Tag Archives: Canadian Studies Program UC Berkeley

Panel Thursday: Will Alberta & Quebec seek independence?

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A newsletter from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.

EVENT THIS WEEK!
Two Provinces, Two Paths: Canada and the Independence Debate in Alberta and Quebec

Thursday, Sept. 24 | 3:00 pm | 223 Philosophy Hall | RSVP

The question of whether to remain in Canada or seek independence will play a major role in upcoming provincial elections in Alberta and Quebec. Proponents of independence in each province offer different arguments rooted in unique regional histories. However, they also share a sense of alienation from “Canadian” culture and national identity. This panel will discuss the recent rise of sovereigntist and independentist politics in each province. What factors are causing this resurgence of sovereigntist sentiment? How are proponents of Canadian federalism responding to their grievances? And how are international developments, including heightened Canada-US tensions, shaping the trajectory of these movements?
About the Panelists

Martha Hall Findlay is the Director and Palmer Chair in Public Policy at the School of Public Policy, University of Calgary and a member of the Expert Group on Canada-US Relations. A former two-term member of Parliament and corporate lawyer, she oversaw the compilation of the official Alberta government report on the economic impact to the province of leaving Canada.

Philippe Gervais is a communications and public affairs specialist who currently serves as Vice-President, Communications and Institutional Relations, for McGill University. He has previously consulted in crisis management, government relations and public opinion for both the Federal and Quebec provincial governments, and he has advised political campaigns at all levels of government across Canada.

Kristina Michaud was elected to the Canadian House of Commons at age 26, becoming one of the youngest federal representatives ever elected. From 2019 to 2025, she served as a Bloc Québécois MP and as the party’s critic for Public Safety and Climate Change. Originally from eastern Quebec, she now works as a political analyst and commentator for various television and radio programs and writes in La Presse.

Martin Pelletier is a financial columnist, author, senior portfolio manager, and investment fund manager. He is a recognized market strategist, regularly contributing to Canada’s Financial Post and appearing in Canadian and US media to provide insights on topics including equity and bond markets, monetary and fiscal policy, and oil, gas, and commodities.

The panel will be moderated by Jordan O’Brien, Porter O’Brien.
This event is made possible thanks to Porter O’Brien and the Bluma Appel Fund.
This lecture will have a remote attendance option via Zoom. Please select “virtual attendance” in the RSVP form to receive the link.

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

Canadian Studies Program

213 Philosophy Hall #2308

Website | LinkedIn | Email | Donate
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley 213 Philosophy Hall #2308 | Berkeley, CA 94720 US

Carney seeks EU pivot; Student showcase tomorrow!

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Note that we received this newsletter from a fellow Canadian organization in the Bay Area yesterday – so the “tomorrow” event is actually later today.

Canadian Studies Announcements

In This Issue:

News from Canada

• PM Carney seeks new “alliance” with EU at European Parliament

Campus Events

• Canadian Studies Student Research Showcase

• Two Provinces, Two Paths: Canada and the Independence Debate in Alberta and Quebec

• 9th Annual Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

External Events

• Silicon Valley Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research

NEWS FROM CANADA

PM Carney Seeks New “Alliance” with EU at European Parliament

 

On Sunday, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada is seeking a “unique alliance” with the European Union as the country explores alternatives to its longstanding orientation towards the United States.

The remarks come as Carney prepares to travel to Strasbourg to attend the EU’s State of the Union address on Wednesday, the first-ever visit by a foreign head of state. The Prime Minister will address the European Parliament the following day, and meet with European lawmakers and heads of state.

The Prime Minister’s visit is the latest demonstration of his interest in deepening the trans-Atlantic relationship. The Prime Minister has a strong personal connection to the United Kingdom, where he served for seven years as the first non-British governor of the Bank of England. After his election as PM, his first official visits were to France and the United Kingdom. He took the unusual step of requesting that King Charles III personally open the new session of Canada’s Parliament. And next year, Canada will compete in the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time.

