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Horst Schmid (left) and Heinz Kleist, President of the German-Canadian Association of Alberta (right)

Early Impacts

At the age of 92, Dr. Horst Schmid is a defining figure in Alberta’s cultural and political landscape. An academic, businessman, politician and philanthropist, Schmid’s contributions have made an indelible impact on the province he has called home since 1956.

Schmid immigrated to Canada from Munich in 1952, where he worked at a gold mine in Yellowknife before moving to Edmonton and starting a company that exported commodities such as sulphur and fertilizer to Europe, Asia and South America. He quickly became an active member of the community, earning himself the moniker “Mr. Culture” among his fellow German expats, and created opportunities for them to collectively celebrate their identity through endeavours like his long-running radio program, "Music and News from the German-Speaking Countries of Europe," on CKUA, and opening the Bavarian-themed eatery, The Hofbräuhaus, in the late 1960s.

In 1971, Schmid was elected as MLA for Edmonton-Avonmore, becoming the first postwar immigrant elected to a Canadian legislature and the first to serve as a Cabinet Minister. Over his 24 years in office, he held various Ministerial roles, significantly impacting Alberta’s cultural landscape by expanding support for the arts, including helping to bring the 1978 Commonwealth Games to Edmonton and having Heritage Day approved in the legislature. Later, while serving as Minister of State for Economic Development and International Trade, he was an early supporter of the late author and publisher Mel Hurtig’s vision for The Canadian Encyclopedia, first published in 1985 to document and reflect the country’s history, culture and identity.

Connecting to the U

Schmid’s impact on the U of A is evident through the , which supports international learning opportunities for students, and through the Hurtig Lecture Series on the Future of Canada, which was born from the success of The Canadian Encyclopedia (turning 40 this year!) and named after the man who helped bring the series to life. This annual lecture fosters interdisciplinary research and dialogue, particularly in the field of Canadian studies.

Most recently, he's being honoured again with the "Dr. Horst Schmid fund" which is a German community-driven fund started by the German Canadian Association of Alberta. This fund supports the study of German language in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies at the Faculty of Arts.

The Annual Hurtig Lecture on the Future of Canada

Established in 2006, the Hurtig Lecture hosted by the Department of Political Science on the Future of Canada provides a national platform at the ¶®É«µÛ for leading voices to deliver lectures that provoke, educate and inspire a more inclusive understanding of our shared responsibilities as engaged citizens in an increasingly complex world.

Reflecting the department’s longstanding commitment to Canadian Studies and interdisciplinary dialogue, the series continues to foster important conversations about Canada’s future. This year’s lecture took place on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at the Timms Centre for the Arts, as well as online.

David Lyon, a pioneer in surveillance studies, was the featured speaker for 2025. Lyon is one of the best-known scholars in the world in the rapidly growing field of surveillance studies. His work, translated into over 15 languages, is well known in many countries in academia and also influences government policy.

His keynote, Trailled by Timmies: Surveillance Technology, AI and Human Futures, explored the ethics, impact and rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and surveillance.

“The study of surveillance has become particularly significant to a wide range of citizens and academics, as we increasingly live in a transparent world, where the minute details of our behaviours and even thoughts are open to scrutiny by government and corporate actors,” says Professor , Department of Sociology.

“The implications of this fundamental transformation in the dynamics of visibility are widespread, promising to leave no aspect of daily life untouched.”

The ¶®É«µÛ has considerable interdisciplinary expertise in the study of surveillance. Following Lyon’s presentation, he was joined by a panel with Steven Penney (Faculty of Law), Nicolette Little (Department of Media and Technology Studies/Women's and Gender Studies), and Blair Attard-Frost (Department of Political Science) and moderated by Haggerty.

Now in his 90s, Schmid still continues to help shape conversations about culture, identity and emerging technologies through his support and belief in the legacies left by visionaries like Hurtig. While trends, by their very nature, change and shift culture over time, Schmid’s history of curiosity, ingenuity and creativity endures.

More information about Schmid's ability to turn visions into reality is available widely online.