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Boutilier kicks off SACPA |
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Written by Dave Mabell Lethbridge Herald
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Sunday, 20 September 2009 |
It’s 42 years young, and it’s still growing.
The Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs kicks off its latest season Thursday in a familiar location. It’s first speaker, deposed Conservative MLA Guy Boutilier, is expected to offer a few choice words on the leadership style shown by Premier Ed Stelmach.
As before, that noon-hour session will be held at Country Kitchen Catering — on the lower level of The Keg, formerly Ericksen’s. But Knud Petersen says the group is continuing to reach out into the community to involve more people.
“It’s probably time for SACPA to re-invent itself,” says Petersen, chair of this year’s 12-member board. “We should build on our success.”
One of those successes last year, he says, was a series of student debates at the University of Lethbridge. SACPA has held a number of regular sessions there — a speaker, lunch and then a question period — but Petersen says these were head-to-head debates on issues of the day.
“The Students’ Union was very much on board,” he says, and the Lethbridge Public Interest Group was supportive as well.
“It was quite well received.”
This year, he adds, it’s hoped to start the series earlier so the finalists can be invited to a Thursday noon-hour session before classes end.
“SACPA on Campus will resume as well,” and this year Peterson says the group also hopes to include Lethbridge College. Students in environmental sciences, renewable energy and other college programs could lead informed discussion.
“There are certainly lots of issues for them out there.”
The SACPA board hopes to work with the college students’ association on this initiative, he says. College students in various programs have been attending SACPA sessions in recent years, Petersen adds.
Later in the year, he points out, the group expects to host one or more evening sessions downtown, as it has when wide-interest topics have arisen over the years.
At the regular Thursday sessions meanwhile, Boutilier’s talk will be followed by sessions on sustainable food (Oct. 1) and restorative justice (Oct. 8). Then MP Rick Casson is scheduled to speak about the situation in Afghanistan at the Oct. 15 meeting.
SACPA sessions are open to all interested people and the Thursday luncheons are priced at $10. Further details are available on the group’s website: www.sacpa.ca
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