As first reported in The Wall Street Journal, Carney appears to be seeking more than friendly relations. While the Prime Minister has rejected the idea of Canada becoming a full member of the EU, he is reportedly pursuing an “associate member” status. Proposals under discussion include not just trade and defense agreements, but even the possibility that Canadians would be allowed to live and work in Europe visa-free.

This would be a major change from the last 80 years, when Canada has been heavily oriented towards the United States for trade, defense, and diplomacy. Historically, Canada was much more closely tied to Europe because of its place in the British Empire. However, when the US became ascendant after WWII, Canada reoriented itself towards its southern neighbor. The trade relationship deepened after PM Brian Mulroney and US president Ronald Reagan negotiated the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement that was later expanded into NAFTA. The partnership seemed to benefit both countries: in recent years, about 70% of Canada’s exports have gone to the United States.

However, the current US administration has firmly indicated that the era of free trade is over. At the same time, US officials have dismissed Canada’s attempts to pivot away in search of new partners. They argue that the EU cannot substitute for the huge amount of trade that crosses the US-Canada border: Canada’s exports to the EU are less than a tenth of what the country exports to the US. US negotiators believe that the sheer size of the US economy will eventually force Canada back to the negotiating table, on more favorable terms.

The proposed Canada-EU alliance, however, is grounded in more than trade. European and Canadian statements have stressed their shared democratic values and similar outlook. And the talks reflect an underlying desire to reduce dependence on the US. Both parties have expressed concern about the reliability of the US as a global partner, and not just in trade. Issues such as Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland and the Iran war have strained diplomatic ties between Europe and the US, while Canada has contended with repeated “51st state” rhetoric from the president and his allies.
Image of Mark Carney by Policy Exchange on Wikimedia Commons.

UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS
All lectures listed will have a remote attendance option via Zoom. Please select “virtual attendance” in the RSVP form to receive the link.

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

Tuesday, Sept. 15 | Noon | 223 Philosophy Hall | RSVP

Learn about the research Canadian Studies funds through our Edward E. Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowships, as recipients present overviews of their projects.

Refusing Bifurcation: Mobility, Kinship and Chinese-Indigenous Families in the Pacific Northwest Borderlands

Jessica Jiang, PhD candidate, Department of Ethnic Studies

In the late 19th-century Pacific Northwest, colonial and transpacific migration routes overlapped and often conflicted with longstanding Indigenous geographies. This talk traces several mixed Chinese-Indigenous families on the Columbia/Interior Plateau across generations, showing how these larger forces shaped their lives and movements. These families found themselves in the crosshairs of both US and Canadian policies that sought to control the movement of Chinese and Indigenous people; however, they also found creative ways to navigate and circumvent these restrictions. Drawing on both Chinese and Indigenous knowledge, practices, and relationships, mixed-descent individuals used their dual heritage to negotiate different kinship traditions, maintain their families, and protect their connections to their homelands.

The Gang Exception: Eroding Propensity Rules in Canadian Criminal Law

Reakash Walters, PhD candidate, UC Berkeley Law

“The Gang Exception” demonstrates how evidence law is applied differently for accused persons who are racially and economically marginalized, compared with other accused persons. The methodology of the article pairs a systematic content analysis of reported Canadian criminal cases with a content analysis of trial transcripts involving accused with serious charges. Admissibility decisions involving gang-related charges are compared with a separate group of non-gang cases that turn on the admissibility of bad-character or propensity evidence arising from a similar set of serious charges. This design helps isolate what might be particular to how courts reason about the admissibility of gang-affiliation evidence. The article argues that the reasoning through which gang affiliation evidence is admitted departs from the principled application of the propensity framework set out in R v Handy: the probative value and prejudicial effect inquiry the rule demands is often thinned or left unstated. Further, courts engage in a unique form of reasoning not present in the comparator cases to justify admission of gang-affiliation evidence. This research further illustrates how the organizational mechanisms that shape criminal legal institutions affect systemic inequality.
Two Provinces, Two Paths: Canada and the Independence Debate in Alberta and Quebec

