Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

It Takes a Community: Why community needs to take action on child abuse. Speaker, Kristine Cassie.

Each year the Government of Alberta acknowledges October as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Recently the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre renovated space in downtown Lethbridge to accommodate the needs of the Chinook Child and Youth Advocacy Centre – a program that provides coordinated, multidisciplinary approach in a safe, comfortable environment to address the needs of abused children, youth and their families. The talk will explore the prevalence of child sexual abuse, long standing implications of abuse when left unaddressed, and why it is important, as a community, to take action.

Speaker: Kristine Cassie

Kristine has worked in the human services sector for more than 39 years with substantial experience and advocacy efforts in the areas of youth empowerment, housing, domestic and sexual violence. Skilled at the development of programs, policy development, and risk management, Kristine has been instrumental in a number of community networks including: the Sexual Violence Action Committee; Domestic Violence Action Team; Southern Alberta Network of Children’s Services; Social Housing In Action; Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination; YWCA Canada Atlantic Expansion Project; YWCA Canada Integrating Committee; Miner’s Days Historical Association of Coalhurst; Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services, Provincial Child Advocacy Centre Network, Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters and is a member of the Coaching Association of Canada Task Force on Gender Based Violence and Teen Dating Violence which will conclude its work in the fall of 2023. Kristine served one term as a School Board Trustee at Palliser School Division continues to serve on the Board of Governors at Lethbridge College, and currently is the CEO of the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre. Kristine is a registered social worker, holds a master’s in leadership and is a certified community traumatologist. Kristine is Metis and a lifelong Albertan, having been raised in Grande Prairie, she currently resides in Southern Alberta in the Town of Coalhurst. Together with her husband of 38 years, they have raised a wonderful young man, Gabriel, who now resides in Ottawa.

 

Food, Funds or Free Time! With Danielle McIntyre , Executive Director - Interfaith Food Bank

Interfaith Food Bank is on the front lines of addressing food security issues in our community, and is an organization that has had to grow and adapt to the ever-evolving food security crisis in order to meet community needs. Food banks in Alberta experienced a 73% increase from 2019 – 2022 and in just the last year, local need has increased again by 30%. This presentation will discuss the rise in food insecurity and how community members can lend support by offering food, funds or free time to food security initiatives.

Speaker: Danielle McIntyre

Moderator: Terry Shillington

Danielle McIntyre has been involved with the non-profit, charitable sector for over 20 years, and has worked as Executive Director with Interfaith Food Bank since 2006. A graduate of Winston Churchill High School in Lethbridge, Danielle holds a degree in Recreation Administration, with a special focus on leisure and community development from the University of Alberta. Grateful to have the opportunity to work for a cause she believes in, Danielle notes it’s the community nature of Interfaith Food Bank that keeps her excited about coming to work every day – working with great people, on initiatives and projects that make a true difference in the lives of the families they serve.

What is the difference between donating Blood and Plasma? With Brenna Scott Business Development Manager at Lethbridge’s Canadian Blood Services Plasma Centre

While many have heard of donating blood, donating plasma is still a relatively next concept. Some people still believe that donating blood and plasma are one and the same, and while both have you sitting in a chair hooked up to a machine, they are different processes with different purposes.

When people think of blood donation, they are typically thinking of whole blood donation. Whole blood donations include all four blood components–red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma and are used to treat blood loss, typically due to injury or surgery. In contrast, when donating plasma, the straw-colored part of your blood, only that one part is collected with the other three parts of your blood returned to the donor.

Plasma is used to create different therapies to help replace missing, deficient, or malfunctioning proteins in individuals with serious, often life-threatening diseases, such as hemophilia and primary immunodeficiency. The speaker will explain further and make clear that right now, there is a global need for more plasma donations as the usage of plasma-based therapies are becoming more widely accepted for a larger number of disorders.

Speaker: Brenna Scott

Brenna is the Business Development Manager at Lethbridge’s Canadian Blood Services Plasma Centre. Canandian Blood Services is a non-profit organization that manages the national supply of blood products for patients across Canada.

The Lethbridge Plasma Centre was the second of its kind in Canada and opened in December of 2020. Brenna helped not only with the hiring of the staff, but the promotion of the Centre to ensure donors would be aware of the importance of plasma and ready to book appointments and support the Centre as soon as it opened. Brenna plays an integral role in ensuring that the organization can continue to provide life-saving treatments to those in need and she has helped bring the Centre to where it is today with over 27,000 donations of plasma collected.

Brenna is now responsible for overseeing the center’s donor base, educating the public about the need for and importance of plasma, and developing partnerships with local businesses and community organizations.

Should Bison be restored to Eastern slope public Wildlands? with Mike Judd

For more than 130,000 years, bison roamed the ecosystems of western Canada and US and while doing so, influenced the lives of Indigenous Peoples and every other species they shared space and time with, before they were hunted to near extinction in the late 1800s.

