Canadian Studies Announcements

In this issue:

New Hildebrand Fellow Aaron Gregory Studies Indigenous-led Energy Projects

Canadian Studies is pleased to introduce Aaron Gregory as the latest recipient of an Edward Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowship. Aaron is a Ph.D. student in regional planning, with an emphasis on Indigenous energy sovereignty.

Aaron’s research explores the social, technical, and regulatory impacts of a renewable energy system developed by a First Nations community in Beecher Bay (British Columbia). He examines this project as an emergent approach to Indigenous environmental governance, an infrastructural solution responding to the problem of Indigenous energy sovereignty, and a regulatory provocation designed to challenge a provincial monopoly on energy production and distribution. His Hildebrand Fellowship will provide funding for fieldwork analyzing new ‘kinship infrastructures’ articulated through the social, technological, and environmental elements of Indigenous energy sovereignty, anticipating the decolonization and decarbonization of energy production and distribution in British Columbia.

Aaron’s research builds upon his training in regional planning, political ecology, Indigenous studies, critical infrastructure studies, and science & technology studies (STS). His current project expands upon prior investigations of an Indigenous-led solar MicroGrid system in northern California, an Indigenous land restitution program in South Africa, and an Indigenous land rights program in Chile. Aaron received his interdisciplinary M.A. from Brandeis and Tufts University before joining the University of California, Berkeley, and has worked with a variety of Indigenous communities, non-governmental organizations, and community organizations to strengthen and support Indigenous and environmental interests.

Five Berkeley Women to Represent Canada at Tokyo Olympics

As reported by the Cal Alumni Association, two current Berkeley students and three alumnae will represent Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics later this summer. The five women will join a large cohort of current and former Golden Bears competing for Olympic glory for a number of international teams at this year’s games.

One notable face in this intrepid group is two-time NCAA champion Camryn Rogers, class of ’22. The 22-year-old athlete is a native of British Columbia, and has previously represented Canada at numerous international youth events. She astonished the collegiate sports world earlier this year when she broke the collegiate women’s hammer throw record twice in one day and set a personal best of 75.52 m (247 ft 9 in). Rogers was profiled in a short film by California Magazine as an incoming student in 2019.

The other competitors with a Cal connection are:

Image: Camryn Rogers ’22. (Cal Athletics Track & Field roster.)

In the News

Mary Simon Appointed Canada’s First-Ever Indigenous Governor General

In what is being hailed as a landmark move, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last week the appointment of Inuk leader and diplomat Mary Simon as the 30th governor general of Canada. Ms. Simon will be the first Indigenous person to serve in the role, which functions as the official representative of the Crown in Canada. Her appointment has been hailed by Indigenous leaders, and comes at a time where the country is reckoning with its treatment of its Native population.

Ms. Simon was born in a village in Nunavik, the Inuit territory in northern Quebec. A career civil servant and Indigenous rights advocate, she helped negotiate the landmark 1975 James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, considered Canada’s first modern treaty with an Indigenous group. In 1994, she was appointed Canada’s first-ever ambassador for circumpolar affairs, and was a key figure in the creation of the Arctic Council, an international forum promoting cooperation between Arctic governments and Indigenous peoples. Ms. Simon received the Order of Canada in 1991 in recognition of her advocacy for Indigenous rights, and was promoted to officer in 2005 for her diplomatic work.

Image: Mary Simon speaks following the announcement of her appointment. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press.)

San Francisco’s Canadian Consulate Launches New Tech Policy Podcast, Confluence

The Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco has announced the launch of Confluence, their first podcast. In each episode, Consul General Rana Sarkar, Canada’s Tech Envoy in Silicon Valley, will delve into the issues shaping technology, diplomacy, and economic recovery through the lenses of Silicon Valley, Canada, and the world. He will discuss pressing topics with subject matter experts to gain an unrestricted, deep dive into the tech policy issues shaping our times. Working at the intersections of big tech, public policy and change, Sarkar brings a unique perspective to these conversations and offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the global technological revolutions happening all around us.

Audiences can tune in for sharp, informative, and entertaining conversations in this limited series. Episodes are available now: Confluence (pod.link)

Canadian Studies Program

213 Moses Hall #2308

WEBSITE | EMAIL | DONATE

Today, July 1, is Canada Day.

This year’s holiday comes at a difficult time for Canada, as the country is forced to reckon with a history that has fallen far short of its image and ideals. The recent painful revelations about Canada’s residential schools and its treatment of its Indigenous population have shocked and saddened the country. We know that this year, many Canadians are having mixed feelings about whether we should celebrate at all.

At the Canadian Studies Program, we believe it’s important to present a balanced view of the country: highlighting the good where we see it, while not being afraid to confront the darker side of Canadian history. In our colloquia over the past year, we presented many topics where we felt Canada could serve as a model for other countries, such as its national healthcare system. However, we also attempted to bring forward voices from marginalized communities, such as Canada’s Black and Indigenous populations, that have suffered historic and ongoing injustices and continue to fight for equity.

This Canada Day, I encourage all our friends to take some time to reflect on what kind of country we want Canada to be. Our vision of Canada is a truly multicultural nation, one that respects diversity and honors its First Peoples. It’s important to shine light on the ugliest chapters of Canadian history and ensure that we acknowledge that pain, because without doing so it is impossible to move forward together. I invite you to review the Final Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and to visit the new site of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Sincerely,

Irene Bloemraad

Director, Canadian Studies Program

Canadian Studies Program

213 Moses Hall #2308 WEBSITE | EMAIL

Canadian Studies Announcements

In this issue:

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

WEBSITE | EMAIL | DONATE