Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Eight Student competitors kicked off the 2011 U of L Student Speaker Challenge on January 18, 2011. Robbie Rolfe and Thomas Fox, Brittany Kocken and Taylor Webb, Channing Stenhouse and Sara Ortiz Ospina, Alex Masse and Rory Tarant competed in the preliminary rounds with Thomas Fox and Taylor Webb, Channing Stenhouse and Rory Tarant squaring off in the semifinals. A wide variety of solutions were offered, ranging from globalization to climate justice to upholding human rights and the rule of law. Acceptance and respect regarding diverse cultures was also cited as important, as was the possibility of forming a representative world governing body specifically metering out global justice. It was generally felt however, that “Global Justice” in terms of total equality among people, most likely is unachievable, not only globally, but also within nations. Speakers: Channing Stenhouse and Thomas Fox Channing Stenhouse was born in Peace River and raised with two brothers and a foster sister in McLennan, AB. In 2006 she moved to Lethbridge to study music. Since then, she has been an active member of the Lethbridge music community, and has organized several different types of benefit concerts in order to bridge the gap between music and meaningful contribution. Channing is currently in her fifth and final year of study at the U of L (Bachelor of Music program) and intends to continue her studies in conducting at the post-graduate level. Thomas Fox is a long-time Lethbridge resident. Born in Winnipeg, Thomas took some time off for traveling between high school and University. In his last semester at U of L, Thomas will only be taking one class, but will also be working on the University's first Environmental Science Honors Thesis, analyzing glacier flow dynamics using a GIS. His interests include science, music, chess, cycling and activism. Thomas is currently on the board of directors for both LPIRG and Amnesty International Lethbridge. He is planning to eventually enter grad or law school.

Eight Student competitors kicked off the 2011 U of L Student Speaker Challenge on January 18, 2011. Robbie Rolfe and Thomas Fox, Brittany Kocken and Taylor Webb, Channing Stenhouse and Sara Ortiz Ospina, Alex Masse and Rory Tarant competed in the preliminary rounds with Thomas Fox and Taylor Webb, Channing Stenhouse and Rory Tarant squaring off in the semifinals. A wide variety of solutions were offered, ranging from globalization to climate justice to upholding human rights and the rule of law. Acceptance and respect regarding diverse cultures was also cited as important, as was the possibility of forming a representative world governing body specifically metering out global justice. It was generally felt however, that “Global Justice” in terms of total equality among people, most likely is unachievable, not only globally, but also within nations. Speakers: Channing Stenhouse and Thomas Fox Channing Stenhouse was born in Peace River and raised with two brothers and a foster sister in McLennan, AB. In 2006 she moved to Lethbridge to study music. Since then, she has been an active member of the Lethbridge music community, and has organized several different types of benefit concerts in order to bridge the gap between music and meaningful contribution. Channing is currently in her fifth and final year of study at the U of L (Bachelor of Music program) and intends to continue her studies in conducting at the post-graduate level. Thomas Fox is a long-time Lethbridge resident. Born in Winnipeg, Thomas took some time off for traveling between high school and University. In his last semester at U of L, Thomas will only be taking one class, but will also be working on the University's first Environmental Science Honors Thesis, analyzing glacier flow dynamics using a GIS. His interests include science, music, chess, cycling and activism. Thomas is currently on the board of directors for both LPIRG and Amnesty International Lethbridge. He is planning to eventually enter grad or law school.

