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

Deciphering the Entrails of the 2024 US Presidential Election.

Thursday, December 19, 2024 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Dr. Trevor Harrison

This talk will focus on who voted and why. It will dispel several interpretations of the outcome. It concludes that the election is best seen as a reflection of a crisis facing the American political and party systems. Speaker: Trevor Harrison Trevor W. Harrison is a retired professor of Sociology at the University of Lethbridge. He was formerly Director of Parkland Institute (2011-2021) and a member of both the Canadian political science and sociology associations.

Why the change from Lethbridge College to Lethbridge Polytechnic?

Thursday, January 9, 2025 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Dr. Brad Donaldson, Lethbridge Polytechnic president and chief executive officer

What is the difference between a college and a polytechnic and how long has this change been in the works? How much will this change cost and will it change the funding the institution receives from the Government of Alberta? Other changes at Lethbridge Polytechnic will be addressed by the speaker - among them, what does it mean for applied research and will programs be modified from present teaching methods? For example, will more programs be compatible - and or transferable with the University of Lethbridge?

Can Alberta rice fields be engineered to supply us with novel proteins?

Thursday, January 16, 2025 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Illimar Altosaar, CEO of Proteins Easy Corp.

Our human body comprises 20,000 different essential proteins, each made up of a unique sequence of amino acids, unique in length, composition and three-dimensional structure. If our genome, or epigenome, fails to nourish us with one or more of our own proteins, say insulin, to whom do we turn in order to acquire such essential biomedical proteins or biologics? If our industries require biocatalysts like food processing enzymes or biomaterial proteins such as silk, how easily could our Prairies produce such otherwise expensive and exclusive proteins?

How can we make a difference in our community with evidence-based public safety projects?

Thursday, January 23, 2025 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Dr. Kirsten Fantazir, President’s Applied Research Chair in Public Safety and Dr. Jami Albright-Tolman, Principle Investigator, Researcher and Faculty, Lethbridge Polytechnic

Lethbridge Polytechnics’s Centre for Public Safety Applied Research (CPSAR) has been embracing Klose’s (2024) re-definition of evidence-based policing approach that entails decision-making, “which integrates the best available evidence, professional judgement and community values, preferences and circumstances”. CPSAR currently supports over 14 different research projects, 15 researchers, 14 student researchers that involve meaningful collaborations with over 28 Canadian policing, public safety, academic, and community partners across five provinces. We hope to share the benefits and potential of using “research-informed, practitioner-centred, and community-oriented” (Klose, 2024) evidence-based policing practices overall.

Recent Sessions

Recent Sessions

How can we get Public Education back on track?

Thursday, December 12, 2024 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Kevin McBeath, Danielle Gareau and Derek Resler

Nothing is more important to Albertans than our kids, but too many are struggling. Teachers and parents both know our schools don’t have the support kids need. Alberta’s per-student spending on education is the lowest in the country. Teachers are leaving the profession, kids are falling behind, and parents are worried. We can make things better, by investing in smaller classes, more support in classrooms, and manageable workloads to be able to recruit, retain, and respect professionals in public education.

Downtown fire safety and what is everyone's role in fire prevention?

Thursday, December 5, 2024 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Troy Hicks, Chief Fire Marshal

There has been a recent spike in downtown fires. The speaker will discuss why fire prevention is essential, how we can minimize fire risks and hazards, and the importance of regular checks and maintenance. Speaker: Troy Hicks, Chief Fire Marshal, Lethbridge Fire & Emergency Services Mr Hicks has been with the Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services Fire Prevention Bureau for 13 years and has been the Chief Fire Marshal since Feb of 2024.

How important is independent mobility for children?

Thursday, November 28, 2024 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Dr. Richard Larouche, Associate Professor of Public Health at the University of Lethbridge

Parents today likely won’t be surprised to know their children have far less freedom to travel in their neighbourhoods than they did. But what they might not know is how that could affect their children’s physical activity and mental health. Most children and adolescents worldwide are not active enough to obtain optimal benefits for health and development. Among the many factors associated with physical activity, children’s independent mobility (CIM), which is their freedom to roam and explore their neighbourhood without adult supervision, is gaining increasing attention.

After 106 years, how do diversification and self-sufficiency keep the Wilson Hutterite Colony viable?

Thursday, November 21, 2024 12:00 PM

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Paul Wurz

The Wilson Hutterite Colony has been in existence in its present location since 1918 when the original settlers arrived from North Dakota. Originally they came from Europe where people in parts of Austria speak a language similar to theirs even now. Today there are 128 people residing on the colony, located south of Coaldale. The successful farming operation includes livestock and poultry production as well as beautifully crafted goods for colony use sold both locally and even internationally.
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