 2002. He has a degree in Political Science and History from the University of Alberta.

DATE: Thursday, January 24, 2008

TIME: Noon – 1:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Ericksen’s Restaurant (lower level of The Keg)

1715 Mayor Magrath Drive S., Lethbridge

COST: $10.00 (includes lunch)

Oil prices are at record levels. But who will benefit in Alberta: the oil companies or Albertans? The above headline from the Calgary Herald article “2007, THE YEAR IN POLITICS” calls the Alberta Royalty Review “the most important economic decision in Canada this year”. Ricardo Acuna, Executive Director of the Parkland Institute believes that increased oil prices are not the result of anything the industry has done to add value, but rather a reflection of the increased value of the resource itself. He feels that the lion’s share of those increased prices should go to the owner of the resource, not the company we are paying to extract it for us. Come hear Ricardo Acuna expound on the issues surrounding the Royalty Review.

Speaker: Ricardo Acuna

Ricardo Acuna is Executive Director of the Parkland Institute, a policy think-tank situated in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta – a position he has held since May 2002. He has a degree in Political Science and History from the University of Alberta.

DATE: Thursday, January 24, 2008

TIME: Noon – 1:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Ericksen’s Restaurant (lower level of The Keg)

1715 Mayor Magrath Drive S., Lethbridge

COST: $10.00 (includes lunch)

Could a local farmer have discovered a way of helping combat global warming and reducing world hunger?

In 2000, Cowley rancher Gary Lewis wondered what was wrong with his hay fields. Years of reading up everything he could on soil chemistry and plant nutrition and experimenting on his farm, led to the development of an exhaust recycling system which turns carbon emissions into plant nutrients. 2007 saw the first scientific studies carried out on this technology, partly funded by the National Research Council.

Gary has also organized The CO2XchangeTM to compete with existing carbon credit/offset mechanisms, which he considers inadequate. He believes that real change in agricultural practices is needed in order to sustain the quality of life on our planet. Further information can be found at www.co2x.com and www.bioagtive.com

Speakers: Gary Lewis and Dave Balfour

Gary Lewis has been a rancher for 25 years in the exact same area his great-grandfather homesteaded 100 years ago. The Lewis family has been involved in various facets of agriculture ever since. Gary is also a licensed auto technician with specialized training in exhaust systems.

Dave Balfour is a retired dentist from Pincher Creek. After receiving a BASc, Chemistry, and the Natural Science Prize for 1972 from the University of Lethbridge, he obtained his DDS from the University of Alberta in 1976. Dr. Balfour is now a business consultant and lives west of Pincher Creek.

Moderator: Trevor Page

Mr. Page is a retired Director of the United Nations World Food Program

Venue: Lethbridge Lodge Ballroom

Time: 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Cost: Free admission, donations gratefully received

Could a local farmer have discovered a way of helping combat global warming and reducing world hunger?

In 2000, Cowley rancher Gary Lewis wondered what was wrong with his hay fields. Years of reading up everything he could on soil chemistry and plant nutrition and experimenting on his farm, led to the development of an exhaust recycling system which turns carbon emissions into plant nutrients. 2007 saw the first scientific studies carried out on this technology, partly funded by the National Research Council.

Gary has also organized The CO2XchangeTM to compete with existing carbon credit/offset mechanisms, which he considers inadequate. He believes that real change in agricultural practices is needed in order to sustain the quality of life on our planet. Further information can be found at www.co2x.com and www.bioagtive.com

Speakers: Gary Lewis and Dave Balfour

Gary Lewis has been a rancher for 25 years in the exact same area his great-grandfather homesteaded 100 years ago. The Lewis family has been involved in various facets of agriculture ever since. Gary is also a licensed auto technician with specialized training in exhaust systems.

Dave Balfour is a retired dentist from Pincher Creek. After receiving a BASc, Chemistry, and the Natural Science Prize for 1972 from the University of Lethbridge, he obtained his DDS from the University of Alberta in 1976. Dr. Balfour is now a business consultant and lives west of Pincher Creek.

Moderator: Trevor Page

Mr. Page is a retired Director of the United Nations World Food Program

Venue: Lethbridge Lodge Ballroom

Time: 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Cost: Free admission, donations gratefully received

The activities of gangs and organized crime were once considered a “big city” problem. Increasingly however, such gangs are now getting well established throughout our communities, urban and rural alike.

Lethbridge is no exception. Economically motivated, these gangs are functioning mainly through the sale of illicit drugs. They are also involved with stolen property, the sex trade, identity theft/fraud and money counterfeit/laundering.

With the evolution of computers and the internet, cyber related crime is on the rise and although not limited to gangs, we can certainly expect this kind of illegal activity to be a huge challenge for law enforcement, in years to come.

