Category Archives: Canadian Studies Program UC Berkeley

Celebrating Indigenous Heritage Month

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An item from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.
Canadian Studies Announcements
In this issue:
  • Celebrating Indigenous Heritage Month
  • How Canadian Studies is supporting student research on Indigenous topics
  • Former Hildebrand Fellow Desirée Valadares appointed professor at UBC
  • 12 free documentaries exploring Indigenous life in Canada
  • Postponed: ACSUS 26th Biennial Conference
Celebrating Indigenous Heritage Month
June is Indigenous Heritage Month in Canada. We here at Canadian Studies encourage all readers to take some time this month to learn more about the diverse cultures and long history of Canada’s Indigenous people, from the Inuit of the Arctic, to the Mi’kmaq of the Atlantic Coast, to the Coast Salish peoples of the Pacific West.
In Prime Minister Trudeau’s official statement marking this year’s commemoration, he asserted the importance of Canadians of all backgrounds familiarizing themselves with the distinct cultures and contemporary issues facing Native communities in Canada. The PM acknowledged government failures both past and present with regards to Indigenous groups; nevertheless, he expressed optimism and determination for a future relationship founded on “mutual understanding, respect, and fairness.”
Visit the official National Indigenous Heritage Month website for a variety of educational resources on Canada’s Indigenous groups, as well as virtual celebrations for Indigenous Peoples’ Day on June 21.
Canadian Studies Supports Student Research on Indigenous Issues
The Canadian Studies Program is proud to support student researchers focused on Indigenous issues in modern Canada. Below are a few of our most recent awards:
Fallon Burner received the 2020 Ross Prize for her thesis, “Healing Through Language: Revitalization and Renewal in the Wendat Confederacy”. The project examined the history of the languages of the Wendat Confederacy, showing the vital role that language plays in the Indigenous community, how its history is tied to issues of erasure and survival, and the role of language revitalization projects to contemporary community healing. As a Wendat descendant, Fallon advocates for increasing Native voices in the field of history, and Native language proficiency as a requirement for researchers.
Hildebrand Fellow Mindy Price is currently in the Northwest Territories, where’s she’s researching the effect of recent government agricultural programs on Indigenous communities. Her research focuses on indigenous food sovereignty and the effects of climate change on agriculture in the far north in the context of Indigenous sovereignty. Do these new forces represent a threat to Indigenous land sovereignty, and their traditional methods of resource management? What are the benefits or drawbacks these projects present for Indigenous communities and other residents?
Doctoral student Sophie Major received a Hildebrand Fellowship to study Indigenous political theory of Coast Salish peoples in British Columbia. Her dissertation aims to address a long-standing problem, where political theorists have failed to seriously engage with the diversity of Indigenous political thought. Her dissertation introduces a number of case studies, illustrating the strengths of an ethnographic, historicist, genealogical, and interpretive approach to understanding contemporary Indigenous political theory.
Hildebrand Fellow Desirée Valadares to Join UBC Faculty
Canadian Studies is proud to announce that former Hildebrand Fellow Desirée Valadares has been appointed as an assistant professor of geography at the University of British Columbia, beginning January 2022.
As a faculty member in “Geographies of Settler Colonial Canada”, Valadares will be drawing on the research for which she received her Hildebrand Fellowship. Her dissertation, “The Reparative Logics of Second World War Confinement Camp Preservation: Hawai’i, Alaska and British Columbia”, focuses on preservation issues at WWII-era Japanese internment sites. It argues for a new heritage politics attuned to competing and overlapping Asian settler war memories of unjust incarceration and unresolved Indigenous land claims
In a UBC press release, Valadares adds that she is “eager to mentor undergraduate and graduate students and help them achieve their goals within and beyond the academy”. We wish her all the best in her new position.
Twelve Documentaries on Indigenous Life in Canada, Streaming for Free
For Indigenous History Month, the CBC has curated a collection of documentaries by Indigenous filmmakers and storytellers that tell Native stories in their own voices. The films cover a wide variety of topics past and present, exploring the history of the original peoples of modern Canada and spotlighting activists fighting for a more equitable future. Read the full list and stream the films directly for free here. (CBC Gem streaming service is not available outside Canada.)
Postponed: ACSUS 26th Biennial Conference
In light of the ongoing pandemic, the Executive Council of the Association for Canadian Studies in the United States has voted and approved to postpone their previously scheduled biennial conference. The conference will now be held March 24-27, 2022 in Washington, D.C.
