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.
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.
SACPA is a not-for-profit society and a volunteer Board of Directors manage its affairs with the assistance of six Standing Committees. To contact any member of the Board of Directors please email info@sacpa.ca.
SACPA is supported by the University of Lethbridge, where special sessions and speaker competitions are held, often organized in collaboration with the ULSU, LPIRG and the Campus Collective Centre.
All sessions are open to the public and media. Rogers TV broadcast SACPA’s regular Thursday session every week. Lethbridge Herald report on nearly all SACPA sessions and other local media regularly interview speakers.