11:30 am - 1:00 pm
The Warrior Tradition: The Use of Presence in Achieving Peace.
with Dr. Duncan Grady

Dr. Grady will combine teachings of his Native heritage and Shambhala/Tibetan Buddhism to explore how an indigenous approach to personal warriorship is an act of peace. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss teachings related to some practices of presence and how these practices contribute to peace. Additionally, the talk will include reference to objects that Dr. Grady will have on hand to illustrate these teachings.

Dr. Duncan Grady teaches at Selkirk College in Castlegar. He has a doctorate degree in the study of Creation Spirituality. His heritage is Blackfeet/Sac and Scottish. He actively participates in the cultural teachings of his Elders and also practices Shambhala Buddhism. He is a Vietnam War veteran and trained psychotherapist. He plays the native flute and is a storyteller.

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Songwriting
with Ron Irving & Ellen Mcllwaine

Join two award-winning songwriters and explore the process of what it takes to make a great song. From lyrics to musicianship, these diverse performers/songwriters will guide both beginners and professionals alike through a fun and creative exploration of songwriting!

Ron Irving and Ellen Mcllwaine are both featured on this year's Festival Mainstage.

Earlier in his career Ron Irving formed the band, Bootleg, and in no time two of his songs, "In My Arms Tonight" and "Ordinary People", were number one hits across the nation. Over the next five years Bootleg recorded six more Ron Irving compositions that charted top ten. "In My Arms Tonight" received further recognition with an award from the Canadian Music Publishers Association.

By the mid 90s Ron was a regular visitor to popular music's last, great songwriters' Mecca, Nashville, home to some of the best material being written at that time. Before you could say 'Printer's Alley' Anne Murray decided she had to have Ron's "Bluebird Lullabye" as her next single. It was a hit in both the U.S. and Canada and spent an impressive 19 weeks on the Billboard chart.

Ellen McIlwaine's background is diverse. She began playing rock & roll piano at age five. In 1966 she went to Greenwich Village where she met Jimi Hendrix and they became friends, playing music together and struggling on the New York scene. Ellen toured solo sharing the bill with Laura Nyro, Howlin' Wolf, Son House, Weather Report, Lily Tomlin, Taj Mahal, George Thorogood, Tom Waits, Chicago, Bruce Springsteen, Koko Taylor, etc.

In 1982, her then manager Judy Keyserling financed "Everybody Needs It", recorded in Chicago, featuring Jack Bruce (Cream) on bass & background vocals, Paul Wertico (Pat Metheney Band) on drums, Howard Levy on one piano cut, and released on Blind Pig Records. Produced by Ellen, it won the 1982 NAIRD Award for Best Rock Album.

A one-hour documentary on her life and musical background has been aired on the Bravo Channel entitled "A slide Through Time: Ellen McIlwaine Live!"

4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Drinking Water & Peace
with Robert M. Macrae, BSc. Agr., MSc

Water safe to drink is fundamental for all of humanity. This presentation will examine what makes water unsafe to drink? In recent episodes of water-related illness and death like the one that occurred in Walkerton, Ontario in May, 2000, what happened? What are the risks to safe drinking water? What needs to be done to supply all of humanity with safe drinking water and at what cost?

Mr. Macrae has been teaching applied microbiology, environmental chemistry, water pollution chemistry and air pollution chemistry courses for the Selkirk College Integrated Environmental Planning Technology (IEPT) program since 1996. He was hired by Teck Cominco to write and deliver courses on water and air sampling as well as general environmental technology training for their technicians at the Trail Operations.

Mr. Macrae obtained a grant from the Columbian Basin Trust to co-ordinate efforts of IEPT students to restore a former landfill and most recently, he has helped IEPT students collaborate with local citizens to restore the Cottonwood Creek watershed.