FALL 2007

PRACTICAL AND AUTHORITATIVE ANALYSIS OF KEY NATIONAL ISSUES

Canadian Studies: A Future? Features Introduction Son of phase one by Seth Feldman, page 1 Son of phase one Canadian Studies: A victim of its own success? s many of the articles to this By Seth Feldman by Colin Coates, page 1 special issue of Canada Watch A Seth Feldman is the director of the What has changed? Three decades in dedicated to Canadian Studies incor- Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies. Canadian Studies porate the personal histories of their by Janice Dickin, page 5 authors, I am afraid that I will have to When I arrived in 1975 and took Les études canadiennes à la croisée des come clean with mine. I was in the my place as a newly minted New chemins ? process of completing my doctorate Yorker/Canadian, I was in for a bit Pierre Anctil, page 8 in a rather innovative media studies of a culture shock. My knowledge “Your major is Canadian Studies? program at SUNY/Buffalo when, of Canada was largely limited to my What’s that?” much to my surprise, I was hired to field, though no small thing that. by Natalie Riggs, page 10 teach Film Studies at the University McLuhanism was in its heyday, the Canadian Studies at a small, of Western Ontario. Yes, I had to find National Film Board and the CBC undergraduate, Atlantic university: Looking to the future London, Ontario on a map. Son of phase one, page 2 by Della Stanley, page 11 The ongoing crisis of Canadian Studies by Richard Nimijean, page 14 Canadian Studies: A Has Canadian Studies had its day? by Joan Sangster, page 17 victim of its own success? The future of Canadian Studies: A Gen-Xer’s perspective Challenges Facing By Colin Coates by Peter Hodgins, page 20 Canadian Studies Toward a recovery of social solidarity? Colin Coates is coordinator of by Ian Angus, page 22 Programs in Canada the Canadian Studies program at n theory, Canadian Studies should Glendon College, York University and Letters from Denmark: Thoughts on Ibe a thriving academic pursuit holds the Canada Research Chair in Canadian Studies across the country. Today, an unprec- Canadian Cultural Landscapes. by Claire Campbell, page 24 edented number of scholars focus on Too much of a good thing? The case for Canadian issues. We Canadians have economic and environmental Canadian Studies in the 21st century good reasons to be interested in the change, Canadian concerns are very by Andrew Nurse, page 26 issues we face as individuals and as much as relevant and important as Les études québécoises à l’Université du a collectivity: because of the series of they are in any other country. Québec à Trois-Rivières: un programme d’études avancées et un centre de challenges facing the country as a Yet Canadian Studies as an aca- recherche whole, ongoing concerns about demic enterprise faces difficulties. by Stéphane Castonguay, page 31 Quebec’s place in the country, the In many programs, the number of The Journal of historical inequalities experienced by students choosing to major in the Canadian Studies Aboriginal peoples, women, ethnic “multidiscipline” remains low, even then and now and racial minorities, and the differ- while demand for specific classes by Donald Wright, ently abled, and current fears about A victim of its own success?, page 3 page 33 Canada Watch is a publication of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies of York University Son of phase one continued from page 1 PRACTICAL AND AUTHORITATIVE ANALYSIS OF KEY NATIONAL ISSUES were flourishing and innovative institu- GUEST Editor tions, and Canada was known interna- Many a Canadian Colin Coates, Canadian Studies Program, tionally in that small circle of experimen- Glendon College, York University tal film and video of which I was a part. film and filmmaker During my five years in Buffalo, we be- has been grossly Managing Editor came familiar with the CBC and often Laura Taman visited Toronto to see films, videos, and overvalued in an the many other cultural artifacts not avail- Columnists This Issue able where we lived. We also suffered effort to build a Seth Feldman Colin Coates from chief executive envy—Nixon vs. Janice Dickin Pierre Anctil Trudeau—and with the Vietnam War still national self-esteem. Natalie Riggs Della Stanley beckoning, a quick dash to the Peace Richard Nimijean Joan Sangster Bridge was always a possibility. Peter Hodgins Ian Angus newly arrived Americans and Brits) or- Claire Campbell Andrew Nurse Canadian Content? ganized the Film Studies Association of Stéphane Castonguay Donald Wright It was only when I arrived at Western that Canada, in part to generate a demand Production I discovered a side to Canada that I could that might get some films into distribu- WordsWorth Communications not have imagined. My new employers tion. soon made it clear that they were less The last piece of the puzzle was the Contact for information interested in Canadian film and Canada’s students. It seemed a safe assumption, Canada Watch contribution to the new media age than in the Canada of Pierre Trudeau and the 227 York Lanes, 4700 Keele St. they were in my contribution to the de- post-PQ national unity crusade, that Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3 partmental enrolment count with large students would swarm Canadian Cine- Phone (416) 736-5499 Hollywood cinema classes. Surely, I ma. They didn’t. Enrolments were small Fax (416) 736-5739 thought, the lack of a Canadian Cinema and those students who did enrol grew www.robarts.yorku.ca course was an unfortunate oversight. impatient with the quality of the films. For information regarding future issues, When I proposed designing and teaching They discovered to their horror that the contact Laura Taman, Project Manager, such a course, the curriculum committee feature films didn’t have the production Robarts Centre. Please address comments to Seth Feldman, Director, Roberts Centre. wanted to see a list of critical literature values or big name talent of Hollywood that would support such a field. There features. Their comments on the course Canada Watch is produced by was very little. So Joyce Nelson at Queen’s implied that we were being malicious the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies and I, with the energetic support of Peter holding back a parallel universe of film of York University. Medjuk at the University of Toronto, com- achievement when, in reality, Canada’s Copyright © 2007 piled an anthology and found a small feature film industry was, at that time, The Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies publishing house willing to print it. only about a decade old. Its productions Printed in Canada ISSN 1191-7733 “And where will you get the films to were under-budgeted and the true talents show?” the curriculum committee asked; of the day were still honing their skills. another good question. In addition to the Students did admit that the anima- National Film Board’s rich and univer- tions were funny—for five or ten minutes. In the years that followed, I have par- sally admired collection of documentary But who cared about documentary? They ticipated in the argument for Canada’s and animation, there were a small num- had seen enough of that in high school. importance, hoping all the while for a ber of titles available from the experimen- And experimental film, despite our best methodology that avoided the American tal film co-ops and a thin blue catalogue efforts, was a taste that most students hubris, allowing Canada to judge itself from the Canadian Film Institute that lacked the patience to acquire. by its own standards. I’m not sure how contained most of Canada’s surviving successful that has been. Much of what cinema heritage (our national film ar- Canada in the Shadow of I have experienced as Canadian Studies chive having burned to the ground in the United States has been grounded in American-style 1967). Few distributors of Canadian fea- For a recently arrived immigrant from identity politics as it was practised in the tures bothered releasing prints for class- the self-proclaimed centre of the uni- 1960s and 1970s. Many a Canadian film room use. In 1976, a dozen or so of us verse, this willingness to dismiss one’s and filmmaker has been grossly over- (an embarrassing number of whom were own culture was culture shock indeed. valued in an effort to build a national

 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 self-esteem. Perhaps too much time has been wasted in the struggle against the I am certain that, ten years from now, oppressor (something else the Ameri- Sesquicentennial Canada will celebrate cans supplied). Or perhaps it is only in Canadian Cinema that it has taken so an imagined community that Centennial long to arrive at the point where we may dismiss some of our work as unworthy Canada could barely imagine. Whether that and a few well-intentioned policies as really bad ideas. community is a true post-modern nation or a Still, the end hasn’t done badly in justifying the means. Canadian Cinema hollowed-out brand will have to be settled by now has that rich critical literature once a very different generation in such short supply. From time to time, we catch the notice of the world’s top thinkers in our field. And for good rea- Canada could barely imagine. Whether The contributors to this issue of son. It would now be simple to program that community is a true post-modern Canada Watch are a cross-section of any Canadian Cinema course with fea- nation or a hollowed-out brand will have scholars from the early, middle, and later ture films that have won prestigious to be settled by a very different genera- moments of Phase One Canadian Stud- prizes at international festivals—not that tion—a generation shaped by the emer- ies. Canada Watch and the Robarts many of us would wish to deprive our gence of intellectual tools that, in the last Centre are grateful for their thoughts students of the old and obscure works. half-century, have turned the humanities about turning this historical page. We are I can only guess at what, if any, cor- and social sciences inside out. The fu- especially grateful that Colin Coates, a respondence my experience with Can- ture of Canadian Studies as a victim of tireless contributor to and organizer of adian Cinema has with the more general its own success or as a more subtle such inquiries into Canadian Studies, has development of Canadian Studies. But I conscience for a mature (or post-ma- agreed to guest edit this issue for us. And am certain that, ten years from now, ture) Canada will be up to the students we thank our readers in advance for the Sesquicentennial Canada will celebrate we have seen come and go all these thoughtful responses they may wish to an imagined community that Centennial years. share.

A victim of its own success? continued from page 1 remains high. Few institutions outside of Canada, with a few glances abroad. In Études québécoises at the Université du Carleton University, the University of some lights, Canadian Studies is healthy; Québec à Trois-Rivières will resonate Calgary, Trent University, and Mount Al- in others it is in difficulty—hence the dif- with anglophone Canadian Studies ad- lison University are willing to make des- ferences of opinion expressed in these ministrators). Canadian Studies remains, ignated appointments to Canadian Stud- pages. Some of the contributors call for at heart, an English-speaking Canadian ies programs; most rely on more cost-ef- a return to the origins of the Canadian endeavour. Even if Canadian Studies was fective individual faculty enthusiasms Studies project, while others celebrate never intended to be unremitting flag- and cross-listings to cobble together a the new directions that the field has waving patriotism, for some colleagues suite of courses. The majority of Canad- taken of late. the future lies in a more critical and ian universities do not provide a program theoretical approach to Canadian issues, labelled “Canadian Studies.” Moreover, Canadian Studies in focusing on First Nations and multicul- the first generation of Canadian Studies the United Kingdom tural critiques of the Canadian nation. supporters has reached retirement age, As many of the writers indicate, there is For other contributors, institutions must leaving a new cohort to establish and no doubt that Canadian Studies receives provide better support for their Canadian enhance the programs, if they are indeed weak institutional support in many parts Studies programs. A few writers point out able to survive. We have arrived at an of the country. In many universities and the vital contributions of Canadianist historical moment when reflection on colleges, it depends on a small number scholars and students based outside the the future of Canadian Studies is not just of academic enthusiasts (and of course country, international reminders—borne of passing interest, but is mandatory. students!). Moreover, Canadian Studies of the necessity of providing a venue for This Robarts Centre publication ex- does not really have a counterpart in a wide range of scholars—of the import- amines important issues related to the francophone Quebec (even if the chal- ance of interdisciplinary exchange. current state of Canadian Studies in lenges facing the graduate program in A victim of its own success?, page 4

