Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

• With the threat of US trade tariffs, are Canada’s political leaders responding effectively? With Shannon Phillips

  Canada has experienced a disruptive start to 2025, with PM Justin Trudeau stepping down as Liberal leader, prompting a leadership campaign and a prorogued parliament . With a federal election looming, Canadians, among other problems, are facing affordability issues and to top it off, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose 25-percent tariffs on a wide range of imports from Canada and 10-percent tariffs on oil and gas. Those US tariffs were set to begin Feb 4, but have been delayed by at least 30 days as the countries work together on border security and trade imbalance. However, for many Canadians, the potential for a trade war between two longtime allies continues to fuel anger, despair and confusion over what may be coming next. The speaker will try to make sense of it all, while analyzing the response from governments and political leaders including Liberal leadership contenders. Speaker: Shannon Phillips Shannon brings over two decades of experience in public policy, governance, and leadership in energy and the environment to her role as a partner at Meredith Boessenkool & Phillips. Her experience includes serving as the Minister of Environment and Parks and Minister Responsible for the Climate Change Office in Rachel Notley’s government, where she was responsible for climate policy, conservation expansion, and Indigenous reconciliation efforts. She also established Alberta’s first standalone Ministry for the Status of Women. From 2015-19, Shannon was the driving force behind Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan. Phillips led the coal phase-out, renewable energy expansion, and energy efficiency programs that boosted Alberta’s GDP and created jobs across the province. Shannon also represented Alberta on the national and international stage, including leading delegations to UN climate conferences in Paris and Marrakech. Phillips won three elections as a progressive woman candidate in Southern Alberta – an accomplishment most would have dismissed as far-fetched just a decade ago. She is an experienced and successful campaigner, organizer and grassroots leader. She continues to focus on mentorship and training of a new generation of activists and candidates. Shannon is a strong communicator in both of Canada’s official languages, a skill that serves her well in her extensive policy and advocacy work on the national and international stage. Deeply committed to her community, Shannon continues to strengthen her relationship with the Blackfoot people of southern Alberta and is a Blackfoot Headdress holder and recipient of a Blackfoot name. In addition to her work in the community, Shannon serves as an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Political Science at the University of Lethbridge and was recognized as a YWCA Woman of Distinction in 2017. Shannon enjoys spending time with her two sons outdoors, particularly in the Canadian Rockies.

  --------  

  59:21
• Why will your food prices remain elevated? With Derek Melting Tallow

  Since 2017, the Secure Your Food Program (SYF) has known that food prices will rise due to systemic issues. Other contributing factors such as history, war, climate change, etc., will also keep prices elevated for the foreseeable future. SYF can confidently summarize for you and your family why this is happening and why it’s important to prepare during these volatile times. SYF works at all levels of society to improve food security. Food security is your access to nutritious foods to support healthy living. SYF employs sustainable and mitigative food security solutions for individuals, families, large groups, and municipalities. The Secure Your Food Program is consulted on growing projects, designs food systems, advises on food initiatives, collaborates with local groups, advocates for vulnerable populations, and participates in academic and community research, all focused on food. Due to its wide range of activities and sought after solutions, the Secure Your Food program is transitioning to a Not-for-Profit society in 2025. The program was so successful that it has grown from a plan to a myriad of options to increase food security. Speaker: Derek Melting Tallow, Program Director of Secure Your Food (SYF) Program. Derek Melting Tallow grew up in Raymond and is ½ Blood, ¼ Shoshone, and ¼ Navajo First Nations. Derek graduated from Raymond High School and then attended the University of Lethbridge (BA - 2010) and developed an interest in public health and disaster management. Derek completed his Social Work Diploma (2017) at Mount Royal University and is a regular presenter at the IFW’s Joint World Congress on social work, social policy, and education. The presenting topic is social work and disaster management, of which Secure Your Food (SYF) was created using these perspectives. Secure Your Food was created as a sample program to address food insecurity while Derek performed his final social work practicum at the City of Lethbridge’s Community Social Development.

  --------  

  1:00:28
• Growing a City presents Challenges and Opportunities - How is Lethbridge Managing? with Mayor Hyggen

  Recently, Mayor Hyggen presented his annual State of the City address for the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce and he highlighted our rapid population growth and the challenges and opportunities. What are our current needs? What do we foresee in the near future and beyond? How do we pay for it? Who should pay for it? The speaker will talk about the issues, costs, priorities and realities. Speaker: Blaine Hyggen, Mayor of Lethbridge Blaine Hyggen was first elected to City Council in 2013 and was elected Mayor in 2021. He has owned and operated various businesses throughout the community for the past 28 years. He studied Business Law and Accounting at Lethbridge Community College. Some of Blaine’s past and current volunteer experience includes: School Councils, Lethbridge Figure Skating Club, Lethbridge Volleyball Association, Lethbridge Oldtimers Sports Association and The Lethbridge Hurricanes Hockey Club, to name a few. Blaine’s family is his number one priority. His wife Jennifer is a Registered Nurse and they have two daughters: Jayden and Jelayna. Blaine enjoys attending local theatre and staying active by running, biking and playing hockey. As a proud parent and successful business owner, Blaine loves Lethbridge and wants to see it remain the best city for families while ensuring it is a great place to do business.

  --------  

  56:36
• The disappearing Alberta Advantage – what can be done to reverse Alberta’s collapsing standard of living? With Gil McGowan

  Overwhelmed hospitals. Overcrowded schools. Threats from Donald Trump. Coal mines that could contaminate our water supply. If all that wasn’t enough for Albertans to worry about, Alberta wages and living standards are also falling. Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan will explain what’s behind the disappearance of the Alberta Advantage – and what we can do about it. Speaker: Gil McGowan Gil McGowan is a passionate labour leader, advocate for workers’ rights, and dedicated champion of social and economic justice. Since 2005, he has served as the president of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL), Alberta’s largest labor organization, representing more than 175,000 unionized workers from diverse industries across the province. Under McGowan’s leadership, the AFL has been a powerful voice for workers, spearheading campaigns to improve workplace safety, secure fair wages, and protect public services. His leadership has been pivotal during times of economic and political change in Alberta, particularly in advocating for workers affected by the province’s shifting energy and economic landscapes. With decades of experience in labor activism, McGowan continues to inspire and lead efforts to build a more equitable and inclusive Alberta, ensuring that workers have a strong voice in shaping the province’s future.

  --------  

  1:10:52
• What are the Roles and Rules of Community Television? With Ryan Cradduck

  Community television programming is considered an important source for information and provides a reflection of local realities that few other television services currently showcase. All programming on Rogers TV must be “Community Programming”, which is defined by CRTC regulations as programming that refers directly to the community, which could be defined as the station’s contours, broadcasting distribution undertakings service area, municipality, census metropolitan area or census agglomeration; and is produced by the personnel of the local station, independent local producers or members of the community for the local station. The CRTC oversees broadcasters and television service providers and has determined that the role of the community channel should be primarily of a public service nature, facilitating self-expression through free and open access by members of the community. The speaker will delve into more of the details, but among other policy goals, the Community Television Policy states that the community channel should engender a high level of citizen participation and community involvement in community programming and provide a reasonable, balanced opportunity for the expression of differing views on matters of public concern. Speaker: Ryan Cradduck Ryan is an experienced producer with a demonstrated history of working in the telecommunications and retail industries. Skilled in Management, Customer Service, Voiceovers, Creativity Skills, and Knowledge Sharing. Strong arts and design professional with a Diploma focused in Broadcast Journalism from Lethbridge College.

  --------  

  57:01

More Society & Culture podcasts

Trending Society & Culture podcasts

About Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)