January 18 – March 15, 2011 Ballroom A in the SU building and at Andy’s Place (AH 100) University of Lethbridge The third annual Student Speaker Challenge will kick off on Tuesday, Jan. 18 with a total of eight students competing in this year’s event, addressing the question: What is global justice and how can it be achieved? The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of SACPA, LPIRG and the U of L Students Union, with financial and promotional support from the University of Lethbridge. A panel of judges will determine who wins the competition, with a prize of $500 going to the overall winner. Second place will receive $300 and $100 prizes will be awarded to the two students not advancing past semifinals. Student Speaker Challenge Preliminary Session Schedule at the University of Lethbridge is: Session 1 - Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A, Students Union Building Speakers - Robbie Rolfe and Thomas Fox Session 2 - Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A Speakers - Brittany Kocken and Taylor Webb Session 3 – Tuesday, Feb 1 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A Speakers - Channing Stenhouse and Sara Ortiz Ospina Session 4 - Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A Speakers - Alex Masse and Rory Tarant Semifinal Session Schedule Tuesday, March 1 at 4:30 p.m. in Ballroom A Tuesday, March 8 at 4:30 p.m. in Ballroom A Final Session - Tuesday, March 15 at 7 p.m. in Andy’s Place (AH100) The two Finalists will present at SACPA’s regular session, Thursday, March 17, noon-1:30 at CKC

January 18 – March 15, 2011 Ballroom A in the SU building and at Andy’s Place (AH 100) University of Lethbridge The third annual Student Speaker Challenge will kick off on Tuesday, Jan. 18 with a total of eight students competing in this year’s event, addressing the question: What is global justice and how can it be achieved? The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of SACPA, LPIRG and the U of L Students Union, with financial and promotional support from the University of Lethbridge. A panel of judges will determine who wins the competition, with a prize of $500 going to the overall winner. Second place will receive $300 and $100 prizes will be awarded to the two students not advancing past semifinals. Student Speaker Challenge Preliminary Session Schedule at the University of Lethbridge is: Session 1 - Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A, Students Union Building Speakers - Robbie Rolfe and Thomas Fox Session 2 - Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A Speakers - Brittany Kocken and Taylor Webb Session 3 – Tuesday, Feb 1 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A Speakers - Channing Stenhouse and Sara Ortiz Ospina Session 4 - Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A Speakers - Alex Masse and Rory Tarant Semifinal Session Schedule Tuesday, March 1 at 4:30 p.m. in Ballroom A Tuesday, March 8 at 4:30 p.m. in Ballroom A Final Session - Tuesday, March 15 at 7 p.m. in Andy’s Place (AH100) The two Finalists will present at SACPA’s regular session, Thursday, March 17, noon-1:30 at CKC

Alberta appears to be moving towards a serious water crisis. Climate change is causing rapid melting of the glaciers and decreasing snowpack on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, the source of most Alberta's water. Alberta has the fastest growing population in Canada and this growing population is centered in the southern most, driest region of the province. Industry and agriculture continue to thirst for more water to expand their operations; but as rivers are beginning and expected to continue to decline, the water limits are becoming evident. An Our Water Is Not For Sale (OWINF) working group came together in 2010 when it became apparent the Alberta government was planning on changing Alberta's current water allocation system to a market based system. The proposed water market system could give wealthy and powerful individuals and companies better access and control over Alberta's already over allocated water resources. OWINF believes the proposed water markets would have insufficient conservation tools and would promote the use of nearly all flowing water. Furthermore, the market system gives those with the most money such as industry, including oil and gas explorations and large-scale agriculture, the ability to compete with municipalities for water. This could leave rivers and streams with very limited amounts of clean water flow. Speakers: Julia Dalman and Kevin Force Julia Dalman is currently the Environmental Intern for Public Interest Alberta working on the Our Water Is Not For Sale campaign. She has a Bsc with a major in Biology and a minor in International studies from the University of Alberta. Julia believes in community engagement and volunteer work and has a passion for gardening and cooking food believing it to be a 'gateway drug' to community engagement and activism. At U of A, Julia became a volunteer with the Sexual Assault Center on campus and is still involved now. She is also part of a youth leadership program called Next Up. Kevin Force is a water educator for the Sierra Club. Kevin has been active in student politics with the Council of Canadians University of Alberta Chapter helping to build awareness and advocacy for progressive energy, trade and water policies. Passionate about environmental and social justice, Kevin is taking his talents and expertise to community groups in Alberta, building awareness about OWINF network and how water in Alberta is affected by climate change, over-allocation and pollution, while advocating for provincial protection that prioritize water rights for human needs and future generations. He has his Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and a Certificate of Globalization and Governance from the University of Alberta.