Canada Watch • FALL 2007  A victim of its own success? continued from page 3

As some of the contributions suggest, each of us involved in Canadian Studies In Canada, as in the United Kingdom, has arrived through a unique route. I am a product of the English-Canadian re- Canadian Studies courses and programs rise sponse to the rise in Québécois national- and fall depending on the presence of key ism in the 1970s. I undertook my under- graduate studies in Ottawa, far from my individuals and their commitment to the topic. home in British Columbia. Although I had considered pursuing a Canadian Studies degree, at the MA level at least, Studies took the form of cultural or media concern about the resources invested in in the end all my degrees were in His- studies, but in Edinburgh it was rooted Canadian Studies overseas, when I ar- tory. Completing my PhD and entering firmly in the History and English Litera- rived in Edinburgh in 1994, the university the job market at an unfortunate point in ture Departments. American Studies—a employed 33 percent of the complement the economic and academic cycle, my program built on cross-listings—had al- of UK academics hired specifically be- best prospects for a permanent position most no institutional backing, only a cause of their Canadianist expertise—that were outside the country. In 1994, I portion of one secretary’s time. Nonethe- is, two out of six (the others being in moved to Scotland, a country I first vis- less, it always filled its available spaces Birmingham, Nottingham, Hull, and Sus- ited at the time of my job interview, for student enrolment. sex). Today, there are only four such where I was hired as a lecturer in the At the University of Edinburgh, there appointments. There are many more Centre of Canadian Studies of the Uni- was no British Studies degree—although Canadianists, of course, in the United versity of Edinburgh, the oldest such unit a course with that title was developed for Kingdom, but their involvement largely in the United Kingdom. visiting students. Edinburgh students did reflects personal enthusiasms and ex- The comparisons between area stud- not need such a course. In their first year, pertise, not university priorities. Some ies in Canada and in the United Kingdom students chose from a limited number of Canadian funding contributed to the are instructive. Students at Edinburgh fairly broad classes. They could choose, salaries of this small number of six schol- asked the same questions that they ask among others, British History I, Eco- ars, a key support but seldom the major- in Canada—what is Canadian Studies? In nomic History I (essentially British), ity of the money—and most of it was not our case, Canadian Studies provided an Social History I (entirely British), Politics from the government itself. interdisciplinary introduction to key Can- I and Sociology I (largely British), Scot- In the United Kingdom and else- adian concepts and concerns: regional- tish History I and English Literature I (it where, supporting the academic study ism, multiculturalism, bilingualism, proved difficult to introduce an American of Canada abroad has provided Canada economic and environmental change, literature component to this course). The with a coterie of international experts, aboriginality, multilateralism, gender extent to which classes reflected Scottish without the institutional costs of the Alli- disparities, and so on. My colleague in perspectives was the subject of some ance Française, the Goethe Institute, or the Centre, Ged Martin, and I were both debate—perhaps shown best in the fact the British Council. As is the case in historians, and our course tended to the that Scottish History was constituted as Canada as well, the Canadianist interests social sciences, but similar courses at a separate department from History. I of individuals can develop and disappear Birmingham and Nottingham taught by sometimes thought that outside of the as their careers develop. That is why colleagues with backgrounds in English Social Anthropology and foreign lan- centres for Canadian Studies, with some Literature covered precisely the same guage courses, one of the few first-year degree of investment and support, play topics through more of a literary ap- courses that provided geographical an important role in the Canadian Stud- proach. breadth was the introductory Canadian ies enterprise abroad. But let’s face it, Since almost every Scot I met had a Studies course. (I should note that this Canadian Studies is not a route to aca- relative in Mississauga, Ontario, there has changed somewhat in the last few demic prominence—it will always be a were many personal links to the country. years.) The concept of British Studies marginal topic in the United Kingdom We had healthy enrolments in our would not make sense to a British stu- and other countries, even if it is rather courses, and we contributed to the dent—in the time I was in Edinburgh (and less prominent than Canada’s world role broader American Studies degree, which long before that), the whole curriculum would warrant. (In comparison, Austra- included courses on Canada, Latin pointed in that direction. lian Studies took a slightly different America, and of course the United States. While Canadians—and the current configuration in the United Kingdom In many British universities, American federal government—sometimes express A victim of its own success?, page 7

 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 Overviews What has changed? Three decades in Canadian Studies

The State of Canadian By Janice Dickin countries were directing to the needs and conditions of their own societies.”4 That Studies, 1975–1996 Janice Dickin is a professor in the Faculty hen the Symons Report1 came out of Communication and Culture and certainly cannot be said today, across the Win 1975, I was the student represen- chair of the Conjoint Faculties Research majority of disciplines and programs, tative on the Canadian Historical Associa- Ethics Board at the University of Calgary. even in some parts of medicine and tion committee charged with considering engineering. My students may be con- its implications for the profession. It was a Symons put forth the fused about what is law in Canada, pretty good time to be a beginning Canadi- formed as they are by media accessibil- anist: travel and accommodation costs view that “Canadian ity to the markedly different—in so many were paid not just for anyone who had a ways, not the least of all being terminol- paper accepted for the conference that is universities as a ogy—American legal system, but they now called the Congress, but also for chairs truly want to learn about their own soci- and commentators; graduate students whole were devoting ety and its laws. They do not question could get funding for original work, rather less attention to the worth of the Canadian experience, than settling for enforced cloning within no matter how ignorant they might be of their supervisors’ targeted grants; and we scholarly teaching, it, and we teach it. did not yet know how scarce employment pickings were about to become. research and study The Role of Canadian By 1981, when James E. Page’s Reflec- Universities in Thinking tions on the Symons Report2 came out, about Canada than About Canada I had given birth to my first child, fin- universities in most Something else that has changed is the ished my PhD, and started a teaching location of Canadian intellectuals within career at Concordia in Montreal. Two other countries were society and the conception that our neo- years later, I had given birth to my second liberal governments have about the role son and entered Calgary’s law school, directing to the needs our universities are supposed to play. the young professor-to-be, without a posi- Northrop Frye lamented that Canada tion, turning her back on academe. and conditions of “has passed from a pre-national to a In 1996, David Cameron’s Taking their own societies.” post-national phase without ever having Stock3 reported that the University of become a nation.” His whipping boy for Calgary’s Canadian Studies program, what he obviously regarded as a “bad through which I had been coaxed back ciety (and more so, by Communications thing” is Pierre Trudeau, whose alleged into the teaching profession in 1988 with Studies, by far the largest undergraduate adoption of Marshall McLuhan as one of the aid of a Canada Research Fellowship, and graduate programs in our uniquely his advisers triggered reversion of the had 65 to 70 students in 1990-91 and so interdisciplinary Faculty of Communica- country into “tribalism.”5 Jack Granatstein much outside interest that courses had tion and Culture) was accomplished has also raised the hue and cry for the to be capped. By 1996, most of my own completely without internal drivers, en- necessity of Canadians acting as a “nation.” attention was going into building a much tirely according to student demand. In his Who Killed Canadian History?,6 he younger interdisciplinary program, Law What has changed? One suggestion argues contradictorily that immigrants and Society (LWSO), already with an could be the same one that is used to must become Canadians but then deni- enrolment of 55 majors, compared with justify proposed dismantling of Women’s grates the attempts of scholars who are Canadian Studies (CNST) at 35. The Studies programs: you won! you made trying to figure out just what being “Can- most recent data I could get for these two your point! Symons put forth the view adian” might mean. He seems to believe programs are for February 2007: 154 that “Canadian universities as a whole that is a no-brainer and, given the last majors for LWSO, 69 for CNST. It seems were devoting less attention to scholarly part of his pamphlet, has something to important to state that the overshadow- teaching, research and study about do with dying for one’s country’s “na- ing of Canadian Studies by Law and So- Canada than universities in most other What has changed?, page 6

Canada Watch • FALL 2007  What has changed? continued from page 5 tional” interests. Collapsing culture, so- ciety, human existence, whatever, into Satisfying someone else’s priorities did not the idea of nation is just too facile. The fact that we have been unable to come provide the energy that drove Tom Symons up with an answer that will replace this and the Canadianists he represented. They obsolete—and disingenuous—concept does not mean that Father necessarily wanted to find out who we were as people knew best. In Globalization and the Meaning of and as a people and they wanted that to Canadian Life, William Watson starts his chapter “Virtually Canadian” with a wink: inform our lives. “The end of the nation-state is the most chronically foretold death of the 1990s.”7 I’ll get back to the virtual part in a minute. The point I want to make here is one that When Morgan and Burpee published skills, assuming they ran true to form as returns to my slatternly bandying about Canadian Life in Town and Country at a couple of their era. of the concept of neo-liberalism. (I can’t the beginning of the last century, they help imagining myself dancing around ended their assessment of Canadian at- Virtual Possibilities some boiling tribal pot here, in which I tributes with a hope for the future: But then there aren’t really any men—oth- have immersed at last my clearly identi- er than individual authors—in Metcalfe’s In these and other respects Cana- fied enemy.) The “Canadian govern- book either. There aren’t really any da has contributed at least some- ment,” I am told in a letter over the sig- people. And that brings me back to the thing toward the strengthening nature of Jean Labrie, Deputy Director, virtual world and finally to where Canad- and defence of Imperial interests, International Education and Youth Divi- ian Studies would do best to look to for and when she assumes her right- sion (PCE) of DFAIT, has set Priority Is- the future. Young people, and Canadians ful place, as a co-partner, on sues for allocating resources through the are no different, are interested in people. equal terms with England, in the Canadian Studies Program, born in a Just look at the World Wide Web. There common Empire, she will be “need for a more focused and results- are blogs, there are fansites (not just for found taking no niggardly share oriented approach.” I will address these, those who are known for being known in the burdens of that Empire.8 rather than list them, since they are avail- but for the sorts of personalities that able elsewhere. A lot of what they have to say is jejune, would pass the Granatstein test of his- If one were trying to ward away the but I’m now sufficiently old and estab- torical importance), and there is no Grim Reaper from the door of the Can- lished to no longer take umbrage with shortage of people who contribute to adian nation-state (assuming there is the sappiness of sentimental men. In Wikipedia! True, some of this material is such a thing), surely some of these long- fact, I find them rather endearing. At least inaccurate but the point is that there is bows would be in your arsenal. They they knew that women exist, having an intellectual revolution going on in the address a variety of requirements for the dedicated an entire precious chapter world and it is fuelled by completely free uneventful preservation of status quo in (out of 13, also including separate chap- labour! True, students want to have jobs a society (read economy) based on cor- ters on “The Militia” and “The Indians”) at the end of expensive education ca- porate control and human passivation, to “The Canadian Woman.” By contrast, reers, and they should have them. But it starting with Peace and Security and William Metcalfe’s 1982 collection Under- doesn’t mean Canadian Studies need ending with that newly discovered dar- standing Canada9 includes not one submit meekly to wearing the DFAIT ling of those who would save the world woman author, addresses women only straitjacket. from capitalism, the Environment. No- three times (references to Mazo de la And this brings me to the last issue I where in the list is Health Care, the Can- Roche, Gabrielle Roy, and Dorothy Live- identify as having introduced and not adian cultural icon. Nor is there any say) in “164 Questions for Discussion addressed and that is the role that uni- mention of surely what human life is and Study,” and specifically warns read- versities are supposed to play within the supposed to be about and which any ers not to confuse Eileen Jenness with current aspirations of those who would organization created for the good of her husband, Diamond, whose work has have Canada be a nation-state, and that humankind should take as its first priority: more “richness of detail,” no doubt due role is to produce worker bees dedicated spiritual and psychological well-being. to Eileen’s note-taking and secretarial to maintaining a concrete hive of activity

 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 dedicated to Priority Issues. Satisfying someone else’s priorities did not provide A victim of its own success? continued from page 4 the energy that drove Tom Symons and the Canadianists he represented. They We may be too quick to assume that the wanted to find out who we were as people and as a people and they wanted battles of the 1960s and 1970s have been that to inform our lives. We need to get back on track. The same students who won. Ruth Sandwell’s research (Ontario want jobs also insist on leisure time to an extent we never dreamed of. I am Institute for Studies in Education) has shown personally connected with two young that no undergraduate History programs in men who work day jobs in order to “do Canadian culture,” one as a jazz musi- Canada require students to take even one cian, the other as a writer who self-pub- lishes and runs an online literary maga- Canadian History course. zine. They’re leaving us all behind.

