Canadian Studies Announcements

In this issue:

New Hildebrand Fellow Aaron Gregory Studies Indigenous-led Energy Projects

Canadian Studies is pleased to introduce Aaron Gregory as the latest recipient of an Edward Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowship. Aaron is a Ph.D. student in regional planning, with an emphasis on Indigenous energy sovereignty.

Aaron’s research explores the social, technical, and regulatory impacts of a renewable energy system developed by a First Nations community in Beecher Bay (British Columbia). He examines this project as an emergent approach to Indigenous environmental governance, an infrastructural solution responding to the problem of Indigenous energy sovereignty, and a regulatory provocation designed to challenge a provincial monopoly on energy production and distribution. His Hildebrand Fellowship will provide funding for fieldwork analyzing new ‘kinship infrastructures’ articulated through the social, technological, and environmental elements of Indigenous energy sovereignty, anticipating the decolonization and decarbonization of energy production and distribution in British Columbia.

Aaron’s research builds upon his training in regional planning, political ecology, Indigenous studies, critical infrastructure studies, and science & technology studies (STS). His current project expands upon prior investigations of an Indigenous-led solar MicroGrid system in northern California, an Indigenous land restitution program in South Africa, and an Indigenous land rights program in Chile. Aaron received his interdisciplinary M.A. from Brandeis and Tufts University before joining the University of California, Berkeley, and has worked with a variety of Indigenous communities, non-governmental organizations, and community organizations to strengthen and support Indigenous and environmental interests.

Five Berkeley Women to Represent Canada at Tokyo Olympics

As reported by the Cal Alumni Association, two current Berkeley students and three alumnae will represent Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics later this summer. The five women will join a large cohort of current and former Golden Bears competing for Olympic glory for a number of international teams at this year’s games.

One notable face in this intrepid group is two-time NCAA champion Camryn Rogers, class of ’22. The 22-year-old athlete is a native of British Columbia, and has previously represented Canada at numerous international youth events. She astonished the collegiate sports world earlier this year when she broke the collegiate women’s hammer throw record twice in one day and set a personal best of 75.52 m (247 ft 9 in). Rogers was profiled in a short film by California Magazine as an incoming student in 2019.

The other competitors with a Cal connection are:

Image: Camryn Rogers ’22. (Cal Athletics Track & Field roster.)

In the News

Mary Simon Appointed Canada’s First-Ever Indigenous Governor General

In what is being hailed as a landmark move, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last week the appointment of Inuk leader and diplomat Mary Simon as the 30th governor general of Canada. Ms. Simon will be the first Indigenous person to serve in the role, which functions as the official representative of the Crown in Canada. Her appointment has been hailed by Indigenous leaders, and comes at a time where the country is reckoning with its treatment of its Native population.

Ms. Simon was born in a village in Nunavik, the Inuit territory in northern Quebec. A career civil servant and Indigenous rights advocate, she helped negotiate the landmark 1975 James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, considered Canada’s first modern treaty with an Indigenous group. In 1994, she was appointed Canada’s first-ever ambassador for circumpolar affairs, and was a key figure in the creation of the Arctic Council, an international forum promoting cooperation between Arctic governments and Indigenous peoples. Ms. Simon received the Order of Canada in 1991 in recognition of her advocacy for Indigenous rights, and was promoted to officer in 2005 for her diplomatic work.

Image: Mary Simon speaks following the announcement of her appointment. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press.)

San Francisco’s Canadian Consulate Launches New Tech Policy Podcast, Confluence

The Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco has announced the launch of Confluence, their first podcast. In each episode, Consul General Rana Sarkar, Canada’s Tech Envoy in Silicon Valley, will delve into the issues shaping technology, diplomacy, and economic recovery through the lenses of Silicon Valley, Canada, and the world. He will discuss pressing topics with subject matter experts to gain an unrestricted, deep dive into the tech policy issues shaping our times. Working at the intersections of big tech, public policy and change, Sarkar brings a unique perspective to these conversations and offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the global technological revolutions happening all around us.

Audiences can tune in for sharp, informative, and entertaining conversations in this limited series. Episodes are available now: Confluence (pod.link)

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