Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

A new report from the U of A’s Parkland Institute says that despite a provincial deficit, the Alberta government will forego some $55 billion in potential revenue over the next three years as a result of overly generous royalty cuts and the government’s failure to meet even the modest targets set by previous administrations. The report looks at the most recent data on profits in the oil and gas industry versus government share and determines that despite tremendous growth in the industry the share of profits to Albertans is shrinking. Alberta has gone from capturing close to 40% in 1979 to only 10% in 2009 and 13% in 2010.That is arguably all money that has gone directly from serving the public interest to serving the bottom lines of huge oil and gas corporations. Peter Lougheed set a target of capturing 35% of the revenue from oil and gas production, which his government met or exceeded. Ralph Klein lowered those targets significantly, yet in most years even failed to meet those. If Lougheed’s 35% target had prevailed, and been met, Alberta would have collected an extra $195 billion between 1971 and 2010. The current provincial budget seeks to capture only between 9% and 12% of oil and gas revenues, instead of working towards Lougheed’s target of 35% for conventional oil and gas and 25% in the tar sands, which could yield an extra $55 billion in revenues over the next three years. The speaker will argue that by properly managing oil and gas revenues in Alberta, we could quickly pay off our current deficit and begin to build a fund that would generate enough revenue to support future generations as is the case in Norway, where their Oil Fund is currently valued at around $600 billion. Speaker: David Campanella David Campanella is the Public Policy Research Manager for the Parkland Institute and is based in Calgary. In 2011, David received his Masters degree from York University where he studied environmental politics and focused on the political history of carbon capture and storage in Alberta's oil and gas industry.

April 11th from 6-8pm at the SAAG. Southern Alberta Art Gallery, The U of L Department of Political Science and Southern Alberta Council of Public Affairs is pleased to present: Art, Security and the Arctic: New Understandings A presentation by Dr. Rob Huebert, Associate Director of the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary Rob Huebert, Associate Director of the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary and professor of Political Science, will present a new outlook on arctic security at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery on April 11th. In the context of Charles Stankievech’s Over the Rainbow, Under the Radar, the newest exhibit installation in the main gallery at SAAG, Dr. Huebert will critically examine arctic security, why it is important to Canada, and it’s relevance in our contemporary world. This talk will take place Wednesday, April 11th 2012 at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Dr. Huebert will be focusing on the history of arctic security, from the DEW line – portrayed by Stenkievech in his piece DEW Project, to the current state of security in the arctic region. In his piece, Stenkievech revisits Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic radome, which in the mid-1950s was adapted to withstand the severe conditions of the North while proving electromagnetically invisible. In this context Dr. Huebert will explain the importance of northern defense lines, then and now, as well as the importance of structure in northern security. Join us April 11th at SAAG for this special evening session. Admission is free and we encourage you to view both Stenkievech’s Over the Rainbow, Under the Radar and Chris Kline’s Bright Limit in our upstairs gallery.

The business model of Canadian immigration policy has dramatically resulted in the rise of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) through a combination of federal and provincial labour migration schemes. In Alberta, TFWs even surpassed the number of “landed immigrants” in 2006. The limited work visa issued to employers, not the worker, and structural barriers in place to regulate their mobility imply that TFWs will eventually return to their home countries when labour demands decline; they have become Canada’s “disposable labour.” Or, do they really return home? International labour migration is not premised on the idea of a “holiday-cum work tour” akin to the popular western “backpacker.” After investing their own resources, the 1-2 years stint as TFW do not make sense. It is plausible that after the expiration of work permits, TFWs search for alternative routes ---the road to illegality. If TFWs are vital to the delivery of services, the choiceless workforce contributing to taxation (but cannot make demands for their own welfare), and make Canada competitive in the global stage, why not grant them independent legal status as full-fledged immigrants? Speaker: Glenda Tibe Bonifacio Dr. Glenda Tibe Bonifacio is Associate Professor in the Department of Women & Gender Studies at the University of Lethbridge. Her research focuses on gender, migration and citizenship of Filipino women, and the connections between gender, religion and migration. She is editor of the book Feminism and Migration: Cross-Cultural Engagements (2012), co-editor of the book Gender, Religion and Migration: Pathways of Integration (2010), as well as author of numerous scholarly articles.

The business model of Canadian immigration policy has dramatically resulted in the rise of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) through a combination of federal and provincial labour migration schemes. In Alberta, TFWs even surpassed the number of “landed immigrants” in 2006. The limited work visa issued to employers, not the worker, and structural barriers in place to regulate their mobility imply that TFWs will eventually return to their home countries when labour demands decline; they have become Canada’s “disposable labour.” Or, do they really return home? International labour migration is not premised on the idea of a “holiday-cum work tour” akin to the popular western “backpacker.” After investing their own resources, the 1-2 years stint as TFW do not make sense. It is plausible that after the expiration of work permits, TFWs search for alternative routes ---the road to illegality. If TFWs are vital to the delivery of services, the choiceless workforce contributing to taxation (but cannot make demands for their own welfare), and make Canada competitive in the global stage, why not grant them independent legal status as full-fledged immigrants? Speaker: Glenda Tibe Bonifacio Dr. Glenda Tibe Bonifacio is Associate Professor in the Department of Women & Gender Studies at the University of Lethbridge. Her research focuses on gender, migration and citizenship of Filipino women, and the connections between gender, religion and migration. She is editor of the book Feminism and Migration: Cross-Cultural Engagements (2012), co-editor of the book Gender, Religion and Migration: Pathways of Integration (2010), as well as author of numerous scholarly articles.

