Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Local Leadership in a Changing Landscape: How Will the Roles of Bills 18 and 20 Shape Alberta? With Mayor Jack van Rijn

The speaker will share his views on Bill 18, which deals with a potential limitation of municipal-federal agreements - an overview of the bill, its intentions, and the potential impacts on municipal autonomy, operations and how this bill could redefine the relationship between municipalities and the federal government, and what this can mean for local governance and decision-making.

Regarding Bill 20, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, the speaker will examine the amendments proposed in this bill, their significance for municipal administration and highlight key changes. He will discuss how these amendments are designed to improve municipal governance, accountability, and service delivery.

How are these legislative changes expected to affect the Town of Coaldale? The speaker will analyze the potential challenges and opportunities that comes with adapting to new legislative frameworks. Insights on the steps Coaldale is taking to navigate these changes effectively will be given and from a local governance perspective the broader implications of Bills 18 and 20 will be discussed.

Speaker: Jack Van Rijn, Mayor of Coaldale

Jack Van Rijn was born in Taber, Alberta, and grew up on a family farm in the Readymade area before moving to Coaldale in 1966. As the youngest of 18 children and the only one born in Canada, Jack has made Coaldale his lifelong home, where he raised his three children:

Jack has dedicated over 40 years to volunteering with various organizations to enhance the quality of life in Coaldale. He firmly believes in the importance of giving back to the community and making a real difference. Jack is the former co-owner of Van Rijn Electric, a business he successfully ran with his brother Hank for over 35 years. He believes Coaldale is an ideal place to grow a business and has been an active promoter of local businesses through his involvement with the Chamber of Commerce for the past 38 years, currently serving as Vice President.

Jack’s volunteerism is extensive. He served as an active firefighter for 33 years, including 21 as Deputy Fire Chief, and worked as a Paramedic for Coaldale & District Emergency Services for 27 years. His contributions to the Kinsmen Club of Coaldale over 37 years have helped raise over $3 million for local projects, such as the Coaldale Community Centre, Kin Picnic Shelter, Skateboard Park, Spray Park, Cottonwood Estates Kinship Park, Eastview Park Revitalization, Mountain Bike Park, and he is currently chairing the new $1.2 million all-wheel skate park.

Jack served on the Coaldale Town Council from 2013 to 2017, bringing his commitment and passion for the community to the forefront of local governance. In 2021, he was elected Mayor of Coaldale, a role in which he continues to serve with dedication and enthusiasm.

Should we be paying more attention to the weather and biodiversity changes in far away Antarctica? With Dr. Jennifer Copeland

The sense of isolation that Antarctica brings is achieved in part thanks to an international collaboration and treaty that sees Antarctica as an unowned land, open to science and discovery. It is closely and collectively monitored by protocols that visiting parties agree to follow and therefore, it’s a perfect stage for programs focused on leadership and sustainability.

Our speaker, who will account her experience, did her homework, and then some, before embarking on her 19-night tour of Antarctica as part of the Homeward Bound global leadership initiative for women with a background in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM). And yet no amount of preparation could rival the experience of interacting with the beauty and remoteness that is the world’s fifth-largest and least-populated continent.

Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Copeland

Jennifer Copeland is an Associate Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Science and a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education. She completed a B.Sc. in Biology at Mount Allison University and attended graduate school at the University of New Brunswick where she earned a M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology.

Copeland’s research interests focus on the effect of physical activity and sedentary behaviour on health across the lifespan, with a particular focus on healthy aging. Her doctoral research focused on exercise physiology and she now uses a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to explore both the consequences and determinants of our daily movement behaviours.

A major goal of Dr. Copeland’s program is knowledge translation and she engages regularly in research collaborations with community partners and stakeholders. Her laboratory, the Active Healthy Aging Lab, has received funding from CIHR, CFI, PolicyWise for Children and Families, the Sport Science Association of Alberta, and other agencies.

Is the UCP’s Alberta Pension Plan just Pixie Dust and Unicorns? With Chartered Accountant David Bruce Carpenter

The session will address the history of CPP, who governs CPP, relationship to QPP, funding methodology for pensions, necessary changes to ensure viability in the 1990s, the unfunded liability, viability of the current plan, fiduciary responsibilities of decision makers, ownership of the assets, who gets the liability on separation, the UCP proposal, gaping holes in their promises, UCP’s ability to manage the referendum, and finally serious questions for Albertans to ponder.

