Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Is the Sun Setting on Alberta’s Conventional Oil and Gas Producers? (Part 2 Q&A)

Alberta’s conventional oil and gas liabilities have been growing for decades with reported estimates ranging from $58 to $130 billion involving 450,000 oil and gas wells, 400,000 Km of pipelines, 1.4 trillion litres of fluid waste, Only $1.5 billion is held in securities to protect Albertan taxpayers from the risk of being left on the hook for costs. Oil sands liabilities are estimated at another (largely unsecured) $130 billion. If the issue of backlogged and unsecured oil and gas liabilities is allowed to stay quiet, the problem will simply continue to grow, with no true transparency around its scale and scope. Long-term solutions to this problem will need to be both collaborative and practical. However, in order to find such solutions, all stakeholders must have access to accurate information about the true costs to clean up all active and inactive oil and gas infrastructure in Alberta. It was recently revealed Alberta’s oil and gas companies now owe $178 million in unpaid rent and property taxes to farmers and municipalities, not all of which can be explained by a few dozen bankrupt companies. Oil and gas companies that continue operating are also choosing not to pay their rent and taxes. The speaker will argue that Alberta can’t or won’t charge companies market competitive royalties for its oil and gas and can’t or won’t make anyone clean up their mess without them going bankrupt, and the fact the oil patch cannot (or simply refuses to) pay its rent and taxes, all point towards an unfortunate reality: the sun is setting on Alberta’s storied conventional oil and gas industry. Speaker: Regan Boychuk Regan Boychuk is a leading experts on the problem of reclaiming aging oil and gas infrastructure in Alberta. His analysis is informed by years of original research into royalties and liabilities, as well as decades of on-the-ground experience in the oil and gas industry. Born and raised in Grande Prairie, Regan Boychuk is an independent researcher now based in Calgary. He was Research Manager with the University of Alberta’s Parkland Institute and served on the oil sands expert group advising the provincial government’s 2015-16 Royalty Review Panel. Moderator: Dylan Purcell Date: Thursday, March 5, 2020 Time: Doors open 11:30 am, presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 pm Location: Royal Canadian Legion (please enter at north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge Cost: $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

Is Community Support for Children Essential? (Part 2 Q&A)

Arguably, governments have a mandate to keep our most vulnerable citizens safe, including young children. Recently, the Province of Alberta and the City of Lethbridge have initiated significant realignments of their prevention and early intervention services for families. The speaker will explore these changes from the perspective of an agency that provides preventive services on behalf of governments. The goal is to continue a wholesome and productive discussion about how we protect children in our community. Speaker: Peter Imhof Peter Imhof came to Lethbridge in 2001 from Germany. After almost ten years in technical research and development, he joined Family Centre of Lethbridge in 2012 where he became the Executive Director in 2014. Through Family Centre, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, Peter, his staff and volunteers grows the resilience of the children, youth, and families in our community. Moderator: Bev Muendel-Atherstone Date: Thursday, February 27, 2020 Time: Doors open 11:30 am, presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 pm Location: Royal Canadian Legion (please enter at north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge Cost: $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

Is Community Support for Children Essential? (Part 1)

Arguably, governments have a mandate to keep our most vulnerable citizens safe, including young children. Recently, the Province of Alberta and the City of Lethbridge have initiated significant realignments of their prevention and early intervention services for families. The speaker will explore these changes from the perspective of an agency that provides preventive services on behalf of governments. The goal is to continue a wholesome and productive discussion about how we protect children in our community. Speaker: Peter Imhof Peter Imhof came to Lethbridge in 2001 from Germany. After almost ten years in technical research and development, he joined Family Centre of Lethbridge in 2012 where he became the Executive Director in 2014. Through Family Centre, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, Peter, his staff and volunteers grows the resilience of the children, youth, and families in our community. Moderator: Bev Muendel-Atherstone Date: Thursday, February 27, 2020 Time: Doors open 11:30 am, presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 pm Location: Royal Canadian Legion (please enter at north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge Cost: $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

Opportunities and Challenges in Sustainability and Economic Development (Part 1)

