Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

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 be...

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 phys...

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...

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 sa...

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 ente...

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, w...

Histories of vaccination often begin in the late 18th century, with Dr. Edward Jenner and a milkmaid.  But there was an earlier practice (variolation) in which samples of smallpox from (what were believed to be) less deadly outbreaks were used to protect patients against more severe versions of the disease.  It involved either scratching material from smallpox ‘pustules’ onto the skin or inhaling...

A tribute to a World War I Warrior. The presentation will provide an example of racism that was wrong then and continues to be wrong today …… high and unequivocal praise for Mike Mountain Horse, an inspiring and courageous Warrior who was buried for four days and wounded three times in World War I. After his service, he was elected a minor chief of his tribal Nation and elected a president of a Le...

In January 2023, I presented the State of The City at the Chamber of Commerce breakfast. At the upcoming SACPA meeting I would like to provide you updates on many of the key topics we identified. There have been great strides forward in some areas, work to be done in others. Topics highlighted will range from homelessness to green bins. We will touch on issues like community safety, the electoral...

Following the 2019 provincial election win by the United Conservative Party (UCP), leader Jason Kenney, became Premier of Alberta. Since then, the province has arguably been in some kind of crisis mode ranging from financial woes to COVID 19 controversy (“Best Summer Ever”) to fights with doctors, nurses and Ottawa to name a few. Adding fuel to the fire, Alberta went through a leadership change in...

In February 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Carter v. Canada that parts of the Criminal Code would need to change to satisfy the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The parts that prohibited medical assistance in dying would no longer be valid. The Supreme Court gave the government until June 6, 2016, to create a new law. In June 2016, the Parliament of Canada passed federal legisl...

The Galt Museum & Archives | Akaisamitohkanao’pa, in partnership with Lethbridge College, Reconciliation Lethbridge, Lethbridge Historical Society and the City of Lethbridge Indigenous Relations Office, are embarking on a project that will focus on and highlight Niitsitapi knowledge and perspectives of the event. We believe this project will continue efforts toward reconciliation and relationship...

Concerns have been raised about the fragmentation of the management of Alberta’s fish and wildlife resources to separate departments and non-government agencies. Questions will be raised on how effective fish and wildlife management and conservation will happen, in such a fractured way. Risks to an important resource, a provincial treasure, will be explored. What is happening, how might these chan...

Social prescribing is a means for health-care providers to connect patients to a range of non-clinical services in the community, in order to improve their health and well-being. As opposed to simply treating symptoms, social prescribing may help to address the underlying causes of patients’ health and well-being challenges. Ideally, social prescribing is a more holistic approach to health care, w...

Most of the global population recognizes we are in an accelerating transition to sustainable societies and environments. But what will that look like? Will life be more challenging; more comfortable; perhaps a combination? Dr. Byrne will discuss the society of the future. What do we have to do with energy and sustainability to achieve reasonably stable regional and global environments. Speaker: Ja...

An on-reserve police service presents with many challenges, including funding, staffing, and retention. The First Nation members themselves face particular challenges as well as non-challenges. Non-First Nation officers have their own unique challenges, as well as the “culture shock” that accompanies policing a First Nation area. Our presenters will touch on all of these issues based on their own...

A NDP majority was elected in 2015, and then in 2019 enough people voted for the UCP to give them a majority. Elections in different jurisdictions have shown that after each opposite direction election, many voters are left hanging with no home. Recent polls have shown that the UCP is having a hard time keeping voters, but not all are ready to vote NDP, so where do they go? The speaker will conten...

The City of Lethbridge and Blood Tribe Department of Health (BTDH) signed a Shelter lease agreement starting Jan 1, 2023 at the location of the former Lethbridge Shelter and Stabilization Centre on 2 Avenue North. The speaker will give some background info on how this agreement came to be, followed by an account of the current Shelter situation and the overall continuum of care plan and vision by...

Some people may be under the impression that with the Paris Accord of 2015, and subsequent agreements made at a series of “Conference of the Parties” (COP) meetings, the problem of climate change is well on its way to being solved. Unfortunately, nothing could be farther from the truth. I will summarize some recent scientific findings that everyone needs to know about and discuss their implication...

Mr. Schow will give some insight into the provincial budget for 2023, and recap important provincial investments over the last 3 years. Speaker: HONOURABLE JOSEPH SCHOW, ECA Minister Without Portfolio, Government House Leader, United Conservative Caucus, MLA for Cardston-Siksika Moderator: Bev Muendel- Atherstone Joseph Schow was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing the con...

With an Alberta election on the way this spring, Rachel Notley and Alberta’s NDP are promising to be a stable, caring, and competent government, focused on addressing the issues that matter to Lethbridge like lowering the cost of living and rebuilding public health care. With Danielle Smith’s government in a state of chaos, MLA Shannon Phillips will provide an alternative vision for a stronger Let...

An account of what was learned about city finances and financial oversight during 8 years of service on Lethbridge City Council will be presented. Speaker: Chris Spearman, Former Mayor of Lethbridge Moderator: Mark Goettel Chris Spearman was a Lethbridge resident from 1981 to 2022. He had more than 40 years ofbusiness experience, including 33 years as Manager of Accounting and Administration at th...

Find out why the Village Stirling embarked on a journey to net zero with the deployment of community-owned solar microgeneration beginning in 2018. More importantly, learn about this southern Alberta community’s plans to continue its leadership in energy sustainability and financial responsibility. The Village of Stirling is one of just three communities in Canada designated as a National Historic...

Christian churches faced several significant challenges in the Covid-19 pandemic to attend to the spiritual needs of our community, and their post-crisis recovery continues to be very rocky.  This discussion will explore the various obstacles faith communities have faced since 2020, how they navigated those obstacles, and new pressures they are now facing.  Speaker:    Reverend Taylor Croissant Mo...

Lethbridge Housing Authority – building healthy families and sustainable communities with appropriate and affordable homes. Lethbridge Housing Authority (LHA) is a Housing Management body established by Ministerial Order in 1995. Its purpose is to provide affordable housing to seniors, individuals and families through the operations and administration of funding and properties owned by the Provinc...