In This Issue:

Upcoming Events

• “The Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Vote in a More Tolerant Canada”

Program News

• Opinion: California can take lessons from Canada if it wants to promote growth, says program director Irene Bloemraad
• Reminder: Big Give is next Thursday!

Local News

• Century-old quilt found in East Bay dumpster is heirloom for rural Ontario town

Research Opportunities

• Last call for papers: ACSUS 26th Biennial Conference
• Summer Hildebrand Fellowship deadline is next week!

External Events

• I-House Canadian DiversiTea and Coffee Hour

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Vote in a More Tolerant Canada

Wed., March 15 | 12:30 pm PT | 223 Philosophy | RSVP

Research on the political preferences of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) voters shows that they are more progressive than heterosexuals. However, few studies consider differences between heterosexual, gay/lesbian, and bisexual men and women. Furthermore, little is known about how these preferences have changed as society has become more accepting of diverse sexualities.

This presentation analyzes original research on Canadian LGB voters’ political preferences a decade and a half after same-sex marriage was legalized. Consistent with prior research, gay men, and, to a lesser extent, bisexual men, are more left-wing than heterosexual men. A more novel finding is that bisexual women are the most left-wing group. Lesbian women are only slightly to the left of heterosexual women. While left-wing bisexual women are growing in number, the overall gap between LGB and heterosexual voters has remained stable across generations, because marriage narrows some of the preference gaps.

About the Speaker

Dr. Eric Guntermann is a John A. Sproul Research Fellow in the Canadian Studies Program, and a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Political Science at UC Berkeley. His research focuses on the representation of citizens’ preferences by governments, as well as public attitudes towards political parties and related voting behaviour.

Dr. Edana Beauvais is an assistant professor of political science at Simon Fraser University. Her research explores how inequalities shape communication and action, producing unequal political influence between different social group members.

This event is cosponsored by the Departments of Political Science and Sociology.

PROGRAM NEWS

Opinion: California Can Take Lessons from Canada if It Wants to Promote Growth, Says Program Director Irene Bloemraad

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Times published an opinion piece by Canadian Studies Program director Irene Bloemraad. Titled “No, California Doesn’t Have a Population Crisis“, the piece addresses popular, but misdirected, narratives about an “exodus” of out California. Many pundits have declared that the Golden State has lost its shine, soon be eclipsed by up-and-coming Sun Belt rivals like Texas. However, Bloemraad argues that these explanations don’t capture the whole story, and offers some solutions out of the Canadian policy handbook.

Professor Bloemraad, a sociologist specializing in migration and citizenship, first examines the facts surrounding the “exodus” story. California recently reported two consecutive years of population decline, and lost a US house seat for the first time ever. The state faces a declining birthrate and aging population, which make it unlikely that natural growth will sustain it going forward. Many counties are already facing population loss; however, contrary to popular anecdotes about citizens fleeing high-tax coastal areas, these declines are proportionally worst in rural northern and mountain communities that have been essentially drained of young, working-age people.

In the face of these facts, Bloemraad argues that immigration will be the key to keeping California’s economy strong. The state could soon face a situation like Canada’s, where immigrants accounted for 85% of labor force growth in the 2010s. As more wealthy countries face population stagnation, there could be increased global competition for migrant labour in coming years. Luckily, California remains an attractive destination of international migrants. Following two years of essentially zero migration to the US during COVID-19, immigration numbers are again increasing. This is good news for the state, as immigrants are more likely to be working than native-born citizens.

Of course, this doesn’t necessarily benefit the whole state: immigrants tend to cluster in large metros, like the San Francisco Bay Area. Bloemraad suggests that the state could follow the Canadian model of offering new immigrants incentives to settle in depopulating rural communities. These programs would not only benefit long-time residents by injecting new dynamism into stagnant local economies; they could also offer new residents with better opportunities than large cities plagued by housing shortages and a high cost of living. Such policies will be essential to promoting healthy, balanced growth in the state going forward.

Reminder: Big Give is Next Thursday!

Just ten days left until the big day! On March 9, show your support for Canadian Studies by making a donation on Big Give, Berkeley’s annual day of giving. Almost all of our funding comes from donors like you: your generosity supports our public programs and student scholars, from our monthly events to our new undergraduate research grants, right down to this newsletter! So mark your calendars, and see you March 9!