ACSUS is continuing to accept papers on the theme “Canada: Near and Far”. To learn more and submit proposals, please visit acsus.org. Questions may be emailed to conference chair Dr. Christina Keppie at keppiec@wwu.edu.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720

Happy Victoria Day! 🎆 We’re welcoming two new board members

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An item that we received yesterday from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.
Canadian Studies Announcements
In this issue:
  • Happy Victoria Day-National Patriots’ Day!
  • Canadian Studies welcomes two new board members
  • Board member Rosann Greenspan receives legal society’s Legacy Award
  • Program coordinator Tomás Lane receives Berkeley staff excellence award
  • External event: “La démocratie féministe. Réinventer le pouvoir”
Happy Victoria Day-National Patriots’ Day!
We wish all our Canadian friends a happy holiday, whether you’re celebrating Victoria Day or National Patriots’ Day! For many Canadians, this Monday marks the official start of summer, and is traditionally a time to celebrate with family and enjoy a long weekend. While provincial COVID restrictions have put a hold on large gatherings, we hope you’re able to get outside and celebrate safely!
Victoria Day celebrates the birthday of Queen Victoria, under whose reign the modern Canadian government was established in 1867. Begun as a celebration of the queen’s actual birthday in 1845, the modern holiday was established following Victoria’s death in 1901 to honor her role as the “Mother of Confederation”. The holiday also serves as the official birthday of the current monarch, Elizabeth II.
In Quebec, the same Monday has been designated as National Patriots’ Day since 2003. The holiday commemorates the 1837 uprisings against the British colonial government in Lower Canada (Quebec), and the fight of Quebec’s people for national recognition. Before then, it was unofficially dedicated to the folk hero Adam Dollard des Ormeaux.
Photo: Victoria Day fireworks in Toronto by beuh_dave on Flickr.
Canadian Studies Welcomes Two New Board Members
The Canadian Studies Program is excited to announce two new additions to our external advisory board: Chris Lorway and Atousa Pahlevan-Duprat. Both have strong connections to both Canada and the United States; we believe that their backgrounds and career interests will bring exciting new perspectives to the board. While their official terms begin on July 1, we’re delighted to welcome them into the Canadian Studies community now.
Chris Lorway is the executive director of Stanford Live. He was born on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. He completed his undergraduate degree in music, and received an M.A. in arts administration from Columbia University. Chris has held leadership posts at arts organizations on both sides of the US-Canada border, including the Lincoln Center and Massey Hall, and also consulted globally for major organizations such as Carnegie Hall, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the San Francisco Opera. In his current role at Stanford, he oversees over 150 performances and events a season and continues to commission and develop new works. During COVID, Chris has utilized his past experiences in film and media to create a comprehensive digital season that features Bay Area musicians captured by local filmmakers.
Atousa Pahlevan-Duprat was born in Iran and immigrated to Canada in 2002. She earned a master’s in mathematics from the University of Waterloo and a Ph.D. in software engineering from the University of Victoria. Her area of expertise is in service search and discovery, and improving relevance and ranking on search engines. Atousa’s most recent job was as a software engineer for Uber, responsible for improving relevancy on the platform’s internal search function. She also previously worked for IBM. Atousa is highly involved with the high-tech community in both Canada and the United States, and hopes to facilitate the creation of a strong Canadian-American tech community.
Board Member Rosann Greenspan Wins LSA Legacy Award
The Law and Society Association, a leading professional group for scholars of sociology of law, announced last week that Canadian Studies board member Rosann Greenspan will receive a 2021 Legacy Award from the society. The award recognizes contributions that have significantly helped to develop the association through sustained commitment to its mission and legacy, extensive service or scholarly publications that made a lasting contribution to LSA. Canadian Studies extends our warmest congratulations to Rosann for this well-deserved honour.
Program Coordinator Tomás Lane Receives UC Berkeley Staff Excellence Award
Canadian Studies congratulates program coordinator Tomás Lane, who received a 2021 Berkeley Spot Award for outstanding contributions to campus. Tomás was recognized for his excellence in service, teamwork, and inclusion. Canadian Studies director Irene Bloemraad expressed how delighted she was to learn of this award: “Tomás has been with Canadian Studies for almost 18 months, most of it during a time of unprecedented stresses that required all of us to innovate beyond the old ways of doing things at Berkeley. He has met these challenges with calm professionalism and exemplary communication with our whole community. Félicitations, Tomás!”
