Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Lethbridge homeowners may be facing an unexpected future tax hike. Cancellation of provincial grants linked to social housing will cost Lethbridge residents over $870,000 unless Alberta’s recently elected NDP government decide to reverse this shortfall. The Alberta government’s decision to download those costs on to city taxpayers came at the same time they cancelled increased funding to school boards in the province, including Lethbridge, despite increased student enrolments. The speaker will outline the many tax incentives provided to large industrial property owners that are hidden in the Province’s regulated assessment process and explain how this affects you as a taxpayer. Speaker: Stan Dilworth Stan Dilworth is currently the Manager of the Assessment and Taxation Department for the City of Lethbridge. He moved to Lethbridge in 2009 from Edmonton, his home for 35 years. He is responsible for the annual valuation of the City’s assessment base of 13.8 billion dollars and collection of the 2015 tax roll of $156.5 million. Stan has worked in the assessment field for over 30 years serving as City Assessor for Lethbridge, Edmonton and Camrose. Stan has been a member of two Alberta Urban Municipalities’ Association Task Forces on assessment and taxation issues. These task forces formulated over 50 recommendations that became the template adopted by the Province for their review of the Municipal Government Act. Stan has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto, received his assessment training through the University of Alberta extension program and holds the Accredited Municipal Assessor of Alberta professional designation with the Alberta Assessors’ Association. Moderator: Knud Petersen Date: Thursday, June 4, 2015 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 the presentation)

Lethbridge homeowners may be facing an unexpected future tax hike. Cancellation of provincial grants linked to social housing will cost Lethbridge residents over $870,000 unless Alberta’s recently elected NDP government decide to reverse this shortfall. The Alberta government’s decision to download those costs on to city taxpayers came at the same time they cancelled increased funding to school boards in the province, including Lethbridge, despite increased student enrolments. The speaker will outline the many tax incentives provided to large industrial property owners that are hidden in the Province’s regulated assessment process and explain how this affects you as a taxpayer. Speaker: Stan Dilworth Stan Dilworth is currently the Manager of the Assessment and Taxation Department for the City of Lethbridge. He moved to Lethbridge in 2009 from Edmonton, his home for 35 years. He is responsible for the annual valuation of the City’s assessment base of 13.8 billion dollars and collection of the 2015 tax roll of $156.5 million. Stan has worked in the assessment field for over 30 years serving as City Assessor for Lethbridge, Edmonton and Camrose. Stan has been a member of two Alberta Urban Municipalities’ Association Task Forces on assessment and taxation issues. These task forces formulated over 50 recommendations that became the template adopted by the Province for their review of the Municipal Government Act. Stan has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto, received his assessment training through the University of Alberta extension program and holds the Accredited Municipal Assessor of Alberta professional designation with the Alberta Assessors’ Association. Moderator: Knud Petersen Date: Thursday, June 4, 2015 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 the presentation)

SACPA in Partnership with the Lethbridge Public Library presents: To Pray or Not to Pray: What are the Ramifications of the Recent SCC Ruling on Prayers at Municipal Council Meetings? Ideally, Canada does not discriminate on grounds of religion although many people complain that it falls short in practice. In ruling against the Saguenay city council’s recitation of prayer before its meetings the Supreme Court of Canada recently declared that a religiously neutral state may not "favour or hinder any particular belief or non-belief under the guise of cultural or historical reality or heritage." Following that ruling, many municipalities have discontinued similar practices with some deciding instead to sing the national anthem or observe a moment of silence. Others continue with prayer traditions or are waiting for further reviews. The speaker will weigh in on the implications of the SCC ruling putting it in a broader context of views on the role of religion and religious tradition in Canadian society and defend the court’s opinion on the need for state neutrality in matters of religion. Speaker: Dr. James Linville Dr. Linville has been a professor of Religious Studies at the University of Lethbridge since 2002, teaching courses in Old Testament, Judaism, and Mythology. In recent years he has turned his attention to the nature of religiosity, the rise of atheist activism, and the so-called Young Earth Creationist movement. Dr. Linville graduated from the University of Alberta in 1993 with a B.A in Religious Studies, and a PhD in Hebrew and Old Testament at the University of Edinburgh in 1997. Moderator: Trevor Page Date: Tuesday, June 2, 2015 Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Location: Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery, 810 – 5th Ave. South Free admission, everyone welcome

