Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

An increasing number of Canadian households are embracing “locally-produced” food. A response to a complex of factors, it appears that local food may be on the verge of moving from a niche market to a market segment. Notwithstanding the growing popularity of local foods, a number of important questions remain unresolved.

In this presentation the following questions will be addressed:

1.Just how “local” is locally-produced food?

2.Is the growing popularity of locally-produced food really a “turn toward quality”, or is it simply another example of branding and product differentiation?

3.What is the likely future of local food systems?

Speaker: Tom Johnston

Tom Johnston holds degrees from the universities of Guelph and Waterloo, and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Lethbridge. In addition to his interest in local food systems, Dr. Johnston’s ongoing research projects include an examination of the adoption of drought-proofing strategies by farmers and rural households, an evaluation of voluntary adoption programming pursuant to environmentally sympathetic rural land-use practices, a study of the efficacy of community-level water management initiatives, and an investigation of the use of water conserving measures by irrigation farmers.

Since 2007 the Allied Arts Council and the arts community of Lethbridge have collaborated on the Arts Re:Building Together initiative, which addresses concerns regarding the City’s arts facilities and proposed the concept of a “Cultural Corridor” for Lethbridge. In this campaign three buildings were identified as needing urgent care or replacement. First up was a renovation and expansion to the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, which was completed in September 2010; and in process now is a new Community Arts Centre to replace the Bowman Arts Centre, which is scheduled to break ground this spring. The final piece of the puzzle is a new Performing Arts Theatre, which would provide increased performing arts capacity in the City of Lethbridge. Is Lethbridge ready for a new Performing Arts Theatre? What social & economic benefits will a completed Cultural Corridor bring to our community? Why is Lethbridge in need of increased performing arts capacity? What background work and research have been done thus far? Where will the funding come for this project?

Speaker:Ian Randell and Barbara Lacey

Members of Lethbridge’s Performing Arts Theatre Steering Committee

Ian Randell is a retired art teacher and administrator with the local Holy Spirit school district. He now maintains a studio in downtown Lethbridge where he relates his affinity and love for the prairies and mountains through his landscape paintings in oils, acrylics and water media while continuing to teach on a casual basis. Ian is also a musician and performs with the Community Gold Band and the Lethbridge Big Band. He has been on the board of the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge for the past six years including two years as president. Ian currently serves as Chair of the City of Lethbridge Performing Arts Theatre Steering Committee.

Barbara Lacey was born & raised in Britain and did her medical training in London, England. In 1968, she and her husband, Ronald and their two small children immigrated to Lethbridge where Barbara and Ronald practiced medicine. Barbara was a family physician and then was appointed medical officer of health for the City of Lethbridge. After her retirement in 1995, she was elected as city alderman and served for 15 years. She has always been an avid supporter of performing arts and over the years has attended many performances in Lethbridge. While on city council, she served on the Performing Arts Theatre Steering Committee, and today she continues to support the committee as a community member.

Since 2007 the Allied Arts Council and the arts community of Lethbridge have collaborated on the Arts Re:Building Together initiative, which addresses concerns regarding the City’s arts facilities and proposed the concept of a “Cultural Corridor” for Lethbridge. In this campaign three buildings were identified as needing urgent care or replacement. First up was a renovation and expansion to the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, which was completed in September 2010; and in process now is a new Community Arts Centre to replace the Bowman Arts Centre, which is scheduled to break ground this spring. The final piece of the puzzle is a new Performing Arts Theatre, which would provide increased performing arts capacity in the City of Lethbridge. Is Lethbridge ready for a new Performing Arts Theatre? What social & economic benefits will a completed Cultural Corridor bring to our community? Why is Lethbridge in need of increased performing arts capacity? What background work and research have been done thus far? Where will the funding come for this project?

Speaker:Ian Randell and Barbara Lacey

Members of Lethbridge’s Performing Arts Theatre Steering Committee

Ian Randell is a retired art teacher and administrator with the local Holy Spirit school district. He now maintains a studio in downtown Lethbridge where he relates his affinity and love for the prairies and mountains through his landscape paintings in oils, acrylics and water media while continuing to teach on a casual basis. Ian is also a musician and performs with the Community Gold Band and the Lethbridge Big Band. He has been on the board of the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge for the past six years including two years as president. Ian currently serves as Chair of the City of Lethbridge Performing Arts Theatre Steering Committee.

Barbara Lacey was born & raised in Britain and did her medical training in London, England. In 1968, she and her husband, Ronald and their two small children immigrated to Lethbridge where Barbara and Ronald practiced medicine. Barbara was a family physician and then was appointed medical officer of health for the City of Lethbridge. After her retirement in 1995, she was elected as city alderman and served for 15 years. She has always been an avid supporter of performing arts and over the years has attended many performances in Lethbridge. While on city council, she served on the Performing Arts Theatre Steering Committee, and today she continues to support the committee as a community member.

