5 big ideas from some of Calgary's biggest brains

Our city is home to some of Canada's best and brightest.

Among our many talented folks are philosophers, educators and political scientists. Just recently the annual national Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences brought together thousands of big thinkers right here in Calgary to debate big ideas.

More than eightthousand academics from across the country converged to discuss everything from residential schools, to the ongoing U.S. presidential election campaign.

Many of the speakers were from the University of Calgary and they presented on a wide variety of topics from Arctic sovereignty to political renewal.

Here is a small sample of some of the big Calgary ideas that emerged during Congress 2016.

1. If you are looking for conflictlook up, way up

It is a chilly thought to think of a war in the Arctic, but that is precisely the notion that keeps Rob Huebert awake at night.

Huebert,who is with the U of C's Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, says armed conflict in Canada's north is a real possibility.

"The Arctic is becoming a vastly transformed area that unfortunately is drawing the attention of the major powers."

Huebert says that as countriesjostle for control of the resources that were once trapped beneath Arcticice, tensions could rise and tempers could flare leading to heated conflicts.

Rob Huebert's big idea

8 years ago

Duration 0:56

Rob Hubert thinks that if we want to know where to find the world's future conflicts we should look up ... way up.

2. Science = Confidence

Jennifer Winter has a simple idea for boosting Canadian'sconfidencein the country's energy regulatorslisten to the scientists and then tell people that you are listening.

Winter,who is the director of energy and environmental policy at the School of Public Policy says not informing people that they are guided by science has hurt regulators.

"The link between scientific knowledge and regulatory or policy decisions is not always explicit."

Winter says improving that messaging could go a long way towards changing the public's opinionabout energy projects like pipelines.

Jennifer Winter's big idea

8 years ago

Duration 1:02

Jennifer Winter has a big idea about how to make Canada's energy industry better by improving regulators.

3. Big change comes naturally

Political scientist Tom Flanagan has been at the heart of the conservative movement in western Canada for nearly 30 years and the veteran political thinker is still full of big ideas.

Flanagan'sbig idea revolves around the concept of "spontaneous order" which he borrowed from the Austrian economist FriedrichHayek.

Flanagan believes that governments often try to impose order from the top down when it is more likely to naturally emerge.

"I think that modern governmentsgo too far, they fall prey to the delusionthat they can control social processes and determine outcomes."

Tom Flanagan's big idea

8 years ago

Duration 0:53

Tom Flanagan thinks the key to building success in a political system is to start from the ground up.

4. The CatholicChurch needs to raise the rainbow flag

Tonya Callaghanwants to see the Catholic Church step up when it comes to respecting the rights of gay and transgendered students.

Callaghan a professor in the U of C's Werklund School of Education says that homophobia needs to be reduced in Catholic schools.

"I am looking for the elimination of religiouslyinspired homophobia and transphobia."

Tonya Callaghan's big idea

8 years ago

Duration 1:07

Tonya Callaghan's big idea involves eliminating homophobia in Canada's Catholic schools.

5. Respect the girls

Dustin Louie, a professor in the University of Calgary's Werklund School of Education, believes that elementary schools must take the lead in preventing Indigenous girls from entering the sex trade.

He says schools can create a safe environment for Indigenous girls while at the same time changing the way other students view them.

"We need to work with non-Indigenous students to create a culture in Canada that doesn't view Indigenous girls as disposable and simply sex objects."

Dustin Louie's big idea

8 years ago

Duration 1:17

Dustin Louie wants aboriginal girls to be treated with more respect, starting in elementary school.

Calgary at a Crossroads is CBC Calgary's special focus on life in our city during the downturn. A look at Calgary's culture, identity and what it means to be Calgarian. Read more stories from the series at Calgary at a Crossroads.