Note: though the country has the advantage of at Glendon and in most Canadian institu- 1. T.H.B. Symons, To Know Ourselves: The appearing a bit more exotic than Canada; tions to pursue their academic careers Report of the Commission on Canadian New Zealand Studies has no institu- without taking a single course related to Studies (Ottawa: Association of Universi- tional focus whatsoever.) the country in which they live. This is a ties and Colleges of Canada, 1975). key difference to the conception of the 2. James E. Page, Reflections on the Symons The Fragility of role of the university in the United King- Report: The State of Canadian Studies in the Canadianization dom and in Canada. Still, in the early 21st 1980 (Ottawa: Ministry of Supply and of Our Universities century, we are graduating many students Services, Canada, 1981). Returning to Canada, I have found the without a critical and deep understand- 3. David Cameron, Taking Stock: Canadian comparison between Canadian Studies ing of their country. We may be too quick Studies in the Nineties (Montreal: Asso- at the University of Edinburgh and at to assume that the battles of the 1960s ciation for Canadian Studies, 1996), Glendon College to be striking: similar and 1970s have been won. Ruth Sandwell’s p. 79. levels of student interest particularly in research (Ontario Institute for Studies in 4. Symons, To Know Ourselves, p. 2. the broad first-year course, institutional Education) has shown that no under- 5. Northrop Frye, Divisions on a Ground: reliance on one full-time academic (but graduate History programs in Canada Essays on Canadian Culture (Toronto: at Glendon also a number of very dedi- require students to take even one Can- Anansi, 1982), pp. 5-6. cated and experienced part-time instruc- adian History course. It is difficult to 6. Jack Granatstein, Who killed Canadian tors), and a fairly small program. Canad- imagine many other countries where this History? (Toronto: HarperCollins, 1998). ian Studies has disappeared from the would be the case. See particularly the chapter “Multicultural much larger Faculty of Arts at York Uni- As the contributors to this issue argue, Mania,” pp. 81-108. I actually agree that versity, because it had no dedicated ap- there are many potential paths to a vi- many of the things Granatstein identifies pointments and depended on faculty brant future for Canadian Studies—and as problems are indeed problems. I just and student interest—and this, despite there are some possible dead ends. Does can’t tell the good guys from the bad guys the fact that York University has a larger the success of the Canadianization of with his sense of accuracy. concentration of Canadianist research- Canadian universities justify the wither- 7. William Watson, Globalization and the ers than most other universities in the ing of Canadian Studies? Surely the an- Meaning of Canadian Life (Toronto: Uni- country. In Canada, as in the United swer is “no.” Canadian Studies programs versity of Toronto Press, 1998), p. 214. Kingdom, Canadian Studies courses and provide an institutional focus for the 8. Henry J. Morgan and Lawrence J. Burpee, programs rise and fall depending on the study of the country, and we must do a Canadian Life in Town and Country presence of key individuals and their better job at selling the importance of the (London: George Newnes Limited, 1905), commitment to the topic. enterprise to administrators, colleagues, p. 247. The largest single program at Glendon and students. There is still much to do to 9. William Metcalfe, ed., Understanding College is International Studies, and the fulfill the goal of expanding the presence Canada: A Multidisciplinary Introduction degree to which our students are pas- of Canadian issues in our university cur- to Canadian Studies (New York and Lon- sionate about world issues is to be cel- ricula. Canadian Studies, despite its many don: New York University Press, 1982), at ebrated. But it is entirely possible for successes over the last three decades, p. 596. social sciences and humanities students remains a fragile enterprise.

Canada Watch • FALL 2007  Les études canadiennes à la croisée des chemins ?

LE CONTEXTE UNIVERSITAIRE Pierre Anctil humaines, mais sans nécessairement es milieux universitaires canadiens créer des programmes d’études Pierre Anctil est directeur de l’Institut des Lautant anglophones que études canadiennes à l’Université d’Ottawa. portant le vocable « canadiennes ». Il y francophones ont longtemps défendu, a aussi que les embauches de chacun à leur manière, un professeurs étrangers ont diminué positionnement intellectuel dans les institutions d’enseignement essentiellement classiciste et Il ne fait aucun doute supérieur canadiennes lorsque de eurocentrique. Dans un contexte où nouvelles cohortes de diplômés se l’État n’a commencé à investir dans mon esprit sont présentées sur le marché du massivement dans les productions que l’apport des travail. Pour quelqu’un ayant été formé culturelles canadiennes qu’à partir des au Canada, la désignation même années soixante, il a longtemps semblé universitaires basés « d’études canadiennes » pouvaient que le Canada ne constituait par sa parfois sembler dans un tel contexte situation coloniale qu’un pâle reflet de outre frontière est redondante. Qui négligerait l’Ancien monde. Puis les pressions d’enseigner aujourd’hui dans le politiques et économiques américaines devenu décisif dans domaine juridique les principes de la au moment de la guerre du Viêt-Nam notre champ d’intérêt, Charte canadienne des droits et d’une part, et la Révolution tranquille au libertés ou en sciences politiques les Québec de l’autre, ont grandement autant par sa qualité conséquences du multiculturalisme et contribué à faire passer l’idée à l’époque des grands débats autour des lois de Lester Pearson que le Canada intellectuelle que par linguistiques. incarnait un ensemble de valeurs qui lui On le voit bien, plusieurs étaient propres et qui méritait d’être la pertinence de ses universitaires font aujourd’hui presque analysé. Dès 1957, l’Université Carleton publications. entièrement carrière dans le domaine créait un premier programme d’études des études canadiennes, mais sans le proprement canadiennes au pays, geste déclarer ouvertement, discipline qui fut peu à peu imité par quelques oblige, et peut-être même sans jamais autres grandes institutions avoir participé à une rencontre de d’enseignement supérieur. L’initiative eut dix toutefois les études canadiennes canadianistes déclarés. Faut-il leur en du succès, d’autant plus que Davidson ont semblé attirer moins de vouloir ? À mon avis, contre toute Dunton, un des canadianistes les plus en financement et ont reçu un accueil en attente, il convient de voir dans cette vue de Carleton, fut nommé en 1963 co- général plus tiède de la part des tendance qui s’affirme de plus en plus président avec André Laurendeau de la administrations universitaires. À tout le une des grandes victoires des Commission royale d’enquête sur le moins il y a eu plafonnement depuis dernières années. Les professeurs bilinguisme et le biculturalisme. Une une quinzaine d’années, entre autres appartenant à différents champs de époque faste de recherche et de dans le nombre d’étudiants inscrits au recherche et spécialisations n’ont réflexion s’ouvrait qui allait mener à une sein des programmes à contenu guère été encouragés à dialoguer entre redéfinition, sous la gouverne de Pierre canadien déclaré et dans la diversité eux, si bien que parfois il se dégage de Trudeau, des fondements juridiques, des cours offerts sous ce label. Cette ces pratiques un sentiment politiques, linguistiques et culturels de la situation est attribuable à plusieurs d’éparpillement et de manque de société canadienne. Au cours de ces causes, dont certaines positives concertation qui nuit ultimement aux années sont aussi apparues, sous la comme le fait que les universités espoirs des canadianistes au sein des forme de disciplines autonomes, des canadiennes ont finalement emboîté le institutions de haut savoir. Pourtant, centres de recherche tournés pas après les grands débats des quand on y regarde de plus près, la spécifiquement vers le Québec, les années soixante et soixante-dix, puis liste de chercheurs intéressés au Acadiens, les Autochtones et d’autres ont consenti à offrir des contenus Canada d’une façon ou d’une autre est peuples et régions du Canada. canadiens importants dans la plupart souvent longue dans les grandes Au cours des années quatre-vingt- des champs disciplinaires en sciences universités canadiennes, incluant ceux

