Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

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.

7-9pm in the Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery

7-9pm in the Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery

To date, there has been very little work done or literature available on the stories, the narratives of experience, of those Aboriginal individuals who have journeyed through post-secondary, Eurocentric paradigm-based Western education successfully. This is a critical missing (qualitative) piece in the literature. So much quantitative data and attention around the issues of Aboriginal success focuses on the lack of success, on Western education, on the negatives or deficiencies, on how poorly Aboriginal students do relative to non-Aboriginal students. Seldom do we hear how they have excelled, what has enabled them.

In understanding the post-secondary experience of Aboriginal students, it is important to hear the story from their voices and from their perspective such that it will lead a better understanding of success rather than always focusing on the deficit. The speaker’s research entailed collecting and evaluating the oral, educational, experiential narratives of perceived both “successful”

and “unsuccessful” Aboriginal individuals who journeyed through post-secondary Western education. These narratives served as the raw data around her research, focused on answering the questions: 1) How did those Aboriginal individuals journey through post-secondary education, with focus on science, and succeed when most do not? 2) What worked for them? 3) What were their challenges? 4) How did they manage that space between paradigms? 5) How did they turn the “space between” from a “gap, border or roadblock” to a liminal place of possibility? 6) How do they exist in that space now? 7) How does their story, their experience serve to inform, enable and mentor others embarking on such a journey? 8) How can such success enable the voice and subjectivity of Aboriginal people for the future economic milieu and globalization?

Speaker: Michelle Hogue Ph.D.

Dr. Michelle Hogue is the Coordinator of the First Nations Transition Program at the University of Lethbridge and teaches as well, in that program. A Métis from Saskatchewan, her recent Ph.D. from the University of Calgary, focuses on the success of Aboriginal students in Post-Secondary Education, with a passionate focus on the sciences. Michelle believes post-secondary education is critical for Aboriginal students and it is the “New Buffalo”. She also believes the young Aboriginal populations are going to be the next leaders and professionals because, unlike the non-Aboriginal population, they live in and between both worlds which will be advantageous in this time of globalization.

To date, there has been very little work done or literature available on the stories, the narratives of experience, of those Aboriginal individuals who have journeyed through post-secondary, Eurocentric paradigm-based Western education successfully. This is a critical missing (qualitative) piece in the literature. So much quantitative data and attention around the issues of Aboriginal success focuses on the lack of success, on Western education, on the negatives or deficiencies, on how poorly Aboriginal students do relative to non-Aboriginal students. Seldom do we hear how they have excelled, what has enabled them.

In understanding the post-secondary experience of Aboriginal students, it is important to hear the story from their voices and from their perspective such that it will lead a better understanding of success rather than always focusing on the deficit. The speaker’s research entailed collecting and evaluating the oral, educational, experiential narratives of perceived both “successful”

and “unsuccessful” Aboriginal individuals who journeyed through post-secondary Western education. These narratives served as the raw data around her research, focused on answering the questions: 1) How did those Aboriginal individuals journey through post-secondary education, with focus on science, and succeed when most do not? 2) What worked for them? 3) What were their challenges? 4) How did they manage that space between paradigms? 5) How did they turn the “space between” from a “gap, border or roadblock” to a liminal place of possibility? 6) How do they exist in that space now? 7) How does their story, their experience serve to inform, enable and mentor others embarking on such a journey? 8) How can such success enable the voice and subjectivity of Aboriginal people for the future economic milieu and globalization?

Speaker: Michelle Hogue Ph.D.

Dr. Michelle Hogue is the Coordinator of the First Nations Transition Program at the University of Lethbridge and teaches as well, in that program. A Métis from Saskatchewan, her recent Ph.D. from the University of Calgary, focuses on the success of Aboriginal students in Post-Secondary Education, with a passionate focus on the sciences. Michelle believes post-secondary education is critical for Aboriginal students and it is the “New Buffalo”. She also believes the young Aboriginal populations are going to be the next leaders and professionals because, unlike the non-Aboriginal population, they live in and between both worlds which will be advantageous in this time of globalization.

Glaciers and ice sheets play an important role in the global environment. They are storage systems of most of the world's fresh water, dramatically alter the landscape and sea level, affect ecosystems and provide us with unique records of climate and atmospheric conditions that go back hundreds of thousands of years. Global climate change has caused widespread accelerated glacier retreat, which has negative effects on fresh water availability, causes global sea level rise and affects climate and ecosystems at the local and global scales. In order to understand how glaciers affect life on earth, it is important to understand how glaciers work and what causes them to change.

By being informed about natural systems such as glaciers we can understand why some changes in nature happen fast while others take longer, and why snapshots do not always reflect the big picture. This presentation will address recent measurements and predictions of glacier shrinkage and sea level rise, as well as local and global effects thereof, and will explain more complex issues such as ‘Why have a handful of glaciers advanced in recent years and why does this not contradict records of global warming?’

Speaker: Hester Jiskoot PhD

Dr Hester Jiskoot is Associate Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Lethbridge and holds a BSc and MSc in Physical Geography (University of Amsterdam, NL) and a PhD in Glaciology (University of Leeds, UK). She is an award winning NSERC-funded glaciologist, is one of the world experts on glacier surging and has published widely. Her main research interests are in ice flow dynamics, glacier-environment and glacier-climate interactions. Since 1991, Dr Jiskoot has been a member and leader of glaciological expedition teams, and has been on glaciers in Greenland, Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Iceland, the Yukon Territory, Alaska, the European Alps, the Canadian Rockies, and the Himalayas.