LOCAL NEWS

Century-old Quilt Found in East Bay Dumpster is Heirloom for Rural Ontario Town

The saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” has again proven true, when a Berkeley woman’s unexpected find in a local dumpster turned out to be a lost heirloom from a tiny Ontario town, nearly 2,500 miles away. The object, a nearly century-old antique quilt, was returned home last month, where it created a flurry of interest among local residents eager to connect it to their town’s and families’ histories.

As reported in Berkeleyside, Berkeley resident and author Leslie Buck found the quilt on top of a pile of garbage while taking a walk in 2021. She took it to a local quilt shop for examination, where workers discovered that the inside was covered with around 240 embroidered names and the words “Echo Bay United Church 1930”. Such quilts were often made as church fundraisers, with churchgoers paying a small fee to have their names embroidered on the back.

Buck traced the quilt back to the small rural township of Echo Bay, Ontario, near Sault Ste. Marie. With a population of just 1,600, the town is best known for hosting the world’s largest loonie, a tribute to former resident Robert-Ralph Carmichael who designed the iconic coin.

Buck immediately contacted the church, which was astonished and excited by the discovery of the 93-year-old quilt so far from home. Buck arranged to return the quilt to Canada, where it arrived safely last month. Echo Bay residents were delighted to find the names of relatives, local notables, and even MP’s on the quilt. Many were excited to make personal connections to the names, and share anecdotes about their lives.

It remains a mystery how the quilt ended up in California. Locals suspect that it was taken west by a resident who moved to the United States during the Depression. Local historians are hopeful that as they learn more about the people listed on the quilt, they may uncover more about this long-ago Bay Area Canadian.

In the meantime, the quilt will likely be donated to the Echo Bay Museum, where its extraordinary journey will be recorded for future generations.

Photograph of quilt by Leslie Buck, reproduced in Berkeleyside.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Last Call for Papers: ACSUS 26th Biennial Conference and Student Colloquium

Main conference deadline: March 1, 2023

Student submission deadline: April 15, 2023

The deadline to submit papers for the Association for Canadian Studies in the United States (ACSUS) 26th Biennial Conference is this Wednesday, March 1.

The conference is scheduled for November 16-19, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Washington, D.C. All proposals with a significant Canadian focus are eligible for submission. ACSUS welcomes papers and panel proposals from students, professors, independent scholars, and practitioners on all diverse and critical perspectives related to the conference theme, “Canada: Near and Far”.

ACSUS also welcomes strong proposals from students at both the graduate and undergraduate level, individual submissions as well as group proposals. Students accepted to the colloquium will receive funding support from ACSUS in the form of: 1) $125 USD to cover registration and a 2-year ACSUS membership and 2) $1,000 USD to assist with travel and accommodation costs.

Learn more about applying to the conference or student colloquium here.

The Canadian Studies Program is currently accepting applications for the Edward E. Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowship for Summer 2023. The application is open to UC Berkeley graduate students in any discipline whose work focuses primarily or comparatively on Canada. This fellowship is meant to cover direct research costs, with an award maximum of $5,000.

The application deadline for Summer 2023 projects is Friday, March 10, 2023.

Please visit our website for more information and full eligibility criteria, and help us share this information with your friends, students, and networks!

EXTERNAL EVENTS

I-House Canadian DiversiTea and Coffee Hour

Wednesday, March 1 | Great Hall, I-House | 8:30 pm

Canadian students at UC Berkeley (or those with an interest in Canada) are invited to join their fellow Berkeley Canadians for a social hour Wednesday evening in I-House’s Great Hall. Organized by I-House’s Canadian residents, this special event is a great opportunity to get to know your fellow classmates while you enjoy some specialty Canadian drinks and snacks!

In This Issue:

Upcoming Events

• “The Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Vote in a More Tolerant Canada”

External Events

• Friends of Canada Reception
• Canadian Heritage Night: Habs vs. Sharks
• “Converging Empires – Pacific Histories of the West”

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Vote in a More Tolerant Canada

Wed., March 15 | 12:30 pm PT | 223 Philosophy | RSVP

Research on the political preferences of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) voters shows that they are more progressive than heterosexuals. However, few studies consider differences between heterosexual, gay/lesbian, and bisexual men and women. Furthermore, little is known about how these preferences have changed as society has become more accepting of diverse sexualities.