Alberta SouthWest Regional Economic Development (AlbertaSW) is a partnership of 16 towns, villages and rural municipal districts bordering on BC and MT. Key sectors of the economy in the region are agriculture, renewable energy and tourism. All these industries require consideration of the natural resources and landscapes, creating a natural focus on sustainability, In 2007, in collaboration with National Geographic, AlbertaSW was a founding partner of the transboundary Crown of the Continent Geotourism Council, which highlights sustainable tourism business development. In 2006, AlbertaSW, Economic Development Lethbridge and SouthGrow formed the Southern Alberta Alternative Energy Partnership (SAAEP). Representing 39 municipalities in south west and south-central Alberta, SAAEP supports member municipalities to explore opportunities in renewable energy (solar, wind, bio) and clean technology. The “Peaks to Prairies” Electric Vehicle Charging Station Network, a “current” project, so to speak, is a multi municipal/industry partnership that evolved from this focus on sustainability. Economic development organizations strive to understand economic costs and benefits. SAAEP has gathered information on new solar and wind projects to illustrate the value of local energy assets. The total capital expenditure of the nine projects in progress (6 solar, 3 wind) is $1.56 billion dollars. Regional economic impacts, from a combination of factors (annual land lease revenues, tax assessment for municipalities, construction, ongoing operations jobs) is estimated at $239M dollars between 2019 and 2022. Speaker: Bev Thornton Bev Thornton is the Executive Director of Alberta SouthWest Regional Alliance, a partnership of 16 rural municipalities. She has worked with this group since its inception 2000 and is proud of the community commitment. The organization has received over 30 provincial, national and international awards for projects that work to advance economic development in key industry sectors in the southwest region: agriculture, renewable energy, clean technology and tourism. Alberta SouthWest Crown of the Continent has been named as a “Top 100 Global Sustainable Tourism Destination” for 2019. Bev is Past President of Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) and at the 2017 Annual Conference and Awards Banquet of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) she was awarded the prestigious Jeffery A. Finkle Organizational Leadership Award. Bev is the first recipient of this award outside of the US. In 2018, AlbertaSW became the first IEDC Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) in Alberta and one of only 4 in Canada. Moderator: Melinda Weston Date: Thursday, February 20, 2020 Time: Doors open 11:30 am, presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 pm Location: Royal Canadian Legion (please enter at north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge Cost: $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

Opportunities and Challenges in Sustainability and Economic Development (Part 2 Q&A)

Alberta SouthWest Regional Economic Development (AlbertaSW) is a partnership of 16 towns, villages and rural municipal districts bordering on BC and MT. Key sectors of the economy in the region are agriculture, renewable energy and tourism. All these industries require consideration of the natural resources and landscapes, creating a natural focus on sustainability, In 2007, in collaboration with National Geographic, AlbertaSW was a founding partner of the transboundary Crown of the Continent Geotourism Council, which highlights sustainable tourism business development. In 2006, AlbertaSW, Economic Development Lethbridge and SouthGrow formed the Southern Alberta Alternative Energy Partnership (SAAEP). Representing 39 municipalities in south west and south-central Alberta, SAAEP supports member municipalities to explore opportunities in renewable energy (solar, wind, bio) and clean technology. The “Peaks to Prairies” Electric Vehicle Charging Station Network, a “current” project, so to speak, is a multi municipal/industry partnership that evolved from this focus on sustainability. Economic development organizations strive to understand economic costs and benefits. SAAEP has gathered information on new solar and wind projects to illustrate the value of local energy assets. The total capital expenditure of the nine projects in progress (6 solar, 3 wind) is $1.56 billion dollars. Regional economic impacts, from a combination of factors (annual land lease revenues, tax assessment for municipalities, construction, ongoing operations jobs) is estimated at $239M dollars between 2019 and 2022. Speaker: Bev Thornton Bev Thornton is the Executive Director of Alberta SouthWest Regional Alliance, a partnership of 16 rural municipalities. She has worked with this group since its inception 2000 and is proud of the community commitment. The organization has received over 30 provincial, national and international awards for projects that work to advance economic development in key industry sectors in the southwest region: agriculture, renewable energy, clean technology and tourism. Alberta SouthWest Crown of the Continent has been named as a “Top 100 Global Sustainable Tourism Destination” for 2019. Bev is Past President of Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) and at the 2017 Annual Conference and Awards Banquet of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) she was awarded the prestigious Jeffery A. Finkle Organizational Leadership Award. Bev is the first recipient of this award outside of the US. In 2018, AlbertaSW became the first IEDC Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) in Alberta and one of only 4 in Canada. Moderator: Melinda Weston Date: Thursday, February 20, 2020 Time: Doors open 11:30 am, presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 pm Location: Royal Canadian Legion (please enter at north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge Cost: $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