 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 qui se déclarent plus portés à prime abord à analyser la société québécoise, Simplement le concert des voix qui s’expriment acadienne, autochtone, etc. On ne compte plus le nombre de revues dans ce domaine très diffus est devenu si vaste, universitaires au pays qui portent le que les canadianistes dans le sens plus retreint titre de « canadiennes », tout en réunissant parfois un nombre très du terme, soit ceux qui dirigent nommément restreint de spécialistes dans un champ précis. De la même manière, des programmes d’études canadiennes, ou les colloques et les conférences qui étudient un aspect ou l’autre de la qui y enseignent, ne réussissent plus à se faire société ou de la culture canadienne entendre comme un groupe à part. abondent dans le calendrier des sociétés savantes, dont les grands rendez-vous annuels de la Fédération canadienne des sciences sociales emportés par la cohue qui court dans découvrent un attrait particulier pour le (CFHSS) et de l’Association le même sens qu’eux. Ce n’est Canada et en font le point d’orgue de francophone pour le savoir (ACFAS). toutefois pas là à mon avis que le bât leur carrière. Il ne fait aucun doute Simplement le concert des voix qui blesse. Il est de notoriété publique que dans mon esprit que l’apport des s’expriment dans ce domaine très partout au pays les cours d’études universitaires basés outre frontière est diffus est devenu si vaste, que les canadiennes attirent beaucoup devenu décisif dans notre champ canadianistes dans le sens plus retreint d’étudiants au premier cycle. Les d’intérêt, autant par sa qualité du terme, soit ceux qui dirigent programmes de mineure et de majeure intellectuelle que par la pertinence de nommément des programmes dans le même domaine demeurent ses publications. Ces observateurs de d’études canadiennes, ou qui y cependant très peu fréquentés. Les l’extérieur du pays incarnent pour une enseignent, ne réussissent plus à se administrations universitaires, qui font bonne part l’avenir des études faire entendre comme un groupe à des décomptes financiers, prennent canadiennes et leur contribution a été part. souvent prétexte de ces données pour d’une grande portée sous plus d’un couper les vivres aux programmes rapport au cours des dernières années, L’interdisciplinarité d’études canadiennes ou carrément ceci à une heure où certains ministères Quand les canadianistes ont senti que les abolir, lorsqu’il suffirait de leur et organismes n’encouragent plus pour le tapis leur glissait de sous les pieds, donner des moyens pratiques, des raisons politiques une analyse ils ont évoqué pour se distinguer la efficaces et peu coûteux d’attirer de critique de la réalité canadienne. Un notion d’interdisciplinarité ou de nouvelles clientèles. Des formules vigoureux réseautage au niveau multidisciplinarité. En somme, et ce novatrices comme les affectations international et une participation plus que nul ne peut contester par ailleurs, multiples pour les professeurs, les soutenue à un ensemble de carrefours l’étude d’un pays aussi complexe et cours donnés conjointement par disciplinaires émergents dans le milieu immense que le Canada requérait un différents départements, les chaires universitaire, constituent sans aucun arsenal de disciplines diverses intra universitaires et différentes doute les deux stratégies les plus oeuvrant en commun et partageant un formules de libération sabbatique, porteuses actuellement pour les études même objet. Or l’ensemble des devraient contribuer à renverser la canadiennes. Une troisième voie sciences humaines et sociales, se tendance que l’on note depuis mériterait aussi d’être explorée, qui n’a dirige déjà allègrement vers un plusieurs années. On peut aussi vraiment pas porté fruit jusqu’à carrefour global où convergent un imaginer le recours à des campagnes maintenant, soit celle d’une meilleure grand nombre de disciplines. Bien que de publicité inter universitaires mieux concertation entre les différents les structures de gestion universitaires adaptées à leur objet et mieux ciblées. programmes reconnus au Canada. reconnues, comme les facultés et les L’heure est sans doute arrivée pour les départements, résistent dans la plupart L’importance du réseautage canadianistes de faire preuve d’un peu des cas pour des raisons historiques à Si les universités canadiennes doutent plus d’audace et de détermination en suivre le courant, il ne fait aucun doute parfois de la valeur des études cette ère de mondialisation et de que l’interdisciplinarité s’apprête à canadiennes, il se trouve à l’étranger décloisonnement disciplinaire. À mon submerger les dernières résistances. un bassin croissant de chercheurs et avis toute croissance future dans notre Une fois de plus, les canadianistes ont de professeurs qui souvent sans le domaine de recherche passe par ces vu juste, mais ils sont maintenant moindre encouragement précis trois nouveaux angles d’attaque.

Canada Watch • FALL 2007  What Students gain from Canadian studies “Your major is Canadian Studies? What’s that?”

hen asked throughout my under- By Natalie Riggs that we usually took only core courses graduate career what my major was, as a group. Even then the core courses W Natalie Riggs finished her BA Honours in this was a fairly typical response. It could Canadians Studies at Glendon College, were often cross-listed and filled with also include some combination of a blank York University, in 2006 and her Master’s students of other disciplines. This is an stare, a smile and nod, or a request for in Public Administration at Queen’s interesting point to note: many students some type of explanation. University in 2007. will have, at some point or another, taken This response, while occasionally one or more courses that can be consid- disappointing, was not wholly unex- ered a Canadian Studies course. This pected; I myself could not have explained Many students will leads me to think that there is a greater what it was until I actually enrolled in the interest in Canada than is evident from program after my first year at Glendon have, at some point looking at the number of students en- College, York University’s bilingual lib- rolled in Canadian Studies programs. eral arts campus. Yet this confusion or another, taken one As such, language of instruction and about my major also provided the perfect differing interests meant that it was not opportunity to explain what exactly Can- or more courses that until my fourth year that I really got to adian Studies is, what I have learned can be considered know the four others I would be graduat- through my course of study, and why it ing with. When I took the fourth-year should be promoted as a subject of inter- a Canadian Studies seminar, it was composed of five gradu- est in universities. ating students, and we were able to share course. This leads me our knowledge of the different subject Discovering Canadian areas that we had been studying. Our Studies to think that there research focuses for that class were quite I came to discover the realm of Canadian is a greater interest different, from politics, gender issues, Studies completely by fluke. First, I took education, and economics; there was an Introduction to Canadian Studies in Canada than is never argument over who got to study course as an elective in my first year, which issue. Canadian Studies gave us a which I thoroughly enjoyed. Then, as I evident from looking subject, and from there we could pick was choosing courses for my second whichever concentration we enjoyed year, I realized that nearly all of my top at the number of most, and these differing interests gave picks counted as credits toward a major students enrolled in us much to talk about and enriched our in Canadian Studies. These two discover- discussions, both within the classroom ies took me to Glendon’s Office of Stu- Canadian Studies and without. dent Programs to get the paperwork to change my major, and I haven’t looked programs. Career Prospects back since. The next question would usually be, The second question asked of me is, “what are you going to do with that?” It “why did you choose that program?” fields once a university career is fin- is often assumed that a degree such as There are many possible answers, but a ished, and it is truly surprising how each this would lead to work in the federal major draw to a Canadian Studies pro- different subject is applicable to another, government, and this could well be the gram that I found was that it is very flex- be it politics, history, literature, etc. case because students leave with a firm ible, and it allows a student to choose an The flexibility of the program did oc- understanding of government, history, area of interest while also giving a broad casionally present a challenge in terms and cultural cleavages that are essential overview of other potential specialties. of getting to know other Canadian Stud- to policy- and decision-making. Further- This provides a very thorough and well- ies students. While we were familiar with more, many students learn French as a rounded study of Canada that can act as each other as acquaintances, students part of their program (or in the case of a natural complement to many different in the program had such varying interests “Your major is Canadian Studies?”, page 13

10 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 Canadian Studies at a small, undergraduate, Atlantic university: Looking to the future

hat are the prospects for under- By Della Stanley oped over its 30-year history. When I ar- graduate Canadian Studies (CS) rived in the mid-1980s, a good-sized W Della Stanley is the co-ordinator of the programs? From my perspective the signals Canadian Studies program at Mount Saint graduating class was two to four majors are mixed. Students and employers in- Vincent University. and there were about 10 majors annually. creasingly recognize the value of the skills This past May, 21 majors graduated, the and knowledge CS graduates possess. But largest class of CANA (Canadian Studies) universities, faced with mounting competi- If larger and better- majors since 1974. Today the number of tion for students and resources, have been resourced institutions majors remains fairly steady at 50 to 55. slow to recognize the benefits that students As well, all core courses (which are also and employers have identified. As in so still treat CS as open to non-majors under some condi- many areas of modern life, the most seri- tions) reach capped enrolment numbers, ous challenge is one of perception and peripheral, what hope and the demand for directed studies packaging. CS needs an image make-over exceeds what the university allows. En- to bring home to university administrators is there for the small rolment success has made it possible, in and faculty the assets of a CS program. university programs the last two years, to increase the number of interdisciplinary CANA core course Canadian Studies at Mount that are marginalized offerings and to hire interdisciplinary Saint Vincent University part-time faculty for topics like “The In considering the present state and fu- by financial North in Film” and “Atlantic Folk Art.” ture of Canadian Studies, I confess to two There is more evidence of success: biases. First, I remain an unrepentant constraints and a the vitality of the CS Student Society, the believer in the relevance and value of lack of administration recent production of multi-page coloured Canadian Studies programs, particularly brochures and a website, the creation of at the undergraduate level. I have been commitment? financial awards for CS majors such as connected to this field of academic en- the one established by Andrea and quiry for almost 40 years, having gradu- Charles Bronfman, and access to funding ated in 1973 from the first formal under- taught from an interdisciplinary perspec- from organizations such as the Associa- graduate CS program in Canada, set up tive, students can develop a multi-disci- tion for Canadian Studies (ACS), which at Mount Allison University in 1969 by my pline body of Canadian content courses assists students to attend national CS father, George Stanley. Eventually, I be- drawn from across various departments student conferences. The number of came a professor of CS at Mount Saint and programs. Although French is Canadian content courses offered by the Vincent University (MSVU) where I am highly recommended, it has never been traditional disciplines has increased also the co-ordinator of the CS program. a compulsory requirement. significantly. The co-ordinator and the Second, MSVU is a small, primarily un- In 1988, the first full-time CS co-ordina- CS Society are noted on campus for their dergraduate university in Halifax. There- tor was hired to promote the program, university and community involvement: fore, my observations do not reflect ex- recruit students, act as academic adviser working with international students, rais- periences in larger university programs to majors, and teach the three core ing money for students in financial need, or graduate programs. courses. In many ways, the resulting participating in the Scholars Forum, serv- The MSVU program holds to its initial continuity in the program made it more ing on numerous university committees, objectives: to examine Canada through attractive to students than previously. organizing campus events such as Flag a diversity of perspectives to gain under- Even after it became part of the Depart- Day celebrations, participating in univer- standing for and appreciation of her ment of Political and Canadian Studies, sity recruiting activities, conducting re- people, land, institutions, and cultures the separate administration and budget- search projects for local museums, in- and to explore the place of Canada in ing of the CS program meant that other cluding Pier 21, organizing Canada the world by examining how Canadians programs and departments did not feel Theme Day Camps, and participating in see themselves and how others see their own budgets and faculty resources employment partnerships to help recent them. In terms of structure, in addition threatened in any way. immigrants. CS certainly has a profile on to the three compulsory CS core courses The program has grown and devel- Looking to the future, page 12