The 2011 election saw many interesting developments. The Conservatives winning a majority was the immediate story, but the long-term story was one of party realignment. Realignment elections (1921, 1957, 1993) are few and far between, but when they occur they are significant. 2011 was a realignment election. First, we have seen the destruction of the Bloc Quebecois. Second, the Liberals – the Natural Governing Party of Canada – suffered a historic (and possibly fatal) defeat. Third, the NDP, largely due to an orange surge throughout Quebec, is now the official opposition. Fourth, the Green Party won its first seat ever. As a result of these changes, the Canadian Parliament will look like most other parliaments: a right wing party, a left wing party, and a group of small centrist, nationalist, and movement parties.

Duane Bratt will explain the significance of the realignment election and what it means for the future of Canadian politics. He will also offer some thoughts on the policies that the new Harper-led majority government will pursue as well as some of its challenges.

Speaker: Professor Duane Bratt, Mount Royal University

Duane Bratt is Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Policy Studies at Mount Royal University. Duane was educated at the Universities of Windsor (BA 1991, MA 1992) and Alberta (PhD 1996). His primary teaching area is international relations, with specialties in the sub-fields of international organizations and Canadian foreign policy. His primary research interest is in the area of Canadian nuclear policy.

Duane is a regular guest on Access Television’s Alberta PrimeTime and CBC-Radio’s Alberta at Noon, as well as a general media commentator on political matters. Recent publications include: co-editor, Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas 2nd edition (Oxford University Press: Toronto, 2011). Prairie Atoms: The Opportunities and Challenges of Nuclear Power in Alberta and Saskatchewan (Canada West Foundation, 2008), and The Politics of CANDU Exports (University of Toronto Press: Toronto, 2006). He is currently working on a book entitled Canada, the Provinces, and the Global Nuclear Revival.

The 2011 election saw many interesting developments. The Conservatives winning a majority was the immediate story, but the long-term story was one of party realignment. Realignment elections (1921, 1957, 1993) are few and far between, but when they occur they are significant. 2011 was a realignment election. First, we have seen the destruction of the Bloc Quebecois. Second, the Liberals – the Natural Governing Party of Canada – suffered a historic (and possibly fatal) defeat. Third, the NDP, largely due to an orange surge throughout Quebec, is now the official opposition. Fourth, the Green Party won its first seat ever. As a result of these changes, the Canadian Parliament will look like most other parliaments: a right wing party, a left wing party, and a group of small centrist, nationalist, and movement parties.

Duane Bratt will explain the significance of the realignment election and what it means for the future of Canadian politics. He will also offer some thoughts on the policies that the new Harper-led majority government will pursue as well as some of its challenges.

Speaker: Professor Duane Bratt, Mount Royal University

Duane Bratt is Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Policy Studies at Mount Royal University. Duane was educated at the Universities of Windsor (BA 1991, MA 1992) and Alberta (PhD 1996). His primary teaching area is international relations, with specialties in the sub-fields of international organizations and Canadian foreign policy. His primary research interest is in the area of Canadian nuclear policy.

Duane is a regular guest on Access Television’s Alberta PrimeTime and CBC-Radio’s Alberta at Noon, as well as a general media commentator on political matters. Recent publications include: co-editor, Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas 2nd edition (Oxford University Press: Toronto, 2011). Prairie Atoms: The Opportunities and Challenges of Nuclear Power in Alberta and Saskatchewan (Canada West Foundation, 2008), and The Politics of CANDU Exports (University of Toronto Press: Toronto, 2006). He is currently working on a book entitled Canada, the Provinces, and the Global Nuclear Revival.

The latest provincial budget is going to impact on many Alberta families and communities very hard. We are told that there needs to be cuts to many essential public services due to the current deficit, but when you look deeper at the budget, you see that there are many choices that the government is making that clearly do not support what matters most to Albertans. In this talk, the speaker will not only explore how the provincial budget is affecting our communities and families, but will also talk about what we can do to advocate for a better vision for Alberta.

Speaker Bill Moore-Kilgannon

Bill Moore-Kilgannon is the Executive Director of Public Interest Alberta. Prior to joining Public Interest Alberta, he worked in Ottawa as the Director of Campaigns and Communications of the Council of Canadians from 2001 – 2004 and he was the Executive Director of the Parkland Institute at the University of Alberta from 1997 - 2001. Earlier, Bill was the coordinator of the Global Visions Festival from 1992 – 1997 and he also makes documentary videos (most recent production is a video about the music, art and theatre of street children in Nicaragua).

Bill studied Canadian and Latin American history, political science and economics at the University of Alberta and l”Unversité de Sherbrooke, and speaks French and Spanish. To compliment his well rounded work experiences, Bill has lent a hand fighting forest fires in Alberta.