Speaker: David Bruce Carpenter

Chartered accountant, tax emphasis, FCA. Involved in private publishing, printing, real estate. Board Trustee Calloway REIT. Lethbridge City Councillor: 3 terms; additional five terms as Mayor of Lethbridge. Director, Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Vice-Chair, The Special Forces Pension Plan. Chair, WCB-Alberta. Director, Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada. Director, Alberta Capital Finance Authority. Chair of Finance, Audit and Risk Committees as well as Official Administrator of Alberta Health Services. Alberta Human Rights Commission award for advances in native/non-native relations. Honoured with the Blackfoot name of Piita Poot-Ta (Flying Eagle). Alberta Venture Magazine (July 1998) honoree as one of the 50 most influential people in Alberta. Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel 20 Independent Field Battery and Honorary Colonel 18 Air Defence Regiment. Awarded four commemorative medals. Commendation by Secretary of State for contributions to Canadian citizenship. Senate sesquicentennial medal recognizing valuable service to the nation.

The gut-brain connection: How can it help us achieve gut and brain health? With Dr. Chelsea Matisz

There is a wealth of evidence highlighting the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. This communication highway, facilitated by many pathways, forms the cornerstone of what we now recognize as the gut-brain axis. But why should we care about this intricate web of connections?

The answer lies in the profound implications it holds for our overall health and wellness. Research has shown that disruptions in the delicate balance of the gut-brain axis can contribute to a wide array of health issues, ranging from gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to neurological conditions such as anxiety and depression.

However, amidst the challenges lie immense opportunities. By understanding how the gut and brain communicate, we can optimize the functioning of this axis, paving the way for improved gut health, enhanced cognitive function, and greater overall well-being.

Speaker: Dr. Chelsea Matisz

Chelsea Matisz obtained a MSc in Parasitology at the University of Lethbridge, and her PhD in Gastrointestinal Sciences at the University of Calgary (2016). She is an NSERC postdoctoral scholar at the Canadian Center for Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge, where her research seeks to understand how gut health affects brain health and mental health. She has received national awards, including an Alice E Wilson Award from the Royal Society of Canada (2022), and L’Oreal Wilson Women in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship.

A Rural Medical Education Training Centre at U of L: What are the Benefits and Challenges?

Recently, the Alberta government announced an investment of over $200 million to train more physicians for rural areas, with a significant share of that money being invested at ULethbridge for a new rural medical education program training centre, one of two that will be established in the province. ULethbridge will be working with the University of Calgary on the centre here while the University of Alberta will partner with Northwestern Polytechnic to develop one in Grand Prairie.

Capital funding of $43.2 million is being invested at ULethbridge. The speakers will detail the current state of health science education at ULethbridge, the vision for distributed medical education and different successful models that exist, the challenges involved in starting a medical education training centre, but also the many possible benefits to not only ULethbridge and Lethbridge but to rural Alberta and beyond.

Speaker: Dr. Jon Doan

Jon Doan is the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge. Jon completed his PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience at ULethbirdge in 2006 and started his faculty position in the Department of Kinesiology the year previous. Jon’s teaching and research is in the area of biomechanics, with an interest in the intersection between context and movements in the workplace and the community. His work also looks at exercise as movement therapy for people living with Parkinson disease.

How can we stem the tide of rising age-related dementia? With Robert Sutherland

This talk will outline the brain bases of age-related dementia. Dementias can be reversed or avoided by modifying specific risk factors. Some are only available early in life, while others can be addressed in later years. A current understanding of the full range of risk factors, modifiable and non-modifiable, will be presented.