The Importance of Play: Are Children getting enough Playtime? (Part 1)

The early years of human development needs to be an essential priority for the whole community and by creating awareness of the importance of the early years in children’s development, communities can help create and implement an action plan specific to enhancing healthy childhood development. One essential element for children’s development is play. Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength. It is through play that children at a very early age learn to engage and interact with the world around them. The importance of play in childhood development is what brought Lethbridge Early Years Coalition to spearhead the development of the Lethbridge Play Charter for all children ages 0 - 18. This Play Charter was adopted by the City of Lethbridge as a unifying document that influences planning, policy and decision making in our community. Organizations, agencies, and community members are committed to prioritizing and promoting the importance of play. The speaker will present on why play is essential for healthy human development, explore some of the reasons why play has changed and how we as a community can work together to prioritize play. Speaker: Vicki Hazelwood Vicki Hazelwood, Coordinator of Lethbridge Early Years Coalition (LEYC), is passionate about children having a great start in life and fostering healthy families. Vicki also works as Coordinator for Building Brains Together, which is a “play project” out of the Neuroscience Department at the University of Lethbridge. Vicki has been supporting families through teaching, facilitating, and speaking on the topic of early childhood development and parenting for over 15 years. Moderator: Chelsea Sherbut Date: Thursday, February 13, 2020 Time: Doors open 11:30 am, presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 pm Location: Royal Canadian Legion (please enter at north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge Cost: $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

The Importance of Play: Are Children getting enough Playtime? (Part 2 Q&A)

The early years of human development needs to be an essential priority for the whole community and by creating awareness of the importance of the early years in children’s development, communities can help create and implement an action plan specific to enhancing healthy childhood development. One essential element for children’s development is play. Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength. It is through play that children at a very early age learn to engage and interact with the world around them. The importance of play in childhood development is what brought Lethbridge Early Years Coalition to spearhead the development of the Lethbridge Play Charter for all children ages 0 - 18. This Play Charter was adopted by the City of Lethbridge as a unifying document that influences planning, policy and decision making in our community. Organizations, agencies, and community members are committed to prioritizing and promoting the importance of play. The speaker will present on why play is essential for healthy human development, explore some of the reasons why play has changed and how we as a community can work together to prioritize play. Speaker: Vicki Hazelwood Vicki Hazelwood, Coordinator of Lethbridge Early Years Coalition (LEYC), is passionate about children having a great start in life and fostering healthy families. Vicki also works as Coordinator for Building Brains Together, which is a “play project” out of the Neuroscience Department at the University of Lethbridge. Vicki has been supporting families through teaching, facilitating, and speaking on the topic of early childhood development and parenting for over 15 years. Moderator: Chelsea Sherbut Date: Thursday, February 13, 2020 Time: Doors open 11:30 am, presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 pm Location: Royal Canadian Legion (please enter at north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge Cost: $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

Why is Liberal Education Important in the 21st Century? (Part 1)

Liberal Education is rooted in an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. It provides students with broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g. science, culture, and society) as well as in-depth study in a specific area of interest. The philosophy of Liberal Education traces back to the Classical Era of the ancient Greeks and Romans, who developed a logical and systematic approach to looking at the world around us, and an education system to produce informed leaders who would engage in the running of their city-states. Thinkers like Thucydides and Plato discussed politics, forms of government, and civic engagement. These ideas came to life again with the flourishing of the scientific approach in the late 1600s, and on into The Enlightenment or Age of Reason, as thinkers explored politics, economics, government and social systems. Questions about the relationship of a liberal education to citizenship, are questions with a long history in the Western philosophical tradition. The speaker will argue that the pillars of our Liberal Education model - breadth and integration of knowledge, critical thinking skills of evidence-based reasoning, and the application of that breadth and skill in civic engagement - capture the essence of our teaching and learning, and indeed of our research; it is a model of all that a university can and should be, for our students and our citizens. Speaker: Dr. Shelly Wismath Shelly Wismath is a Professor of Mathematics, and taught for many years in the Math & Computer Science Department at the University of Lethbridge. Her research in abstract general algebra resulted in three books and over sixty research papers published. In 2009 she moved to the Liberal Education Program, where she teaches courses on quantitative and problem solving skills designed for non-math, non-science majors. In the past few years she has published research on the teaching and learning of critical thinking and problem solving skills. Dr. Wismath was awarded the University of Lethbridge’s Distinguished Teaching Award, held the inaugural Board of Governors’ Teaching Chair, and in 2017 was named as a 3M National Teaching Fellow. In October 2017 she was appointed as the first Dean of the University’s new School of Liberal Education. Moderator: Tad Mitsui Date: Thursday, February 6, 2020 Time: Doors open 11:30 am, presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 pm Location: Royal Canadian Legion (please enter at north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge Cost: $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

