Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

At some point in the life of every Albertan they are touched by mental illness and addiction. Released in February 2016, an Alberta report (co-authored by Dr. David Swann) on addictions and mental health, highlights the system changes which are critically needed to reduce wait times, improve quality care, and reduce the cost of our current systems of care. Psychiatrists do play a vital role dealing with severe mental illness along with teams of supporting professionals. However, it’s clear that the great majority of mental health and addictions issues could and should be handled by other professionals, including psychologists, family physicians, and their teams. Furthermore, to improve patient outcomes, there must be a shift of resources upstream into prevention efforts with individuals, families, and communities at risk. Without a dramatic shift in the planning and allocation of resources to identify and reduce risk factors earlier and prevent breakdown, the human and financial toll will continue to rise in Alberta. Alberta Health and the health board must take leadership and also provide a new planning partnership that includes education, human services, housing, and police. Two questions must be dealt with in the transformation this report calls for. How do Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services lead a dramatic change within a massive and entrenched top-down culture let alone include other ministries in a new collaborative planning process? And how do the primary care networks step up to a larger role as the mental health home for the 1 in 5 people who need ongoing treatment-based, team-based care to be well? Speaker: Dr. David Swann Liberal MLA for Calgary-Mountain View David Swann was elected to his fourth term on May 5th as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the constituency of Calgary-Mountain View. From December 15, 2008 to September 12, 2011, Dr. Swann served as leader of the Alberta Liberal caucus, Her Majesty’s Official Opposition. Dr. Swann was appointed to the Standing Committee on Private Bills on May 24, 2012, and the Standing Committee on Families and Communities on May 28, 2012. He previously served as critic for Health and Wellness and Executive Council. Additionally, Dr. Swann served as a member of the following Standing Committees: Public Health and Safety, Private Bills, Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing. Dr. Swann graduated from the University of Alberta with his B.MSc. in 1971, his MD in 1973 and from the University of Calgary with his FRCP(C) in 1988. He practiced as a family physician from 1975 to 1984 and then as a public health consultant from 1988 to 2004. Moderator: Mary Shillington Date: Thursday, April 28, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea)

At some point in the life of every Albertan they are touched by mental illness and addiction. Released in February 2016, an Alberta report (co-authored by Dr. David Swann) on addictions and mental health, highlights the system changes which are critically needed to reduce wait times, improve quality care, and reduce the cost of our current systems of care. Psychiatrists do play a vital role dealing with severe mental illness along with teams of supporting professionals. However, it’s clear that the great majority of mental health and addictions issues could and should be handled by other professionals, including psychologists, family physicians, and their teams. Furthermore, to improve patient outcomes, there must be a shift of resources upstream into prevention efforts with individuals, families, and communities at risk. Without a dramatic shift in the planning and allocation of resources to identify and reduce risk factors earlier and prevent breakdown, the human and financial toll will continue to rise in Alberta. Alberta Health and the health board must take leadership and also provide a new planning partnership that includes education, human services, housing, and police. Two questions must be dealt with in the transformation this report calls for. How do Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services lead a dramatic change within a massive and entrenched top-down culture let alone include other ministries in a new collaborative planning process? And how do the primary care networks step up to a larger role as the mental health home for the 1 in 5 people who need ongoing treatment-based, team-based care to be well? Speaker: Dr. David Swann Liberal MLA for Calgary-Mountain View David Swann was elected to his fourth term on May 5th as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the constituency of Calgary-Mountain View. From December 15, 2008 to September 12, 2011, Dr. Swann served as leader of the Alberta Liberal caucus, Her Majesty’s Official Opposition. Dr. Swann was appointed to the Standing Committee on Private Bills on May 24, 2012, and the Standing Committee on Families and Communities on May 28, 2012. He previously served as critic for Health and Wellness and Executive Council. Additionally, Dr. Swann served as a member of the following Standing Committees: Public Health and Safety, Private Bills, Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing. Dr. Swann graduated from the University of Alberta with his B.MSc. in 1971, his MD in 1973 and from the University of Calgary with his FRCP(C) in 1988. He practiced as a family physician from 1975 to 1984 and then as a public health consultant from 1988 to 2004. Moderator: Mary Shillington Date: Thursday, April 28, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea)

It is conventional wisdom in Alberta that bringing in a sales tax would be political suicide, but there is nothing unusual about sales taxes. They are part of the fiscal fabric everywhere else in Canada, many U.S. states, and throughout Europe. A provincial sales tax of five percent could net Alberta $5 billion yearly and still be one of the lowest taxed provinces. The Alberta Taxpayer Protection Act, introduced by Premier Ralph Klein in 1995, states that a referendum must be held before a Provincial Sales Tax can be introduced. However, previous governments have shown that they have no problem sweeping away old laws like this one. In 2009, the PC government amended their much touted Fiscal Responsibility Act which prohibited deficit budgets in order to pass a deficit budget. What are the sources of opposition in Alberta and what impact would a sales tax have on the politics and finances of the province? The speaker will analyze these questions and assert that relying on a boom-bust economy with a real lack of long-term financial planning has been Alberta’s biggest weakness over the past several decades. Speaker: Dr. Trevor Harrison Dr. Trevor Harrison is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Lethbridge and Director of Parkland Institute. He was born and raised in Edmonton. He holds a B.A. from the University of Winnipeg, an M.A. from the University of Calgary, and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Alberta. His broad areas of specialty include political sociology, political economy, and public policy. In addition to numerous journal articles and book chapters, Dr. Harrison is the author, co-author, or co-editor of nine books. His op-ed columns frequently appear in both local and national newspapers. Moderator:   Graeme Greenlee Date: Thursday, April 21, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea)