In 2005 Dr Jiskoot was invited by the Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, to advise about the role of glaciers in the water supply prognosis for western Canada. In 2009 she was elected Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and in 2010 she became Associate Editor of the scientific journal Arctic, Antarctic & Alpine Research.

Glaciers and ice sheets play an important role in the global environment. They are storage systems of most of the world's fresh water, dramatically alter the landscape and sea level, affect ecosystems and provide us with unique records of climate and atmospheric conditions that go back hundreds of thousands of years. Global climate change has caused widespread accelerated glacier retreat, which has negative effects on fresh water availability, causes global sea level rise and affects climate and ecosystems at the local and global scales. In order to understand how glaciers affect life on earth, it is important to understand how glaciers work and what causes them to change.

By being informed about natural systems such as glaciers we can understand why some changes in nature happen fast while others take longer, and why snapshots do not always reflect the big picture. This presentation will address recent measurements and predictions of glacier shrinkage and sea level rise, as well as local and global effects thereof, and will explain more complex issues such as ‘Why have a handful of glaciers advanced in recent years and why does this not contradict records of global warming?’

Speaker: Hester Jiskoot PhD

Dr Hester Jiskoot is Associate Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Lethbridge and holds a BSc and MSc in Physical Geography (University of Amsterdam, NL) and a PhD in Glaciology (University of Leeds, UK). She is an award winning NSERC-funded glaciologist, is one of the world experts on glacier surging and has published widely. Her main research interests are in ice flow dynamics, glacier-environment and glacier-climate interactions. Since 1991, Dr Jiskoot has been a member and leader of glaciological expedition teams, and has been on glaciers in Greenland, Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Iceland, the Yukon Territory, Alaska, the European Alps, the Canadian Rockies, and the Himalayas.

In 2005 Dr Jiskoot was invited by the Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, to advise about the role of glaciers in the water supply prognosis for western Canada. In 2009 she was elected Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and in 2010 she became Associate Editor of the scientific journal Arctic, Antarctic & Alpine Research.

In recent weeks we have witnessed dramatic and sometime violent social unrest in many Middle East countries. While these protests have led to democratic reform in Egypt and Tunisia, civil war has been the result in Libya. Populations in several other countries have gained some concessions, but are nevertheless still demonstrating against the ruling class. Nervous Arab leaders in these countries are scrambling to stay in power.

The speaker will explore the unique culture and demography of this region. He will examine who is an Arab, and what is Islam. He will inquire into the impact of Facebook and other social media. He will probe the tensions of Arab and western worlds and where the future is heading.

Speaker: Thabit Alomari

Thabit Alomari is a mature graduate Anthropology student at the University of Lethbridge. He is researching the phenomenon of "religious tourism". He holds an MA in tourism from Yarmouk University in Jordan as well as a B.A. in Islamic studies from Medina University in Saudi Arabia.

Prior to his graduate work at the University of Lethbridge, Thabit was in a management positions at a major company in Dubai. He brings to his knowledge of the anthropological and political landscape of the Middle East, a lifetime of intimate experience with the region.

In recent weeks we have witnessed dramatic and sometime violent social unrest in many Middle East countries. While these protests have led to democratic reform in Egypt and Tunisia, civil war has been the result in Libya. Populations in several other countries have gained some concessions, but are nevertheless still demonstrating against the ruling class. Nervous Arab leaders in these countries are scrambling to stay in power.

The speaker will explore the unique culture and demography of this region. He will examine who is an Arab, and what is Islam. He will inquire into the impact of Facebook and other social media. He will probe the tensions of Arab and western worlds and where the future is heading.

Speaker: Thabit Alomari

Thabit Alomari is a mature graduate Anthropology student at the University of Lethbridge. He is researching the phenomenon of "religious tourism". He holds an MA in tourism from Yarmouk University in Jordan as well as a B.A. in Islamic studies from Medina University in Saudi Arabia.

Prior to his graduate work at the University of Lethbridge, Thabit was in a management positions at a major company in Dubai. He brings to his knowledge of the anthropological and political landscape of the Middle East, a lifetime of intimate experience with the region.

Arguments for supporting the family farm appear to be plentiful among both urban and rural folks. However, paying more for food is not one of them. This type of farming has in the past been the lifeblood of the rural society economy, but driven by many different factors, the landscape is changing. What was considered an “industrial farm” 30 years ago is now the norm and as technology expands, chances are, so will the size of family farms.

The speaker will argue that despite variable government subsidy programs around the world, which often makes it difficult for Canadian farmers to compete, the family farm can survive. However, efforts to make it more attractive for the younger generation to replace the aging majority of present family farm owners are paramount. Related to that, farmers needs better marketing opportunities for their products, which often are handicapped by obstructive regulations, frequently involving the Canadian Wheat Board. The speaker will further relate how farm policies can affect food and environmental safety.

Speakers: Brian Otto

A third generation farmer, Brian Otto has been a grain, oilseeds and special crops grower for 38 years. He also holds a teaching degree (1971) from the University of Calgary. Brian, his wife Carolyn and family operate a 4,000-acre farm near Warner, AB.

Otto has been a director and vice-chair of the Alberta Barley Commission where he helped develop the Commission’s governance policy. In the 1980s, Brian helped start and was an executive on the board of directors serving the Alberta Winter Wheat Association (which later became the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission) and the Alberta Safflower Growers Association.

Brian Otto served on the Western Grains Research Foundation for 12 years and is the current president of the Western Barley Growers Association. His community work includes coaching school sports and he volunteered on the Warner School Parent Advisory Council from 1984 to 1998. Brian was a founding director of the Warner Girls Hockey School.