Greetings and happy Boxing Day from Berkeley! We are reaching out to let you know what we’ve been up to in 2018.
Canadian Studies was thrilled once again to support the work of our talented Hildebrand Fellows. They are Berkeley graduate students conducting research in Canada, or on Canadian topics. Three fellowship recipients presented this month: Kimberly Huynh (Civil/Environmental Engineering), Desiree Valadares (Architecture), and Alexandra Havrylyshyn (former Fellow, current Post-Doc at Berkeley Law). This year Canadian Studies also supported the work of Martha Herrara-Lasso Gonzáles (Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies), Erika Brown (School of Public Health), and Tyler Nodine (Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning).
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In November, Michael Adams spoke in our luncheon Colloquium series on his new book “Could It Happen Here? Canada in the Age of Trump and Brexit.” During Cal Homecoming in mid-October, Thomas Garden Barnes Chair of Canadian Studies Irene Bloemraad spoke to a capacity crowd of 150 on “Why Canadians Love Immigration and Americans Aren’t so Sure.”
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In October, Canadian Studies was also delighted to partner with the Digital Moose Lounge to present the 2nd Annual Canadian Family Thanksgiving at Alumni House. A sell-out crowd of over 100 Canadians and friends of Canada gathered to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving, network, and enjoy Canadian food and beverages.
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A major highlight of the year was the visit of legendary Canadian author Margaret Atwood, to campus in August. Canadian Studies partnered with the College of Letters and Science to host a reception following Ms. Atwood’s talk, entitled “The Handmaid’s Tale Escapes From Its Book.” Several hundred students and members of the community enjoyed a witty talk by Ms. Atwood, and a festive reception in Lower Sproul Plaza afterward.
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The 2018 Thomas Garden Barnes Lecture was delivered in April by Elizabeth May, MP, the leader of Canada’s Green Party. Ms. May discussed “Can Canada Claim Climate Leadership? Can the Paris Accord Succeed in Avoiding the Worst of the Climate Crisis?” The late Professor Thomas Barnes might not have agreed with all of Ms. May’s views, but he would have been delighted to have Canadian Studies in the thick of debate, whether scholarly or on key contemporary public policy issues. This reflects Tom’s vision of Canadian Studies as a “big tent,” welcoming diverse viewpoints and disciplines.
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Also to that end, Canadian Studies hosted a panel discussion on NAFTA in February. Academics and practitioners discussed “North American Futures: NAFTA in the Balance.” Canadian Consul General Rana Sarkar moderated with Dr. Christopher Sands (Canadian Studies, Johns Hopkins University), Maria Echaveste (UC Berkeley Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy) and Jeremy Kinsman (former Canadian Ambassador). Some audience members said it was the most intellectually stimulating discussion they had heard at Berkeley.
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Looking ahead, on January 29, the 2019 Thomas Garden Barnes Lecture will be delivered by Jean-Frédéric Morin, Fulbright Visiting Research Chair of Canadian Studies and Associate Professor at the Political Science Department of Laval University.
Finally, we want to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing support of Canadian Studies. Over 90% of our annual budget comes from the generosity of friends and donors like you, who care about making sure that the academic study of Canada remains a vibrant part of the intellectual life of the University. If your family is considering end-of-calendar-year gifts to causes you champion, we hope you will consider including Canadian Studies in your giving. UC Berkeley is a Revenue Canada Prescribed University and an Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so contributions made to Canadian Studies may be tax-deductible on American and Canadian federal income taxes (consult your tax professional).
Contributions can be made securely online via credit card at canada.berkeley.edu/donate or via check in US or Canadian funds made out to “UC Regents” and mailed to the address below. Since 1982, the Canadian Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley, has served as an intellectual hub for thought on Canada and Canadian-American issues. We were honored to carry that legacy throughout 2018, and look forward to continuing that work in 2019. In the meantime, we wish you the happiest of holidays. Please know that we are grateful for your ongoing support of Canadian Studies at Berkeley. We couldn’t do it without you.
Sincerely,
Irene Bloemraad, Ph.D.
Thomas Garden Barnes Chair and Co-Director
Richard A. Rhodes, Ph.D.
Co-Director
Elliott Smith, M.A.
Program Manager
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To donate by check, make your check in USD or CAD payable to “UC Regents” and mail to:
Canadian Studies c/o Gift Services
University of California, Berkeley
1995 University Ave, Suite 400
Berkeley CA 94704-1070 USA
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Royal Canadian Legion, US Branch #25 