Name

TWU hosts D. Martyn Brown for 16th Annual Mel Smith Lecture

Trinity Western University is pleased to announce the 16th Annual Mel Smith Lecture will feature D. Martyn Brown, the former Chief of Staff to former BC Premier Gordon Campbell. Brown’s lecture, entitled, Visions vs. Pipedreams: Beyond the Eyford Report, will address public policy issues at the intersection of resource development and Aboriginal affairs. The lecture is free and open to the public.

As the Prime Minister’s special envoy on West Coast energy issues, Doug Eyford recently concluded, “Canada must take decisive steps to build trust with Aboriginal Canadians, to foster their inclusion into the economy, and to advance the reconciliation of Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people in Canadian society.”

In his lecture, Brown will discuss the Eyford Report within the context of several specific resource development projects and related issues that all argue for new public policy responses aimed at building social license and at enhancing certainty, transparency, confidence, accountability, and public engagement.

Drawing upon his long experience in BC public affairs and government, Brown will speak about the difficulty in converting broad public policy visions into workable policies, laws, and processes that are politically sustainable, legally sound, and economically viable.

The recipient of the 2014-15 will be announced at the event. Each year, this scholarship is awarded to a TWU student of exceptional academic ability, majoring in Canadian history or political science.

The Mel Smith Special Collection—chronicling federal-provincial relations during the crucial period 1967 to 1992—is housed in TWU's archives and includes a comprehensive set of professional and personal constitutional papers. The collection provides a unique BC perspective on Canadian constitutional issues, and is available to students and researchers from all institutions at .

The Mel Smith Lectures contribute to significant public policy issues. All those concerned about the enormous challenges of resource development are urged to attend. The lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer period.

Admission is free, and a reception will follow. For more information, please contact Tracey Byle at 604.513.2033 or email Tracey.Byle@twu.ca.

Event at a glance:

Thursday, February 6, 2014
7:00 p.m.
NorthwestBuilding Auditorium, TWU campus. Directions provided at campus entrance.