The speaker will talk about his journey to the Bob Creek Wildlands in Alberta’s foothills and finding evidence of past bison existence there, which led a group of hikers to start investigating the possibility of returning bison to this part of the Eastern slopes. Reintroducing bison populations to some areas of their former range can arguably help re-establish relationships to that land and other species while improving ecological diversity.

Speaker: Mike Judd

Mike was born and raised on the East slope of the Alberta Rockies in the Foothills west of Pincher Creek. His education includes book learning and accompanying old Mountain men on their travels. For much of his life, Mike has been a guide and outfitter involved in hunting, trail riding along the continental divide and dog sled tours in the winter.

Mike’s reverence for nature has also led to many attempts to throw sprags in the wheels of progress and the relentless encroachment on our last remaining intact wilderness with occasional success! Currently he is one of the founding members of a new organization, the Foothills Bison Restoration Society. Mike is also a painter

Whacky Alberta History

Alberta has a lot of history, but no one has pulled it together. Some say we struggled against an unfriendly land, others say we struggled against eccentric governments, and others against an always evil East. Some say we are just misplaced Americans? But are these just old comfortable sawhorses. What are the alternatives? The speaker will offer one.

Speaker: Frits Pannekoek

Frits Pannekoek has been Director of Historic Sites for Alberta, for 25 years and involved in over a dozen of Alberta’s heritage centers. Today he is Professor of History at Athabasca University. He has published widely on Alberta’s heritage and on Alberta’s Indigenous history. He was awarded an Honorary doctorate from the University of South Africa and an Alberta Order of Excellence for his work in heritage preservation and online learning.

Parkrun – A Global Fitness and Well Being Phenomenon

Back in 2004, in a London, England Park, a global fitness and well-being activity, named Parkrun, was born. Parkrun is a network of free and computer timed 5-kilometer runs and walks held every Saturday morning at 9am local time at over 2200 locations in 26 countries around the world. There are over 5 million Parkrunners registered worldwide. Parkruns are community-based events that encourage physical fitness, health and wellness, and socialization for people of all ages and abilities. Parkrun’s mission statement is to help create a “healthier and happier planet’’!

The Henderson Lake Parkrun in Lethbridge is one of 43 Parkruns in Canada. It provides Lethbridge residents and tourists, an opportunity to participate as a runner, walker or volunteer in a free, outdoor activity on a weekly basis. The speaker will describe the many benefits of Parkrun participation, and will review the history of Parkrun and the process for participating in the weekly event.

Speaker: Jim Carter

Jim Carter is the Event Director for the Henderson Lake Parkrun. Jim is a retired Royal Canadian Air Force Officer, a Chartered Professional Accountant and an avid marathoner and triathlete. Jim and his wife, Ellen, started Parkrun in Lethbridge in March, 2019.

Will Danielle Smith Heed the Election Message Urban Voters in Alberta Sent Her? With speaker Dr. Duane Bratt

The 2023 Alberta provincial election is history and the UCP won a majority government. However, their majority was reduced from 63-24 to 49-38, which included several cabinet ministers losing their seat. As expected, the UCP almost swept the rural vote where they have 37 out of 41 seats. The NDP dominated Edmonton and made strong inroads in Calgary to the point where a few thousand total votes in six ridings could have changed who formed government.
As a result of the election, Danielle Smith’s UCP is likely to have more rural representation in cabinet than it did in the 2019-2023 term. The speaker will analyze the key elements and results of Alberta’s 2023 provincial election as well as give his thoughts on what another four years of UCP rule means for Albertans.

Speaker: Dr. Duane Bratt

Duane Bratt is a political science Professor in the Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies at Mount Royal University (Calgary, Alberta). He teaches in the area of international relations and Canadian public policy. His research interests include Canadian nuclear policy, Canadian foreign policy, and Alberta politics. Recent publications include: co-editor of Blue Storm: The Rise and Fall of Jason Kenney (University of Calgary Press, 2023), co-editor, Orange Chinook: Politics in the New Alberta (University of Calgary Press, 2019), co-editor, Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas 3rd edition (Oxford University Press, 2015) and author of Canada, the Provinces, and the Global Nuclear Revival (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2012). Current projects include a book on the politics of covid in Alberta. Duane is also a regular commentator on political events.

The Bail Conundrum, with speakers Ingrid Hess and James Rouleau

Our talk is meant to help people understand the Canadian Bail System better and to explain the newest changes to the system that the government is proposing. We also hope to provoke a discussion as to whether, when we tinker with these systems, we are really achieving the intended goals. Will the public really be safer? Are the proposed changes going to make a real difference in terms of public safety? Will there be other ramifications that might be unfortunate from a public policy perspective?

