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Labour, wards, squid, European Union, leadership - Issues and Experts
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October 14, 2004
Labour strife under a minority government…Despite expectations that a strike by 125,000 federal public service employees, belonging to the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), could drag on, a deal has been struck with some of them. SFU political scientist Patrick Smith is an expert on political strategy at all levels of government. Colleague Marjorie Griffen-Cohen is knowledgeable about government-labour relations. Both can talk about the likelihood of long strikes under a minority federal government. Smith is available until Friday. Griffen-Cohen is away, but returns Friday afternoon.
Vancouver votes on wards…Vancouver voters get their say on how they should vote in upcoming civic elections by participating in Saturday's referendum on the ward system. While the pros and cons of changing the voting system are weighed, questions are also being raised over whether voters understand the changes. SFU political scientists Patrick Smith and Kennedy Stewart study local government and voting systems, and can comment. On Thursday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. SFU's centre for urban studies and the CBC Early Edition's Rick Cluff will host a panel of opponents and supporters of the ward system at SFU's Wosk Centre for Dialogue. Stewart will be among the participants, along with a panel of journalists. Call 604.268.7914 to reserve a seat.
Giant squids on the move…Scientists figure global warming has a lot to do with a giant squid that swam into BC waters, where it was hooked by a surprised fisherman. The 20-kilogram, 1.5-metre-long potential calamari is native to the Gulf of California. Two SFU scientists can offer their thoughts. Biologist Rolf Mathewes is knowledgeable about environmental change since the last ice age. He specializes in analyzing prehistoric analogues, such as changes in marine mammals and mollusks based on fossil records, to figure out what environmental phenomena have impacted marine life and could reoccur. Brian Hartwick, also a biologist, can talk about what phenomena appear to be impacting existing marine life.
The politics of economics…The European Union (EU) is once again close to opening its arms to a country that has traditionally been given the cold shoulder because of its worrisome politics. Libya allegedly sponsors terrorism. Anxious to invest in Libya's substantial oil reserves, the EU has agreed to ease an 18-year arms embargo against the country. Last month, the Turkish Parliament approved one of its largest-ever reforms of Turkey's penal code in order to get a step closer to gaining entrance to the EU. SFU political historian Andre Gerolymatos can look at why new entries into the EU are creating strange bedfellows, and the trade-offs of those unions.
Becoming a leader…SFU business professor Mark Wexler, a well-respected business ethicist is the recipient of a prestigious Leaders in Management Education award from PricewaterhouseCoopers. Fittingly, he has just completed research which explores how managers can teach themselves leadership skills. Wexler can discuss how in-practice managers who aspire to leadership roles can extend their ability to read and understand new situations.
Legal bookworm shares collection…Richard Peck is a well-known Vancouver lawyer, a member of the National Association of Criminal Defence Lawyers and life bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia. As part of the SFU library's special collections series Share the Enthusiasm, Peck will discuss his private book collection: why he collects; the pleasures of bookstores and building his collections. The series is free but requires a reservation; email mmasigla@sfu.ca. Peck's lecture is Wednesday, Oct. 20, 7:30 -9:30pm room, #420, SFU's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue
- Patrick Smith, 604.291.3088, psmith@sfu.caMarjorie Griffen-Cohen, 604.291.5526, mcohen@sfu.ca
Vancouver votes on wards…Vancouver voters get their say on how they should vote in upcoming civic elections by participating in Saturday's referendum on the ward system. While the pros and cons of changing the voting system are weighed, questions are also being raised over whether voters understand the changes. SFU political scientists Patrick Smith and Kennedy Stewart study local government and voting systems, and can comment. On Thursday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. SFU's centre for urban studies and the CBC Early Edition's Rick Cluff will host a panel of opponents and supporters of the ward system at SFU's Wosk Centre for Dialogue. Stewart will be among the participants, along with a panel of journalists. Call 604.268.7914 to reserve a seat.
- Patrick Smith, 604.291.1544 (h); psmith@sfu.ca (until Friday)Kennedy Stewart, 604.268.7913, kennedys@sfu.ca
Giant squids on the move…Scientists figure global warming has a lot to do with a giant squid that swam into BC waters, where it was hooked by a surprised fisherman. The 20-kilogram, 1.5-metre-long potential calamari is native to the Gulf of California. Two SFU scientists can offer their thoughts. Biologist Rolf Mathewes is knowledgeable about environmental change since the last ice age. He specializes in analyzing prehistoric analogues, such as changes in marine mammals and mollusks based on fossil records, to figure out what environmental phenomena have impacted marine life and could reoccur. Brian Hartwick, also a biologist, can talk about what phenomena appear to be impacting existing marine life.
- Rolf Mathewes, 604.291.4472, mathewes@sfu.caBrian Hartwick, 604.291.4802, e_hartwick@sfu.ca
The politics of economics…The European Union (EU) is once again close to opening its arms to a country that has traditionally been given the cold shoulder because of its worrisome politics. Libya allegedly sponsors terrorism. Anxious to invest in Libya's substantial oil reserves, the EU has agreed to ease an 18-year arms embargo against the country. Last month, the Turkish Parliament approved one of its largest-ever reforms of Turkey's penal code in order to get a step closer to gaining entrance to the EU. SFU political historian Andre Gerolymatos can look at why new entries into the EU are creating strange bedfellows, and the trade-offs of those unions.
- Andre Gerolymatos, 604.291.5597, andre_gerolymatos@sfu.ca
Becoming a leader…SFU business professor Mark Wexler, a well-respected business ethicist is the recipient of a prestigious Leaders in Management Education award from PricewaterhouseCoopers. Fittingly, he has just completed research which explores how managers can teach themselves leadership skills. Wexler can discuss how in-practice managers who aspire to leadership roles can extend their ability to read and understand new situations.
- Mark Wexler, 604.268.7846; wexler@sfu.ca
Legal bookworm shares collection…Richard Peck is a well-known Vancouver lawyer, a member of the National Association of Criminal Defence Lawyers and life bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia. As part of the SFU library's special collections series Share the Enthusiasm, Peck will discuss his private book collection: why he collects; the pleasures of bookstores and building his collections. The series is free but requires a reservation; email mmasigla@sfu.ca. Peck's lecture is Wednesday, Oct. 20, 7:30 -9:30pm room, #420, SFU's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue
- .Kim Minkus, 604.291.4304, kminkus@sfu.ca