Happy Boxing Day from Canadian Studies

Greetings and happy holidays! On behalf of the Canadian Studies Program at UC Berkeley, we are sending highlights from our 2019 activities, and asking you to join us in supporting the Program as the year comes to a close.

This fall, Canadian Studies hosted an exciting series of events related to the 2019 Canadian Federal Election. We kicked things off in October, hosting an election Debate Party amid the Halloween decorations. After the event, UC Berkeley student Pascal García-Monpetit was interviewed live from Ottawa by Canadian Public Affairs Channel (CPAC). The next day, renowned University of British Columbia professor Richard Johnston gave a Colloquium presentation titled “Understanding the Canadian Federal Election Campaign.”

Then, on Election Night, Canadian Studies hosted an Election Results Watch Party on campus, featuring a delicious tray of Montreal Smoked Meat. Over 60 guests attended, including Berkeley students, local Canadian expats, and wayward Canadian travelers who found us on Google. The next day, our election marathon came to a thoughtful close with Dr. Eric Guntermann’s Colloquium talk offering a “Post-Mortem” of election results.

The Columbia River Treaty, which the U.S. and Canada are renegotiating, was a highlight of our 2019 research efforts. Last Spring, Canadian Studies Affiliated Professor G. Mathias “Matt” Kondolf organized a workshop on Adaptive Management and the Future of the Columbia River Treaty. Two dozen scientists, legal experts, and First Nations leaders assembled in Berkeley to discuss smarter biological management strategies of this international river, and composed a resolution urging the binational negotiating team to incorporate these practices into a modernized Treaty. In December, UC Berkeley Hildebrand Fellow Tyler Nodine delivered a Colloquium talk summarizing the group’s work on this important topic.

The 3rd Annual Canadian Family Thanksgiving was co-hosted at UC-Berkeley’s Alumni House by Canadian Studies and the Digital Mouse Lounge. Over 100 guests enjoyed a night of Canadian food, entertainment, and community. The event also kicked off the Royal Canadian Legion US Zone Branch 25 (SF Bay Area)’s 2019 Poppy Campaign in support of veterans. Canadian Studies proudly served as an official Poppy Distribution Point through Remembrance Day.

Canadian Studies also supported the research of four outstanding UC Berkeley Graduate Students this year through our Edward Hildebrand Fellowship, which supports graduate students traveling to Canada to conduct original research on Canadian topics. Current Hildebrand Fellow Julie Gorecki is researching the worldwide links between gender and climate change, with a specific focus on Indigenous women in Canada. Recent Hildebrand Fellows are now teaching at Yale and the University of the Fraser Valley, supporting the next generation of students.

Since 1982, the Canadian Studies Program at UC Berkeley has played a vital role in advancing knowledge of Canada, while serving as a hub for the Canadian community in Northern California and intellectual thought on Canada-U.S. affairs. Looking ahead to 2020, our Faculty leadership and Advisory Board have set a goal of further advancing new Canadianist research. To that end, we are putting out a special call for donations to support a U.S.-Canada postdoc with expertise in migration. This will mark the first time that Canadian Studies will host a postdoc, and we are confident that this effort will raise the profile of Canadian research at Berkeley, and complement other Canadian Studies programs like our Hildebrand and Sproul fellowships. We are excited to support this new initiative, and are ourselves pledging 25% more than last year’s giving to support Canadian Studies in attaining this goal. We rely on donations for over 90% of our budget, and your donations are very likely tax deductible.*

We wish you a happy holiday season, and remain grateful for your ongoing support.

Sincerely,

David Stewart & Pavan Dhillon

Fundraising Co-Chairs

*UC Berkeley is a Revenue Canada Prescribed University and an Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so contributions made to Canadian Studies max be tax-deductible on American and Canadian federal income taxes (consult your tax professional).

Canadian Studies Program

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