Research indicates that there is some genetic influence on male homosexuality, yet homosexual males reproduce at a fraction of the rate of heterosexual males, if at all. This raises the question as to why genes associated with male homosexuality do not become extinct? Cross-cultural research conducted in the Polynesian island nation of Samoa provides intriguing and unexpected answers to this question—answers which underscores the importance of biology and culture. Speaker: Paul L Vasey, Ph.D. Paul Vasey is a faculty member of the University of Lethbridge Psychology Department. He conducts cross-species and cross-cultural research to answer the question: If reproduction is the engine that drives evolution, why engage in non-conceptive sex? For the past decade he has conducted research on the development and evolution of female homosexual behavior in free-ranging Japanese monkeys at Arashiyama, Japan. He also studies the development and evolution male same-sex sexual attraction in humans at field sites in Samoa, Japan and Canada. Since 2003, he has worked in Samoa with members of the fa’afafine community—biological males who live “in the manner of a woman.” Dr. Vasey is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles on sexuality and gender and co-editor of the books, Animal Homosexuality: An Evolutionary Perspective (2006) and The Monkeys of Stormy Mountain: 60 Years of Primatological Research on the Monkeys of Arashiyama (2012). He has been invited to give public lectures throughout the USA, Canada, England, New Zealand, Japan and Samoa. Dr. Vasey is a member of the Editorial Board of the Archives of Sexual Behavior. His work has also been the subject of various documentaries on television (National Geographic’s Ultimate Explorer, Discovery Channel) and the radio (U.S National Public Radio, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Netherlands) and has been reported on in hundreds of newspapers and magazines such as the New York Times and The Economist. Moderator: Tad Mitsui Date: Thursday, March 29, 2012 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $10.00 (includes lunch)

Research indicates that there is some genetic influence on male homosexuality, yet homosexual males reproduce at a fraction of the rate of heterosexual males, if at all. This raises the question as to why genes associated with male homosexuality do not become extinct? Cross-cultural research conducted in the Polynesian island nation of Samoa provides intriguing and unexpected answers to this question—answers which underscores the importance of biology and culture. Speaker: Paul L Vasey, Ph.D. Paul Vasey is a faculty member of the University of Lethbridge Psychology Department. He conducts cross-species and cross-cultural research to answer the question: If reproduction is the engine that drives evolution, why engage in non-conceptive sex? For the past decade he has conducted research on the development and evolution of female homosexual behavior in free-ranging Japanese monkeys at Arashiyama, Japan. He also studies the development and evolution male same-sex sexual attraction in humans at field sites in Samoa, Japan and Canada. Since 2003, he has worked in Samoa with members of the fa’afafine community—biological males who live “in the manner of a woman.” Dr. Vasey is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles on sexuality and gender and co-editor of the books, Animal Homosexuality: An Evolutionary Perspective (2006) and The Monkeys of Stormy Mountain: 60 Years of Primatological Research on the Monkeys of Arashiyama (2012). He has been invited to give public lectures throughout the USA, Canada, England, New Zealand, Japan and Samoa. Dr. Vasey is a member of the Editorial Board of the Archives of Sexual Behavior. His work has also been the subject of various documentaries on television (National Geographic’s Ultimate Explorer, Discovery Channel) and the radio (U.S National Public Radio, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Netherlands) and has been reported on in hundreds of newspapers and magazines such as the New York Times and The Economist. Moderator: Tad Mitsui Date: Thursday, March 29, 2012 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $10.00 (includes lunch)

This year’s theme for World Water Day (March 22) is water and food security. In Alberta we do not often feel food insecure, so how does the theme of World Water Day have an impact in our world? Southern Alberta has a limited water supply for both urban and rural residents. As well, agricultural production relies heavily on irrigation, so it is essential to ensure our water is not polluted. Water pollution is a main cause of reduced water availability and can have serious impacts on the environment and on human health. The pollution can stem from inadequate rules for resource and industrial development. Increasing amounts of urban waste also compromise water quality in rivers, lakes and aquifers along with agricultural practices using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. As well, intensive livestock production impacts water resources adversely if proper practices are not followed. New, more integrated approaches to food production can substantially limit pollution. Alberta’s NDP says the heart of water policy must be to put our human and ecosystem water needs ahead of any commercial use and to ensure water is not used for private profit. The party has three main promises with respect to water in Alberta. Carry out a comprehensive water survey that documents total water availability in Alberta. Prioritize the implementation of an all inclusive wetlands protection plan and phase in mandated rules covering commercial, industrial, agricultural and residential water quality preservation and conservation best practices. Speaker: Brian Mason, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood and leader of the Alberta New Democrats Brian Mason became active in Alberta politics early on when he served as the Executive Director of the Alberta Federation of Students from 1977-1979 following his Political Science studies at the University of Alberta. For the next several years, Mason was employed by Edmonton Transit Services as a popular city bus driver. In October of 1989, Brian was elected City Councillor for Ward 3 where he remained for the next 11 years. He won a provincial by-election in Edmonton-Highlands in 2000, and was re-elected in the provincial general elections in 2001, 2004 and 2008, On July 13, 2004 Brian Mason became the Leader of Alberta's New Democrat Opposition