Thursday, Sept. 24 | 3:00 pm | 223 Philosophy Hall | RSVP

The question of whether to remain in Canada or seek independence will play a major role in upcoming provincial elections in Alberta and Quebec. Proponents of independence in each province offer different arguments rooted in unique regional histories. However, they also share a sense of alienation from “Canadian” culture and national identity. This panel will discuss the recent rise of sovereigntist and independentist politics in each province. What factors are causing this resurgence of sovereigntist sentiment? How are proponents of Canadian federalism responding to their grievances? And how are international developments, including heightened Canada-US tensions, shaping the trajectory of these movements?
About the Panelists

Martha Hall Findlay is the Director and Palmer Chair in Public Policy at the School of Public Policy, University of Calgary and a member of the Expert Group on Canada-US Relations. A former two-term member of Parliament and corporate lawyer, she is currently overseeing the official Alberta government report on the economic impact to the province of leaving Canada.

Philippe Gervais is a communications and public affairs specialist who currently serves as Vice-President, Communications and Institutional Relations, for McGill University. He has previously consulted in crisis management, government relations and public opinion for both the Federal and Quebec provincial governments, and he has advised political campaigns at all levels of government across Canada.

Kristina Michaud was elected to the Canadian House of Commons at age 26, becoming one of the youngest federal representatives ever elected. From 2019 to 2025, she served as a Bloc Québécois MP and as the party’s critic for Public Safety and Climate Change. Originally from eastern Quebec, she now works as a political analyst and commentator for various television and radio programs and writes in La Presse.

Martin Pelletier is a financial columnist, author, senior portfolio manager, and investment fund manager. He is a recognized market strategist, regularly contributing to Canada’s Financial Post and appearing in Canadian and US media to provide insights on topics including equity and bond markets, monetary and fiscal policy, and oil, gas, and commodities.
This event is made possible thanks to Porter O’Brien and the Bluma Appel Fund.

9th Annual Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

Sunday, Oct. 4 | 5:00 pm | Alumni House | Buy tickets

Canadian Studies is proud to partner with our friends at the Digital Moose Lounge to bring you a cherished Canadian tradition! Join us in celebrating the Bay Area’s Canadian community with a delicious, family-friendly turkey dinner on the UC Berkeley campus. Tickets include a classic Thanksgiving turkey dinner, a raffle with fabulous prizes, and a chance to meet fellow Canadians and friends of Canada from around the Bay!

Special Offer for UC Berkeley Students! Canadian Studies is able to subsidize a limited number of tickets for UC Berkeley students. Please email canada@berkeley.edu to learn more.

EXTERNAL EVENTS

Silicon Valley Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research

Sun., Sept. 27 | 9:30 am | Menlo Park, CA | Learn more

 

The Digital Moose Lounge and the Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco invite you to join the “Eh Team” as you follow in the footsteps of Terry Fox to raise money for cancer research. Now in its fourth year, this annual event brings Bay Area Canadians together to run, walk, and bike to continue Terry’s efforts to find a cure for cancer. This year’s run will take place at Bedwell Bayfront Park in Menlo Park, and will feature a special appearance by Terry’s brother, Darrell Fox, as guest of honor!

Canadian Studies Program

213 Philosophy Hall #2308

Website | LinkedIn | Email | Donate
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley 213 Philosophy Hall #2308 | Berkeley, CA 94720 US

Next week: Student research showcases unheard Canadian stories

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A newsletter from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.

Canadian Studies Announcements

In This Issue:

Campus Events

• Canadian Studies Student Research Showcase

• Two Provinces, Two Paths: Canada and the Independence Debate in Alberta and Quebec

• 9th Annual Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

External Events

• Silicon Valley Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research

• RCAF Snowbirds at the California Capital Airshow

UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS
All lectures listed 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 participate fully in any event, please let us know with as much advance notice as possible by emailing canada@berkeley.edu.
Canadian Studies Student Research Showcase

Tuesday, Sept. 15 | Noon | 223 Philosophy Hall | RSVP

Learn about the research Canadian Studies funds through our Edward E. Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowships, as recipients present overviews of their projects.

