Quality of Life: Towards Sustainable Community Futures
May 15-16, 2014
The Community-University Institute for Social Research (CUISR) at the University of
Saskatchewan is hosting a conference entitled Quality of Life: Towards Sustainable Community
Futures in Saskatoon, May 15-16. It will showcase local, regional, national, and international
research, community, and other initiatives to enhance quality of life and create sustainable futures
for all of us. The conference aims to enhance understanding around important quality of life
issues, including measures relevant to different communities and community-engaged research
approaches to improving quality of life.
The conference will highlight 13 years of CUISR Quality of Life research (Bill Holden and
Nazeem Muhajarine, PIs), SSHRC-funded Metropolis project (Quality of Life of Newcomers:
Saskatoon, Hamilton, Charlottetown with Nazeem Muhajarine, Jim Randall, and Allison
Williams, PIs) and research funded by the Prairie Research Centre, (UAKN) Urban Aboriginal
Knowledge Network: Jaime Cidro, Tabitha Martens, Evelyn Peters, Jim Sinclair; Bettina
Schneider & Kim Wenger; Evelyn Peters & Shelley Craig; John Hansen, Isobel Findlay, Joe
Garcea, Rose Antsanen, Brad Bird, Darlene Lanceley, Harry Lafond; John Hansen, Nicole
Calihoo, & Gwen Bear; Nancy Van Styvendale, Priscilla Settee, Sarah Buhler, & Stan
Tu’lnukuafe.
Other plenary speakers include the following:
 Barb Byers, Canadian Labour Congress
 Sherril Gelmon, Portland State University
 Julie Kryzanowski, Deputy Medical Health Officer, Saskatoon Health Region
 George Lafond, Treaty Commissioner
 Pam Ouart, director of the UAKN Secretariat
 Ryan Walker, Prairie Research Centre Director
 Lou Hammond Ketilson, Centre for the Study of Co-operatives
 Katherine Scott, Canadian Council for Social Development and Canadian Index of
Wellbeing.
The conference will showcase
 Community-based organizations working with children and youth, older adults,
Aboriginal peoples, newcomers, housing and homelessness, justice, and cultural issues
 Local to international food security initiatives
 Book launches: Journeys in Community-based Research, edited by Jeffery, Findlay,
Martz, and Clarke (U of Regina Press, 2014) and Priscilla Settee's Pimatisiwin: The Good
Life, Global Indigenous Knowledge Systems (J. Charlton Publishing, 2014)
 Alanis Obomsawin’s Hi-Ho Mistahey! NFB documentary telling the story of Shannen's
Dream that First Nations children have access to equal opportunity education and safe,
comfortable schools
Registrations
In the spirit of community based collaborative research, the event will reach out beyond the
academic world and fully embrace community, sponsoring registrations for individuals who
are not attached to any organization or institution and subsidizing student participation.
Faculty, policy makers, and CBOs will pay full registration of $150 for the two days ($90 one
day); students $30 for two days ($20 for one). We have a limited number of subsidies for CBOs
(please contact Joanne Hritzuk at cuisr.oncampus@usask.ca for subsidized CBO registration).
Trade show registrations
To register your trade show booth, please contact Joanne Hritzuk at cuisr.oncampus@usask.ca
Sponsors
We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of conference sponsors: the University of
Saskatchewan Vice-President Advancement and Community Engagement; the Office of
Community Outreach and Engagement; the Office of the Vice-President Research; College of
Arts and Science, Division of Social Sciences and Division of Humanities and Fine Arts;
Humanities Research Unit; Edwards School of Business; the University Conference Fund; St.
Thomas More College; Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies; Prairie Research Centre,
Prairie Research Centre UAKN; the United Way of Saskatoon and Area; Affinity Credit Union;
and City of Saskatoon.