SACPA acknowledges that our events takes place on the lands of the Blackfoot People and Metis Nation of Alberta, Region lll and we pay respect to their past, present and future cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship to the land. SACPA commits to assist reconciliation efforts by raising awareness of the ways past and present injustices can be reconciled.

Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) was founded in 1967. It is an independent forum, moderated by volunteers, meeting Thursdays at noon some 40 weeks a year and at occasional special sessions, to debate local, provincial, national, and international issues of concern to the residents of Lethbridge and Southern Alberta.

SACPA sessions are at the LSCO (Lethbridge Senior Citizen Organization) at 500 11 St. S. Lethbridge, lunch at 11:30 am, speaker 12:00 to 1:00 and made available on our YouTube channel for viewing and you are invited to explore them on our YouTube channel.

The rationale of the Council is that the strength of a political democracy is lodged in the freedom of citizens to assemble and freely discuss ideas and issues. SACPA seeks to promote a sense of community and citizenship amongst the public. It is strictly non-partisan in its political outlook and encourages the expression of divergent viewpoints. SACPA does not take sides on the issues debated at its sessions. The opinions expressed by speakers are their own and are not necessarily shared by the Board of Directors.

Upcoming Sessions

Upcoming Sessions

Everyone Loves Bumblebees: Are They a Beneficial and At-Risk Species?

Thursday, March 26, 2026 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Chantel Youmans and Rachel Morris

The first hints of spring bring the promise of warmer days with wildflowers and their pollinating co-workers. Here in Alberta, some of the first pollinators to emerge for the year are the charismatic, fuzzy bumble bees that many of us love so dearly. Their cheerful buzzing goes hand-in-hand with the bright green of new leaves and the promise of garden tomatoes soon to come. Insects like bumble bees are at the heart of a functioning environment, enabling many of the processes that keep an ecosystem healthy.

Should we worry about the growing tensions between Taiwan and mainland China?

Thursday, April 2, 2026 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Peter Casurella

As of March 2026, the rising tensions between Taiwan and mainland China are arguably a significant cause for international concern, regarded by analysts as a primary flashpoint for potential global conflict. While experts generally stop short of predicting an imminent full-scale invasion, the risk of miscalculation is rising due to increased military activity, “gray-zone” coercion, and strained US-China relations. The US war with Iran could also significantly increase tensions between Taiwan and mainland China, primarily by creating a strategic diversion that may embolden Beijing.

How did a Potato Farmer from Chin, AB end up on the Agenda in Davos, Switzerland?

Thursday, April 16, 2026 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Chris Perry

An Alberta farmer represented Canadian agriculture at the World Economic Forum. Chris Perry, a potato farmer from Chin, east of Coaldale, received an invitation from PepsiCo to participate in the January 2026 event in Davos, Switzerland. While in Davos, the fourth-generation farmer participated in two sessions. One was the “Partners in Possibility: Collaborating for Resilient Food Systems” panel, with representatives from PepsiCo, banking, and other industries. That discussion focused on how collaboration among farmers, brands, finance, and policy can move solutions from pilots to true infrastructure.

Why Is Coal Mining in the Eastern Slopes a Concern? Insights on Ecological Effects of Coal Development

Thursday, April 30, 2026 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Lorne Fitch, Professional Biologist

Evidence indicates that the environmental impacts of coal development are negative and incapable of being effectively dealt with by mitigation, compensation, or reclamation. There are significant legacy issues from the existing footprint of coal development and there is no compelling evidence that future coal development will provide any different outcomes. The speaker will argue that more coal development will create more environmental problems. Avoidance of serious, lingering environmental problems will only be achieved by an end to coal development in the Eastern Slopes.

Russian Olive - How Should We Manage This Beautiful Invader?

Thursday, May 7, 2026 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Kelly Cooley, CoolPro Solutions

Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to Eurasia introduced to North America in the late 19th century to serve colonizing families as windbreaks to help stem soil erosion. In the 20th and 21st century, Russian Olive became more valued as an ornamental species, and for game bird sport hunters on otherwise vast treeless prairie areas. While Russian Olive has some traditional medicinal and culinary uses in its native Eurasian range, it is now widely considered an aggressive invasive species, particularly in the Western U.

How Can Everyday Observation Become Conservation Action?

Thursday, May 28, 2026 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Brook Skagen, P.Biol., RTAg., AWB®, Owner and Principal Ecologist of Larkfir Conservation Services

Southern Alberta’s grasslands are among the most biodiverse and most endangered ecosystems in the world. Yet they are often perceived as familiar, quiet, or even unremarkable. In landscapes like these, ecological change can unfold gradually and largely unnoticed, allowing species and habitats to decline without broad public awareness. This presentation explores how everyday observation plays a critical role in conservation. Using a local example from southern Alberta, the talk introduces the foundations of ecology, the study of living things and their interactions, and demonstrates how small, consistent acts of noticing can reveal meaningful ecological patterns.

Recent Sessions

Recent Sessions

What Is the Workers’ Agenda — and Why Does It Matter for Alberta?

Thursday, March 19, 2026 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Gil McGowan, Pres., Alberta Federation of Labour

What is the Workers’ Agenda — and why does it matter for Alberta? Developed by labour organizations and community partners, the Workers’ Agenda is a policy platform that focuses on building an economy that works for everyone. It highlights priorities such as good jobs, fair wages, affordable housing, strong public services, workplace safety, and democratic accountability. In this presentation, Gil McGowan, will outline the key ideas behind the Workers’ Agenda and discuss how these proposals aim to address the economic challenges facing working people in Alberta today.

Canada in the Age of Thugs?

Thursday, March 12, 2026 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Dr. Trevor Harrison

In January Prime Minister Carney spoke at Davos of a rupture in the world order, a transition from rules-based relations to one in which great powers act without constraint against weaker countries. He might have said that the world was now ruled by Mafioso thugs. Canada, particularly, has faced the brunt of Donald Trump’s thuggery. But is the current order that much different than what came before? And if it has changed, why has it changed?
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