Refusing Bifurcation: Mobility, Kinship and Chinese-Indigenous Families in the Pacific Northwest Borderlands

Jessica Jiang, PhD candidate, Department of Ethnic Studies

In the late 19th-century Pacific Northwest, colonial and transpacific migration routes overlapped and often conflicted with longstanding Indigenous geographies. This talk traces several mixed Chinese-Indigenous families on the Columbia/Interior Plateau across generations, showing how these larger forces shaped their lives and movements. These families found themselves in the crosshairs of both US and Canadian policies that sought to control the movement of Chinese and Indigenous people; however, they also found creative ways to navigate and circumvent these restrictions. Drawing on both Chinese and Indigenous knowledge, practices, and relationships, mixed-descent individuals used their dual heritage to negotiate different kinship traditions, maintain their families, and protect their connections to their homelands.

The Gang Exception: Eroding Propensity Rules in Canadian Criminal Law

Reakash Walters, PhD candidate, UC Berkeley Law

“The Gang Exception” demonstrates how evidence law is applied differently for accused persons who are racially and economically marginalized, compared with other accused persons. The methodology of the article pairs a systematic content analysis of reported Canadian criminal cases with a content analysis of trial transcripts involving accused with serious charges. Admissibility decisions involving gang-related charges are compared with a separate group of non-gang cases that turn on the admissibility of bad-character or propensity evidence arising from a similar set of serious charges. This design helps isolate what might be particular to how courts reason about the admissibility of gang-affiliation evidence. The article argues that the reasoning through which gang affiliation evidence is admitted departs from the principled application of the propensity framework set out in R v Handy: the probative value and prejudicial effect inquiry the rule demands is often thinned or left unstated. Further, courts engage in a unique form of reasoning not present in the comparator cases to justify admission of gang-affiliation evidence. This research further illustrates how the organizational mechanisms that shape criminal legal institutions affect systemic inequality.
Two Provinces, Two Paths: Canada and the Independence Debate in Alberta and Quebec

Thursday, Sept. 24 | 3:00 pm | 223 Philosophy Hall | RSVP

This panel will discuss the recent rise of sovereigntist and independentist politics in Quebec and Alberta. The pro-independence arguments in each province advance different motivations rooted in unique regional histories. However, they also share a sense of alienation from “Canadian” culture and national identity. What factors are causing this resurgence of sovereigntist feeling in Canada? How are proponents of Canadian federalism responding to their grievances? And how are international developments, including heightened Canada-US tensions, shaping the trajectory of these movements?
About the Panelists

Martha Hall Findlay is the Director and Palmer Chair in Public Policy at the School of Public Policy, University of Calgary and a member of the Expert Group on Canada-US Relations. A former two-term Member of Parliament and corporate lawyer, she is currently overseeing the official Alberta government report on the economic impact to the province of leaving Canada.

Philippe Gervais is a communications and public affairs specialist who currently serves as Vice-President, Communications and Institutional Relations, for McGill University. He has previously consulted in crisis management, government relations and public opinion for both the Federal and Quebec provincial governments, and he has advised political campaigns at all levels of government across Canada.

Kristina Michaud was elected to Canada’s House of Commons at age 26, becoming one of the youngest federal representatives ever elected. From 2019 to 2025, she served as a Bloc Québécois MP and as the party’s critic for Public Safety and Climate Change. Originally from eastern Quebec, she now works as a political analyst and commentator for various television and radio programs and writes in La Presse.

Martin Pelletier is a senior portfolio manager, investment fund manager, author, and financial columnist. He is a recognized market strategist, regularly contributing to Canada’s Financial Post and appearing in Canadian and US media to provide insights on topics including equity and bond markets, monetary and fiscal policy, and oil and gas and commodities.
This event is made possible thanks to Porter O’Brien and the Bluma Appel Fund.

9th Annual Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

Sunday, Oct. 4 | 5:00 pm | Alumni House | Buy tickets

 

Canadian Studies is proud to partner with our friends at the Digital Moose Lounge to bring you a cherished Canadian tradition! Join us in celebrating the Bay Area’s Canadian community with a delicious, family-friendly turkey dinner on the UC Berkeley campus. Tickets include a classic Thanksgiving turkey dinner; a raffle with fabulous prizes; and a chance to meet fellow Canadians and friends of Canada from around the Bay!