What is Lethbridge Regional Police Service doing to combat gangs and organized crime?

Is it working? What can we as citizens do to prevent this and other types of crime?

Presenters: Chief Tom McKenzie and Sergeant Dave Maze

Upon completing the Criminal Justice Program at Lethbridge College, Tom McKenzie joined the Lethbridge Regional Police Service (LRPS) in 1976.

Working his way through the ranks and experiencing nearly all aspects of law enforcement in Lethbridge, as well as, serving on several provincial action committees, Tom was sworn in as Chief of LRPS January 1, 2007, after successfully competing for that position.

Throughout his career Chief McKenzie, has also been involved with sports, neighborhood associations, as a Criminal Justice lecturer at the College and as a course designer (white collar crime) at Athabasca University, to name just a few.

Sergeant Dave Maze joined LRPS in 1986 after completing the Criminal Justice Program at Grant McEwen College in Edmonton. Since being promoted to Sergeant in 2002, Dave has been in charge of LRPS Integrated Intelligence Unit, which he helped develop jointly with the RCMP. The Unit is an essential tool in the combat of gangs and organized crime.

In his spare time, Sgt. Maze is very active in the local soccer community, instructs at Lethbridge College and is working on his University degree, majoring in Anthropology.

Date: Thursday, January 17, 2008

Time: Noon - 1:30 PM

Location: Ericksen’s Family Restaurant (lower level of The Keg)

1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S.

Cost: $10.00 (includes lunch)

The activities of gangs and organized crime were once considered a “big city” problem. Increasingly however, such gangs are now getting well established throughout our communities, urban and rural alike.

Lethbridge is no exception. Economically motivated, these gangs are functioning mainly through the sale of illicit drugs. They are also involved with stolen property, the sex trade, identity theft/fraud and money counterfeit/laundering.

With the evolution of computers and the internet, cyber related crime is on the rise and although not limited to gangs, we can certainly expect this kind of illegal activity to be a huge challenge for law enforcement, in years to come.

What is Lethbridge Regional Police Service doing to combat gangs and organized crime?

Is it working? What can we as citizens do to prevent this and other types of crime?

Presenters: Chief Tom McKenzie and Sergeant Dave Maze

Upon completing the Criminal Justice Program at Lethbridge College, Tom McKenzie joined the Lethbridge Regional Police Service (LRPS) in 1976.

Working his way through the ranks and experiencing nearly all aspects of law enforcement in Lethbridge, as well as, serving on several provincial action committees, Tom was sworn in as Chief of LRPS January 1, 2007, after successfully competing for that position.

Throughout his career Chief McKenzie, has also been involved with sports, neighborhood associations, as a Criminal Justice lecturer at the College and as a course designer (white collar crime) at Athabasca University, to name just a few.

Sergeant Dave Maze joined LRPS in 1986 after completing the Criminal Justice Program at Grant McEwen College in Edmonton. Since being promoted to Sergeant in 2002, Dave has been in charge of LRPS Integrated Intelligence Unit, which he helped develop jointly with the RCMP. The Unit is an essential tool in the combat of gangs and organized crime.

In his spare time, Sgt. Maze is very active in the local soccer community, instructs at Lethbridge College and is working on his University degree, majoring in Anthropology.

Date: Thursday, January 17, 2008

Time: Noon - 1:30 PM

Location: Ericksen’s Family Restaurant (lower level of The Keg)

1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S.

Cost: $10.00 (includes lunch)

The Global Challenges of the 21st Century:

Our Role as Citizens

By scientific accounts humanity faces complicated and rather dangerous challenges, from population growth to the depletion of natural resources to environmental degradation. Yet the powers in charge have shown very little to no interest in these critical challenges to face us. Given the state of the world, active intervention of the citizens of the globe remains the only viable option in avoiding these challenges. Saren Azer will speak to these global challenges and ways and means that North American citizens can contribute to the collective well being of humanity and a brighter future for us all.

PRESENTER: Dr. Saren Azer

Dr. Saren Azer, MD, MSc, PhD is an expert in respiratory medicine and works at the University of Calgary. He is of Kurdish origin and came to Canada in l994 as a political refugee. Saren Azer is also an environmental and human rights activist and during the last 13 years he has been involved with a number of Human Rights organizations. He is a founding member and currently the chairperson of the International Society for Peace and Human Rights. In the spring of 2007 he was the Team Leader for the Humanitarian Medical Relief Mission to Iraq.

DATE: January 10, 2008

TIME: Noon

LOCATION: Ericksen’s Restaurant (Lower level)

COST: $10.00 (includes lunch)

MODERATOR: Robert Campbell