Alberta appears to be moving towards a serious water crisis. Climate change is causing rapid melting of the glaciers and decreasing snowpack on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, the source of most Alberta's water. Alberta has the fastest growing population in Canada and this growing population is centered in the southern most, driest region of the province. Industry and agriculture continue to thirst for more water to expand their operations; but as rivers are beginning and expected to continue to decline, the water limits are becoming evident. An Our Water Is Not For Sale (OWINF) working group came together in 2010 when it became apparent the Alberta government was planning on changing Alberta's current water allocation system to a market based system. The proposed water market system could give wealthy and powerful individuals and companies better access and control over Alberta's already over allocated water resources. OWINF believes the proposed water markets would have insufficient conservation tools and would promote the use of nearly all flowing water. Furthermore, the market system gives those with the most money such as industry, including oil and gas explorations and large-scale agriculture, the ability to compete with municipalities for water. This could leave rivers and streams with very limited amounts of clean water flow. Speakers: Julia Dalman and Kevin Force Julia Dalman is currently the Environmental Intern for Public Interest Alberta working on the Our Water Is Not For Sale campaign. She has a Bsc with a major in Biology and a minor in International studies from the University of Alberta. Julia believes in community engagement and volunteer work and has a passion for gardening and cooking food believing it to be a 'gateway drug' to community engagement and activism. At U of A, Julia became a volunteer with the Sexual Assault Center on campus and is still involved now. She is also part of a youth leadership program called Next Up. Kevin Force is a water educator for the Sierra Club. Kevin has been active in student politics with the Council of Canadians University of Alberta Chapter helping to build awareness and advocacy for progressive energy, trade and water policies. Passionate about environmental and social justice, Kevin is taking his talents and expertise to community groups in Alberta, building awareness about OWINF network and how water in Alberta is affected by climate change, over-allocation and pollution, while advocating for provincial protection that prioritize water rights for human needs and future generations. He has his Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and a Certificate of Globalization and Governance from the University of Alberta.

The Tea Party is an American populist political movement, which is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009. Reduced government spending, opposition to taxation in varying degrees, reduction of the national debt and federal budget deficit are on the Tea Party’s agenda, as is adherence to an originalist interpretation of the United States Constitution. The name "Tea Party" is a reference to the Boston Tea Party, a protest by colonists who objected to a British tax on tea in 1773 and demonstrated by dumping British tea taken from docked ships into the harbor. The present Tea Party movement in the US arose seemingly out of nowhere. Yet within two years, it moved from being a fringe right-wing movement to one of some prominence. What is the Tea Party movement really aiming to achieve? Who are its supporters? Is it an Astroturf or a grassroots movement? What was its real impact on the 2010 American midterm-elections? Is there the chance of a comparable movement in Canada? These are a few of the questions examined in this talk. Speaker: Trevor Harrison Trevor Harrison is a Professor of Sociology and Associate Director of the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economics at the University of Lethbridge. In 1996, he also co-founded Parkland Institute at the University of Alberta. Trevor is best known for his studies in political sociology, political economy, and public policy. In addition to numerous journal articles and book chapters, Trevor is the author, co-author, or co-editor of seven books, and a frequent contributor to public media. During the fall of 2010, he was a visiting Fulbright Research Chair at Kennesaw State University in Georgia.

