September 9, 2004

Friday at noon: Faculty of Environmental Design

Media are invited to attend a session that promises to inspire some meaningful dialogue between the Hon. Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment, and U of C students in the Faculty of Environmental Design (EVDS). As part of their university course, entitled EVDS 604 (Conceptual Basis of Environmental Design), over 80 U of C students will meet with the federal minister.

“A primary focus of the work by the Faculty of Environmental Design is the pursuit of sustainable design principles,” says Brian R. Sinclair, Dean of EVDS. Graduate students enrolled in EVDS 604 are from six interdisciplinary program areas (architecture, planning, industrial design, urban design, environmental science and environmental design). EVDS students study conceptual frameworks for design intervention in the environment, based on perspectives of the natural, social and built
environments. Sinclair adds: “the government’s environmental portfolio is of great interest to our faculty, professors and students. Canada’s leadership on environmental matters is vital for a world in need.”

The federal ministry of environment stresses that in the midst of a new industrial revolution environmental performance is an increasingly fundamental determinant of the economic competitiveness of companies and of nations. Minister Dion will share with the EVDS student audience his vision of a collaborative, national approach to ensure Canada and Canadian enterprise will be among the leaders environment performance.

Stéphane Dion was first elected in a 1996 by-election, was re-elected in 1997, 2000 and 2004. He obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from Laval University in 1977 and 1979, respectively. Dion received his doctorate in sociology from the Institut d'études politiques in Paris. He taught at the University of Moncton in 1984, and from 1984 to January 1996 he was a professor of political science at the Université de Montréal. On Jan. 25, 1996, Dion was sworn in as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, a position he held until Dec. 12, 2003. As of July 20, 2004, the Minister’s portfolio now includes Environment Canada, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and Parks Canada Agency.

WHO: The Honourable Stéphane Dion and 80 environmental design students

WHAT: Talk and question-and-answer session with students (no media
questions please).

WHEN: On Friday, September 10 from noon to 12:45 pm WHERE: Room 2160, Professional Faculties Building,
which is located in the southeast corner of the main University of Calgary campus
( www.ucalgary.ca/map/ ).

For more details: Jolene Livingston, Director of Development and Community Relations in the Faculty of Environmental Design, at (403) 210-8613 or (cell) 561-8162; or Dennis Urquhart, U of C Research Communications, at (403) 220-7722 or (cell) 651-2515.