Panel, Getting there from here: Revenue Reform, Public Services, and Democracy
Channel: PIAlberta
Date: 2015-05-13

Getting there from here: Revenue Reform, Public Services, and Democracy
April 11, 2015
Public Interest Alberta's annual advocacy conference, A Just and Fair Alberta 4 All, Making it Happen

This panel helped participants to ‘connect the dots’ for building a fair and just Alberta through advocacy founded on three key elements: revenue reform, improved public services, and stronger democracy. The panel of local advocates shared their insights into how effective advocacy on these cross-cutting elements will be instrumental in building the Alberta we want.

Elisabeth Ballermann

Elisabeth BallermannElisabeth Ballermann has been the president of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) since 1995 representing about 25,000 health care professionals in over 240 occupations. She represents HSAA on the Public Interest Alberta’s Board of Directors. In addition to fulfilling the mandate of advocacy for excellent wages, benefits, workplace safety and general working conditions for HSAA members, she is a staunch advocate for social justice and strong public services, including health care. Elisabeth also serves as a Vice President with the National Union of Public and General Employees and the Alberta Federation of Labour and on the Boards of Directors of the Parkland Institute and Friends of Medicare. She has, in the past, served on a number of other volunteer boards and has participated politically as a volunteer and as a candidate for the provincial Legislature.

Larry Booi

Larry BooiLarry Booi has long worked to strengthen education and support the public good. He is the former President of the Alberta Teachers’ Association and was vice-president of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation. He has been actively involved in curriculum development, has written textbooks used in Alberta schools, and acted as a consultant for publishers and NGOs. Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor and Instructor in the Faculty of Education, University of Alberta. Larry has played a central role in the establishment and growth of Public Interest Alberta and is Chair of PIA's Democracy Task Force. He was the Chair of PIA's board from 2007 to 2014.

Ricardo Acuña

Ricardo AcunaRicardo Acuña is the Executive Director of the Parkland Institute, Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta – a position he has held since May 2002. Previous to that he worked for nine years as Projects Coordinator for Change for Children Association, an Alberta-based international development organization working in Latin America. He has a degree in Political Science and History from the University of Alberta, and has over 20 years expeirence as a volunteer, staffer and consultant for various non-government and non-profit organizations around the province. Ricardois a regular speaker to students, teachers, and community groups around Alberta. He has spoken extensively and written on issues of water, NAFTA, commodification of the commons, and energy policy in Alberta. He is a regular media commentator on public policy issues, and writes a regular column for VueWeekly in Edmonton.