The Tea Party is an American populist political movement, which is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009. Reduced government spending, opposition to taxation in varying degrees, reduction of the national debt and federal budget deficit are on the Tea Party’s agenda, as is adherence to an originalist interpretation of the United States Constitution. The name "Tea Party" is a reference to the Boston Tea Party, a protest by colonists who objected to a British tax on tea in 1773 and demonstrated by dumping British tea taken from docked ships into the harbor. The present Tea Party movement in the US arose seemingly out of nowhere. Yet within two years, it moved from being a fringe right-wing movement to one of some prominence. What is the Tea Party movement really aiming to achieve? Who are its supporters? Is it an Astroturf or a grassroots movement? What was its real impact on the 2010 American midterm-elections? Is there the chance of a comparable movement in Canada? These are a few of the questions examined in this talk. Speaker: Trevor Harrison Trevor Harrison is a Professor of Sociology and Associate Director of the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economics at the University of Lethbridge. In 1996, he also co-founded Parkland Institute at the University of Alberta. Trevor is best known for his studies in political sociology, political economy, and public policy. In addition to numerous journal articles and book chapters, Trevor is the author, co-author, or co-editor of seven books, and a frequent contributor to public media. During the fall of 2010, he was a visiting Fulbright Research Chair at Kennesaw State University in Georgia.

7:00 – 9:00 PM Lethbridge Public Library, Theatre Gallery, 810 – 5 Ave S Despite its more than 60-year history, fair trade is still a relatively new concept for many North Americans and is unfortunately often confused with free trade. However, this has begun to change according to online surveys. Consumer recognition of Fair Trade-certified labeling has increased greatly in the past few years. Awareness and understanding, however, are two different things. While more and more customers are loyal to the premise of fair trade, they don't necessarily know exactly what it involves, or that there are different "shades" of fair trading, just as there are with “green” products. Fair trade actively encourages better environmental practices, but it does not necessarily mean that the products are organic or environmentally friendly. The speaker will outline how direct fair trade is desirable, but admits that the process, which includes close work with producers to help them improve efficiency, environmental standards and other conditions, can be painstaking and difficult to articulate. However, he feels it is an important, fundamental pillar of fair trade that cannot be reduced to a formalized logo. Speaker: Stacey Toews Stacey Toews is co-founder of Level Ground Trading, a Direct Fair Trade company based out of Victoria, B.C. Since 1999, Stacey has travelled across North America educating and engaging audiences about Fair Trade, sustainability and ethical consumer choices. Stacey is passionate about social justice. He has quickly become one of Fair Trade’s leading advocates, encouraging critical and independent thought about our everyday purchases and how they affect people and communities that make the products we buy. For Toews, sustainability is based on how people relate to each other and the environment, both locally and globally. His experience with Direct Fair Trade in producer communities has shown that environmentally sound practices flourish when people can be assured their livelihoods are secure.

In the course of a week, Alberta’s political landscape changed dramatically. First, Premier Ed Stelmach announced he would not run in the next provincial election. Then David Swann, leader of the Alberta Liberal Party and leader of the Official Opposition, also announced his resignation. On the one side: a new party with a dynamic young leader is scoring high in the public opinion polls. On the other side: the two major parties in the legislature both face leadership races. And there may or may not be a new center option in the form of the Alberta Party. More than it has for decades, the political landscape appears open for major change -- but what kind of change will it be? The speaker will argue that the door is now open for a new kind of politics to emerge, a politics that reflects the demands and the priorities and the style of a new generation. In 1971, Peter Lougheed's surprise win marked the political arrival of the "Baby Boomer" generation -- but the first baby boomers turned 65 in January. The last generational shift obliterated the long-lived Social Credit party; what will the next one look like? After the upcoming leadership races and the provincial election that will probably follow in 2012, there will be new faces wall to wall -- and the odds are they will be younger faces. The critical question, the one that will drive our politics for the next decades, is how the parties -- the old ones, and the new ones just emerged or trying to emerge -- will cope with this new reality. Speaker: Peter McCormick Dr. Peter McCormick is Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Lethbridge, where he teaches Canadian Government and Politics and Constitutional Law. He holds degrees from the University of Alberta (BA 68), the University of Toronto (MA 69) and the London School of Economics (PhD 74). Dr. McCormick is heard regularly on CBC radio and is often quoted in the national news media.