 

Special Offer for UC Berkeley Students! Canadian Studies is able to subsidize a limited number of tickets for UC Berkeley students. Please email canada@berkeley.edu to learn more.

EXTERNAL EVENTS

Silicon Valley Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research

Sun., Sept. 27 | 9:30 am | Menlo Park, CA | Learn more

 

The Digital Moose Lounge and the Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco invite you to join the “Eh Team” as you follow in the footsteps of Terry Fox to raise money for cancer research. Now in its fourth year, this annual event brings Bay Area Canadians together to run, walk, and bike to continue Terry’s efforts to find a cure for cancer. This year’s run will take place at Bedwell Bayfront Park in Menlo Park, and will feature a special appearance by Terry’s brother, Darrell Fox, as guest of honor!

RCAF Snowbirds at the California Capital Airshow

Oct. 10-11 | Sacramento, CA | Learn more

The Snowbirds, the acrobatic squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force, will be participating in this year’s California Capital Airshow! The team is based in Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan and is composed of approximately 80 Canadian Armed Forces members, 24 of whom will travel to 30 locations across Canada and the United States this year to showcase the skill, professionalism, and teamwork of the Canadian Armed Forces. This will be the Snowbirds’ last performance for several years and tickets are expected to sell out, so buy yours today!

Photo by Mark E. Loper.

Canadian Studies Program

213 Philosophy Hall #2308

Website | LinkedIn | Email | Donate
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley 213 Philosophy Hall #2308 | Berkeley, CA 94720 US

Student social this week! Plus: Lake Ontario or “Lake America”?

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A newsletter from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.

Canadian Studies Announcements

In This Issue:

News from Canada

• Trump renames Lake Ontario “Lake America” after collapse of US-Canada trade talks

Campus Events

• Back-to-School Reception for Students

• “Rethinking Linking: Effects of Cap-and-Trade Integration Equilibrium on Emissions and Welfare”

• Canadian Studies Student Research Showcase

NEWS FROM CANADA

Trump Renames Lake Ontario “Lake America” After Collapse of US-Canada Trade Talks

 

The name of one of North America’s largest lakes has become another flashpoint in the ongoing trade dispute between the United States and Canada. On Thursday, President Trump issued an executive order directing the US government to change its official name for Lake Ontario to “Lake America”.

The move appears to be retaliation for Prime Minister Carney’s decision to walk out of bilateral trade negotiations. But it also seems to reflect the particularly bad relationship between the US president and Ontario premier Doug Ford. Ford has become a particularly harsh critic of Trump, and has been a prominent voice calling for Canada to push back harder against the US administration. This led to the two exchanging insults earlier last week after Ford praised Carney’s decision to end the talks. Trump announced he was renaming the lake shortly afterwards, presenting the justification “that we don’t expect to doing {sic} much business with Ontario any longer.”

The new name has already been implemented by US federal agencies and on Google Maps for American users. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum also revealed that Trump has personally asked Apple to change the name immediately. However, the move was met with ridicule by Canadian officials. Prime Minister Carney noted that the US president has no authority to change what Canadians call the lake, affirming that it will “always” be Lake Ontario.

The move has also faced pushback in the United States, where only 14% of Americans support renaming the lake, according to a recent poll. The governors of New York, Michigan, and Vermont announced that they would not recognize the name change. Even in the largely Republican counties that border the lake on the US side, few people expressed support for the president’s order.

The name of Lake Ontario was first recorded in 1639 and is believed to derive from an Iroquoian word meaning “Lake of Shining Waters”. The Canadian province of Ontario was named for the lake upon Confederation in 1867.

Image of Toronto by Dillan Payne on Wikimedia Commons.

UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS

Back-to-School Reception for Students
Th., Sept. 3 | 2:00 pm | 223 Philosophy Hall | RSVP

The Canadian Studies Program invites you to kick off the fall semester with a back-to-school meet-and-greet for students! Learn more about our program and meet other students with Canadian connections while enjoying complimentary tea and pastries. This is your chance to:

  • Connect with Canadian students and friends of Canada
  • Discover research funding for Canada-related projects
  • Learn about upcoming events, like our lunch talks, conferences, and Canadian Thanksgiving celebration!

Please RSVP here if you plan to attend. We look forward to seeing you Thursday!

Rethinking Linking: Effects of Cap-and-Trade Integration on Equilibrium Emissions and Welfare
Friday, Sept. 4 | Noon | 241 Giannini Hall | Learn more

Conventional economic reasoning suggests that linking cap-and-trade programs creates efficiency gains by lowering costs while holding emissions constant. When cap-and-trade programs have price floors or ceilings, however, linking may increase emissions and decrease welfare. Within California and Québec, cap-and-trade linkage increased emissions by 17.5 million tons CO₂e and reduced welfare by $331 million annually – an outcome that was ex-ante foreseeable. A reformed linked market could have remained emissions-neutral while instead increasing welfare by up to $32 million annually. However, political and institutional frictions prevented such reforms from being implemented and propose that policymakers prioritized cutting emissions cheaply over equating marginal damages and benefits.

Thor Larson is a graduate student affiliate of Berkeley’s Energy Institute and the first economist at Berkeley to earn a Designated Emphasis in Energy Science and Technology alongside his PhD. His research focuses on the design of energy markets, with a special emphasis on innovation and the clean energy transition. He holds a BA, magna cum laude, in Applied Mathematics and Chemistry from Harvard.

This event is hosted by the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics.
Canadian Studies Student Research Showcase

Tuesday, September 15 | Noon | 223 Philosophy Hall | RSVP

Learn about the research Canadian Studies funds through our Edward E. Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowships, as recipients present overviews of their projects.

Refusing Bifurcation: Mobility, Kinship and Chinese-Indigenous Families in the Pacific Northwest Borderlands

Jessica Jiang, PhD candidate, Department of Ethnic Studies

In the late 19th-century Pacific Northwest, colonial and transpacific migration routes overlapped and often conflicted with longstanding Indigenous geographies. This talk traces several mixed Chinese-Indigenous families on the Columbia/Interior Plateau across generations, showing how these larger forces shaped their lives and movements. These families found themselves in the crosshairs of both US and Canadian policies that sought to control the movement of Chinese and Indigenous people; however, they also found creative ways to navigate and circumvent these restrictions. Drawing on both Chinese and Indigenous knowledge, practices, and relationships, mixed-descent individuals used their dual heritage to negotiate different kinship traditions, maintain their families, and protect their connections to their homelands.

The Gang Exception: Eroding Propensity Rules in Canadian Criminal Law

Reakash Walters, PhD candidate, UC Berkeley Law

“The Gang Exception” demonstrates how evidence law is applied differently for race and class marginalized accused than for other accused persons. The methodology of the article pairs a systematic content analysis of reported Canadian criminal cases with a content analysis of trial transcripts involving accused with serious charges. Admissibility decisions involving gang-related charges are compared with a separate group of non-gang cases that turn on the admissibility of bad character or propensity evidence arising from a similar set of serious charges. This design helps isolate what might be particular to how courts reason about the admissibility of gang-affiliation evidence. The article argues that the reasoning through which gang affiliation evidence is admitted departs from the principled application of the propensity framework set out in R v Handy: the probative value and prejudicial effect inquiry the rule demands is often thinned or left unstated. Further, courts engage in a unique form of reasoning not present in the comparator cases to justify admission of gang-affiliation evidence. This research further illustrates how the organizational mechanisms that shape criminal legal institutions affect systemic inequality.

Canadian Studies Program

213 Philosophy Hall #2308

Website | LinkedIn | Email | Donate
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley 213 Philosophy Hall #2308 | Berkeley, CA 94720 US

Welcome to a new fall semester! 🍁

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A newsletter from a fellow Canadian organization in the Bay Area.