This year’s theme for World Water Day (March 22) is water and food security. In Alberta we do not often feel food insecure, so how does the theme of World Water Day have an impact in our world? Southern Alberta has a limited water supply for both urban and rural residents. As well, agricultural production relies heavily on irrigation, so it is essential to ensure our water is not polluted. Water pollution is a main cause of reduced water availability and can have serious impacts on the environment and on human health. The pollution can stem from inadequate rules for resource and industrial development. Increasing amounts of urban waste also compromise water quality in rivers, lakes and aquifers along with agricultural practices using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. As well, intensive livestock production impacts water resources adversely if proper practices are not followed. New, more integrated approaches to food production can substantially limit pollution. Alberta’s NDP says the heart of water policy must be to put our human and ecosystem water needs ahead of any commercial use and to ensure water is not used for private profit. The party has three main promises with respect to water in Alberta. Carry out a comprehensive water survey that documents total water availability in Alberta. Prioritize the implementation of an all inclusive wetlands protection plan and phase in mandated rules covering commercial, industrial, agricultural and residential water quality preservation and conservation best practices. Speaker: Brian Mason, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood and leader of the Alberta New Democrats Brian Mason became active in Alberta politics early on when he served as the Executive Director of the Alberta Federation of Students from 1977-1979 following his Political Science studies at the University of Alberta. For the next several years, Mason was employed by Edmonton Transit Services as a popular city bus driver. In October of 1989, Brian was elected City Councillor for Ward 3 where he remained for the next 11 years. He won a provincial by-election in Edmonton-Highlands in 2000, and was re-elected in the provincial general elections in 2001, 2004 and 2008, On July 13, 2004 Brian Mason became the Leader of Alberta's New Democrat Opposition

The fourth annual Student Speaker Challenge kicked off on Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 with a total of eight students, Stephen Graham, Michael Orr, Leslie Mahoney, Kylie Kettles, Sea Marsland, Madison Webber, Danika Jorgensen McGuire and Martin Heavy Head competing in this year’s event. Through four preliminary rounds, two semi-finals and a final, they addressed the question: “Is there a systemic crisis in the world and if so, how can it be resolved?” from a wide variety of perspectives. The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of SACPA, LPIRG and the U of L Students Union, with financial and promotional support from the U of L. Panels of judges determined the winner of the competition, which carried a prize of $500. Second place received $300 and $100 was awarded to the two students not advancing past semifinals. Book prizes have been given to all eight competitors. Speakers: Sea Marsland and Michael Orr finalists of the Student Speaker Challenge Sea Marsland is in her final year of Social Work study and plans to attend law school next year. She is a Woodlands and Plains Cree woman from northern Saskatchewan fighting for Indigenous rights. In 2011, Marsland received the Assembly of First Nations Walter Dieter Award. Only one such award is given to a student in Canada each year. Michael Orr is a fourth year political science student with an attitude. He doesn’t expect to win any popularity contests, but he strongly believes in his ideas and that truth is not a matter of consensus. As such he will be relying on the merits of his arguments rather than on the popularity of the ideas he espouses.

The fourth annual Student Speaker Challenge kicked off on Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 with a total of eight students, Stephen Graham, Michael Orr, Leslie Mahoney, Kylie Kettles, Sea Marsland, Madison Webber, Danika Jorgensen McGuire and Martin Heavy Head competing in this year’s event. Through four preliminary rounds, two semi-finals and a final, they addressed the question: “Is there a systemic crisis in the world and if so, how can it be resolved?” from a wide variety of perspectives. The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of SACPA, LPIRG and the U of L Students Union, with financial and promotional support from the U of L. Panels of judges determined the winner of the competition, which carried a prize of $500. Second place received $300 and $100 was awarded to the two students not advancing past semifinals. Book prizes have been given to all eight competitors. Speakers: Sea Marsland and Michael Orr finalists of the Student Speaker Challenge Sea Marsland is in her final year of Social Work study and plans to attend law school next year. She is a Woodlands and Plains Cree woman from northern Saskatchewan fighting for Indigenous rights. In 2011, Marsland received the Assembly of First Nations Walter Dieter Award. Only one such award is given to a student in Canada each year. Michael Orr is a fourth year political science student with an attitude. He doesn’t expect to win any popularity contests, but he strongly believes in his ideas and that truth is not a matter of consensus. As such he will be relying on the merits of his arguments rather than on the popularity of the ideas he espouses.