Affiliate/External Events
La démocratie féministe. Réinventer le pouvoir
29 mai | 12:00 p.m. | RSVP ici
Dans ce programme virtuel, l’Alliance française de Berkeley accueille Marie-Cécile Naves, Docteure en Science politique pour mener une discussion sur les nouveaux enjeux politiques internationaux, au prisme du féminisme.
Le pouvoir prédateur sur les autres et la planète, incarné par les populismes néofascistes et le néolibéralisme, n’est pas une fatalité. Avec les crises démocratiques, environnementales, sanitaires et sociales que nous traversons, ce sont à la fois les récits, les agendas et les styles politiques qui doivent être questionnés. Le féminisme figure parmi les réponses. Fort d’une histoire plurielle, sur tous les continents, il est de plus en plus inclusif et transversal. Sur les plans théorique, pratique et programmatique, en multipliant les terrains d’expression et de revendication, il propose de renouveler les cadres de pensée pour construire un nouvel universel.
Par l’onde de choc qui est la sienne, dont #MeToo n’est qu’un exemple, le féminisme, avec d’autres approches du réel, jette les bases d’un projet durable et solidaire. Il promeut aussi un nouveau leadership, fondé sur la coopération et la responsabilité collective. Dans des contextes de crise, le féminisme est indispensable au renouveau démocratique, à l’émergence d’une nouvelle forme de pouvoir, de l’action publique à l’entreprise, en passant par l’art ou encore le sport.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720

Celebrating Asian Heritage Month; last chance to apply for research funding

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A newsletter from another fellow Canadian organization in the Bay Area.
Canadian Studies Announcements
In this issue:
  • Celebrating Asian Heritage Month in the US and Canada
  • Last chance to apply for Canadian Studies research funding!
  • In the News: Faculty affiliate David Card elected to Nat’l Academy of Sciences
  • External event: Applying to Higher Education in Canada
  • External event: “La démocratie féministe. Réinventer le pouvoir”
Please note: Beginning this week, our newsletter is moving to our summer schedule of once every two weeks.
Celebrating Asian Heritage Month
May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada and the US! During this month, we celebrate the many contributions made by members of the Asian-Pacific Islander community to our countries and societies.
Originally established through the advocacy of a number of Asian-American congresspeople in the United States, President Jimmy Carter approved the first official celebration in 1978. The commemoration was adopted unofficially in Canada the 1990s to recognize the Asian-Canadian community. An official declaration designating May as Asian Heritage Month was issued by the Canadian government in 2002.
At a time when both the US and Canada are seeing increased reports of violence and harassment towards people of Asian descent, we believe it’s more important than ever to acknowledge and support these communities. In Canada, the 2021 theme is “Recognition, Resilience, and Resolve“, highlighting the perseverance of Asian communities in the face of discrimination, and calling on all people to fight against anti-Asian racism.
While many live events are still on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to celebrate from home. The US Library of Congress hosts the official Asian Pacific American Heritage site, featuring virtual exhibits, event links, and more. Meanwhile, CBC Calgary has put together a free resource for all ages to learn about the contributions of Asian Canadians to Canada, and explore the Asian-Canadian experience more broadly.
Last Chance to Apply for Canadian Studies Research Funding!
The Canadian Studies Program is currently accepting research funding requests for both graduate and undergraduate students at UC Berkeley. Applications for AY 2021-22 will close this Friday, May 7, 2021. Learn more and apply by clicking the links below.
The Edward E. Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowship provides travel and research support for Berkeley graduate students whose work focuses primarily, or comparatively, on Canada. Fellowships range from $5,000 – $10,000.
The Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies provides a cash prize of $250 to the Berkeley undergraduate who has produced the best research project engaging with a Canadian topic for a class or independent study program.
Please circulate this information to your students, peers, and networks!
In the News
Faculty Affiliate Economist David Card Elected to the National Academy of Sciences
Labour economist and Canadian Studies affiliate David Card was one of three UC Berkeley faculty recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his contributions to the field of economics. Card, who was born in Canada, 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.
Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest national honours in the scientific field. The Academy was chartered by the US Congress and President Lincoln in 1863, with the aim of promoting development of the sciences and providing the government with advice on scientific topics. New members are inducted annually by a vote of current members, and hold their position for life.
