The Pulse: Oct. 27, 2023

Coun. Michael Janz is piloting a speakers' series that aims to fulfill a need once met by Pecha Kucha Night.

"Edmontonians are known for finding ways to come together and make cool things happen," the councillor for Ward papastew told Taproot. "I'm just trying to build off that spirit and keep things going."

That's why he's hosting ED TALK: Big Ideas for Edmonton on Nov. 28 at Metro Cinema. Inspired by events like Pecha Kucha Night, TED Talks, and ChangeCamp Edmonton, ED TALK will feature about a dozen speakers presenting for seven to 10 minutes each.

There hasn't been a Pecha Kucha Night in town since the now-defunct Edmonton's NextGen held its 40th and final edition in March. Janz said his event will deviate from the stringent rules around Pecha Kucha, where each speaker has six minutes and 40 seconds to discuss 20 slides.

"The benefit of not being an official Pecha Kucha is that we can play with format," he said. "We're going to start the event with Naloxone training, and we may also have video presentations." (The optional Naloxone training will be run by 4B Harm Reduction Society.)

Janz doesn't want to "let the cat out of the bag" when it comes to specific speakers or topics. But he said a group of Blatchford residents will present on forming a community league, and Paths for People will discuss how to make Whyte Avenue more welcoming. While the format will be loose, each presentation needs to be a catalyst.

"I want each of the presentations to have a solid call to action, like an ask for the audience to get more involved in the community," he said. "You come to the event, and then you're connected to either a cause or a volunteer opportunity, some way for you to keep your passion going."

Janz announced the event on Oct. 24, and he's still working out some details. Speaker submissions are still welcome via direct message on Instagram or by email. Janz is asking guests to RSVP on his website and to bring a little cash.

"I'm asking everybody to bring $10, or admission by donation. We're still working this out, but we'll have a number of causes nominated, and we will vote with the dollar, so to speak, at the end of the night," he said.

• City administration released its 2024 draft budget, which recommends a 7.09% tax increase for next year, which is 2.13% higher than what council approved in the four-year budget set in December 2022. Administration said the proposed hike is in response to increased costs and limited resources, including higher energy costs and lower-than-expected transit fares and ATCO franchise fees. Most of the added expense comes from salary settlements and increased funding for the Edmonton Police Service tied to a funding formula council approved in August. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said council will "go through this draft line by line to find savings" while investing in priorities like snow removal, safety, and affordable housing. Council will debate the draft budget in November before finalizing expenses and tax rates.
• Coun. Tim Cartmell issued a statement in response to the 2024 draft budget saying he is "seriously concerned" with a 7.09% property tax increase and that the budget is "going to cost you more money and give you less." He called on council to take a line-by-line approach to reducing operating costs and bring in external expertise to "challenge the costs of our capital projects." Cartmell also took aim at an omnibus motion council passed last December, which directed administration to find $60 million in savings over four years and reallocate $240 million to priority services. Cartmell said the process has resulted in "no real tangible reductions."
• Edmontonians are invited to take part in the fourth annual Walk a Mile in a Ribbon Skirt event, which supports Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people who face prejudice when wearing ribbon skirts. The city is marking the day with an event at City Hall from 12pm-3pm on Oct. 28, which will feature music and dance performances.
• The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees began its three-day annual convention at the Edmonton EXPO Centre on Oct. 26. More than 81,000 AUPE members will be entering negotiations with their employer next year, which union president Guy Smith said is "historic," adding that the negotiations are a chance to make "serious gains" that were difficult in the previous bargaining round, which was during the pandemic. Convention delegates will elect a new executive committee, including a president, secretary treasurer, and six vice presidents.
• The United Steelworkers union announced that unionized Starbucks employees at the Beaverbrook Plaza location in Sherwood Park have successfully negotiated their first collective agreement. The three-year contract was ratified on Oct. 24 and covers 25 employees who joined the union in August 2022. It's the second collective agreement for Starbucks employees negotiated by the Steelworkers in Alberta and the third in Canada. The United Steelworkers union also represents Starbucks workers in Edmonton, Calgary, and locations in B.C. and Ontario.
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nominated Mary Moreau to the Supreme Court of Canada to replace Russell Brown, who resigned in June. Moreau is a Francophone born in Edmonton who studied law at the University of Alberta. She has been chief justice of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta since 2017 and was the first woman to hold that position. If Moreau's nomination is confirmed, the majority of the nine-member Supreme Court will be women for the first time since it was created 148 years ago.
• Things could "not be going much worse" for the Edmonton Oilers this season, suggested sports writer Nick Ashbourne. Connor McDavid remains off the ice with an upper body injury, and goalies Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner have had an "abominable" .856 save percentage. Earlier this week, head coach Jay Woodcroft spoke to the media about his defensive plan, while much commentary has focused on the defensive performance of Evan Bouchard.

Events this weekend include a night of poetry and music, the brain-teasing opening, a Magic: the Gathering tournament, a walk to symbolize strength, a peek inside community radio, a spooktacular street party, an evening of ghost stories, and a celebration of light and colour.

• Oct. 27, 6pm: Roots & Rhythm Mixer (for Grown-ups), presented by Seeka Sings at the Jamaica Association
• Oct. 27: Opening of Mazes & Brain Games at the TELUS World of Science
• Oct. 28, 9am: F2F Tour Edmonton — Round 5 at the Edmonton Convention Centre
• Oct. 28, 12pm: 4th Annual Walk a Mile in a Ribbon Skirt at Edmonton City Hall
• Oct. 28, 12pm: Fall Fundraiser Open House at CKUA
• Oct. 28, 3pm: The Headless Carrot Halloween Party at The Carrot Community Arts Coffee House
• Oct. 28, 7pm: Ghost Stories in kamâmak nihtâwikihcikan at Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre
• Oct. 28-29: Diwali Fair 2023 at the Mill Woods Town Centre

Find even more things to do in the Arts Roundup and the Food Roundup.

Photo: The Headless Carrot Halloween party includes a pumpkin carving demo, food, fun, and neighbourhood camaraderie on 118 Avenue. (The Carrot Community Arts Coffee House)