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 11 Looking to the future continued from page 11 campus. The program produces a multi- paged annual newsletter. Last year the Canadian Studies teaches students to solve co-ordinator assembled a directory that lists faculty with international research problems by examining the big picture, the interests and publications and put to- relationships between the forces and ideas gether an information booklet for new international students. Some course con- shaping the country in their regional, national, nections with other departments have been developed, particularly with Educa- and international contexts. tion and History, and discussions are under way with Tourism to introduce new cross-listed courses. Myka Burke’s 2006 evaluation of CS reversal. The present independent ad- programs noted that far too many were junct position of CS within the Depart- The Problem of Resources underresourced, had limited university ment of Political and Canadian Studies Sadly, however, the MSVU program may support, depended too much on the is under review, as the university prefers well become a victim of its own success; “volunteer” work of dedicated faculty, fully integrated departments. Lastly, not so much because traditional depart- and continued to encounter problems neighbouring Dalhousie University, con- ments have introduced more Canadian over cross-listings and “teachable” des- vinced that Canadian Studies and Fran- content into their programs and hired ignations. She could have been describ- cophone Studies are enjoying a renais- more Canadianist faculty over the past ing my program but, in fact, hers was a sance among students, is expanding its 30 years, perhaps pre-empting the need national report. If larger and better-re- degree offerings in these areas. I doubt for CS as it was identified by Thomas sourced institutions still treat CS as pe- that there is room for two viable under- Symons in 1975; and not because more ripheral, what hope is there for the small graduate Canadian Studies programs in and more Canadianists, regardless of university programs that are marginal- such a small area. their discipline, are adopting some ele- ized by financial constraints and a lack ments of interdisciplinarity in their re- of administration commitment? Enrol- Potential For Growth search and analysis, thereby raising ment predictions highlight the dilemma. Not everything is gloomy. The dean re- questions whether an interdisciplinary If the number of Arts students continues cently recommended creating a second study of Canada needs to still be pro- to decline in Atlantic Canada, the com- full-time CS position when finances al- moted under the umbrella of a CS pro- petition among traditional disciplines to low. There is now a body of young, gram. There is some evidence of these retain their student and faculty numbers motivated CS academics who have developments at MSVU, but the more will become more aggressive than in the graduated from CS graduate programs immediate threat is rooted in resourcing past. Small programs, whether housed and who are primed to instill new life and university priorities. MSVU has very within traditional departments or stand- into the next generation of CS programs. limited financial resources and does not ing alone, will not have sufficient re- Perhaps most important of all, the suc- foresee any significant increase in new sources or a strong enough voice to cessful employment record of CS alumni full-time hiring for some time in spite of lobby for protection. Instead, they will at MSVU provides evidence of the rele- looming baby boomer retirements. The increasingly be pressured to either dis- vance and value of Canadian Studies in present demands of so many majors, band or amalgamate with larger admin- areas such as law, journalism, education, minors, and students simply interested istrative units. As a result, CS will lose its social work, heritage-related work, and in CANA offerings cannot be met by one identity, profile, and viability. public/social policy. full-time faculty person in the position of There are other challenges ahead at It is this last fact that convinces me program co-ordinator. Nor can they be MSVU. The absence of an Honours that CS, in general, remains a relevant met with an annual operating budget of program will continue to deter students and valuable area of academic endeav- $500 and about a half day a week of planning to go on to graduate school. our. A structured interdisciplinary and secretarial time. The program has be- The large numbers of students taking multi-disciplinary study of Canada not come too large for the limited human and Canadian Studies as a qualifying degree only gives graduates the anticipated oral, financial resources it has been tradition- for entry into Bachelor of Education written, research, critical thinking, and ally allotted and there does not appear programs are dependent upon cross-list- analytical skills, but also teaches them to be the university will or colleague sup- ings and “cognate” course designations, to apply these skills to evaluating and port to address that problem. which are always subject to possible synthesizing a variety of information

12 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 perspectives and formats. As John Wad- land has said, CS “is the meeting ground At the undergraduate level, CS offers as much for insights drawn from disciplines … the or more to the future leadership of Canada as points of intersection” that enable people to “understand, resolve and synthesize.” a BA in English, History, Political Science, or Canadian Studies teaches students to solve problems by examining the big any other traditional discipline. Crassly put, picture, the relationships between the forces and ideas shaping the country in we have something valuable to sell. their regional, national, and interna- tional contexts. They learn to articulate Canada to Canadians and to the world PR overhaul. Graduates of Canadian Stud- as much or more to the future leadership using knowledge, skills, and multiple ies programs need to be encouraged to of Canada as a BA in English, History, frameworks, which are so essential to promote the program by showing their Political Science, or any other traditional diplomatic, business, foreign aid, consti- experiences. Employers need to hear discipline. Crassly put, we have something tutional, social and public policy deci- more about CS and its graduates. This is valuable to sell. We need to figure out a sion-making. Sounds like an employer’s not a new problem but it has never been way to package and market it better to our wish list to me. addressed through a concerted, unified university administrators, academic col- effort by those who administer CS pro- leagues, employers, and students. Other- Marketing Canadian Studies grams or regard themselves as CS schol- wise, CS programs, like mine, will eventu- The challenge is that CS needs a major ars. At the undergraduate level, CS offers ally become academic relics.

Your major is Canadian Studies? continued from page 10 Glendon College, all of them learn French as a part of the program), a skill The next question would usually be, that I have since heard referred to by members of the federal public service as “what are you going to do with that?” “essential if you want to advance in the federal government,” and otherwise certainly an important asset. In terms of the job market, I do not It has also certainly been of help to me advantage and necessity when it comes think that there is one specific field that as I have worked toward completing my to solving today’s problems. Canadian Studies students gravitate to Master of Public Administration, and not more than another. Out of the five that I surprisingly I am the only Canadian Stud- No Limits graduated with, our interests were vastly ies student of the 50 MPA candidates in My question about Canadian Studies is different and as a result so too have been my class. The multi-disciplinary skills not a what or a why question, but rather our exploits in the past year—one having that I gained as an undergraduate student a how question: if Canadian Studies was taken an internship in Parliament, one in Canadian Studies are undoubtedly created to promote and encourage in teacher’s college, and one in a man- both an important advantage and asset knowledge of our country, how can we agement position. It is such a versatile in this particular program that is itself (students past and present, universities field of study that students are not really multi-disciplinary. and scholars, federal and provincial pointed in one direction over another; My experience in Canadian Studies governments) garner more interest in the rather, many opportunities are available was incredibly positive; the program is subject? Winston Churchill once said, and encouraged. The multi-disciplinary very flexible and offers students the op- “there are no limits to the majestic future skills that we are taught are applicable to portunity to focus on personal interests. which lies before the mighty expanse of many different types of employment. There are so many natural complements Canada.” There is so much that many While I myself am only now exploring to the field and so many choices of Canadians don’t know about this mighty whether or not this kind of background where to go afterward. As such, I found expanse, and sparking interest is the key is useful in the great job hunt, I do believe that Canadian Studies taught me valuable to instilling knowledge and understand- it was a good one to have when it came problem-solving skills that span many ing of our country and realizing the future to applying to various Master’s programs. different disciplines, which is a distinct that is laid out before us.

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 13 Battle for resources The ongoing crisis of Canadian Studies

t is difficult to see Canadian Studies as a By Richard Nimijean diversity. Polls show that official bilin- victim of its own success when one ob- gualism is unpopular, and there are low I Richard Nimijean teaches in the School of server noted that most programs existed Canadian Studies at Carleton University and levels of support for the institutional in an atmosphere of “unloved obscurity”1 is the School’s undergraduate supervisor. recognition of Québécois distinctive- and the dean of Canadian Studies, T.H. ness; despite official multiculturalism, Symons, described it as a discipline in a there remains unease about immigration “holding pattern” and de facto decline.2 Young Canadians, and the integration of immigrants into Like the country it studies, the discipline the children of the Canada; and despite recognition of his- has changed considerably over the years. torical wrongs, there is less appetite to However, change does not mean success. Charter of Rights address the concerns of Aboriginal Not only does the discipline still need to peoples in Canada. The Leger Marketing address historic challenges: new threats and Freedoms, report6 on racial intolerance is a sobering are on the horizon. reminder that discrimination is an ongo- are fiercely and ing reality of Canada, challenging the Canadian Studies Successes confidently Canadian, core values of the Canadian identity. The most notable change since the Growing up in the post-Charter ideal- seminal report To Know Ourselves3 is a do not want Canada ized Canada, it can be difficult for young much stronger sense of national identity, Canadians to appreciate how the country at least in English Canada. Young Can- to become more like has changed and the issues that continue adians, the children of the Charter of to challenge the country. Too often, is- Rights and Freedoms, are fiercely and the United States, sues like racism or gender inequality are confidently Canadian, do not want simply seen as part of the past. My expe- Canada to become more like the United and embrace and riences in the classroom reveal that there States, and embrace and celebrate diver- celebrate diversity. is a thirst for knowledge about Canada. sity.4 This occasionally (with the help of However, while some students are sur- the courts) forces governments to go prised to discover that Canada often does beyond the rhetorical celebration of a changing country. The academic rigour not live up to its ideals, they are uncom- distinct Canada and implement changes of Canadianists, both in Canada and fortable with a critical analysis of Canada, that reflect the desires of Canadians. The abroad, is impressive. Contemporary equating it with negative criticism. long battle to achieve equal marriage scholarship, in accordance with Symons’ rights for gay and lesbian Canadians is a view that Canadian Studies should help Uncritical Patriotism prime example. us understand—and not celebrate—Can- The rise of Canadian Studies, and the The ongoing success of several small ada, is impressive. Canadianists have work of groups like the Dominion Insti- but flourishing centres of Canadian Stud- responded to the challenge laid out by tute, has not increased the self-knowl- ies across the country reflects the fact Robert Campbell5 that the core mytholo- edge of Canadians; indeed, Canadians that young Canadians want to know gies that inform the Canadian identity appear to know less about their country more about their country. The graduate must be examined critically, for they of- than Americans do about theirs.7 Despite program at the School of Canadian Stud- ten do not reflect the Canadian reality. higher levels of education, low levels of ies at Carleton, which was the university’s civic literacy are moving youth away from first graduate program, is celebrating its Must National Identity Be traditional forms of nationalism and mak- 50th anniversary in 2007. The Carleton- Homogeneous? ing them more conservative.8 There is Trent joint PhD program in Canadian So why am I concerned? First, the strong no doubt a connection to a disengage- Studies symbolizes the academic matu- sense of national identity, rooted in di- ment from politics and lower rates of rity of the discipline. versity, is too often conflated with a ho- participation,9 as politics becomes less This is the major success of the Cana- mogeneous national identity. While we of an avenue for addressing social dianization movement—a growing Can- celebrate diversity as a core Canadian change. Some young Canadians, like a adian presence in our universities and a value, governments and individuals dis- significant minority of American stu- methodology for explaining an ever- play considerably less desire to practise dents, appear to be “uncritical patriots”