Affiliate/External Events
DML Chesterfield Chat: Applying to Higher Education in Canada
May 11 | 4:30 p.m. | RSVP here
For young Americans considering attending college in Canada, it can be difficult to know where to start. The Digital Moose Lounge invites families to meet three adventurous young adults in an upcoming Chesterfield Chat panel. All of these university students grew up spending some or all of their time in US schools before heading to Canada for university. Please join them for an open discussion and Q&A to find out why they chose a Canadian university, what they’ve enjoyed about their experience studying in Canada, and their tips for applying.
The panel will be hosted by past DML chair and current Canadian Studies Advisory Board Chair David Stewart. Special guest Rana Sarkar, Consul General of Canada in San Francisco, will share opening remarks.
La démocratie féministe. Réinventer le pouvoir
29 mai | 12:00 p.m. | RSVP ici
Dans ce programme virtuel, l’Alliance française de Berkeley accueille Marie-Cécile Naves, Docteure en Science politique pour mener une discussion sur les nouveaux enjeux politiques internationaux, au prisme du féminisme.
Le pouvoir prédateur sur les autres et la planète, incarné par les populismes néofascistes et le néolibéralisme, n’est pas une fatalité. Avec les crises démocratiques, environnementales, sanitaires et sociales que nous traversons, ce sont à la fois les récits, les agendas et les styles politiques qui doivent être questionnés. Le féminisme figure parmi les réponses. Fort d’une histoire plurielle, sur tous les continents, il est de plus en plus inclusif et transversal. Sur les plans théorique, pratique et programmatique, en multipliant les terrains d’expression et de revendication, il propose de renouveler les cadres de pensée pour construire un nouvel universel.
Par l’onde de choc qui est la sienne, dont #MeToo n’est qu’un exemple, le féminisme, avec d’autres approches du réel, jette les bases d’un projet durable et solidaire. Il promeut aussi un nouveau leadership, fondé sur la coopération et la responsabilité collective. Dans des contextes de crise, le féminisme est indispensable au renouveau démocratique, à l’émergence d’une nouvelle forme de pouvoir, de l’action publique à l’entreprise, en passant par l’art ou encore le sport.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720

Saskatchewan’s psychedelic history; Court affirms Indigenous rights across border

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An item from a fellow Canadian organization in the Bay Area.
Canadian Studies Announcements
In this issue:
  • Tomorrow: “Canada’s Role in a Psychedelic Renaissance”, feat. Erika Dyck
  • Just two weeks left to apply for Canadian Studies research funding!
  • In the News: Canadian Supreme Court affirms rights for US-based tribes
  • External event: “L’influence du contexte social sur l’intégration des immigrants”
  • External event: Western Washington U celebrates 50 years of Canadian Studies
Next Week
Psychedelics, Eh? Canada’s Role in a Psychedelic Renaissance
April 27 | 12:30 p.m. PT | RSVP here
In the 1950’s, the Canadian province of Saskatchewan was on the cutting edge of research into hallucinogenic drugs. Under the province’s massive healthcare reforms, researchers received grants to pursue LSD treatments they thought could revolutionize psychiatry. What do these experiments say about Canada’s healthcare system and society at the time? And what can we learn from the program’s successes and failures at a time when psychedelics are attracting renewed scientific and public interest?
Erika Dyck is the Canada Research Chair in the History of Health & Social Justice at the University of Saskatchewan. She specializes in the history of psychiatry, and has written several books on the history of psychedelic research and eugenics in Canada. She is the author of Psychedelic Psychiatry: LSD from Clinic to Campus (Johns Hopkins University Press), which covers the complex history of LSD in North America.
This event is co-sponsored by the Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics.
Reminder: Just Two Weeks Left to Apply for Canadian Studies Research Funding!
The Canadian Studies Program is currently accepting applications for funding opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students at UC Berkeley. Applications for AY 2021-22 will close in two weeks, on Friday, May 7, 2021. Learn more and apply by clicking the links below.
The Edward E. Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowship provides travel and research support for Berkeley graduate students whose work focuses primarily, or comparatively, on Canada. Fellowships range from $5,000 – $10,000.
The Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies provides a cash prize of $250 to the Berkeley undergraduate who has produced the best research project engaging with a Canadian topic for a class or independent study program.
Please circulate this information to your students, peers, and networks!
In the News
Canadian Supreme Court Affirms Land Use Rights for US-Based Indigenous Groups
In a landmark ruling for Indigenous rights, the Canadian Supreme Court declared Friday that members of US-based tribes maintain their ancestral land rights in Canada despite no longer living in the country.
In the 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that US-based descendants of the historical Canadian Sinixt, who were declared legally extinct by the Canadian government in 1956, maintain the rights of their ancestors in their historic territory. While almost all Sinixt people today live in eastern Washington state, the majority of their historical territory was located in modern British Columbia.