The generational gap presents the idea that understanding between different age groups is limited due to differences in experience and language. This concept has given rise to stereotypes at both ends of the spectrum: Youth are seen as “lazy” and “unpredictable”, whereas older generations are perceived as “stubborn”, “authoritative”, and “strict”. These perceptions are counteractive to building a healthy community: They build mistrust, limit dialogue, and hinder the ability to build powerful alliances between those with experience and those with fresh ideas. Deconstructing these stereotypes would foster trusting and empowering relationships between youth and their elders; the kind of relationships which encourage sense of community, empathy, and a passion for knowledge. The speakers will discuss the disconnect between youth and the older generations, the kinds of issues this disconnect creates and the ways in which youth-focused programs, such as those at Lethbridge’s Boys & Girls Club and 5th on 5th, can help resolve them successfully. The various roles that both youth and adults can take in order to “bridge the gap” will also be analyzed. Speakers: Byron Dent, Luis Busca and TBA Byron Dent received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Lethbridge in 2013. Byron’s focus has been in community development and youth engagement. He currently sits as an advisor to the Youth Advisory Council and is the Youth Services Director at the Boys and Girls Club of Lethbridge & District. Luis Busca received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Philosophy from the University of Lethbridge in 2014; he focused in child/adolescent development and cognitive health. His current work is based on community development through youth engagement and empowerment. He is currently the Youth Services Supervisor at the Boys and Girls Club of Lethbridge & District. Moderator: Amara Matthews Date: Thursday, May 28, 2015 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 the presentation)

The generational gap presents the idea that understanding between different age groups is limited due to differences in experience and language. This concept has given rise to stereotypes at both ends of the spectrum: Youth are seen as “lazy” and “unpredictable”, whereas older generations are perceived as “stubborn”, “authoritative”, and “strict”. These perceptions are counteractive to building a healthy community: They build mistrust, limit dialogue, and hinder the ability to build powerful alliances between those with experience and those with fresh ideas. Deconstructing these stereotypes would foster trusting and empowering relationships between youth and their elders; the kind of relationships which encourage sense of community, empathy, and a passion for knowledge. The speakers will discuss the disconnect between youth and the older generations, the kinds of issues this disconnect creates and the ways in which youth-focused programs, such as those at Lethbridge’s Boys & Girls Club and 5th on 5th, can help resolve them successfully. The various roles that both youth and adults can take in order to “bridge the gap” will also be analyzed. Speakers: Byron Dent, Luis Busca and TBA Byron Dent received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Lethbridge in 2013. Byron’s focus has been in community development and youth engagement. He currently sits as an advisor to the Youth Advisory Council and is the Youth Services Director at the Boys and Girls Club of Lethbridge & District. Luis Busca received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Philosophy from the University of Lethbridge in 2014; he focused in child/adolescent development and cognitive health. His current work is based on community development through youth engagement and empowerment. He is currently the Youth Services Supervisor at the Boys and Girls Club of Lethbridge & District. Moderator: Amara Matthews Date: Thursday, May 28, 2015 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 the presentation)

Since the 1960s, religion in Canada has been viewed by most observers as in a state of decline, as seen in attendance drop-offs and organizational retrenchment. It has been widely assumed that the secularization patterns found in Western Europe and other advanced settings have taken root here, the apparent price of a country coming of age. We now know that such an interpretation has been a misreading of religious trends. A new comprehensive national survey carried out in March of this year by Angus Reid in partnership with Reginald Bibby has found that the religious situation is characterized not by relentless secularization but by polarization. A solid core of Canadians continue to embrace faith, a growing core reject it, and a sizable segment of the population locate themselves between the two inclinations. What’s more, immigration from Asian countries in particular is having a revitalizing impact on religion. By 2050, demographers tell us, the market for religion in Canada will remain significant. The good news for religious groups is that religion’s future is not in question. The sobering news is that their individual futures are anything but guaranteed. Speaker: Dr. Reginald W. Bibby Reginald Bibby holds the Board of Governors Research Chair in Sociology at the University of Lethbridge. Since the mid-1970s he has been monitoring social trends in Canada through a series of well-known national surveys of adults and young people. His findings have been widely disseminated through a large number of best-selling books, innumerable presentations, and extensive media attention. In the spring of 2016, two new books will be released, one an update on religion with UBC Press, the second a book on Canada’s Catholics that is being co-authored with Angus Reid and will be published by Novalis. Moderator: Austin Fennell Date: Thursday, May 21, 2015 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 the presentation)

Since the 1960s, religion in Canada has been viewed by most observers as in a state of decline, as seen in attendance drop-offs and organizational retrenchment. It has been widely assumed that the secularization patterns found in Western Europe and other advanced settings have taken root here, the apparent price of a country coming of age. We now know that such an interpretation has been a misreading of religious trends. A new comprehensive national survey carried out in March of this year by Angus Reid in partnership with Reginald Bibby has found that the religious situation is characterized not by relentless secularization but by polarization. A solid core of Canadians continue to embrace faith, a growing core reject it, and a sizable segment of the population locate themselves between the two inclinations. What’s more, immigration from Asian countries in particular is having a revitalizing impact on religion. By 2050, demographers tell us, the market for religion in Canada will remain significant. The good news for religious groups is that religion’s future is not in question. The sobering news is that their individual futures are anything but guaranteed. Speaker: Dr. Reginald W. Bibby Reginald Bibby holds the Board of Governors Research Chair in Sociology at the University of Lethbridge. Since the mid-1970s he has been monitoring social trends in Canada through a series of well-known national surveys of adults and young people. His findings have been widely disseminated through a large number of best-selling books, innumerable presentations, and extensive media attention. In the spring of 2016, two new books will be released, one an update on religion with UBC Press, the second a book on Canada’s Catholics that is being co-authored with Angus Reid and will be published by Novalis. Moderator: Austin Fennell Date: Thursday, May 21, 2015 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 the presentation)