14 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 who accept articulated senses of iden- tity and refuse to question or to accept My experiences in the classroom reveal that criticism of their country. This is linked to a lack of political involvement and low there is a thirst for knowledge about Canada. levels of political knowledge.10 However, while some students are surprised This uncritical patriotism lets our politicians off the hook. It becomes to discover that Canada often does not live easier to articulate Canadian distinctive- ness rather than invest in those public up to its ideals, they are uncomfortable with policies and programs, reflective of the desire of Canadians, that make Canada a critical analysis of Canada, equating it with distinct. “Brand politics” celebrating negative criticism. Canada thus contributes to the para- doxical nature of the Canadian identity: the need to proclaim difference while Canadian society becomes less distinc- ment that a unique discipline was needed more closely linked to government pri- tive. Consequently, Canada experiences to explain Canada. However, will this orities.15 While the program review states numerous rhetoric–reality gaps between continue in an era of tight budgets? For that non-strategic areas relating to culture articulated ideals and actual experienc- example, when the University of Alberta should not feel threatened, one may ask es.11 It suggests that one of the driving proposed closing its Canadian Studies why it is necessary to prioritize areas of characteristics of the Canadian Studies program in 2001, this reasoning was study that correlate to government pri- enterprise, namely, its activist nature, has turned on its head, as the dean of Arts orities. Perhaps this is a battle of bureau- not been fully realized. noted that students could learn about cratic self-preservation, sending signals This points to the need for a strength- Canada in many other disciplines.12 to government decision makers that the ened Canadian Studies enterprise; how- And what about students? Will gradu- program is a worthy investment. ever, the discipline remains under attack ates of the Carleton-Trent doctoral pro- If implemented, the proposal would in universities and poorly supported in gram, a success story to be sure, be able disrupt the delicate balance between the kindergarten, primary, and second- to secure academic employment? With academic freedom and government sup- ary school systems. This makes it more few Canadian Studies positions in Can- port for broad public diplomacy efforts. difficult to increase young Canadians’ adian universities, academic job pros- This makes international scholars and knowledge of Canada. In Ontario, for pects are bleak. Will university depart- their associations an unwilling tool of example, Canadian Studies is not a ments organized along traditional disci- Canadian foreign policy, as their work “teachable” subject for students attend- plinary lines be willing to hire those with would be funded according to criteria ing teacher’s college. We are therefore newly minted doctorates in an interdis- aimed at promoting Canadian interests directly undermining our efforts to have ciplinary field? first, not advancing scholarship. Indeed, young people learn more about Canada, Given the lack of a national learned the South African Association of Canad- as students interested in teaching shy association for Canadian Studies, Cana- ian Studies (2007) stated that “the de- away from Canadian Studies. This re- dianists (mostly trained in the traditional tailed policy priorities, as described, duces the number of people who can disciplines) still need to work in their old would tie us to Canadian foreign policy teach Canada in a complex manner to fields if they wish to do academic work in a way that would be unacceptable; young people and promotes uncritical in Canada.13 This absence has increased endanger our position as an independent patriotism. the importance of the international Can- academic body; and implicitly compel adian Studies community. The federal us to adopt priorities which we do not Scarce Resources Canadian Studies program stimulated share.”16 Meanwhile, Canadian Studies university the international blossoming of the dis- International Canadian Studies asso- programs are small, lack dedicated fac- cipline and has been a salvation for Ca- ciations are quite dependent on Canad- ulty and resources, and, in the battle for nadianists in Canada.14 ian federal government support. The scarce resources, remain under threat. proposal jeopardizes programs and risks Administrators must choose between Linking Canadian Studies diminishing interest from scholars out- yielding to fiscal pressures and support- Research to Government side of the strategic areas, since many ing an important yet increasingly margin- Priorities international Canadianists study arts and alized discipline. Universities historically However, this program is now undergo- culture. Moreover, many scholars inter- supported programs despite small num- ing a review, with a proposal that funding ested in Canada lack institutional support bers because they accepted the argu- for Canadian Studies activities abroad be The ongoing crisis of Canadian Studies, page 16

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 15 The ongoing crisis of Canadian Studies continued from page 15 and if funding from Canada is less read- ily available, then such scholars may stop Can a renewed sense of national pride and studying or teaching Canada. The reori- entation could actually undermine the identity and a rhetoric of distinctiveness government’s efforts to create a positive supplant the ongoing precarious support image of Canada. So where does this leave Canadian for a discipline that explores and explains a Studies? There is little domestic support from the federal and provincial govern- constantly changing country? Unfortunately, ments. Universities are at best indifferent. Internationally, the discipline will suffer the prognosis does not look good, unless a major blow if the strategic orientation action is taken. is adopted. Can a renewed sense of na- tional pride and identity and a rhetoric of distinctiveness supplant the ongoing thing (Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 13. There will be a national Canadian Studies precarious support for a discipline that 2005), pp. 306-308. conference in the fall of 2007, but it re- explores and explains a constantly 8. Robert Wright, Virtual Sovereignty: Nation- mains to be seen if it will become a regu- changing country? Unfortunately, the alism, Culture and the Canadian Question lar event or if a national academic asso- prognosis does not look good, unless (Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press, ciation will be formed. action is taken. 2004), especially chapters 6 and 7. 14. The Canadian Studies program directly 9. Elections Canada, Electoral Insight, 5:2 and indirectly allows Canadianists (my- Notes: (2003) (special issue on “Youth Participa- self included) to work with international 1. David Cameron, Taking Stock: Canadian tion in Elections”); Frank Graves, Identity, Canadianists. This increases scholarship Studies in the Nineties (Montreal: Asso- Globalization and North American Inte- on Canada from a variety of perspectives ciation for Canadian Studies, 1996). gration: Canada at the Crossroads (Ad- and reinforces Canada’s democratic 2. T.H.B. Symons, “The State of Canadian dress to the Canadian Club, 16 January credentials when critics of government Studies at the Year 2000: Some Observa- 2001). Available from www.ekos.com/ad- policy are supported. tions,” Journal of Canadian Studies, 35:1 min/articles/cdnclub.pdf (accessed 27 15. Details of the program review are avail- (2000), pp. 27-51, especially p. 28. April 2007). able from the International Council for 3. T.H.B. Symons, To Know Ourselves: The 10. Leonie Huddy and Nadia Khatib, “Amer- Canadian Studies website at www.iccs- Report of the Commission on Canadian ican Patriotism, National Identity, and Po- ciec.ca/forum/index.htm (accessed 11 Studies (Ottawa: Association of Universi- litical Involvement,” American Journal of September 2007). ties and Colleges of Canada, 1975). Political Science, 51:1 (2007), pp. 63-77. 16. South African Association of Canadian 4. See Erin Anderssen and Michael Valpy, 11. Richard Nimijean, “The Paradoxical Na- Studies, submission to the review of the The New Canada: A Globe and Mail Re- ture of the Canadian Identity,” Teaching Canadian Studies Program, 2007. Avail- port on the Next Generation (Toronto: Canada, 23 (2005), pp. 25-31; “Brand able from the International Council for McClelland & Stewart, 2004); Andrew Canada: The Brand State and the Decline Canadian Studies website at www.iccs- Parkin and Matthew Mendelsohn, A New of the Liberal Party,” Inroads, 19 (2006), ciec.ca/forum/SAACS%20letter%20to%20 Canada: An Identity Shaped by Diversity pp. 84-93; “The Politics of Branding Can- ICCS.pdf (accessed 21 May 2007). (Montreal: Centre for Research and Infor- ada: The International-Domestic Nexus mation on Canada, 2003). and the Rethinking of Canada’s Place in 5. Robert Campbell, “Canadian Studies at the World,” Mexican Journal of Canadian For more information the Millennium: The Journey Continues,” Studies, 11 (2006), pp. 67-85; “Articulating Journal of Canadian Studies, 35:1 (2000), the ‘Canadian Way’: Canadatm and the on Canada Watch and pp. 5-26. Political Manipulation of the Canadian the Robarts Centre for 6. Leger Marketing, Sun Media Racial Intoler- Identity,” British Journal of Canadian ance Report. Available from www.leger- Studies (forthcoming). Canadian Studies, visit marketing.com/documents/spclm/ 12. Geoff McMaster, “The Demise of Canad- 070119ENG.pdf (accessed 27 April 2007). ian Studies,” Expressnews, 26 March 2001. www.robarts.yorku.ca 7. Darrell Bricker and John Wright, What Available from www.ualberta.ca (ac- Canadians Think About Almost Every- cessed 18 May 2007).

16 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 Critical Approaches to Canada Has Canadian Studies had its day?

The Pursuit of By Joan Sangster Studies to this particular historical mo- Self-Knowledge ment, saying it is passé, an anachronism Joan Sangster teaches Canadian working n the 1970s, Tom Symons’ important class and women’s history and is the former that has “had its day”? Or, on the con- Ireport on Canadian Studies documented director of the Frost Centre for Canadian trary, will Canadian Studies continue to the serious neglect of teaching and re- Studies and Native Studies at Trent thrive in new ways, transforming itself search concerning Canada in our universi- University. over time, in a productive (if sometimes ties and called for a more “balanced” painful) manner, continuing to situate curriculum. The “most compelling argu- Canadianist research on the cutting edge ment” for Canadian Studies was the pursuit Should we now of scholarship? I hope it is the latter, but of “self knowledge”: every society, he ar- relegate Canadian we face a number of challenges as schol- gued persuasively, needs to “know itself ars in Canadian Studies and as Canadi- through academically rigorous study, re- Studies to this anist scholars—and I think both are search and reflection.”1 Never a clarion crucial to the project.2 call for nationalist, self-congratulatory, or particular historical One irony is that some of the early xenophobic exclusions, the report made Canadian Studies scholars were in a strong case for simply rectifying imbal- moment, saying search of what the nation, or two nations ances in post-secondary education without it is passé, an meant, culturally, politically, and eco- jettisoning or denigrating other areas of nomically; now, however, many academ- study and without abandoning our com- anachronism that has ics are busy deconstructing the notion mitment to critical research and writing. of the “nation” itself. Can we deconstruct The impact of the report, as measured “had its day”? the nation and still develop an academic by changes in university curricula, re- project articulated around nation? I think search foci, new research infrastruc- so. Many of the academic challenges to tures, and the establishment of Canadian standards, has been reformulated as a idealized notions of the Canadian nation, Studies programs, could all be measured positive principle in academic life. One emerging from queer studies, feminism, positively. Not all Canadian Studies pro- now routinely hears calls for more inter- and critical race theory to name only grams survived to the millennium, it is disciplinarity in our research and teach- three areas, provide means by which true, but many did, along with other ing, including from funding bodies like Canadian Studies can be kept vibrant as markers of a vibrant academic milieu: a the Social Sciences and Humanities a scholarly area. Canadian Studies journal founded and Research Council of Canada, and from still funded by Trent University continues university presidents who are laying Keeping the Academic Edge to publish, some research centres dedi- claim to interdisciplinarity as the “new” All of us teaching Canadian Studies have cated to Canadian Studies thrive, and academic innovation on their campuses. encountered the view that it is uncritical graduate programs have emerged. More- In the same way that Women’s Studies and nationalist, that it is a “rah rah” view over, the absence of Canadian subjects, led to more attention to gender across of Canada, or that it is a child of the state, themes, and research so noticeable in the academic spectrum, and new para- kept alive through funding and promotion the curricula of some disciplines up digms of interpretation, Canadian Stud- efforts. The former is simply a caricature. until the 1960s has been rectified: there ies has created positive and productive There is an element of truth to the latter has been a profusion of excellent re- dialogue and change in post-secondary claim, since some state funds are made search in CanLit, history, and political education. available to Canadian Studies. Ironically, economy, to name only a few areas. Canadian Studies, one might argue, these are not primarily directed at Can- There has been, then, some integration was a product of a particular historical adian Studies scholarship, programs, and of the early goals of Canadian Studies moment when the nation appeared institutes in universities in Canada. The advocates into post-secondary educa- fragile, when things Canadian were un- Association for Canadian Studies (ACS), tion. Even the early emphasis on the in- derstudied, and when some areas of which now sees its mandate as public terdisciplinary nature of Canadian Stud- academe still operated in a near-colonial education in the broadest sense, does ies, at one time the focus of disciplinary manner vis-à-vis Britain and the United not simply represent university programs. fretting that this was “watering down” States. Should we now relegate Canadian Has Canadian Studies had its day?, page 18

