Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

The scientific consensus is in: man-made global warming is real and the major cause of various extreme weather events around the world. Rich countries will suffer losses worth billions and poor countries 95 percent of the deaths from worsening extreme weather and rising seas – unless urgent action is taken immediately on global warming. So says the conservative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in its November 18, 2011 Special Report approved by 194 of the world's 196 nations. To avoid irrevers-ible, catastrophic climate change, we have only five years left to act, says the conserva-tive International Energy Agency in its November 8, 2011 World Energy Outlook report. The speakers will present up-to-date video, graphics, and narrative to walk the audience through the reality and science of climate change, the denial industry, carbon dioxide reduction targets and government performance, and where we go from here. The good news: we know what needs to be done and we have the tools to do it. The presentation intends to provoke a lively audience discussion about what all of us must do to deal with this, the greatest problem humanity has ever faced. Speakers: Marian and Robin White The Whites authored the award-winning book, Wild Alberta at the Crossroads (sales exceeded 4,000 and green businesses donated copies to more than 500 schools). Their extensive travels lend a global perspective to their longtime role as providers of public environmental education. Robin (Master of Environmental Studies, York) was an award-winning City land-use planner and is a presenter for The Climate Reality Project, Canada. Marian (BSc – Geography, Toronto), an editor, manages NatureWatch Press.

The scientific consensus is in: man-made global warming is real and the major cause of various extreme weather events around the world. Rich countries will suffer losses worth billions and poor countries 95 percent of the deaths from worsening extreme weather and rising seas – unless urgent action is taken immediately on global warming. So says the conservative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in its November 18, 2011 Special Report approved by 194 of the world's 196 nations. To avoid irrevers-ible, catastrophic climate change, we have only five years left to act, says the conserva-tive International Energy Agency in its November 8, 2011 World Energy Outlook report. The speakers will present up-to-date video, graphics, and narrative to walk the audience through the reality and science of climate change, the denial industry, carbon dioxide reduction targets and government performance, and where we go from here. The good news: we know what needs to be done and we have the tools to do it. The presentation intends to provoke a lively audience discussion about what all of us must do to deal with this, the greatest problem humanity has ever faced. Speakers: Marian and Robin White The Whites authored the award-winning book, Wild Alberta at the Crossroads (sales exceeded 4,000 and green businesses donated copies to more than 500 schools). Their extensive travels lend a global perspective to their longtime role as providers of public environmental education. Robin (Master of Environmental Studies, York) was an award-winning City land-use planner and is a presenter for The Climate Reality Project, Canada. Marian (BSc – Geography, Toronto), an editor, manages NatureWatch Press.

Seeking better working conditions, representatives of all Alberta’s trade unions met, along with members of the recently (1909) formed United Farmers of Alberta (UFA), at a founding convention of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) in Lethbridge on July 14-15, 1912. The convention was chaired by Donald McNabb, a Lethbridge coal miner who had served a brief term as Alberta’s first independent labour MLA (supporting the governing Liberals). The AFL blossomed early and in 1926, they had several MLA’s elected resulting in many improvements to Alberta labour laws and the Workman’s Compensation Act, making Alberta a leader of such laws in Canada for several decades. Attacks on the Alberta labour movement since the latter part of the 1970’s and particularly through the Ralph Klein years during the 1990’s have arguably made life difficult for unions. The speaker will speculate on how unions can survive in a labour market where collective bargaining is under threat in Alberta and generally throughout North America. Will the many achievements labour has gained over the past 100 years continue to be at risk? Speaker: Winston Gereluk Winston Gereluk worked for the Alberta Federation of Labour and the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees in Canada in the areas of research, education and public relations for over 25 years. In 1999, he moved to Athabasca University, where he served as Academic Coordinator for Industrial Relations & Human Resources programs until his retirement in 2009. Winston has represented the international trade union movement at United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and currently represents them on a Stakeholder Council of the Global Reporting Initiative, which meets in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Gereluk has a Masters Degree in Educational Philosophy and is a member of the Alberta Labour History Institute, Greenpeace and the editorial board of Athabasca University Press. He has written articles and chapters on labour and the environment, industrial relations and sustainable development for a number of periodicals and textbook publishers. Winston currently also serves as Chair of Project 2012 and Coordinator of the Alberta Federation of Labour’s Centennial Celebration.