It is conventional wisdom in Alberta that bringing in a sales tax would be political suicide, but there is nothing unusual about sales taxes. They are part of the fiscal fabric everywhere else in Canada, many U.S. states, and throughout Europe. A provincial sales tax of five percent could net Alberta $5 billion yearly and still be one of the lowest taxed provinces. The Alberta Taxpayer Protection Act, introduced by Premier Ralph Klein in 1995, states that a referendum must be held before a Provincial Sales Tax can be introduced. However, previous governments have shown that they have no problem sweeping away old laws like this one. In 2009, the PC government amended their much touted Fiscal Responsibility Act which prohibited deficit budgets in order to pass a deficit budget. What are the sources of opposition in Alberta and what impact would a sales tax have on the politics and finances of the province? The speaker will analyze these questions and assert that relying on a boom-bust economy with a real lack of long-term financial planning has been Alberta’s biggest weakness over the past several decades. Speaker: Dr. Trevor Harrison Dr. Trevor Harrison is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Lethbridge and Director of Parkland Institute. He was born and raised in Edmonton. He holds a B.A. from the University of Winnipeg, an M.A. from the University of Calgary, and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Alberta. His broad areas of specialty include political sociology, political economy, and public policy. In addition to numerous journal articles and book chapters, Dr. Harrison is the author, co-author, or co-editor of nine books. His op-ed columns frequently appear in both local and national newspapers. Moderator:   Graeme Greenlee Date: Thursday, April 21, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea)

Financial mismanagement by financial institutions and brokers is affecting individuals, municipalities, universities, retirement plans and pension funds in Canada. Seniors have been hardest hit since low interest rates have reduced their retirement investment income, forcing them into potentially risky investments. Arguably, there are systemic methods by which Provincial Securities Commissions violate or “exempt” Provincial Securities Act laws for the benefit of investment firms and brokers. This costs Canadians billions of dollars each year and has gone on for years without notice to the investing public. It is doing irreversible harm to our economy and to society. It also illustrates where government agencies and Provincial Securities Commissions are forgetting their mandate to protect Canadians. The speaker will show how regulators are willfully blind to thousands of industry registrants who are legally registered in the capacity of “dealing representatives”. (Salespersons) Thousands of such product sellers owe no legal fiduciary duty to protect investors and are flaunting Securities Act laws. This is not what they promise investors. Speaker: Larry Elford, retired CFP, CIM, FCSI, Associate Portfolio Manager Larry worked inside the largest financial institutions in Canada for twenty years until his retirement in 2004. Today he investigates, writes, speaks and coaches the public on how to obtain honest treatment for investors. He also does forensic investment account evaluations for victims of financial abuse. He produced a documentary film to benefit investors, legislators and those who investigate financial crime. Larry is founder and executive director of a web forum dedicated to revealing predatory practices. He has appeared in two CTV W5 investigative reports on investment malpractice and has also participated in CBC news programs, and as a witness in Ottawa to Bill C-21 (Standing up for Victims of White Collar Crime Act 2010 ), as well as a Parliamentary Committee on Finance in April 2008 Moderator: Austin Fennell Date: Thursday, April 14, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea)

Financial mismanagement by financial institutions and brokers is affecting individuals, municipalities, universities, retirement plans and pension funds in Canada. Seniors have been hardest hit since low interest rates have reduced their retirement investment income, forcing them into potentially risky investments. Arguably, there are systemic methods by which Provincial Securities Commissions violate or “exempt” Provincial Securities Act laws for the benefit of investment firms and brokers. This costs Canadians billions of dollars each year and has gone on for years without notice to the investing public. It is doing irreversible harm to our economy and to society. It also illustrates where government agencies and Provincial Securities Commissions are forgetting their mandate to protect Canadians. The speaker will show how regulators are willfully blind to thousands of industry registrants who are legally registered in the capacity of “dealing representatives”. (Salespersons) Thousands of such product sellers owe no legal fiduciary duty to protect investors and are flaunting Securities Act laws. This is not what they promise investors. Speaker: Larry Elford, retired CFP, CIM, FCSI, Associate Portfolio Manager Larry worked inside the largest financial institutions in Canada for twenty years until his retirement in 2004. Today he investigates, writes, speaks and coaches the public on how to obtain honest treatment for investors. He also does forensic investment account evaluations for victims of financial abuse. He produced a documentary film to benefit investors, legislators and those who investigate financial crime. Larry is founder and executive director of a web forum dedicated to revealing predatory practices. He has appeared in two CTV W5 investigative reports on investment malpractice and has also participated in CBC news programs, and as a witness in Ottawa to Bill C-21 (Standing up for Victims of White Collar Crime Act 2010 ), as well as a Parliamentary Committee on Finance in April 2008 Moderator: Austin Fennell Date: Thursday, April 14, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea)

