Media Release

For Immediate Release

April 27, 2009

Urban chicken discussion coming to Saint Mary’s

Consuela the chicken survived being gassed and dumped at a landfill before being rescued by Liz Perry. Photographer: Robert Lughai.

The Citizen Science Project at Saint Mary’s University is joining forces with the Ecology Action Centre this May to present a public discussion forum and feature screening of the film Mad City Chickens.

The film screening will take place May 13 from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in Theatre A of the Burke Building.

Mad City Chickens is a sometimes wacky, sometimes serious look at the people who keep urban chickens in their backyards. It deftly weaves multiple stories and contextual issues on city chickens and their keepers in a non-linear fashion that one rarely sees in a documentary. From leading experts to urban newbies, it provides the opportunity to experience the humor and heart of what’s fast becoming an international backyard chicken movement.

Following the film, a public forum will take place from 8:30 until 9:30 p.m. The public forum will feature members the Citizen Advisory Council on Urban Poultry (including Municipal Councilor Jennifer Watts), as well as former urban chicken owners Louise Hanavan and Jane Parker.

The presentation and public forum are made possible by the financial support of the Canadian International Development Agency and Saint Mary’s University. For more information about the event, please email: Public.engagement@smu.ca

Citizen Science is a public engagement project aimed at building capacity among Saint Mary’s University students, faculty, staff and community to effectively engage Atlantic Canadians in discourse and action on Millennium Development Goal (MDG) number seven – ensuring environmental sustainability. The project is designed to facilitate the sharing of local and global knowledge through new media, greenmapping and traditional activities.

For more details about the Citizen Science project, please visit: www.smu.ca/administration/international/pe.html

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For More Information:

Blake Patterson
Public Affairs Officer
Saint Mary's University, Public Affairs
(902) 420.5514
E-mail: blake.patterson@smu.ca
www.smu.ca