Philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." This adage is appropriate in our current rush into the "gene age," which has striking parallels to the eugenics movement of the early decades of the 20th century. Notwithstanding articulated these parallels, through interdisciplinary exploration, as we examined Alberta's eugenics practices over the past 100 years and juxtaposed them against the contemporary life stories of five disabled Albertans.

Notwithstanding examined 100 years of eugenics practices in Alberta as a means of looking at aspects of our history we should not only never forget, but also make effort to never repeat. Alberta's eugenics practices were unsurpassed in Canada. Surprisingly, we initiated eugenics policies sooner and more forcefully than any other province. Sadly, we used eugenics as the justification for performing sexual sterilizations on more people than most other provinces combined. Disappointingly, we continue to uphold as outstanding citizens those who lobbied firmly and fiercely to rid people with disabilities of their basic human rights - people like Emily Murphy, William Aberhart, and many others. This is what we hope Albertans will not forget about our first 100 years as a province:

• we sterilized over 3,000 people, most without their consent;
• we singled out specific groups for sterilization including the disabled, the poor, women, children, immigrants, and First Nations.
• we initiated eugenics practices long before Hitler began his attack against the "feeble-minded" (and many others);
• we didn't think it was important to apologize to or financially compensate victims of wrongful sterilization; and, instead, tried to use the notwithstanding clause in the constitution to avoid taking responsibility for these human rights violations.

With all of the centennial celebrations that happened around Alberta's 100th birthday, in 2005, we thought it was a good idea to hear from those who are still one of our most vulnerable populations: people with disabilities themselves.

December, 2005
Big Secret Theatre
Calgary, Alberta