Notice Board

The Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) presents a session with Dr. Trevor Harrison as he discusses the new world order and how we got there.

Canada in the Age of Thugs?

In January, Prime Minister Carney spoke at Davos of a rupture in the world order, a transition from rules-based relations to one in which great powers act without constraint against weaker countries. He might have said that the world was now ruled by Mafioso thugs. Canada, particularly, has faced the brunt of Donald Trump’s thuggery.

But is the current order that much different than what came before? And if it has changed, why has it changed? The presentation will argue that the rupture is the result of instabilities released by global capitalism, which in turn, weakened the American empire abroad and the American state within. Globalization after 1980 created a trans-national capitalist class that variously competes with itself, exploiting where it can, while floating above national borders, even as it needs the coercive powers of the state for its own security.

Speaker: Dr. Trevor W. Harrison

Trevor W. Harrison is a retired professor of sociology at the University of Lethbridge. He was formerly director of the Parkland Institute (2011-2021) and a member of both the Canadian political science and sociology associations. He is best known for his studies in political sociology, political economy and public policy. He is the author, co-author, or co-editor of 14 books, including two recent books of poetry, War and Other Inconveniences and Poetry Without Borders. A 15th book, Safarnameh: Reflections on a Journey from Turkey to India in the Last Years of the Hippie Trail, is scheduled for publication this spring. He is a frequent and well-known contributor to public media, including radio and television.

Date/Time: Thursday, March 12, 2026. The presentation begins at noon & concludes at 1 p.m.

Free to attend. Donations however, are gratefully accepted.

Location: SACPA sessions are held at Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization (LSCO), Atrium Dining Room, 500 - 11 Street South, Lethbridge

Lunch and Refreshments: If you like, please arrive early to patronize the LSCO cafeteria and enjoy its excellent variety of good-value food/drink options in the Atrium Dining Room before the session.

For more information on the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs, visit the SACPA web page.