The latest provincial budget is going to impact on many Alberta families and communities very hard. We are told that there needs to be cuts to many essential public services due to the current deficit, but when you look deeper at the budget, you see that there are many choices that the government is making that clearly do not support what matters most to Albertans. In this talk, the speaker will not only explore how the provincial budget is affecting our communities and families, but will also talk about what we can do to advocate for a better vision for Alberta.

Speaker Bill Moore-Kilgannon

Bill Moore-Kilgannon is the Executive Director of Public Interest Alberta. Prior to joining Public Interest Alberta, he worked in Ottawa as the Director of Campaigns and Communications of the Council of Canadians from 2001 – 2004 and he was the Executive Director of the Parkland Institute at the University of Alberta from 1997 - 2001. Earlier, Bill was the coordinator of the Global Visions Festival from 1992 – 1997 and he also makes documentary videos (most recent production is a video about the music, art and theatre of street children in Nicaragua).

Bill studied Canadian and Latin American history, political science and economics at the University of Alberta and l”Unversité de Sherbrooke, and speaks French and Spanish. To compliment his well rounded work experiences, Bill has lent a hand fighting forest fires in Alberta.

NEW: The link to the video Jim Byrne screened is here: http://scientiaproductions.com/clw/introduction

Run-off and waste streams from farms, factories and cities is choking our lakes and waterways. Chemical fertilizers, intensive livestock operations, industrial waste and lawn and household products are just some of the causes. Massive blue-green algae blooms have appeared in Lake Winnipeg and other water bodies across the Canadian prairies. Eutrophication is fast becoming a problem; not just in Canada but in the most heavily-populated parts of the industrialized and developing world.

We are polluting our sources of drinking water and the habitat of fish and other aquatic species.

The speaker’s new film, Choking Lake Winnipeg, will be screened during this session to illustrate the problems of aquatic pollution and describe some of the actions needed at various levels to reverse the process, including action that can be taken at the household level. Dr. Byrne will take questions from the audience after the screening of the film

Speaker:James Byrne

James Byrne is Professor and Chair of Geography at the University of Lethbridge. His expertise is in global environmental change. He was the lead scientist, originator and co-producer of the 2002 award-winning television series Global Change and the 2004 TV series Water under Fire. His latest film is Choking Lake Winnipeg.

NEW: The link to the video Jim Byrne screened is here: http://scientiaproductions.com/clw/introduction

Run-off and waste streams from farms, factories and cities is choking our lakes and waterways. Chemical fertilizers, intensive livestock operations, industrial waste and lawn and household products are just some of the causes. Massive blue-green algae blooms have appeared in Lake Winnipeg and other water bodies across the Canadian prairies. Eutrophication is fast becoming a problem; not just in Canada but in the most heavily-populated parts of the industrialized and developing world.

We are polluting our sources of drinking water and the habitat of fish and other aquatic species.

The speaker’s new film, Choking Lake Winnipeg, will be screened during this session to illustrate the problems of aquatic pollution and describe some of the actions needed at various levels to reverse the process, including action that can be taken at the household level. Dr. Byrne will take questions from the audience after the screening of the film

Speaker:James Byrne

James Byrne is Professor and Chair of Geography at the University of Lethbridge. His expertise is in global environmental change. He was the lead scientist, originator and co-producer of the 2002 award-winning television series Global Change and the 2004 TV series Water under Fire. His latest film is Choking Lake Winnipeg.

The recent sentencing of seven innocent members of the Baha’i Faith in Iran is testament to the continued mistreatment of this religion under the Iranian government. Persecution of Bahai’s began in the nineteenth century and has continued to the present day. Many members of this minority religion in Iran have been imprisoned and executed. Iranian Bahai’s now face increasingly restrictive laws concerning employment, education, marriage and the right to assemble.

Why do Bahai’s face such opposition in Iran? What tenets of this religion are particularly problematic for the government? Why has religious intolerance continued to escalate even in the face of increased pressure from the U.N. and from many other countries?

A discussion of the Baha’i Faith and the chanting of some Baha’i prayers will follow a short history of the oppression of the Bahai’s in Iran.

Speaker: Janet Youngdahl, D.M.A.; M.M.

Janet Youngdahl is a Professor of Music at the University of Lethbridge, and was formerly a Professor at the University of Calgary. Janet is a singer, conductor and music historian specializing in medieval and baroque music. She appears on numerous CD recordings on the BMG, Centaur, BIS, and Toccata Classics record labels, and is a frequent soloist in concerts of baroque music.

Janet holds a doctorate of music from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and a Master’s Degree from the University of Michigan. She currently serves as the chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai’s of Lethbridge.