Speaker: Ingrid Hess and James Rouleau

Moderator: Violet Meekma

Ingrid Hess is a Lethbridge lawyer. She grew up on a farm in the Sunnyside area, between Lethbridge and Coaldale. She is a first generation Canadian born to a mother from the Netherlands and a father from Germany. She left the area at 19 to study at UBC and later to go on adventures around the world, living in Germany, Japan, Toronto and Montreal during her twenties. Ingrid came home to Canada to study law at the University of Calgary with the dream of doing International Human Rights law, concluding her legal studies in the Netherlands at the University of Leiden. But the draw to home was strong and once she started a family, she decided to postpone her dream. She has three sons whom she raised as a single parent. They are all now grown up.

Ingrid has practiced law in Lethbridge for 28 years, focused primarily on criminal defense work. Her most important and memorable cases involved representing people with serious intellectual disabilities in criminal cases. Her career took a detour for 7 years while she represented over 350 claimants from across Canada in the Residential School lawsuit claims process. In that process Residential School survivors participated in hearings to determine the appropriate compensation for the abuse they experienced and the harms they suffered. This work took Ingrid across Canada, including Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. This experience has shaped her as a lawyer and a human in many ways for which she is extremely grateful. In her free time Ingrid gardens, knits, walks her dog and cooks. James Rouleau is a Crown Prosecutor.

What are the likely impacts of Lethbridge & District Exhibition’s new $75 million Agri-Food Hub & Trade Centre on our local economy? With Mike Warkentin

Lethbridge & District Exhibition is a pillar in the Lethbridge community. As a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1897, it operates and maintains seventy-two acres of land on the east bank of Henderson Lake and exists to ensure that the people of Lethbridge and district have a community gathering place now and in the future at which to participate in events, conduct business, learn, and be entertained. The new 268,000 square foot Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre, one of the largest development projects in the history of Lethbridge, will serve as an economic driver of growth for Alberta’s agriculture, tourism and agri-food sectors. Once completed this Spring, the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre is expected to contribute more than $90 million annually to the regional economy.

Southern Alberta is uniquely situated in Canada’s agriculture community, with an abundance of producers, processors, commercial enterprises, and researchers in the region, which makes Lethbridge an ideal agri-tourism destination. The Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre provides a world class venue for the industry to come together in the heart of this region, while attracting provincial, national and international events to the city, which will provide a boost to restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions, and other businesses throughout the city. Today, Lethbridge & District Exhibition produces Whoop-Up Days, Ag Expo, the Lethbridge Farmers’ Market, and Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo, and is home to a wide variety of trade shows, and community events that attract nearly four hundred thousand visitors each year.

The speaker will give an update on the construction progress and visualize the numerous possibilities and opportunities Lethbridge will gain through this new venue.

Speaker: Mike Warkentin, CEO of Lethbridge & District Exhibition

Mike Warkentin joined Lethbridge & District Exhibition in 2018 as Assistant General Manager, was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2019 and was named Chief Executive Officer in May 2021.

Warkentin has spent more than a decade in corporate leadership roles through his work in economic development, venue management and major events. Mike now leads team of industry professionals as the organization prepares to open the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre this Spring.

Raised in Lethbridge, Warkentin earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Lethbridge and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from San Diego State University, where he was named Outstanding Alumnus in 2018. As an active community member, Mike is proud to make an impact across the region.

 

In addressing Lethbridge’s Homelessness and Addiction crises, what role does the SAGE Clan Patrol play? With Mark Brave Rock

Secure, Assist, Guard and Engage (SAGE) Clan is a grassroots organization that specializes in engaging those who need it the most in our community. Founded by community member Mark Brave Rock, the SAGE Clan is based upon the successful community patrol based in Winnipeg, the BEAR Clan. 

SAGE Clan patrols nightly on Mondays at 7 pm, and Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9 pm to provide snacks, lunches, water and most importantly, someone to talk to. SAGE participates in various community events and has helped addicts get help and find treatment, as well as, helping family members find their loved ones on the streets. SAGE is not a police force, nor are they addiction experts, but they seek to provide a sense of community and support to those in need. 

Many of the patrollers have good relationships with the community members that are on the streets and suffering from addiction. SAGE Clan patrols year-round and is an essential part of the bigger fight against both homelessness and addiction. The speakers will illustrate their experiences and challenges volunteering their time on the front lines of Lethbridge’s homelessness and addiction crises. 

Speaker: Mark Brave Rock, assisted by Josh Cummins and Amy Cran

Mark Brave Rock grew up in Moses Lake and went to school in Cardston. During the past 11 years of sobriety, Mark has gained knowledge and work experience with Peak Support Services (RSpace), ARCHES, 5th on 5th Employment and Support Services, as well as, Housing First, BRZ and Volunteer Lethbridge. Mark has also partnered with LPS, City Hall and the Indian Recovery Coaches program.