Why is Liberal Education Important in the 21st Century? (Part 2 Q&A)

Liberal Education is rooted in an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. It provides students with broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g. science, culture, and society) as well as in-depth study in a specific area of interest. The philosophy of Liberal Education traces back to the Classical Era of the ancient Greeks and Romans, who developed a logical and systematic approach to looking at the world around us, and an education system to produce informed leaders who would engage in the running of their city-states. Thinkers like Thucydides and Plato discussed politics, forms of government, and civic engagement. These ideas came to life again with the flourishing of the scientific approach in the late 1600s, and on into The Enlightenment or Age of Reason, as thinkers explored politics, economics, government and social systems. Questions about the relationship of a liberal education to citizenship, are questions with a long history in the Western philosophical tradition. The speaker will argue that the pillars of our Liberal Education model - breadth and integration of knowledge, critical thinking skills of evidence-based reasoning, and the application of that breadth and skill in civic engagement - capture the essence of our teaching and learning, and indeed of our research; it is a model of all that a university can and should be, for our students and our citizens. Speaker: Dr. Shelly Wismath Shelly Wismath is a Professor of Mathematics, and taught for many years in the Math & Computer Science Department at the University of Lethbridge. Her research in abstract general algebra resulted in three books and over sixty research papers published. In 2009 she moved to the Liberal Education Program, where she teaches courses on quantitative and problem solving skills designed for non-math, non-science majors. In the past few years she has published research on the teaching and learning of critical thinking and problem solving skills. Dr. Wismath was awarded the University of Lethbridge’s Distinguished Teaching Award, held the inaugural Board of Governors’ Teaching Chair, and in 2017 was named as a 3M National Teaching Fellow. In October 2017 she was appointed as the first Dean of the University’s new School of Liberal Education. Moderator: Tad Mitsui Date: Thursday, February 6, 2020 Time: Doors open 11:30 am, presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 pm Location: Royal Canadian Legion (please enter at north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge Cost: $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

For the Love of Headwaters: What Can We Do? (Part 1)

Our drinking water comes from the Oldman River, but where does this river start? The tributaries that feed a river are collectively called headwaters, the source or ‘birthplace’ of our river. Located along the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains, the headwaters of the Oldman River flow from an increasingly busy landscape - one that includes mining, logging, grazing, and recreation. This unique area offers important habitat for threatened species, as well as ecological services beyond providing most of the water used by over 210,000 people living, working, and playing in our watershed. In response to public concern, the Oldman Watershed Council (OWC) has made the headwaters a priority through education and restoration. Their unique approach is based on social science methodologies and involves talking (and listening!) to people through face-to-face conversations; boots-on-the-ground events to restore streambanks together with partners and volunteers; testing strategies like signs and pledges to change behaviour; and ultimately, engaging hearts, heads, and hands. Since 2015, OWC has conducted 283 surveys, talked to more than 5,600 people, and helped plant over 4,300 willows and trees. The speaker will describe these local, grassroots efforts aimed at improving conditions in our headwaters, and will discuss some actions we can all take to help care for this special place. Speaker: Sofie Forsström Sofie Forsström is the Education Program Manager for the Oldman Watershed Council. Since 2015, Sofie has been coordinating education and restoration activities in the headwaters and beyond in order to promote watershed literacy and cultivate a strong sense of place. Sofie earned a Master of Science in Applied Ecology from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from U of A, Augustana Campus. Prior to joining OWC, she worked as a science educator at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller. In her free time, Sofie enjoys hiking with her dog and volunteering with a local Scout Troop. Moderator: Michelle Day Date: Thursday, January 30, 2020 Time: Doors open 11:30 am, presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 pm Location: Royal Canadian Legion (please enter at north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge Cost: $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required