The case was brought by Rick Desautel, a resident of the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington, who was arrested in 2010 after crossing the border into British Columbia to hunt elk. Desautel argued that as a member of a tribe descended from the Sinixt, his hunting rights were protected under the Canadian Constitution’s guarantee of such rights to “Aboriginal people of Canada”. Federal prosecutors argued that this term did not include the modern descendants of the Sinixt, as they do not live in Canada. However, the Supreme Court disagreed, determining that “Aboriginal people” includes the successors to any group whose ancestors resided in Canada prior to European contact.
The landmark decision is expected to have wide implications, potentially affecting tens of thousands of Native Americans whose ancestral territories were divided by the modern US-Canada border. The ruling also raises questions as to whether US-based groups will need to be consulted over potential resource projects in their ancestral territories.
Image: Rick Desautel and other members of the Colville Reservation conduct a prayer: Credit: Shelly Boyd, The Guardian.
Affiliate/External Events
L’influence du contexte social et politique sur l’intégration des immigrants
29 avril | 10:00 a.m. ET | RSVP ici
La directrice de notre programme, Irene Bloemraad, participera au Forum sur l’intégration, organisé par le Département de science politique de l’université Concordia, et l’Initiative de recherche sur l’immigration, avec le soutien financier du Gouvernement du Québec. Le Forum réunit des chercheurs, des représentants des gouvernements et des acteurs de terrain afin de faire le point sur l’état de la recherche sur les dynamiques d’intégration des immigrants au Québec et ailleurs. Le forum est une première dans le contexte québécois, par son désir de faire découvrir aux acteurs de terrain et aux chercheurs les expériences d’ailleurs dans le domaine de l’intégration, tout en établissant un dialogue sur les développements au Québec.
Le Forum se déroule du 28 avril au 30 avril. Pour en savoir plus et s’inscrire (inscription gratuite), consultez le programme complet ici.
Book Talk: Bridging the Longest Border with Dr. Donald Alper
April 29 | 7:00 p.m. PT | RSVP here
As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Western Washington University’s Center for Canadian-American Studies is sponsoring a talk by Dr. Don Alper on his new book, “Bridging the Longest Border”. The book is a story of how a handful of visionaries built a program at Western Washington University to educate students and community leaders about Canada. While not a history lesson, this book traces the journey of creating a place for developing knowledge about this important country just a stone’s throw away.
Dr. Alper is an emeritus professor of political science at Western Washington University, and the former director of Western’s Center for Canadian–American Studies and the Border Policy Research Institute. Known nationally for his advancement of Canadian Studies in the United States, he has taught courses on Canadian politics and Canada-U.S. relations for more than 40 years. Don Alper will be joined in conversation with Cat Wallace, journalism instructor at Whatcom Community College and editor.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720

April events overload! Psychedelics, Native languages, & Canada’s wartime history

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An item from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.  And thanks to the folks at the Canadian Studies Program at Berkeley for helping to promote our event.
Canadian Studies Announcements
In this issue:
  • Next Week: “Canada’s Role in a Psychedelic Renaissance”, feat. Erika Dyck
  • Watch our recent healthcare panel online!
  • Co-sponsored event: Mohawk language revitalization with Kahtehrón:ni Stacey
  • Earth Day activities with a Canadian focus
  • External event: Canada and the Korean War, 70 years on
  • External event: Bay Area ANZAC Day commemoration
  • External event: Western Washington U celebrates 50 years of Canadian Studies
Next Week
Psychedelics, Eh? Canada’s Role in a Psychedelic Renaissance
April 27 | 12:30 p.m. | RSVP here
In the 1950’s, the Canadian province of Saskatchewan was on the cutting edge of research into hallucinogenic drugs. Under the province’s massive healthcare reforms, researchers received grants to pursue LSD treatments they thought could revolutionize psychiatry. What do these experiments say about Canada’s healthcare system and society at the time? And what can we learn from the program’s successes and failures at a time when psychedelics are attracting renewed scientific and public interest?
Erika Dyck is the Canada Research Chair in the History of Health & Social Justice at the University of Saskatchewan. She specializes in the history of psychiatry, and has written several books on the history of psychedelic research and eugenics in Canada. She is the author of Psychedelic Psychiatry: LSD from Clinic to Campus (Johns Hopkins University Press), which covers the complex history of LSD in North America.