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 17 Has Canadian Studies had its day? continued from page 17

There are also monies directed at Can- adian Studies abroad; some of these All of us teaching Canadian Studies have funds make productive contributions to academic scholarship, some less so. encountered the view that it is uncritical and When I was director of a graduate pro- nationalist, that it is a “rah rah” view of gram in Canadian Studies, one of the ironies I found irritating (or amusing Canada, or that it is a child of the state, kept depending on the day) was the “Canad- ian Studies international junket”: we all alive through funding and promotion efforts. know many academics who are happy to travel to Spain, Australia, Italy, or other areas with sun and nice wine, subsidized at Trent. Incoming students are still commonality behind the notion of by some form of Canadian Studies funds. warned by advisers that interdisciplinary “Canada.” These new critiques and When they return, however, they care means “less”: that is, less rigorous, no theoretical paradigms, however, are ab- little about supporting Canadian Studies method, less marketable, and so on. Our solutely essential to the health and lon- programs here, and some even advise joint PhD program with Carleton, the gevity of Canadian Studies. They must their students not to pursue graduate only interdisciplinary Canadian Studies be addressed, discussed, and integrated work in Canadian Studies. doctoral program in the country, encour- into Canadian Studies, in order to keep What we need is a redirection of ages interdisciplinarity, but it has also it vibrant and relevant, even if many of funds, competitively applied for, to de- evolved as a multidisciplinary program these critiques are unhappy with the way velop projects here in Canada. Even very in practice. In other words, some stu- scholars have taught Canada up until small amounts for academic workshops, dents plant their feet in two areas, one now, or what they have written. We will exchanges, graduate student confer- interdisciplinary, and the other disciplin- not survive as a strong academic area by ences,3 and other projects would be ary, the second learned through research hunkering down with tested recipes; we helpful. We also need a functioning net- methods, thesis supervision, and their have to embrace intellectual and aca- work for the university-based Canadian teaching. One reason is simply the job demic critiques and productive dialogue. Studies programs so that they can dis- market our students face. Even if times Nor does this mean simply embracing a cuss university curricula, funding, the have changed, some academics still rail liberal pluralism that seems very popular encouragement of scholarship, and so against the “less” of interdisciplinarity, in some disciplines, calling (once again) on. A start was made in 2005, when a ignoring the way in which many disci- for diversity and tolerance. Indeed, it is founding meeting was held at Trent Uni- plines (like my own, History) have be- precisely this liberal pluralism, as Himani versity for a new Canadian Studies Co- come more interdisciplinary, and ignor- Bannerji argues, that acts as ideology in ordinators Network/la Conférence des ing the stimulating, rich, and diverse Canada, masking old-fashioned struc- coordonnateurs d’études canadiennes. background that interdisciplinarity offers tural inequities such as exploitation and Building this network will help re-invigo- in the education of new teachers and racism, presenting them as things which rate our discussions about university researchers. can be “overcome,” willed away with teaching and research in Canadianist more tolerant ideas.4 In an earlier period, and Canadian Studies areas. Listening to Criticism/ key texts and debates in Canadian Stud- Keeping a Critical Edge ies challenged taken-for-granted ideas; Making Interdisciplinarity As I mentioned, in Canadian research, this was, in part, the nature of its vibran- a Reality there have been a multitude of academic cy. The same process of challenge and It may seem ridiculous, given my com- challenges that have emerged to ideal- contention has to be encouraged, even ments above about the popularity of in- ized notions of the nation, emanating if we are no longer discussing the “com- terdisciplinarity, to even have this head- from critical race studies, queer studies, prador economy” or two solitudes. ing. But one problem persists with Can- Native Studies, and perhaps that forgot- For example, there is no doubt that adian Studies programs as with some ten approach in these times, class analy- writing on “race” in the Canadian con- other interdisciplinary areas: the em- sis. These are paradigms that stress text—by scholars such as Sherene brace of interdisciplinarity is sometimes fragmentation, diversity, particularity, in- Razack, Radha Jhappan, Yasmin Jawani, more rhetorical than it is a reality. One equality, difference, and conflict. Some Daiva Stasilius, Vic Satzewich, Renaldo example of this comes from my experi- might see these as incompatible with Walcott, Nandita Sharma, George Elliott ences with our MA and PhD programs Canadian Studies, assuming a certain Clarke, to name only a few—has provided

18 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 important critical challenges to existing ‘older’ colonialist sense of two white “colonial” views of Canadian research research on Canada, and especially to settler societies/nations. The challenges by some academics do sometimes result idealized, popular images of the nation. offered by Native Studies to Canadian in an either/or approach, and in the This writing exists in tandem with and as Studies curricula must also be addressed. claims that the study of Canada is too a challenge to some older Canadian In some programs Native Studies is inte- particular, too local, a narrow nationalist Studies publishing that still embraces the grated as part of Canadian Studies, in endeavour, while global studies (mean- notion of the “peaceable kingdom,” the some cases, there are separate Native/ ing any other country or even piece of kinder, gentler, more tolerant society Indigenous Studies programs, and, in our it) provides students with critical knowl- (the peaceable kingdom ironically repli- case at the graduate level, the MA pro- edge, with a more expansive, valuable cated by American Michael Moore in his gram combines the two, and the PhD view of the world. documentary Bowling for Columbine5). program separates the two areas. What- I have heard all of these comments, Welcoming the critiques that have ever approach is assumed, we have to be and they are disturbing because of the emerged from this diverse array of writ- conscious that “Canadian” is not a label false hierarchy they establish between ing on race and allowing the taken-for- that all Native Studies scholars necessar- research areas, because of the implicit granted views of Canada to be thor- ily embrace. Again, a conversation notion that we no longer need the navel- oughly challenged will keep Canadian across difference and the ability to de- gazing localisms of Canadian Studies, Studies from falling into irrelevance. bate this dilemma openly and honestly because of the unnecessary antagonism are perhaps the best we can hope for. established between two important areas Two Nations—And More within the university. The idea of “less” When Canadian Studies emerged, the The Challenge of has thus reappeared once again despite project was to understand the “nation” Globalization the fact that Canadianist/Canadian Stud- better, though there was also an invest- One of the earlier concerns of Canadian ies research draws on transnational de- ment in two founding nations, and an political economy, a handmaiden of Can- bates, international theory, and engages intense sense of urgency with the politi- adian Studies in some universities, was actively with writing from other nations. cal question of Quebec given the growth the question of Canada’s economic re- One is reminded of Australian Ann Cur- of a sovereignty movement. Unfortu- lationship to other nations, particularly thoys’ clever title for a recent article, nately, students seem far less interested the United States. Canadian Studies has “We’ve Just Started Making National in Quebec now, as if it has already sepa- always welcomed research that situates Histories and Now You Want Us to Stop rated (though amicably), and they are Canada within the world and uses com- Already?”6 As Curthoys points out, na- more concerned with issues such as parative and transnational approaches. tions or groups whose history was identity politics, Aboriginal issues, and However, there is even more concern somewhat marginalized in the past have the environment. These latter concerns now in universities with globalization, as found that soon after they begin to find are, of course, crucial issues, though one both a teaching and research area, a a voice, they are told that it is “not sometimes wishes that understanding concern replicated in funding agencies enough” or too partial. Quebec was not abandoned quite so that extol the need to situate our research We should resist a false dichotomy easily. We also have to face the reality, internationally. Of course, some of this between teaching about Canada or the however, that Canadian Studies has been concern with globalization has a decid- world, urging instead the expansion, not more an English Canadian project than edly unpleasant neo-liberal cast to it, but contraction, of curricular options in post- a Quebec project, even if that has not other efforts to think internationally have secondary institutions and exploring the been its intention. Perhaps it is time to resulted in the welcome diversification myriad of ways in which these areas in- recognize this, by establishing some of our curriculum in the universities: tersect in the study of diasporas, com- links of solidarity with Quebec Studies many universities, for example, have parative colonial studies, migration, and programs, and facilitating as much aca- expanded their offerings in areas like more. The solution to understanding the demic debate as possible between the international/global/development stud- world is not to abandon “understanding two nations. ies. An overwhelming emphasis in many ourselves” since that always involved a For my colleagues in Native Studies, humanities departments on North relational, expansive, and critical under- a two-nation approach is not enough. American and European topics has been standing of research. Those writing Native history have under- altered (not transformed, as critics standably challenged the old idea of two rightly point out) to include other areas Notes “founding nations” in Canada. The con- of the globe. There is no reason that this 1. Thomas H.B. Symons and James E. Page, cept of nation is still important to my First emphasis on internationalization should Some Questions of Balance: Human Re- Nations colleagues, who list themselves negate the need for Canadian Studies, sources, Higher Education and Canadian in our calendar by their nation—Onedia, but economic exigencies and competi- Studies (Ottawa: Association of Universi- Cree, Métis, Algonkian—but not in the tion for resources, as well as persisting Has Canadian Studies had its day?, page 30