Canadian Studies Announcements

In This Issue:

Program News

• A welcome message from our director

News from Canada

• US-Canada trade war escalates as Canada walks away from talks

Academic Opportunities

• Edward E. Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowship
• Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies
• Conference Travel Grants

Campus Events

• Back-to-School Reception for Students

• “Rethinking Linking: Effects of Cap-and-Trade Integration Equilibrium on Emissions and Welfare”

• 9th Annual Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

External Events

• Silicon Valley Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research

PROGRAM NEWS

A Welcome Message from Our Director

Dear friends,

On behalf of the Canadian Studies Program at UC Berkeley, it is my pleasure to welcome our new and returning students back to Berkeley. The start of a new academic year brings fresh opportunities to learn, connect, and discover. Whether you are a Canadian or are just interested in Canada, our community can help you discover fresh perspectives that show the richness of Canada’s histories, politics, and cultures. I look forward to exploring these topics with you, and building an engaged and welcoming intellectual community that connects people not just across campus, but across the US-Canada border.

I encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities the Canadian Studies Program offers to learn beyond the classroom. Our fellowships and public events offer opportunities to connect with scholars and fellow students, and help build a stronger US-Canada relationship at a critical time.

We wish you an inspiring and rewarding semester, and look forward to seeing you at our events throughout the year!

Sincerely,

Hidetaka Hirota
Director, Canadian Studies Program
Thomas G. Barnes Chair in Canadian Studies

NEWS FROM CANADA

US-Canada Trade War Escalates as Canada Walks Away from Talks

Trade talks between the US and Canada collapsed over the weekend as Prime Minister Mark Carney instructed Canadian negotiators to walk away from what he called an “unfair” proposal. The decision comes only days after Canadian and US officials announced that they were on the verge of reaching a new agreement. It is only the latest step in the highly public breakdown of the close and warm ties that formerly characterised Canada-US relations.

In response to the failure of the talks, the US administration implemented a 50% tariff on $20-$28 billion worth of Canadian goods, or about 5% of Canada’s US-bound exports. Furthermore, Trump announced that starting January 1, 2027, 50% tariffs would be applied to all Canadian vehicles, automobile parts, and steel.

In remarks Saturday, Prime Minister Carney announced that he considered Canada to be in a trade war. The Prime Minister promised dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs against US goods, which will likely be targeted at politically sensitive industries.

Both sides blamed the other for the breakdown of negotiations, including trading accusations that the other nation’s negotiators had introduced unreasonable last-minute demands. Canadian officials complained about contradictory demands coming from different US officials, while US officials argued that Canada took advantage of the US and did not negotiate in good faith.

The primary point of contention remains different tariff rates for different products of the Canadian auto sector. However, PM Carney expressed an underlying frustration that the US was treating Canada like a “subsidiary” and intentionally trying to weaken Canada’s industrial sector, to the benefit of the US. The Prime Minister announced that Canada wouldn’t return to the negotiating table until the US had the “right attitude” of partnership.

Another major issue was reports that US officials were seeking that Canada weaken Quebec’s French-language laws. These laws require products sold in Quebec to include French labelling and instruction manuals, as well as requiring digital media services to prioritize French-language content. US representatives argue that they impose unfair burdens on American companies. But Quebec premier Christine Fréchette praised Carney’s defense of her province’s French-language protections, calling them a “red line”. “Our language is central to our identity,” said Fréchette, “and it won’t change even though we are threatened with different tariffs.”

Carney’s decision to walk away from the talks seems to have been broadly popular among Canada’s political leaders, receiving support from figures as diverse as NDP leader Avi Lewis, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, and Ontario premier Doug Ford. However, while Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre expressed disappointment over Trump’s new tariffs, he demanded a full account from Carney of why the trade talks had broken down. He asked the Prime Minister to recall Parliament for a full debate on the merits of the deal that Carney had rejected.

Image of Mark Carney by Policy Exchange on Wikimedia Commons.

ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES
Edward E. Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowships

The Canadian Studies Program’s signature Hildebrand Fellowship provides support for Berkeley graduate students of any citizenship whose work focuses primarily, or comparatively, on Canada. The Fellowship provides up to $5,000 per semester to fund direct travel and research expenses.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications should be submitted at least one month before the start of any proposed travel.

Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies

The Rita Ross Prize recognizes an outstanding undergraduate research project related to Canada, produced for a UC Berkeley class or independent study project. The competition is open to any UC Berkeley undergraduate student in good academic standing, in any college or discipline.

One $300 cash prize is awarded to a student who has produced a superior undergraduate research paper or other original project that engages with topics, people, or events related to Canada. The prize is awarded at the end of the spring semester.

Conference Travel Grants

The Canadian Studies Program provides travel grants of up to $1,000 to students presenting at or attending conferences where their presence will advance research on Canada or Canada-US relations. Awards are made at the director’s discretion.

UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS

Back-to-School Reception for Students
Th., Sept. 3 | 2:00 pm | 223 Philosophy Hall | RSVP

The Canadian Studies Program invites you to kick off the fall semester with a back-to-school meet-and-greet for students! Learn more about our program and meet other students with Canadian connections while enjoying complimentary tea and pastries. This is your chance to:

  • Connect with Canadian students and friends of Canada
  • Discover research funding for Canada-related projects
  • Learn about upcoming events, like our lunch talks, conferences, and Canadian Thanksgiving celebration!

Please RSVP here if you plan to attend. We look forward to seeing you next week!

Rethinking Linking: Effects of Cap-and-Trade Integration on Equilibrium Emissions and Welfare
Friday, Sept. 4 | Noon | 241 Giannini Hall | Learn more

Conventional economic reasoning suggests that linking cap-and-trade programs creates efficiency gains by lowering costs while holding emissions constant. When cap-and-trade programs have price floors or ceilings, however, linking may increase emissions and decrease welfare. Within California and Québec, cap-and-trade linkage increased emissions by 17.5 million tons CO₂e and reduced welfare by $331 million annually – an outcome that was ex-ante foreseeable. A reformed linked market could have remained emissions-neutral while instead increasing welfare by up to $32 million annually. However, political and institutional frictions prevented such reforms from being implemented and propose that policymakers prioritized cutting emissions cheaply over equating marginal damages and benefits.

Thor Larson is a graduate student affiliate of Berkeley’s Energy Institute and the first economist at Berkeley to earn a Designated Emphasis in Energy Science and Technology alongside his PhD. His research focuses on the design of energy markets, with a special emphasis on innovation and the clean energy transition. He holds a BA, magna cum laude, in Applied Mathematics and Chemistry from Harvard.

This event is hosted by the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics.

SAVE THE DATE!

9th Annual Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

Sunday, Oct. 4 | 5:00 pm | Alumni House | Buy tickets

Canadian Studies is proud to partner with our friends at the Digital Moose Lounge to bring you a cherished Canadian tradition! Join us in celebrating the Bay Area’s Canadian community with a delicious, family-friendly turkey dinner on the UC Berkeley campus. Tickets include a classic Thanksgiving turkey dinner; a raffle with fabulous prizes; and a chance to meet fellow Canadians and friends of Canada from around the Bay!

Special Offer for UC Berkeley Students! Canadian Studies is able to subsidize a limited number of tickets for UC Berkeley students. Please email canada@berkeley.edu to learn more.

EXTERNAL EVENTS

Silicon Valley Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research
Sun., Sept. 27 | 9:30 am | Menlo Park, CA | Learn more

The Digital Moose Lounge and the Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco invite you to join the “Eh Team” as you follow in the footsteps of Terry Fox to raise money for cancer research. Now in its fourth year, this annual event brings Bay Area Canadians together to run, walk, and bike to continue Terry’s efforts to find a cure for cancer. This year’s run will take place at Bedwell Bayfront Park in Menlo Park, and will feature a special appearance by Terry’s brother, Darrell Fox, as guest of honor!

Canadian Studies Program

213 Philosophy Hall #2308

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Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley 213 Philosophy Hall #2308 | Berkeley, CA 94720 US