This presentation analyzes original research on Canadian LGB voters’ political preferences a decade and a half after same-sex marriage was legalized. Consistent with prior research, gay men, and, to a lesser extent, bisexual men, are more left-wing than heterosexual men. A more novel finding is that bisexual women are the most left-wing group. Lesbian women are only slightly to the left of heterosexual women. While left-wing bisexual women are growing in number, the overall gap between LGB and heterosexual voters has remained stable across generations, because marriage narrows some of the preference gaps.

About the Speaker

Dr. Eric Guntermann is a John A. Sproul Research Fellow in the Canadian Studies Program, and a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Political Science at UC Berkeley. His research focuses on the representation of citizens’ preferences by governments, as well as public attitudes towards political parties and related voting behaviour.

Dr. Edana Beauvais is an assistant professor of political science at Simon Fraser University. Her research explores how inequalities shape communication and action, producing unequal political influence between different social group members.

EXTERNAL EVENTS

Friends of Canada Reception

Wednesday, Feb. 22 | 5:00 pm | Sacramento, CA | RSVP

The Consulate General of Canada in California is hosting a reception at the California Museum in Sacramento to celebrate the rich relationship between California and Canada. Please join them for networking, drinks, and appetizers. Attendees can enter a drawing to win two Economy Class roundtrip tickets for travel to any Air Canada scheduled destination in North America!

Canadian Heritage Night: Habs vs. Sharks

Tuesday, Feb. 28 | 5:30 pm | San José, CA | Buy tickets

The Digital Moose Lounge and Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco and Silicon Valley invite you to join them for a special Canadian Heritage Game Night! Get your hockey gear ready as the San Jose Sharks face off against the Montreal Canadiens. Tickets get you VIP access plus seating in a dedicated Canadian zone. Don’t miss this fun, family-friendly event!

Converging Empires – Pacific Histories of the West

On-demand | Online | Listen here

Last week, historian Andrea Geiger gave a virtual presentation at the University of Southern California on her recent book Converging Empires: Citizens and Subjects in the North Pacific Borderlands, 1867-1945. The book examines how inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest, particularly Indigenous people and Japanese immigrants, navigated a complex web of boundaries and identities. Professor Geiger is joined in conversation by Dr. Elizabeth Logan, associate director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West.

Dr. Geiger is a professor emerita of history at Simon Fraser University. She gave a presentation on this book to Canadian Studies at Berkeley last semester. For those who were unable to attend her event, or are interested in learning more, we highly recommend listening to this recorded conversation.

In This Issue:

General Updates

• Statement on the un-naming of Moses Hall

Upcoming Events

• “Come from Away: Newfoundland and Labrador’s Food Security Dilemma”

Program News

• Introducing our spring Sproul Fellows, Eric Guntermann and Lance McCready!

Research Opportunities

• Last Chance: AEIQ/ACQS Research Funding for Quebec Studies
• Call for Papers: ACSUS 26th Biennial Conference and Student Colloquium

External Events

• “Locating Canadian Slavery: A Comparative and Transnational Approach”
• Canadian Heritage Night: Habs vs. Sharks

Statement on the Un-Naming of Moses Hall

As some of you may have heard, last week the University of California approved the un-naming of the building that houses our program, formerly known as Moses Hall. I am writing to let you know of this change, provide you with some context, and explain why our Program has supported this move.

Moses Hall was formerly named in honor of Bernard Moses, a founding professor of history and political scientist at UC Berkeley. Unfortunately, as demonstrated by the Name Review Committee, Professor Moses held and defended white supremacist views in his work. As his beliefs are in opposition to our university’s values of inclusion and diversity, the University has determined that it is inappropriate to continue to honour him with a building name

Moses’ beliefs are also contrary to Canadian Studies’ principles of equality, and our desire to provide a welcoming space for all, particularly for our friends in the Indigenous community. For this reason, the Canadian Studies Faculty Committee unanimously endorsed the unnaming proposal last year.

Per the University’s decision, the building will be provisionally called Philosophy Hall until a final determination has been made for a new name. While our event announcements will show this new name going forward, be aware that our Colloquia are taking place in the same building as in the past.

