Canadian Studies Announcements

In This Issue:

News from Berkeley

• UC Berkeley grad student says Canada’s reversal on immigration is a problem for its economy

Upcoming Events

• Panel: Understanding Post-Trudeau Canadian Politics and Policies

External Events

• AURA at Grace Cathedral

• San Francisco Leonard Cohen Festival

• Montreal Steppers at SF Dance Film Festival

NEWS FROM BERKELEY

UC Berkeley Grad Student Says Canada’s Reversal on Immigration is a Problem for Its Economy

A UC Berkeley graduate student weighed in on Canada’s ongoing immigration debate in an op-ed recently published in The Globe and Mail. Its author, Kevin Yin, is a second-year PhD student studying macroeconomics and international finance. Yin holds a BA from the University of Toronto, and an MA from Yale. He has been a contributing columnist to The Globe and Mail since 2023, where he shares his views on Canada’s economy, public policy, and global affairs.

In his most recent piece, “Canada doesn’t like immigration any more. This is a problem“, Yin evaluates the economic effects of the Canadian public’s recent turn against immigration. Recent polling suggests that most Canadians now believe that the country brings in too many newcomers, and many blame excess immigration for Canada’s mounting economic woes.

Yin concedes that recent surges in immigration may have worsened the housing crisis, and that people are right to be worried about affordability. At the same time, he argues that restricting immigration too much could hurt the country long-term, as shown in data and in case studies of other countries like Japan. Yin points to studies that show that immigration fuels economic growth and helps Canada stay competitive on the world stage. From filling labour gaps to driving innovation, newcomers make the economy stronger and more dynamic. Additionally, immigrants will be critical to supporting Canada’s aging population in coming decades.

Yin argues that the real issue isn’t immigration itself, but the country’s structural problems. High youth unemployment could be attributed to a weak economy strangled by tariffs and low productivity, while zoning restrictions and construction costs are key factors contributing to the housing crisis. If Canada wants to keep growing, both economically and geopolitically, he asserts that the country must address these issues while still welcoming people who want to build a future in Canada.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Panel: Understanding Post-Trudeau Canadian Politics and Policies

Tues., Nov. 4 | 12:30 pm | 223 Philosophy Hall | RSVP

Since 2024, Canadian politics has entered a new era of uncertainty. The result of the US presidential election raised diplomatic and economic tensions between Canada and the United States to a level unprecedented in modern times. Domestically, the election of Mark Carney as the Canadian prime minister initiated a new era of Canadian politics after Justin Trudeau’s 10-year premiership. What do we need to know to better understand Canadian politics and public policy in this age of changes and challenges? In this event, two experts will share their thoughts on the major issues at stake in Canada today.

About the Panelists

Dr. Evert Lindquist is a professor of public administration at the University of Victoria and editor of Canadian Public Administration, the journal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada. His research interests include the evolving role of federal agencies, public sector reform, and how governments address complex policy challenges.

Professor Lindquist is a recipient of the BC Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal Award for Excellence in Public Administration. He holds a BA from Carleton University; an MA from Western University; and a PhD from the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley.

Dr. Alasdair Roberts is a professor of public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he was the inaugural director of the university’s School of Public Policy. He has received numerous awards for his writing on problems of governance.

Professor Roberts is the first non-US citizen elected as a Fellow of the US National Academy of Public Administration. In 2022, he received the Riggs Award for Lifetime Achievement in International and Comparative Public Administration from the American Political Science Association (APSA). He received his BA from Queen’s University; his JD from the University of Toronto; and his MPP and PhD in public policy from Harvard.

This event is cosponsored by the Institute of Governmental Studies.

This event will have a remote attendance option via Zoom. Please select the “virtual attendance” in the RSVP form to receive the link.

If you require an accommodation to fully participate in this event, please let us know with as much advance notice as possible by emailing canada@berkeley.edu.

EXTERNAL EVENTS

AURA at Grace Cathedral

Through Dec. 31 | San Francisco | Tickets

Created by Moment Factory, a multimedia entertainment studio based in Quebec, and co-presented by Fever, Grace Cathedral is AURA’s third destination in the acclaimed series, and first edition to be presented in the United States. After captivating over two million visitors in Montreal and Paris, AURA arrives in San Francisco to transform Grace Cathedral into a canvas of light, music, and projection. AURA reimagines the cathedral’s stained-glass windows, soaring arches, and cultural symbols through orchestral music, vibrant projections, and luminous storytelling. Experience an immersive 360-degree seated show that celebrates the harmony between humanity and nature, as AURA invites you to feel deeply, reflect, and create lasting memories.

San Francisco Leonard Cohen Festival

Nov. 3-8 | San Francisco | Tickets

The San Francisco Leonard Cohen Festival returns next month! Hosted by San Francisco’s Conspiracy of Beards, a choir of men that sing the songs of Leonard Cohen, the festival is a multi-artist, multi-event celebration of the poetry, literature, and music of the late Canadian singer, songwriter, author, and poet.

Learn more about the festival and its origins in this 2024 piece from PBS Newshour.

Montreal Steppers at the SF Dance Film Festival

Sat., Nov. 8 | 6:00 pm | San Francisco | Tickets

The 2025 San Francisco Dance Film Festival will take place from October 24 to November 9 at theaters across San Francisco. The festival will include a screening of the short documentary The Steppers Visit South Africa, which follows the Montreal Steppers as they reconnect with the ancestral roots of street dance in its native country. The screening will be followed by a performance from the Montreal Steppers, who will join the festival from Canada.

Canadian Studies Program

213 Philosophy Hall #2308

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