This event is co-sponsored by the Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics.
Watch Our Recent Healthcare Panel Online!
Did you miss our April 6 panel on healthcare in the US and Canada, featuring Planet Money co-host Amanda Aronczyk and University of Toronto professor Gregory Marchildon? Don’t worry – thanks to our partners at the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, you can now watch the event on YouTube here! Find out why Canada’s health system has such a polarized reputation in the US, how the system really works, and what lessons the US could take from the Canadian experience.
Image: Woman protests for healthcare reform in Connecticut, 2009. Credit: Sage Ross on Wikimedia Commons.
Co-sponsored Event
Indigenous Language Revitalization with Kahtehrón:ni Stacey
April 28 | 4:00 p.m. | RSVP here
The UC Berkeley Language Revitalization Working Group, in cooperation with the Canadian Studies Program, will host Indigenous language specialist Kahtehrón:ni Stacey to discuss her work with the Mohawk language in Canada. Stacey is an expert in language revitalization, particularly among adult second language learners, and has worked as a curriculum consultant for Kanien’kéha education at the Kahnawà:ke Education Center in Quebec since 2015.
Stacey received her masters’ degree in indigenous languages revitalization from the University of Victoria in 2016, while maintaining her role at the KEC. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in education at McGill University, which awarded her its prestigious Vanier Scholarship in 2018. Her research investigates approaches for adult language learners in achieving mastery proficiency, and explores approaches to collaboratively develop a path for other advanced language learners to follow.
Please email Martha Schwarz to RSVP and receive a meeting link.
Earth Day 2021
April 22 – Events happening all week
First launched in 1970 and officially celebrated in Canada since 1980, Earth Day is a global celebration aimed at promoting environmental protection and conservation. Find ways you can get involved through lectures, activities, and events with a Canadian focus by visiting earthday.ca.
Image: Magpie River, Quebec by The Canadian Press/HO-Boreal River
Affiliate/External Events
Canada and the Korean War: A Forgotten Ally in a Forgotten War
April 22 | 12:30 p.m. PT | RSVP here
Almost 30,000 Canadians fought in the Korean War, helping to protect the Republic of Korea (South Korea) from repeated North Korean and Chinese encroachments south of the 38th Parallel. Although often overlooked or forgotten, the war is a key chapter in the US-Canada relationship, in Canada’s modern military history, and in the record of Canada’s engagement with multilateral and collective security institutions.
On the seventieth anniversary of one of the most notable episodes of Canadian involvement in the Korean War, the Battle of Kapyong, the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute and History and Public Policy Program are bringing together three leading specialists in Canada’s diplomatic and military history to examine the Canadian experience of this devastating conflict. What domestic and international forces drove Canada to participate in the UN intervention in Korea? How did the war shape or reshape the US-Canada relationship? How did Canadian soldiers experience the conflict? And finally, how is the Korean War remembered in Canada today?
Speakers include Dr. Meghan Fitzpatrick of Defence Research and Development Canada; Dr. Jack Cunningham of the University of Toronto; and Dr. Andrew Burtch of the Canadian War Museum.
ANZAC Day 2021 Commemoration
April 25 | 10:00 a.m. PT | RSVP here
ANZAC Day commemorates the anniversary of the costly Allied landings at the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915. While the main Allied combatants were from Australia and New Zealand, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment also participated in the campaign – the only North American unit to do so.
US Branch 25 of the Royal Canadian Legion is partnering with the Australian American Chamber of Commerce and the New Zealand American Association of San Francisco to stream a small ANZAC Day service from Hero’s Grove in Golden Gate National Park. Please RSVP above to attend.
Book Talk: Bridging the Longest Border with Dr. Donald Alper
April 29 | 7:00 p.m. PT | RSVP here
As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Western Washington University’s Center for Canadian-American Studies is sponsoring a talk by Dr. Don Alper on his new book, “Bridging the Longest Border”. The book is a story of how a handful of visionaries built a program at Western Washington University to educate students and community leaders about Canada. While not a history lesson, this book traces the journey of creating a place for developing knowledge about this important country just a stone’s throw away.
Dr. Alper is an emeritus professor of political science at Western Washington University, and the former director of Western’s Center for Canadian–American Studies and the Border Policy Research Institute. Known nationally for his advancement of Canadian Studies in the United States, he has taught courses on Canadian politics and Canada-U.S. relations for more than 40 years. Don Alper will be joined in conversation with Cat Wallace, journalism instructor at Whatcom Community College and editor.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720