5 big ideas from some of Calgary's biggest brains
From energy regulation to Arctic sovereignty — 5 big ideas from some of the U of C's big thinkers
Our city is home to some of Canada's best and brightest.
Among our many talented folks are philosophers, educators and political scientists. Just recently the annual national Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences brought together thousands of big thinkers right here in Calgary to debate big ideas.
More than eight thousand academics from across the country converged to discuss everything from residential schools, to the ongoing U.S. presidential election campaign.
Many of the speakers were from the University of Calgary and they presented on a wide variety of topics from Arctic sovereignty to political renewal.
Here is a small sample of some of the big Calgary ideas that emerged during Congress 2016.
1. If you are looking for conflict look up, way up
It is a chilly thought to think of a war in the Arctic, but that is precisely the notion that keeps Rob Huebert awake at night.
Huebert, who is with the U of C's Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, says armed conflict in Canada's north is a real possibility.
"The Arctic is becoming a vastly transformed area that unfortunately is drawing the attention of the major powers."
Huebert says that as countries jostle for control of the resources that were once trapped beneath Arctic ice, tensions could rise and tempers could flare leading to heated conflicts.
2. Science = Confidence
Jennifer Winter has a simple idea for boosting Canadian's confidence in the country's energy regulators — listen to the scientists and then tell people that you are listening.
Winter, who is the director of energy and environmental policy at the School of Public Policy says not informing people that they are guided by science has hurt regulators.
"The link between scientific knowledge and regulatory or policy decisions is not always explicit."
Winter says improving that messaging could go a long way towards changing the public's opinion about energy projects like pipelines.
3. Big change comes naturally
Political scientist Tom Flanagan has been at the heart of the conservative movement in western Canada for nearly 30 years and the veteran political thinker is still full of big ideas.
Flanagan's big idea revolves around the concept of "spontaneous order" which he borrowed from the Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek.
Flanagan believes that governments often try to impose order from the top down when it is more likely to naturally emerge.
"I think that modern governments go too far, they fall prey to the delusion that they can control social processes and determine outcomes."
4. The Catholic Church needs to raise the rainbow flag
Tonya Callaghan wants to see the Catholic Church step up when it comes to respecting the rights of gay and transgendered students.
Callaghan a professor in the U of C's Werklund School of Education says that homophobia needs to be reduced in Catholic schools.
"I am looking for the elimination of religiously inspired homophobia and transphobia."
5. Respect the girls
Dustin Louie, a professor in the University of Calgary's Werklund School of Education, believes that elementary schools must take the lead in preventing Indigenous girls from entering the sex trade.
He says schools can create a safe environment for Indigenous girls while at the same time changing the way other students view them.
"We need to work with non-Indigenous students to create a culture in Canada that doesn't view Indigenous girls as disposable and simply sex objects."
Calgary at a Crossroads is CBC Calgary's special focus on life in our city during the downturn. A look at Calgary's culture, identity and what it means to be Calgarian. Read more stories from the series at Calgary at a Crossroads.
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