Sincerely,

Irene Bloemraad

Program Director

Image: UC Berkeley News / Julian Meyn.

UPCOMING EVENTS

“Come from Away”: Newfoundland and Labrador’s Food Security Dilemma

Wed., Feb. 15 | 12:30 pm PT | 223 Philosophy | RSVP

This presentation illuminates past and current complexities of Newfoundland and Labrador’s unique food system. Following confederation with Canada in 1949, the province’s once- abundant fisheries fed North America to the point of over-exploitation, creating both cultural and food system disruption. Currently, most food is imported into the province and transported by ferry, including produce from California’s Central Valley. Though hunting is prevalent in rural communities, high priced, pre-packaged, and processed food, rather than fish, are the dietary mainstay. Recent efforts to expand agricultural production within the province would improve local control over the food system. This would ostensibly be more expensive than most imported foods, given the province’s short growing season and relatively small, diffusely located population. Yet financially supporting such endeavors might be justifiable to facilitate a basic human right to access and produce food.

Note: The speaker will also share Newfoundland and Labrador artwork and handicrafts at the in-person presentation.

About the Speaker

Dr. Catherine Keske is a professor of management of complex systems in the School of Engineering at UC Merced. She is an agricultural economist and social scientist who studies sustainable food, energy, and waste systems. Prior to joining UC Merced in 2017, she was associate professor of environmental studies (economics) in the School of Science and the Environment at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her research on food security and Newfoundland and Labrador includes an edited book, Food Futures: Growing a Sustainable Food System for Newfoundland and Labrador, and “Economic feasibility of biochar and agriculture coproduction from Canadian black spruce forest” published in Food and Energy Security.

PROGRAM NEWS

Canadian Studies is pleased to announce two new recipients of the John A. Sproul Postdoctoral Fellowship for the Spring 2023 semester. The fellowship provides support for a visiting scholar engaged in research on Canada to spend time at UC Berkeley.

Dr. Eric Guntermann is a political scientist and data scientist in the Travers Department of Political Science at UC Berkeley, where he also holds a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship. His research examines the links between political elites and ordinary citizens, including both the representation of citizens’ preferences by governments and the influence of political elites on citizens’ preferences. He is particularly focused on the influence of electoral systems and voting behaviour on representation, as well as inequalities in representation and the extent to which political institutions can reduce them.

Dr. Guntermann completed his undergraduate degree at McGill University, and received his Ph.D. in political science from the Université de Montréal. He also holds a master’s of research in comparative politics from the Sciences Po in Paris. His research has been published in the Canadian Journal of Political Science and Canadian Public Administration, among numerous other journals. Among his recent projects was a study assessing the impact of greater public acceptance on the voting preferences of gay, lesbian, and bisexual Canadians. He was also formerly a postdoctoral researcher at the Canada Research Chair in Electoral Democracy.

Dr. Guntermann’s Sproul Fellowship will allow him to expand his current research project, which assesses the influence of far-right parties on public attitudes, to the Canadian context. While the far right has long been marginal in Canada, the populist People’s Party of Canada saw a significant increase in support between 2019 and 2021. Using panel surveys, his research will assess the effects of the PPC’s campaign on its supporter’s attitudes towards immigration and COVID-19 vaccinations, and whether the party makes its voters more ideologically consistent.

Dr. Lance T. McCready is an associate professor in the Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and director of the Transitional Year Programme at University of Toronto. Dr. McCready’s cross disciplinary research program focuses on the education, health, and welfare of Black families, youth and adults, and has three strands of inquiry: 1) educational trajectories, transitions and access; 2) dispute resolution, mediation and restorative justice; 3) health literacy and wellness of gay, bisexual, transgender, men who have sex with men (gbtMSM).

Dr. McCready specializes in qualitative methodologies using community-based participatory approaches that emerge from collaborations with K-12 schools, universities, social service agencies, community health centres and queer youth programs. He is the author of Making Space for Diverse Masculinities, published by Peter Lang, and principal investigator of the African, Caribbean, Black Family Group Conferencing (ACB-FGC) Project and Black Youth Leaving Care study. In addition, he is co-investigator on the Black CAP GetaKit Home HIV Testing study and International Partnership for Queer Youth Resilience (INQYR), while serving as a mentor for the Investigaytors community health leadership program and Steering Committee member for Black Gay Men’s Network Toronto.

Dr. McCready holds a B.A. in psychology (minor in educational studies) and an M.A. and Ph.D. in social and cultural studies in education (designated emphasis in women, gender and sexuality studies) from UC Berkeley. He is the 2017 recipient of the Ludwik and Estelle Jus Memorial Human Rights Prize and 2018 recipient of the Distinguished Research Scholar Award from the Ontario Education Research Symposium.

During the period of his Sproul Fellowship, Dr. McCready will focus on completing an academic book proposal on the educational trajectories of Canadian Black queer youth, as well as article-length manuscripts broadly related to the health and welfare of Black youth, gbtMSM and families in Canada.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Last Chance: AEIQ/ACQS Research Funding for Quebec Studies

Application deadline: February 15, 2023

The Association internationale des études québécoises (AIEQ) and American Council of Quebec Studies (ACQS) and are offering funding to support U.S.-based scholars seeking funding to participate in training or research on Québec. Fellowships are available to graduate students in the social sciences or humanities working on a thesis with a substantial relation to Quebec or its relations with the United States. The program covers up to $2,000 CAD in research expenses for travel to Quebec. Applicants must be a US citizen or permanent resident.

Click here to learn more.

Call for Papers: ACSUS 26th Biennial Conference and Student Colloquium

Main conference deadline: March 1, 2023

Student submission deadline: April 15, 2023

The Association for Canadian Studies in the United States (ACSUS) is excited to announce a call for papers for a student colloquium, set to take place alongside its biennial meeting and conference from November 16-19, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Washington, D.C.

ACSUS welcomes strong proposals from students at both the graduate and undergraduate level, individual submissions as well as group proposals. Students accepted to the colloquium will receive funding support from ACSUS in the form of: 1) $125 USD to cover registration and a 2-year ACSUS membership and 2) $1,000 USD to assist with travel and accommodation costs.

Please review the full call for papers posted online.

EXTERNAL EVENTS

Locating Canadian Slavery: A Comparative and Transnational Approach

Friday, Feb. 17 | 1:00 pm PT | Online | RSVP

Western Washington University’s Center for Canadian-American Studies continues their “Why Canada Matters” series with a special Black History Month talk on the little-known history of slavery in Canada. This history can only be understood in a transnational context, as proximity to the United States and the wider Atlantic world shaped enslaved people’s experiences in bondage in the Maritime colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Their stories help us grasp the vast, violent, and insidious power of slavery in North America and give nuance to the opportunities they seized and obstacles they faced as a result of their enslavement in what would later become part of Canada.

The speaker, Sarah Chute, is a Ph.D. student studying slavery and freedom in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century North America. Her research interests are in the history of enslavement in Canada, transnational free and forced migration, trade, and how slavery connected the Maritime colonies to other parts of the Atlantic world, including the British Caribbean.

This talk is co-sponsored by WWU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Department of History, and delivered in partnership with the WWU Alumni Association.

Canadian Heritage Night: Habs vs. Sharks

Tuesday, Feb. 28 | 5:30 pm | San José, CA | Buy tickets

The Digital Moose Lounge and Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco and Silicon Valley invite you to join them for a special Canadian Heritage Game Night! Get your hockey gear ready as the San Jose Sharks face off against the Montreal Canadiens. Tickets get you VIP access plus seating in a dedicated Canadian zone. Don’t miss this fun, family-friendly event!

In This Issue:

General Updates

• Happy Black History Month!

Upcoming Events

• “Come from Away: Newfoundland and Labrador’s Food Security Dilemma”

Program News

• Mark your calendars: Big Give is one month away!

Canadian News

• Dr. Debra Thompson uncovers hidden parts of Canada’s Black history on new podcast

External Events

• Canadian Heritage Night: Habs vs. Sharks

Happy Black History Month!

In both the United States and Canada, February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the many contributions people of African descent have made to our nations’ histories and culture.

In Canada, the theme of this year’s celebration is “Ours to Tell“. Canadians of all backgrounds are encouraged to listen to the diverse stories Black Canadians have to tell about their communities and histories, and engage in an “open dialogue” about the Black experience in Canada. The CBC project Being Black in Canada, ongoing since 2020, is a good place to start, highlighting a diverse selection of Black Canadian voices.

