(Linda McQuaig - Holding The Bully's Coat book tour) About the book: As the Bush administration has turned the United States into a belligerent and lawless force in the world, the Canadian government has followed in close step. Attempting to please our powerful neighbour, Ottawa has abandoned Canada's traditional role as a leading peacekeeping nation, and instead adopted a more militaristic, warlike stance, battling insurgents in Afghanistan as a junior partner in the U.S. "war on terror." Ottawa has also abandoned Canada's traditional attempt to be a fair-minded mediator and conciliator, most notably in the Middle East conflict. And, under the government of Stephen Harper, Canada has joined the United States in becoming a leading obstructionist in worldwide efforts to deal with climate change - perhaps the most urgent issue on the international agenda.

The switch in direction evident in these positions has redefined the way Canada operates in the world, transforming our country into a helpful assistant to an aggressive U.S. power, increasingly out of sync with our European allies and with the rest of the world. As in all her previous books, Linda McQuaig strips away the comforting illusions peddled by those in our elite. With her trademark combination of research, analysis, irreverence and passion, McQuaig shows how the elite has pushed us down a path with far-reaching consequences for us as a nation, and for our ability to find our own way in the world.

Patrick Bond addresses climate change and brings news from one of the pilot sites for the Clean Development Mechanism. The CDM's multiple failures in South Africa point to a broader problem: market solutions for market problems are rarely if ever effective. Developing the 'carbon trade' is tantamount to privatizing the air. In resistance, a global network of climate justice warriors has emerged, but they need more Canadian input.

The zeitgeist of our times is Energy and Emissions. If we are going to fulfill the ineluctable demands of these two irreducible physical constraints then we are going to have to revolutionize our every major human service system. This talk will deal with the future of transportation.

Mark recently completed his first book titled The Economics of Happiness: Building Genuine Wealth. In the book Mark proposes a new vision for economics and new system for measuring and managing progress based on the values and well-being conditions of households and business enterprises in our communities. The book also contains examples of how genuine wealth is being developed all over the world, including his recent Genuine Wealth Assessment of the City of Leduc. Mark will speak to how Alberta communities can build flourishing economies of well-being.

The global food system delivers foods from around the world into our supermarket aisles and fast food lanes. What is the impact of this food system on our culture, our food tastes and our relationship to food? How has it changed farming and our local food economy? If 'environmentalism begins at the breakfast table', what should the breakfast menu look like?

A talk given by Diana Gibson where she explores the issue of energy, sustainability and the future of Alberta.

What is sustainable community development? Is there any one desired future or future(s) that are more sustainable than others? How do we get from here to there? Is there any one single definition that fits all communities? Join Dr. Ann Dale in a dialogue about the meaning of sustainable development for your community, based on her research over the last seven years in place-based and virtual communities.

The 100 Mile diet.... Slow Food....Foodsheds....Food Security....Community Supported Agriculture...... The local food movement is heating up, across Canada and around the world. This presentation will explore the meaning of local food, examine factors shaping the rise of this social movement, as well as some innovative initiatives taking place in and around the Capital Region.

In 1998, the Town of Okotoks became one of the first municipalities in the world to establish growth targets linked to infrastructure development and environmental carrying capacity. The carrying capacity of the Sheep River was identified as approximately 30,000 people. A comprehensive set of targets and initiatives was identified to ensure build-out population could be reached in a sustainable manner. Hence the articulation of four "pillars" of Sustainable Okotoks: 1. Environmental Stewardship 2. Economic Opportunity 3. Social Conscience 4. Fiscal Responsibility More than 70 initiatives have been undertaken under the umbrella of Sustainable Okotoks, reflecting defining elements of the relationship between people and their environment: Water, Air, Energy, Land and Soul. World leading initiatives include the Town's wastewater composting process; a solar community that generates 90% of energy consumption from the sun and a water/waste conservation education program that has helped reduce