Seeking better working conditions, representatives of all Alberta’s trade unions met, along with members of the recently (1909) formed United Farmers of Alberta (UFA), at a founding convention of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) in Lethbridge on July 14-15, 1912. The convention was chaired by Donald McNabb, a Lethbridge coal miner who had served a brief term as Alberta’s first independent labour MLA (supporting the governing Liberals). The AFL blossomed early and in 1926, they had several MLA’s elected resulting in many improvements to Alberta labour laws and the Workman’s Compensation Act, making Alberta a leader of such laws in Canada for several decades. Attacks on the Alberta labour movement since the latter part of the 1970’s and particularly through the Ralph Klein years during the 1990’s have arguably made life difficult for unions. The speaker will speculate on how unions can survive in a labour market where collective bargaining is under threat in Alberta and generally throughout North America. Will the many achievements labour has gained over the past 100 years continue to be at risk? Speaker: Winston Gereluk Winston Gereluk worked for the Alberta Federation of Labour and the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees in Canada in the areas of research, education and public relations for over 25 years. In 1999, he moved to Athabasca University, where he served as Academic Coordinator for Industrial Relations & Human Resources programs until his retirement in 2009. Winston has represented the international trade union movement at United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and currently represents them on a Stakeholder Council of the Global Reporting Initiative, which meets in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Gereluk has a Masters Degree in Educational Philosophy and is a member of the Alberta Labour History Institute, Greenpeace and the editorial board of Athabasca University Press. He has written articles and chapters on labour and the environment, industrial relations and sustainable development for a number of periodicals and textbook publishers. Winston currently also serves as Chair of Project 2012 and Coordinator of the Alberta Federation of Labour’s Centennial Celebration.

When the Lethbridge School District Board of Trustees approved the 2011/12 updated budget, it reflected the final student enrolment as of September 30, 2011 and the additional funding provided for by Alberta Education this past October when Premier Alison Redford restored $107 million to school boards province wide, approximately 60% of the amount that was reduced in the government’s spring budget. Arguably, funding for public services in Alberta has been somewhat dependent on the boom and bust cycles of the oil and gas industry over the past many years. School boards would prefer predictable funding, but often find themselves having to cut staff, resulting in increased class sizes, when provincial resource revenues are lagging. The speaker will communicate how budgetary restraints have been applied and speculate on remedies that could stabilize future education funding in Alberta. As well, he will touch upon some general initiatives and challenges in the Lethbridge School District, such as an initiative to enhance instruction in order to increase student engagement and provide support for all students as an identified ‘Change Agent’ jurisdiction in the province’s Action on Inclusion initiative. Increased diversity of student demographics and the need to include other agencies to provide ‘wrap around services’ for students and their families, will also be discussed. Speaker: Barry Litun - Superintendent, Lethbridge School District No. 51 Barry Litun serves as the Superintendent for Lethbridge School District, a position he has held since 2006. Lethbridge School District has nineteen schools with 8700 students from Pre-School to Grade 12. Barry has been a teacher and administrator in Alberta throughout his career; previously in Red Deer, Whitecourt and Lamont. He has also taught courses for Red Deer College and City University. As the College of Alberta School Superintendents Past President for 2011/12, Barry Litun is completing a four year term on the provincial CASS Executive. He has completed a three year term on the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, is a member of the Chamber’s Tourism Committee and is the chair of the Rotary District 5360 scholarship committee

When the Lethbridge School District Board of Trustees approved the 2011/12 updated budget, it reflected the final student enrolment as of September 30, 2011 and the additional funding provided for by Alberta Education this past October when Premier Alison Redford restored $107 million to school boards province wide, approximately 60% of the amount that was reduced in the government’s spring budget. Arguably, funding for public services in Alberta has been somewhat dependent on the boom and bust cycles of the oil and gas industry over the past many years. School boards would prefer predictable funding, but often find themselves having to cut staff, resulting in increased class sizes, when provincial resource revenues are lagging. The speaker will communicate how budgetary restraints have been applied and speculate on remedies that could stabilize future education funding in Alberta. As well, he will touch upon some general initiatives and challenges in the Lethbridge School District, such as an initiative to enhance instruction in order to increase student engagement and provide support for all students as an identified ‘Change Agent’ jurisdiction in the province’s Action on Inclusion initiative. Increased diversity of student demographics and the need to include other agencies to provide ‘wrap around services’ for students and their families, will also be discussed. Speaker: Barry Litun - Superintendent, Lethbridge School District No. 51 Barry Litun serves as the Superintendent for Lethbridge School District, a position he has held since 2006. Lethbridge School District has nineteen schools with 8700 students from Pre-School to Grade 12. Barry has been a teacher and administrator in Alberta throughout his career; previously in Red Deer, Whitecourt and Lamont. He has also taught courses for Red Deer College and City University. As the College of Alberta School Superintendents Past President for 2011/12, Barry Litun is completing a four year term on the provincial CASS Executive. He has completed a three year term on the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, is a member of the Chamber’s Tourism Committee and is the chair of the Rotary District 5360 scholarship committee