How many times have you answered the phone only to hear a voice telling you that you have won something fabulous. You know it is a scam and you hang up. Fraudsters know that people are getting smarter, so they are becoming craftier and are fine tuning their methods to get our money. Constable Dan Shurtz will alert us to a variety of scams aimed to separate us from our hard earned money: Some of the things he will cover in his talk are: Phishing, Overpayment scams, the CRA scam, the Grandparent scam, the Microsoft scam and Lottery schemes. He will also talk about what to do if you have been a victim of fraud. Speaker: Constable Dan Shurtz Dan Shurtz is a university graduate with a degree in Japanese and Economics from the University of Alberta and also spent a year of post-graduate work in linguistics at Northern Arizona University. He has worked as an English teacher, computer technician and interpreter. Constable Shurtz began his law enforcement profession as a police officer in 2003 in Edmonton, where he spent five years before coming to Lethbridge in 2008. He has served in the following areas of law enforcement: patrols, drugs, surveillance and training. He is currently working as a Detective in the Economic Crimes Unit and as a sniper in the Tactical Unit of Lethbridge Police Service. Moderator:   Bev Muendel-Atherstone Date: Thursday, April 7, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea)

How many times have you answered the phone only to hear a voice telling you that you have won something fabulous. You know it is a scam and you hang up. Fraudsters know that people are getting smarter, so they are becoming craftier and are fine tuning their methods to get our money. Constable Dan Shurtz will alert us to a variety of scams aimed to separate us from our hard earned money: Some of the things he will cover in his talk are: Phishing, Overpayment scams, the CRA scam, the Grandparent scam, the Microsoft scam and Lottery schemes. He will also talk about what to do if you have been a victim of fraud. Speaker: Constable Dan Shurtz Dan Shurtz is a university graduate with a degree in Japanese and Economics from the University of Alberta and also spent a year of post-graduate work in linguistics at Northern Arizona University. He has worked as an English teacher, computer technician and interpreter. Constable Shurtz began his law enforcement profession as a police officer in 2003 in Edmonton, where he spent five years before coming to Lethbridge in 2008. He has served in the following areas of law enforcement: patrols, drugs, surveillance and training. He is currently working as a Detective in the Economic Crimes Unit and as a sniper in the Tactical Unit of Lethbridge Police Service. Moderator:   Bev Muendel-Atherstone Date: Thursday, April 7, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea)

The movement away from task-oriented care toward person-centered care (i.e., care based on residents’ individualized care needs and preferences) is considered by many to be essential to both the quality of care and quality of life of people residing in long-term care (LTC) facilities, especially of those who have Alzheimer disease or a related dementia. The consistent provision of person-centered care is widely recognized as the goal of the residential care culture change movement. This talk will be explain why the attainment of this goal has remained elusive for the majority of LTC facilities, despite significant effort to alter practice. Intervention factors and organizational systems that support the uptake of practice and culture change initiatives will be described. Evidence for this discussion is derived from both quantitative and qualitative studies conducted across multiple long-term care settings.  Speaker: Dr. Sienna Caspar Sienna Caspar has worked in long-term care facilities in both Canada and the US for over 20 years. As a postdoctoral fellow in a cross appointment at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute/University Health Network and the University of Victoria, she conducted an intervention study aimed at improving leadership and collaborative decision making in long-term care settings. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor at the University of Lethbridge in the Faculty of Health Sciences—Therapeutic Recreation program. Moderator:   Michelle Day Date: Thursday, March 31, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea)

The movement away from task-oriented care toward person-centered care (i.e., care based on residents’ individualized care needs and preferences) is considered by many to be essential to both the quality of care and quality of life of people residing in long-term care (LTC) facilities, especially of those who have Alzheimer disease or a related dementia. The consistent provision of person-centered care is widely recognized as the goal of the residential care culture change movement. This talk will be explain why the attainment of this goal has remained elusive for the majority of LTC facilities, despite significant effort to alter practice. Intervention factors and organizational systems that support the uptake of practice and culture change initiatives will be described. Evidence for this discussion is derived from both quantitative and qualitative studies conducted across multiple long-term care settings.  Speaker: Dr. Sienna Caspar Sienna Caspar has worked in long-term care facilities in both Canada and the US for over 20 years. As a postdoctoral fellow in a cross appointment at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute/University Health Network and the University of Victoria, she conducted an intervention study aimed at improving leadership and collaborative decision making in long-term care settings. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor at the University of Lethbridge in the Faculty of Health Sciences—Therapeutic Recreation program. Moderator:   Michelle Day Date: Thursday, March 31, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea)