Center for Canadian-American Studies celebrates 40th in style
Phillip Chicola, U.S. Consul General to Canada, was the keynote speaker at a gala dinner April 28 celebrating 40 years of regional and national impact by the Center for Canadian-American Studies at Western Washington University.
The next day, April 29, a conference on Canada-U.S. relations was held on Western’s campus, with a luncheon talk by David Emerson, former minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in the Canadian government.
“The Center for Canadian-American Studies is celebrating 40 years of excellence in teaching, scholarship and training K-12 teachers by holding two distinguished events that will draw attendance from regional U.S. and Canadian government officials, business leaders, educators, students and anyone with an interest in cross-border relations,” said Don Alper, director of CAS.
The Center for Canadian-American Studies at Western is a national leader in teaching and research on Canada-U.S. relations and, with its consortium partner at the University of Washington, is one of only two U.S. Department of Education-designated National Resource Centers on Canada in the United States. Its 40-year record of accomplishment has been vital to improving knowledge about Canada with students on campus and with businesses in the region. Through research and outreach, CAS has promoted greater understanding between our two countries and impacted education policy and border policy in the region and nation.
The anniversary dinner on Thursday, April 28, at the Bellwether Hotel Ballroom, celebrated students, academic participants and friends of Canadian studies from both sides of the border. The event included a hosted reception, dinner, musical entertainment by La Famille Leger, who plays traditional French-Canadian fiddle music, door prizes and a silent auction to fund-raise for student awards that encourage concentrations in Canadian Studies and a greater understanding of the importance of Canada-U.S. relations. Chicola was the keynote speaker.
The academic conference was held Friday. The conference, called “Bridging Distances: Past and Future Perspectives on Canada-U.S. Relations,” provided an opportunity to hear from distinguished scholars and policy professionals from Canada and the United States who are actively involved in strategic Canada-U.S. policy-making.
Confirmed speakers included: Ian Brodie, strategic advisor, Inter-American Development Bank and former chief of staff to Prime Minister Stephen Harper; Deborah Meyers, director of Canadian Affairs, Department of Homeland Security; Anne McLellan, distinguished scholar in residence, Alberta Institute for American Studies, University of Alberta; Steve Reynolds, CEO, Puget Sound Energy; and Colin Robertson, distinguished senior fellow, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.