Canada may not be seen as a place where widespread human rights violations against their indigenous population occur on a regular basis by the international community. However, Canada's indigenous population is arguable over-policed and under-protected with both men and women incarcerated at rates much higher than the non-indigenous population and face police violence and deaths in custody all too often. Mainstream media is no longer able to ignore the ongoing violence against indigenous people and more specifically the targeting of indigenous women, transgender and two-spirited people. The Canadian government has consistently refused demands for a public inquiry, which would acknowledge the gravity of the crisis. The speakers will argue that an inquiry could establish a public record and examine more than the root causes that are already known. An inquiry could also shed light on why many reports with hundreds of recommendations on this subject have never been acted upon. Speaker: Dr. Linda Many Guns and Lauren Crazybull Linda Many Guns received her Ph. D. from Trent University Faculty of Indigenous Sturdies in 2013. Previously, she had earned her MA at Carleton University and her BA at Saint Thomas University, New Brunswick as well as a Baccalaureate of Laws (LLB) in 1996 at Common Law University of Ottawa. Linda Many Guns has been teaching at the University of Lethbridge since 2008 in the Native American Studies Department. Her areas of expertise are: Indians & the Criminal Justice System, Native American Women, Family and Community Development, Aboriginal Law and Aboriginal Development. Lauren Crazybull is a Sociology Undergraduate at the University of Lethbridge. She has produced three audio documentaries which have aired nationally. Lauren’s focus is the intergenerational effects caused by the implementation of residential schools in Canada and the ongoing issue of violence against indigenous women. Her work on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is continuous. Date: Thursday, May 14,2015 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 the presentation)

Canada may not be seen as a place where widespread human rights violations against their indigenous population occur on a regular basis by the international community. However, Canada's indigenous population is arguable over-policed and under-protected with both men and women incarcerated at rates much higher than the non-indigenous population and face police violence and deaths in custody all too often. Mainstream media is no longer able to ignore the ongoing violence against indigenous people and more specifically the targeting of indigenous women, transgender and two-spirited people. The Canadian government has consistently refused demands for a public inquiry, which would acknowledge the gravity of the crisis. The speakers will argue that an inquiry could establish a public record and examine more than the root causes that are already known. An inquiry could also shed light on why many reports with hundreds of recommendations on this subject have never been acted upon. Speaker: Dr. Linda Many Guns and Lauren Crazybull Linda Many Guns received her Ph. D. from Trent University Faculty of Indigenous Sturdies in 2013. Previously, she had earned her MA at Carleton University and her BA at Saint Thomas University, New Brunswick as well as a Baccalaureate of Laws (LLB) in 1996 at Common Law University of Ottawa. Linda Many Guns has been teaching at the University of Lethbridge since 2008 in the Native American Studies Department. Her areas of expertise are: Indians & the Criminal Justice System, Native American Women, Family and Community Development, Aboriginal Law and Aboriginal Development. Lauren Crazybull is a Sociology Undergraduate at the University of Lethbridge. She has produced three audio documentaries which have aired nationally. Lauren’s focus is the intergenerational effects caused by the implementation of residential schools in Canada and the ongoing issue of violence against indigenous women. Her work on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is continuous. Date: Thursday, May 14,2015 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 the presentation)

The recent occurrence of some violent events in the Muslim world, as well as the involvement of Muslim individuals in some terrorist attacks in Western Europe, North America, and Australia, has raised serious questions about the ability and/or willingness of Muslims to live in peace and harmony with people of other religious backgrounds. In a rush to answer those questions, various people, both Muslim and non-Muslim, have offered responses that are overly simplistic, empirically inaccurate, and visibly biased. Some, for instance, have argued that the source of the problem should be found in the teachings of Islam, while others have argued that those committing the violent/terrorist acts are not true Muslims. In this presentation, some of these responses, and their shortcomings, will be discussed; and, an alternative perspective will be offered. Speaker: Dr. Abdie Kazemipur Abdie Kazemipur is professor of sociology at the University of Lethbridge. Previously, he served as Stephen Jarislowsky Research Chair in Culture Change at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He has also been the founding director of two Statistics Canada’s research data centres at University of Lethbridge and Memorial University. Kazemipur studies the socio-economic experiences of immigrants in Canada and the socio-cultural developments in the Middle East. Last year, the University of British Columbia Press published his latest book, The Muslim Question in Canada: A Story of Segmented Integration. Currently, he is working on a new book on religious developments in Iran. Moderator: Terry Shillington Date: Thursday, May 7, 2015 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 the presentation)