In his official statement, Prime Minister Trudeau noted that this year marked the 30th anniversary of the election of Jean Augustine, Canada’s first Black female MP. Born in Grenada, Augustine arrived in Canada to work as a nanny. She later became an elementary school teacher, then principal, and worked as an activist in Toronto’s Caribbean community. Elected to Parliament in 1993, in 1995 Augustine spearheaded a successful campaign to officially recognize Black History Month in Canada.

In his statement, the Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of supporting historically disenfranchised Black communities through targeted local investments and working with provinces and municipal governments to combat racism and discrimination by “empowering communities…. and building awareness.”

UPCOMING EVENTS

“Come from Away”: Newfoundland and Labrador’s Food Security Dilemma

Wed., Feb. 15 | 12:30 pm PT | 223 Moses | RSVP

This presentation illuminates past and current complexities of Newfoundland and Labrador’s unique food system. Following confederation with Canada in 1949, the province’s once- abundant fisheries fed North America to the point of over-exploitation, creating both cultural and food system disruption. Currently, most food is imported into the province and transported by ferry, including produce from California’s Central Valley. Though hunting is prevalent in rural communities, high priced, pre-packaged, and processed food, rather than fish, are the dietary mainstay. Recent efforts to expand agricultural production within the province would improve local control over the food system. This would ostensibly be more expensive than most imported foods, given the province’s short growing season and relatively small, diffusely located population. Yet financially supporting such endeavors might be justifiable to facilitate a basic human right to access and produce food.

Note: The speaker will also share Newfoundland and Labrador artwork and handicrafts at the in-person presentation.

About the Speaker

Dr. Catherine Keske is a professor of management of complex systems in the School of Engineering at UC Merced. She is an agricultural economist and social scientist who studies sustainable food, energy, and waste systems. Prior to joining UC Merced in 2017, she was associate professor of environmental studies (economics) in the School of Science and the Environment at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her research on food security and Newfoundland and Labrador includes an edited book, Food Futures: Growing a Sustainable Food System for Newfoundland and Labrador, and “Economic feasibility of biochar and agriculture coproduction from Canadian black spruce forest” published in Food and Energy Security.

PROGRAM NEWS

Mark your calendars: Big Give is one month away!

It’s that time of year again: on March 9, show your support for Canadian Studies by making a gift to our program during Big Give, Berkeley’s annual day of giving. Canadian Studies is a donor-supported program, and your donation goes directly to support education and research about Canada. Multiply your giving impact by competing in challenges at no extra cost to yourself. Your gift can make a big difference! So make sure to set a reminder, and we’ll see you on March 9!

NEWS FROM CANADA

Dr. Debra Thompson Uncovers Hidden Parts of Canada’s Black History on New Podcast

McGill University professor Debra Thompson is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts on North American racial politics. A fifth-generation Canadian with ancestral links to the United States, Dr. Thompson recently returned to Canada after a decade in the U.S. (an experience she shared at a Canadian Studies Colloquium in 2020.) This long sojourn outside of Canada gives her a unique insight into how Canada’s Black history is – and isn’t – talked about, and how that impacts contemporary Black Canadian life.

Dr. Thompson shares her experiences with veteran Canadian journalist Peter Mansbridge in a new episode of his podcast, The Bridge, titled “What We Should Know About Black History Month”. The two have a frank discussion about Canada’s current racial dynamics, and the often-ignored challenges the country’s Black community continues to face. While Canadians often compare their country’s racial politics favorably to those of the United States, Dr. Thompson argues that often serves to mask real issues in Canada. In exploring a history of structural racism and its continuing effects on the Black community, Dr. Thompson takes aim at the hesitancy of many white Canadians to acknowledge the existence of racism in Canada, and to challenge their complacency.

EXTERNAL EVENTS

Canadian Heritage Night: Habs vs. Sharks

Tuesday, Feb. 28 | 5:30 pm | San José, CA | Buy tickets

The Digital Moose Lounge and Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco and Silicon Valley invite you to join them for a special Canadian Heritage Game Night! Get your hockey gear ready as the San Jose Sharks face off against the Montreal Canadiens. Tickets get you VIP access plus seating in a dedicated Canadian zone. Don’t miss this fun, family-friendly event!