With a provincial election imminent, the leader of the official provincial opposition will suggest and discuss the changes we arguably need in Alberta if we are to meet the challenges facing us on many fronts. From health care, education and social services to balancing economic development with growing concerns about the environment and clean water security, the speaker will offer solutions. Speaker: Dr. Raj Sherman, Leader of Alberta’s Official Opposition Dr. Raj Sherman was elected to his first term as a Member of the Alberta Legislative Assembly for Edmonton-Meadowlark on March 3, 2008. He served as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health and Wellness from March 2, 2008, to November 22, 2010. In September 2011 he became Leader of the Alberta Liberal Party and the Official Opposition. Dr. Sherman completed his medical studies at the University of Alberta, and after obtaining his MD from the Faculty of Medicine, he specialized in family and emergency medicine. During his medical career he served as a STARS flight physician, as president of the section of emergency medicine for the Alberta Medical Association (AMA), and as a member of the AMA Health Issues Council. Active in his community, Dr. Sherman is a director of the Society for Helping Lives in Poverty, a past member of the McKernan housing community, and a soccer and basketball coach. He also runs a small construction business designing and building custom-made homes. Dr. Sherman is a clinical lecturer at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Medicine and a past member of the University of Alberta Senate. He continues to be a keynote speaker and panelist at national health conferences. Among his many professional accomplishments Dr. Sherman received a gold pin for his service with STARS, a bronze medal from the Lifesaving Society Alberta and Northwest Territories, and the Alan Drummond advocacy award from the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. In July 2011 he was voted one of the 50 most influential Albertans by Alberta Venture magazine. Dr Sherman continues to practice emergency medicine on weekends in Edmonton, Alberta.

What started twenty plus years ago as a regional eco-gastronomic movement in northern Italy has grown to become a world wide peaceful revolution for change with over 100,000 members in 160 countries. To quote founder Carlo Petrini: “Human greed has destroyed our soil fertility, water, biodiversity. The Earth is not an infinite resource. We need to strengthen the true drivers of sustainable farming, small and medium sized farmers.” Petrini argues that the key to changing the way we produce food is through “glocal” action – linking up local initiatives using technology to create a global force, the “multi-nationals for tomorrow.” Slow Food Southern Alberta is committed to educate people about traditional and wholesome means of food production. Slow Food connects producers and co-producers; educates consumers, including children, through tasting workshops and community gardens; and help to protect biodiversity by providing better knowledge of and control over what we eat and how it is produced. Speaker: Jacqueline L. Chalmers Jacqueline Chalmers is the founder and president of Slow Food Southern Alberta. She was chosen to attend the international conference of Slow Food – “Terra Madre” in 2010 in Turin, Italy. Six thousand people from all over the world attended; workshops and seminars were translated into six languages, making it feel like United Nations of Food. The conference fuelled her on-going passion to do the utmost to protect and respect Mother Earth thus ensuring that everyone in the world has access to good, clean, fair food. Jackie and her family live west of Claresholm on the historic New Oxley Ranche. They raise garlic commercially and their produce can be found in all Calgary Co-ops and is served in many of the restaurants in southern Alberta that feature local producers.

What started twenty plus years ago as a regional eco-gastronomic movement in northern Italy has grown to become a world wide peaceful revolution for change with over 100,000 members in 160 countries. To quote founder Carlo Petrini: “Human greed has destroyed our soil fertility, water, biodiversity. The Earth is not an infinite resource. We need to strengthen the true drivers of sustainable farming, small and medium sized farmers.” Petrini argues that the key to changing the way we produce food is through “glocal” action – linking up local initiatives using technology to create a global force, the “multi-nationals for tomorrow.” Slow Food Southern Alberta is committed to educate people about traditional and wholesome means of food production. Slow Food connects producers and co-producers; educates consumers, including children, through tasting workshops and community gardens; and help to protect biodiversity by providing better knowledge of and control over what we eat and how it is produced. Speaker: Jacqueline L. Chalmers Jacqueline Chalmers is the founder and president of Slow Food Southern Alberta. She was chosen to attend the international conference of Slow Food – “Terra Madre” in 2010 in Turin, Italy. Six thousand people from all over the world attended; workshops and seminars were translated into six languages, making it feel like United Nations of Food. The conference fuelled her on-going passion to do the utmost to protect and respect Mother Earth thus ensuring that everyone in the world has access to good, clean, fair food. Jackie and her family live west of Claresholm on the historic New Oxley Ranche. They raise garlic commercially and their produce can be found in all Calgary Co-ops and is served in many of the restaurants in southern Alberta that feature local producers.

The speaker will offer a glimpse behind the curtains, into the world of your investments as well as public money entrusted to governments, pension funds and institutions. We will hear how millions of dollars can be diverted from your pockets and your governments, into the hands of others and how self regulation can lead to decriminalization. Do investment regulators work for the public, or against? What about the police? Your Government? The speaker will look at conditions that come together to allow perfect financial crimes to occur with you as the unknowing victim. Are you as safe in Canada as you are told? Is there an intentional focus on criminal enforcement for the poor and the middle class, while deliberately ignoring crimes of the rich? What if your governments were aiding the criminally rich and privileged, by focusing 99.9% of crime effort on the rest? Are there any provisions in the recent Omnibus Crime Bill dealing with financial and White Collar crime? 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. He works today writing, speaking and coaching Canadians on how to create safe and honest treatment for investors. He produced a documentary film to benefit investors, legislators and those who investigate financial crime. Larry is the founder and executive director of a web forum dedicated to revealing predatory practices and has appeared in two CTV W5 investigative reports on investment malpractice. He has also participated on CBC news programs, and as a witness in Ottawa to the Standing Committee on Finance on the ABCP sub prime mortgage crisis, April 10, 2008, and the Standing Committee On Justice and Human Rights hearings on Enhanced Criminal Charges for Financial Fraud, (Bill C52, C21) December 9, 2009.