A two-day conference starting Friday will bring together B.C. politicians, policy-makers, educators and others who are at the cutting edge of social change -- and finding that edge close to home. The range of workshops at The Future Is Local Civic Governance Forum, to be held at Harrison Hot Springs, reflects various hot button issues local public officials face these days, said Charley Beresford, executive director of The Columbia Institute, which is putting on the event.

Those issues include energy policies, making schools safer, planning for sustainability, and how to respond as communities seek more democratic input into everything from forestry to budgeting. Other sessions will explore activism among school trustees, governments paying a living wage, and how public institutions can help foster stronger local economies through their buying practices.

The keynote speaker Friday evening will be Joel Bakan, associate professor in the UBC Faculty of Law, who authored The Corporation as well as his latest book Childhood Under Siege: How Big Business Targets Children.

"Local politics is where the rubber hits the road, sometime literally. According to our polling, it is the level of government that British Columbians have the most trust in. It is where people see the impact of political decisions, which means it is a vital part of building a more inclusive and sustainable world," says Beresford.

The point of the conference, she says, is to "strengthen local leadership through speakers and workshops on best practices and important emerging issues. The real impact is the difference that these local leaders make when they return to their communities, with new tools, new ideas, and new networks of support."

As part of the extensive programming, Tyee editor David Beers will give a workshop Saturday afternoon on working with the media.

For more information about the conference, including how to enroll, go here.