The fourth annual Student Speaker Challenge will kick off on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 with a total of eight students competing in this year’s event, addressing the question: “Is there a systemic crisis in the world?….If so, how can it be resolved?”

The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of SACPA, LPIRG (Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group) and the U of L Students Union, with financial and promotional support from the University of Lethbridge.

A panel of judges will determine who wins the competition, with a prize of $500 going to the overall winner.

Second place will receive $300 and $100 prizes will be awarded to the two students not advancing past semifinals.

Book prizes will be given to all eight competitors.

Student Speaker Challenge Session 4
Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 12:15 p.m.
Ballroom A

Speakers – Danika Jorgensen McGuire and Martin Heavy Head

Start Time: 12:15
Date: 2012-02-15
End Time: 13:30

The fourth annual Student Speaker Challenge will kick off on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 with a total of eight students competing in this year’s event, addressing the question: “Is there a systemic crisis in the world?….If so, how can it be resolved?”

The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of SACPA, LPIRG (Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group) and the U of L Students Union, with financial and promotional support from the University of Lethbridge.

A panel of judges will determine who wins the competition, with a prize of $500 going to the overall winner.

Second place will receive $300 and $100 prizes will be awarded to the two students not advancing past semifinals.

Book prizes will be given to all eight competitors.

Student Speaker Challenge – Session 3
Tuesday, Feb 7 at 12:15 p.m.
Ballroom A

Speakers – Sea Marsland and Madison Webber

Start Time: 12:15
Date: 2012-02-07
End Time: 13:30

The fourth annual Student Speaker Challenge will kick off on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 with a total of eight students competing in this year’s event, addressing the question: “Is there a systemic crisis in the world?….If so, how can it be resolved?”

The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of SACPA, LPIRG (Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group) and the U of L Students Union, with financial and promotional support from the University of Lethbridge.

A panel of judges will determine who wins the competition, with a prize of $500 going to the overall winner.

Second place will receive $300 and $100 prizes will be awarded to the two students not advancing past semifinals.

Book prizes will be given to all eight competitors.

Student Speaker Challenge – Session 2
Wednesday, Feb 1 at 12:15 p.m.
D610, University Hall

Speakers – Leslie Mahoney and Kylie Kettles

Start Time: 12:15
Date: 2012-02-01
End Time: 13:30

The fourth annual Student Speaker Challenge will kick off on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 with a total of eight students competing in this year’s event, addressing the question: “Is there a systemic crisis in the world?….If so, how can it be resolved?”

The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of SACPA, LPIRG (Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group) and the U of L Students Union, with financial and promotional support from the University of Lethbridge.

A panel of judges will determine who wins the competition, with a prize of $500 going to the overall winner.

Second place will receive $300 and $100 prizes will be awarded to the two students not advancing past semifinals.

Book prizes will be given to all eight competitors.

Student Speaker Challenge – Session 1
Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 12:15 p.m.
Ballroom A, SU Building

Speakers – Stephen Graham and Michael Orr

Start Time: 12:15
Date: 2012-01-24
End Time: 13:30

Featuring Jeremy Schmidt
Department of Geography, University of Western Ontario
Author of the upcoming Parkland Institute research report Alternative Water Futures in Alberta

Lethbridge
Thursday, December 8
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Theatre Gallery, Lethbridge Public Library
810 5th Avenue South

Facebook event page: http://on.fb.me/AWFLethbridge

In 2008, the Alberta government announced it would review and update the water allocation system in the province, a system that is proving increasingly incapable of dealing with the challenges of today’s emerging water crisis. Policy recommendations released by the government in late 2009 suggest it is moving toward a province-wide deregulated market for water in the province, turning critical decisions about who will be able to access water over to the market.

With long-delayed public consultations promised in the new year by Premier Redford, it’s more important than ever for Albertans to explore and discuss alternatives to water markets that will build a water allocation system on the principles of equity, fairness, sustainability and respect for treaty obligations.

Join the Our Water Is Not For Sale network and Jeremy Schmidt, author of the soon-to-be released report Alternative Water Futures in Alberta, for an exploration of the challenges for water in Alberta, why markets aren’t the answer to Alberta’s water challenges and what alternative allocation systems that protect our water commons for ecosystems, our communities and future generations could look like.

Presented by the Our Water Is Not For Sale network, with support from the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Council of Canadians, Parkland Institute, Public Interest Alberta and Sierra Club Prairie

For more information about the tour and to support the campaign against water markets, visit www.ourwaterisnotforsale.com

Jeremy Schmidt’s research report Alternative Water Futures in Alberta will be available December 5 on the Parkland Institute website at www.parklandinstitute.ca

About Jeremy Schmidt

Jeremy J. Schmidt is a Trudeau Scholar and PhD candidate in the Department of Geography at the University of Western Ontario. He holds a MA in Geography (McGill) and two undergraduate degrees (Lethbridge; Prairie) with majors in geography, philosophy, theology and wilderness leadership. He is the co-editor of Water Ethics: Foundational Readings for Students and Professionals and has been a board member of the Canadian Water Resources Association (CWRA) since 2009. He has served on working groups for ethics and water management with UNESCO and for a pan-Canadian water strategy with the CWRA. He has been an invited participant of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the Religion, Science and Environment Symposium. His graduate work includes studies of global biogeochemistry, environmental economics, and resource management. His doctoral research examines water governance, ethics and environmental management in Alberta: www.waterethic.ca.

Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2011-12-08

Tapped examines the role of the bottled water industry and its’ effects on our health, climate change, pollution, and our reliance on oil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72MCumz5lq4

Sponsored by the Lethbridge Public Intrest Research Group (LPIRG)
Start Time: 18:00
Date: 2011-12-06

“Is there a systemic crisis in the world? If so, how can it be resolved?”

Deadline for applications – December 9, 2011

Building on the premise that in a democracy, an informed public makes the best decisions, SACPA, LPIRG, and the ULSU are collaborating to provide students with a forum to express their point of view on issues of significance. Recognizing that each individual has a unique perspective and an authentic voice, students will be given a chance to communicate their thesis to an audience and defend it, thereby gaining and honing skills in developing and exchanging new ideas.

This opportunity will take the form of a competition in which students will address the topic “Is there a systemic crisis in the world? If so, how can it be resolved?” The speaker series will begin with four noon-hour sessions, each with 2 speakers addressing the topic and fielding questions on their thesis. A winner will be chosen at each of these sessions and will be promoted to the semi-finals. Two students will then go on to the final session where a sole winner will be selected to receive the final prize. Winners at each session will be determined by a panel of judges.

Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to apply and presenters will be paired according to skill level (as assessed from application form), year of study, and thesis. There will be a total of eight participants with four of those advancing to the furthest rounds and one final winner. Prizes will be given out to the top four participants – $100 each for third and fourth place, $300 for second place, and $500 for the winner. Out of the eight contestants we will accept a maximum of two graduate students.

The format will be such that in the first round, two presenters will face off, each having 15 minutes to present their thesis. After a five minute break, the presenter will then be asked questions from the audience and the judges for 15 minutes. The total length of the session will be one hour and ten minutes.

Student Speaker Challenge sessions are scheduled as follows.

Session 1 – Tuesday, Jan 24 – 12:15 – 1:30 – Ballroom A
Session 2 – Wednesday, Feb 1 – 12:15 – 1:30 – Ballroom A
Session 3 – Tuesday, Feb 7 – 12:15 – 1:30 – Ballroom A
Session 4 – Wednesday, Feb 15 – 12:15 – 1:30 – Ballroom A

Semi-Final Sessions
Tuesday, Feb 28 – 12:15 – 1:30 – Ballroom A
Wednesday, Mar 7 – 12:15 – 1:30 – Ballroom A

Final Session
Tuesday, Mar 13 – 7:00 – 9:00 – Andy’s Place (AH100)

Application forms can be accessed at www.lpirg.org or www.ulsu.ca or can be picked up in the LPIRG or ULSU Offices.

Applications must be submitted electronically to pirg@uleth.ca with Student Speaker Challenge in the subject line. The deadline for applications is Friday, December 9th.

For more info, contact LPIRG at pirg@uleth.ca or 403-223-5243 or stop by our office (SU242) in Galileo’s.
Date: 2011-12-09

LPIRG will be hosting a “Stop Shop” in the Students’ Union Building foyer
from Wednesday, November 23 to Friday, November 25. The concept of the “Stop Shop” is similar to that of a “Free Store” which allows people to exchange goods and services outside of a money-based economy.

Participation can be through donating, trading, borrowing, or taking.

The “Stop Shop” is a tribute to Buy Nothing Day (on Nov. 25), which is a global holiday from consumerism. Buy Nothing Day is not about protesting spending, capitalism, or even political economic policies. The focus is on over-spending and over-consumption. We live in a society where it is norm to spend all the way up to, and far beyond our capacities. The more you drive your car, and the harder you work it, the more quickly it will break down. Buy Nothing Day is about preserving the system and preventing the breakdown.

The success of the Stop Shop is dependent on donations (books, school supplies, household items, etc). Donations are now being accepted in the LPIRG office – SU 242 – behind the food court in Galileo’s Gallery in the Students’ Union Building.

Please visit the Stop Shop in the SUB foyer from Nov. 23rd to Nov. 25th and show your support for Buy Nothing Day by donating or browsing through the items you may wish to borrow, trade, or take.

For more information on the Stop Shop, please contact pirg@uleth.ca.

Start Date: 2011-11-23
Start Time: 10:00
End Date: 2011-11-25
End Time: 15:00

Where: TH 141
When: Nov.22nd, 4pm
Easy, pretty, and free!!!

Do you want to improve your skills for poster making?

… Do you want to learn about free programs for poster making?

Posters are an important part to have a successful event; it needs to capture people’s attention and transmit a fair amount of information. Making a poster for any kind of event can sometimes seem overwhelming. This workshop is directed to all students who want to learn the essentials to have a beautiful poster in a short period of time.

Carol (a master in poster making!!!), a graduated multimedia student from the U of L, will share some of the basics to have a beautiful and simple poster. She will touch some of the essentials for the use of colours, of letters, and of the pictures in posters. She will also present some free programs for Mac and PC, so bring your laptops with you so you can practice!

Refreshments will be provided!

Limited space registration is required. To register, please email pirg@uleth.ca by Nov. 21
Start Time: 16:00
Date: 2011-11-22
End Time: 18:00

The narrative portion of the film, interwoven throughout, tells the story of two representative graduates, “one rich and one poor” as they seek direction in their lives. Does America have a ruling class? If so, of what is it made, and how does it co-exist with our democracy? How does one join it: should one even want to? The real life luminaries become characters in a story about power and its responsibilities, and by the film’s end, the young men must decide: do they wish to rule the world…or save it?

http://www.cinemapolitica.org/screening/lethbridge/american-ruling-class
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2011-11-29