Speaker: Dr. Rob Sutherland

Rob Sutherland is Professor & Chair of Neuroscience, Tier 1 Board of Governors Research Chair in Neuroscience, Director of the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, and Director of the Hub for Neuroengineering Solutions. He was recently elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and was awarded the Donald O. Hebb Distinguished Contribution Award by the Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour, and Cognitive Science. He has held faculty positions at the University of Lethbridge, University of New Mexico, University of Colorado Boulder, and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Are you concerned about how hearing loss might impact your memory and thinking as you age? Speaker Glenn Hole

Please join us for a session that cuts through the confusion surrounding hearing loss and cognitive health with info on:

• A clear breakdown of the links between hearing loss and cognitive decline.
• How your brain health could be affected by untreated hearing loss.
• Strategies to protect your hearing and minimize risks.
• How to identify misleading marketing and scare tactics being used in the hearing health
• industry.

Speaker: Glenn Hole

Glenn is a published researcher interested in psychoacoustics, hearing aid technology, tinnitus, and hyperacusis. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Audiology from Bristol University in the UK (2009), an Advanced Studies Certification in Tinnitus and Hyperacusis (2016), and a Master of Science degree in Clinical Audiology from Salus University (2020).

Glenn is undertaking his Doctor of Audiology AuD degree course and will graduate in 2025. Outside work, Glenn enjoys fitness, music, hiking, camping, and spending time with his wife and three young children.

What is the current status of the Lethbridge Drug Crisis? With Sergeant Ryan Darroch

The latest data indicates a concerning increase in drug-related incidents and overdose deaths in Lethbridge. Over the past years, there has been a significant rise in the use of opioids and methamphetamines. The trend mirrors the provincial and national crisis but is exacerbated locally by socio-economic factors unique to Lethbridge. Sergeant Darroch will provide an updated overview of the ongoing drug crisis in Lethbridge. He will explore current trends, the community impact, response efforts, and propose directions for future intervention.

Speaker: Sergeant Ryan Darroch

Sgt. Ryan Darroch is with the Lethbridge Police Service Downtown Policing Unit. He is in 21st year of policing with Lethbridge Police Service with the bulk of his career being in a front line role. He has spent his first 5 years on the street in patrol division, then the Special Operations Unit which morphed into ALERT, patrol again, Intel Section and then into the Downtown Policing Unit in 2017 during the height of the drug crisis.

In 2022, Darroch was moved into the Sergeant role of the Downtown Policing Unit where he currently works. His most important job in life is being a dad of two amazing young ladies and married to a fantastic lady.

Why Place Limits on Freedom of Expression? With Dr. Susan Dieleman

In the opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada, the purpose of protecting freedom of expression is to enable “the pursuit of truth, participation in the community, and individual self-fulfillment and human flourishing.” However, expressive freedoms can be and have been subject to limits. Where these limits should be located, and for what purposes, is a matter of near constant debate. The speaker will provide an overview of existing arguments for and against limiting freedom of expression.

Speaker: Dr. Susan Dieleman

In 2023, Dr. Dieleman was named the Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership and Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Lethbridge. Before coming to Lethbridge, she taught at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (2018-2023), the University of Saskatchewan (2015-2018) and Dalhousie University (2012-2015).

Dr. Dieleman completed her PhD in Philosophy at York University (2011), an MA in Public Policy and Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University (2012), an MA in Philosophy at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador (2005) and a BA (Hons) in Philosophy at Wilfrid Laurier University (2002).

Did you know Indigenous children in Canada endured more than just Indian residential schools during the stolen children era? With Apooyak'ii/Dr. Tiffany Prete

Join us for an enlightening presentation by Apooyak’ii / Dr. Tiffany Hind Bull-Prete as she delves into crucial topics surrounding the Stolen Children Era. Discover the origins of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and gain insight into why the Calls to Action are relevant to all of us. This lecture is a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of these important issues.

Speaker: Apooyak’ii/Dr. Tiffany Prete

Apooyak’ii/Dr. Tiffany Prete (nee Hind Bull) is a member of the Kainai (Blood Tribe) of the Siksikasitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy), located in the Treaty 7 area. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Lethbridge. Her program of work consists of implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action on the Blood Reserve.

Dr. Prete earned her bachelors of elementary education specializing in math and science, and completed her master of education and doctor of philosophy in education at the University of Alberta. She held both a Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Postdoctoral Fellowship, and was an inaugural recipient of the University of Calgary’s Provost’s postdoctoral award for Indigenous and Black scholars at the University of Calgary.