Canadian Studies Announcements

In this issue:

 Happy Thanksgiving to Canadians Near and Far! 

Dear Friends,

On behalf of all of us at Canadian Studies, I would like to wish a joyful (Canadian) Thanksgiving to you and your families. Here in Berkeley, we have a lot to be grateful for. With the pandemic winding down in California, we’re slowly returning to life as normal. We were even able to celebrate Thanksgiving in-person this weekend with members of the Bay Area’s Canadian Community for the first time in two years – see the pictures below! The day takes on particular poignancy as it also falls on Indigenous Peoples’ Day here in the US, a tradition that started in the city of Berkeley.

As we give thanks, we are most grateful for all of your support through these difficult times. We’ve really seen the value of a strong community over the last two years. I’m so proud to say that we have built such a community around Canadian Studies, because it’s your interest and encouragement that keeps us moving forward. We couldn’t do it without you.

With best wishes for a happy and delicious holiday,

Irene Bloemraad

Program Director

TOMORROW

Book Talk: Making Middle-Class Multiculturalism: Immigration Bureaucrats and Policymaking in Postwar Canada

October 12 | 12:30 pm PT | Online | RSVP here

In the 1950s and 1960s, immigration bureaucrats played an important yet unacknowledged role in transforming Canada’s immigration policy. Their perceptions and judgements about the admissibility of individuals influenced the creation of formal admissions criteria for skilled workers and family immigrants that continue to shape immigration to Canada. Bureaucrats emphasized not just economic utility, but also middle-class traits and values such as wealth accumulation, educational attainment, entrepreneurial spirit, resourcefulness and a strong work ethic. By making “middle-class multiculturalism” a basis of nation-building in Canada, they created a much-admired approach to managing racial diversity that has nevertheless generated significant social inequalities. Migration expert Jennifer Elrick will discuss insights from her forthcoming book examining the topic.

Jennifer Elrick is an assistant professor of sociology at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Her research interests lie in the area of state classifications (in censuses and immigration policy) and their relationship to social stratification along the lines of race, gender, and social class. Her work is multi-national in scope, focusing on Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

This event is cosponsored by the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative, the Center for Race and Gender, and the Institute of International Studies.

IN THE NEWS

Faculty Affiliate David Card Wins Nobel Prize in Economics

Canadian Studies is proud to announce that David Card, a UC Berkeley economist and Canadian Studies faculty affiliate, was awarded half of the 2021 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. The award recognizes his pioneering research in the field of labour economics, which has been hailed as “revolutionary”. We hope you will join us in congratulating Professor Card for this monumental achievement.

Born in Canada, Professor Card has taught at Berkeley for over twenty years. His research focuses on inequality and growth; his best-known work includes studies that challenged prevailing orthodoxies on the negative impacts of a higher minimum wage on employment figures, and of immigration on the wages of native-born workers.

Hear Professor Card’s reaction to the news and his thoughts on the policy implications of his research in a post-announcement interview with the Nobel Committee’s Adam Smith.

President Biden Recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Which Started in Berkeley

Today, Americans honor the Native people of our country, their diverse cultures, and their numerous contributions to our history and society. It is also a time to reflect on the historical and present treatment of Indigenous peoples in the United States, and celebrate their resilience as vibrant, modern communities.

This year’s celebration bears special significance, as it is the first time the holiday has been formally recognized by the federal government. Berkeley was the first US city to officially celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 1992. The decision grew out of debates over the commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of Columbus’ arrival in the Americas and traditional Columbus Day celebrations, which many felt did not accurately account for the impact of European colonization on Native American communities. As a result, Berkeley opted to replace Columbus Day with a celebration of Native American cultures and peoples.

Since then, an increasing number of cities and states have opted to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day alongside or in lieu of Columbus Day. And last Friday, President Biden signed a proclamation recognizing the holiday nationally for the first time ever. The document also affirmed a commitment by the President to honor tribal sovereignty and past treaties on the part of the government. Learn more about what some Native Americans have to say about the significance of the move via NPR.

Image: Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration in Berkeley, 2012. Credit: Quinn Dombrowski on Wikimedia Commons.

Photos: Celebrating Our 4th Annual Canadian Family Thanksgiving

Last Saturday, Canadian Studies welcomed friends from across the Bay back to Berkeley for a special Thanksgiving celebration, our first since 2019! Our 4th Annual Canadian Family Thanksgiving, hosted jointly with the Digital Moose Lounge, was a roaring success. Canadians and friends of Canada alike had fun connecting in-person over a turkey dinner; guests enjoyed music, trivia, and a raffle with Canadian prizes, including woolen tuques, a Team Canada Olympic jacket, and two Air Canada tickets! But most appreciated was a renewed community connection as guests mingled, chatted, and shared Canadian Stories. We can’t wait to see you again next year!

Canadian Studies Program

213 Moses Hall #2308

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