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 19 The future of Canadian Studies: A Gen-Xer’s perspective

hen I was invited to write on the fu- By Peter Hodgins boomer customers, working in a busy ture of Canadian Studies from the tourist district did come with the unex- W Peter Hodgins is an assistant professor in perspective of a scholar new to the field, I Canadian Studies at Carleton University. pected benefit of forcing me to try to immediately jumped at the opportunity. explain Canada to tourists. They asked Then the panic set in. I quickly realized that me many questions to which I could I really did not know that much about the Canada is provide no clear answers. It gradually history of the field and that published his- a discursive became clear to me that, as an aspiring torical reflections on Canadian Studies intellectual, I would have to come to grips were relatively scarce. What follows, there- and material with the country in which I lived. fore, is a brief autobiographical account of how I came to find myself in a Canadian construction that is Cultural Studies as a Studies department and, on the basis of Window into Canada that limited vantage point, an attempt to always contested, In order to pursue this growing curiosity offer some of my reflections on the future about Canada and to hopefully improve of Canadian Studies. contradictory, and my economic prospects, I enrolled in complex and must be Carleton’s MA program in Mass Com- Economic Cycles and Career munication. One reason for my attrac- Choices studied using tools tion to the program was that I, like many As befitting the worst nightmares of people who know little about their coun- Robin Matthews, I completed my BA in of analysis that are try and its history, was probably still a philosophy in 1993 at an institution that cultural nationalist. From the outside nowadays brands itself as “Canada’s critical and radically looking in, the program looked like a University” without ever taking a Canad- contextual. nationalist paradise: courses in the po- ian-focused course. To no one’s surprise, litical economy of communication, inter- my freshly minted BA failed to open any national communication, cultural policy, career opportunities, and I continued to This bleak economic reality and the and the relationships among media, work as a waiter in an art café in Ottawa’s generally dispiriting character of a Can- capitalism, and democracy. Little did I Byward Market. Canada was in a pro- adian public culture dominated by the know that I would come under the influ- longed recession for the first 10 years or likes of Mulroney, Chrétien, Martin, Har- ence of scholars like Michael Dorland, so of my adult life. Other Gen-Xers and I ris, and Parizeau forced a renegotiation Paul Attallah, and Kevin Dowler. They listened as the newly regnant baby of my relationship to the Canadian state were part of a larger movement in Can- boomers called upon us to sacrifice for and to Canadian nationalism. As I adian media studies that was engaged in the benefit of the national economy’s watched the standoffs at Oka and Ipper- a wholesale rethinking of the intellectual long-term health. The irony of the boom- wash, the Somalia Inquiry, Chrétien and political legacy of Canadian left-na- ers calling upon us to sacrifice our fu- throttling a protestor, and RCMP officers tionalism. Challenging the received tures in the name of the nation was not pepper-spraying demonstrators in Van- wisdom of “the state or the United lost on me. It seemed to many of us that couver, it became quite clear to me that States,” they painted a vision of “official” in their youth, the boomers had champi- the Canadian state had shed whatever Canadian culture and nationalism as a oned left-nationalism in order to ensure utopian potential it might have once had WASPish, resentful, and fearful construc- that they benefited from a strong econ- in the 1960s and 1970s. Instead, it had tion of a paternalist and almost Stalinist omy and generous social programs. The revealed itself to be yet another liberal Canadian state that, in league with vari- moment that they achieved financial capitalist institution whose main role was ous Canadian media companies and security, however, the “social safety net” to protect and expand ensconced inter- rent-seeking culturecrats and university was deemed unnecessary, and they be- ests by any means necessary. researchers, used the rhetoric of “cul- gan to demand tax cuts and massive In spite of my anxiety about the very tural protection” to legitimate their exis- reductions to government programs in real prospect of downward mobility, my tence as heroic defenders of the always order to be able to upgrade from a Toy- loss of faith in the Canadian state, and weak and embattled Canadian nation. ota to an Audi. my growing annoyance toward my baby- For these scholars, the most interest-

20 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 ing examples of Canadian culture came from intellectuals and cultural producers Analogous to Michel de Certeau’s description who resisted the attempt by the Canad- ian nation-building apparatus to co-opt of the difference between experiencing the them for its own legitimation/nation- streets of Manhattan from the top of the (now building projects. Like them, I was always struck by the fact that while the study of destroyed) World Trade Center or from the Canada should be fascinating because all of the complexities and contradic- teeming and chaotic sidewalks, the result tions of modernity could be found in one place—colonization, imperialism, nation- of the shift in optics that has taken place at alism, industrialization, globalization, Carleton is the discovery of a Canada that is democratization, mass immigration, and so on—the reality (especially before the confusing, complex, and conflictual. 1990s) was generally disappointing, bor- ing, and uninsightful. Because Canadian writers seemed obsessed with defining cultural studies, and cultural memory ian Studies. While it is true that most of the Canadian identity or reading the studies. As a result, it came as a surprise the other disciplines in the arts and so- Canadian past as a prefiguration of their to many who knew me that I accepted a cial sciences have begun to embrace preferred model of the Canadian or position at Carleton’s School of Canadian interdisciplinarity in limited ways, the Québécois nation-state, they often over- Studies. To me, however, it made perfect fact of the matter is that Canadian Studies looked the object of their study in their sense. Having worked there as a ses- departments have an existing organiza- rush to secure their own political proj- sional during my PhD, I knew that, under tional capacity to facilitate the sharing of ects. In my MA research on New France, the leadership of directors like Jill Vick- intellectual resources by scholars from for example, I was struck primarily by, ers, Pat Armstrong, Natalie Luckyj, Fran- diverse disciplinary backgrounds on an quite frankly, the weirdness of the French çois Rocher, and now Pauline Rankin, everyday basis. In such a space, interdis- colonial project (canoe-licensing sys- the School of Canadian Studies had been ciplinary collaboration becomes second tems, missionaries teaching Aboriginal actively working to take up Vickers’ call nature. Testifying to the intellectual fertil- men the need to beat their children and in 1994 to develop a Canadian Studies ity of this atmosphere is the fact that our wives, etc.) but the majority of the histo- program that rejected “the sexism, the student numbers, at both the under- rians skirted around such details in order racism, and the Anglo-Canadian ethnic graduate and graduate levels, have been to prove how the colony’s history does chauvinism … [and] the emphasis on growing of late and the frequency with or does not support the claims of Quebec passivity, dependence and despair” that which my Canadianist colleagues in secessionists. What I learned quickly characterized “much of the underlying traditional disciplinary departments tell from all of this was that the best place to thought in Canadian studies.”1 me that “I’d like to be more involved in learn about Canada was from the writings In getting the job at Carleton, I thus Canadian Studies.” of British, European, or American writers had the very good fortune of joining a Along with its interdisciplinary char- on Canada or Canadian writers who were department in which the faculty mem- acter, much of our success can be at- positioned at the margins of the tradition- bers and the students were committed tributed to the strong influence of femi- ally defined Canadian nation. Presum- to a project of developing new ways of nism, critical race theory, and Native ably because neither was part of the reading and writing Canada. If I had to Studies in forming the curriculum and Canadian garrison to begin with, they brand our approach to Canadian Studies, intellectual agenda of the School. While had a certain freedom to see and say it would have to be the 6 Cs: “Canada is I suspect that traditionally defined Can- things that the “official” or would-be “of- a discursive and material construction adian Studies programs tended to repli- ficial” voices of the “national soul” would that is always contested, contradictory, cate the discourse of the Canadian State or could not. and complex and must be studied using in their mapping of the field (the “prob- This increased scepticism toward tools of analysis that are critical and lem” of regionalism, the “national unity” Canadian nationalism, the Canadian radically contextual.” issue, etc.) and tended to focus on the state, and the received tradition of writing activities of “leaders and nations,” we about Canada was exacerbated by my Tradition of tend to focus on the experience of master’s and doctoral thesis research, Interdisciplinarity Canada “from below.” In other words, which familiarized me with the growing In studying Canada in this way, we are we study Canada from the vantage point body of research in the areas of Canad- helped greatly by the long-standing tradi- of those who are the objects of the proj- ian aboriginal studies, gender studies, tion of interdisciplinarity within Canad- A Gen-Xer’s perspective, page 23

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 21 Toward a recovery of social solidarity?

The Social Project of By Ian Angus serious tradition of social and political Canadian Studies thought exists in English Canada. It is still Ian Angus teaches in the Humanities he current state of Canadian Studies department at Simon Fraser University an uphill struggle to get Canadians to pay Tcertainly needs to be addressed. It is and is the director of the Centre for attention to their own context and his- both moribund and fragmented. The most Canadian Studies. tory. Moreover, Canadian Studies still important symptom is that these days one remains a poor cousin in most univer- rarely hears anyone talk about why Can- Perhaps most sity structures. In the present context, we adian Studies is important, what social cannot help but be aware that ignorance project it represents. Unlike many other important, the of one’s own history is a general problem interdisciplinary innovations, though like in the world due to the commodification Women’s Studies and Labour Studies, defence of community of culture and its centralized production. Canadian Studies began in relation to a Our problem has not been resolved but public project of social criticism and coun- in Canadian has become a common condition. ter-hegemony. It is questionable whether thought needs to The separation from a public project has it has any meaning outside that context. been exacerbated by further trends. Canadian Studies was inaugurated by be radicalized into Subsequent economic developments, a problematic relationship between notably the free trade agreements, but Canada and its international situation—a a political and also the concentration of capital and new certain configuration between inside and technological innovations, have under- outside. Inside, we were woefully igno- philosophical inquiry mined the theory of dependent industri- rant of ourselves; outside, we were woe- alization. Similarly, the successes of fully compliant with US hegemony. into the grounds of Canadian cultural products on the inter- Canadian Studies was one of a number human solidarity—for national scene—notably novels written of initiatives whose strengthening of our in English and theories of multicultural- self-knowledge was intended to contrib- it is this that the neo- ism—have undermined the assertion of ute to independence both at home and cultural dependency. Moreover, we can- in international affairs. What indepen- liberal economy and not underplay the role played by Canad- dence could afford was perhaps less ian corporations and political institutions clear, but it was never too far from a the national security in maintaining economic and cultural critique of laissez-faire capitalism and the state most threatens. dependency elsewhere. As a conse- recovery of community. That project may quence, most thinkers have simply still make sense, but the inside–outside abandoned the framework that gave configuration that gave rise to it has any other public project. Thus, the “suc- meaning to individual studies, and the considerably altered. cesses” of Canadian Studies have not choice of Canadian themes has once About 10 years ago, I suggested that been part of the formation of a national- again become simply a matter of indi- Canadian Studies was a consequence of popular will as left-nationalism expected vidual research programs. the left-nationalist discourse that arose but have occurred within established With the disintegration of the national in the early 1970s.1 Particular studies by university structures. This is clearly not project, there have arisen a number of individual researchers were fitted into a a matter of individual failures but a social assertions generally associated with the larger public context in relation to a and economic trend that has not been name of postmodernism: whenever theory of dependent industrialization swayed from its course, despite some identity is mentioned, it is suggested that associated with Harold Innis and a la- important attempts to situate individual identity is always plural and contested; ment for the failure of cultural autonomy studies within a national project. whenever dependency is mentioned, it associated with George Grant. However, is pointed out that there are Canadian the mainstream of Canadian Studies, and The Lack of Knowledge success stories in the international other cultural consequences such as the About Canada economy; whenever oppression is men- cultural policy discourse, took off by Even here, I would be cautious about tioned, only the most extreme cases re- separating itself from this public context, speaking straightforwardly of “success.” ceive attention, thus concealing the arguing that Canadian Studies had no My experience in teaching is that Cana- multiple layers of domination and their necessary relation to “nationalism” or dians are still surprised to find that a extension throughout society. These as-

22 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 sertions work to obscure the important The hope for These issues represent a new empha- heritage of left-nationalism through a sis in Canadian Studies. The turn inward caricature that it was supposedly homog- community and social toward self-discovery never involved the enizing, special pleading, and itself op- parochialism that the caricature sug- pressive because of its orientation toward solidarity expressed gests, but the interplay between domes- the national state. Neither of these posi- through the creation tic and international concerns is now tions is adequate. The task is to continue more intense than ever. The hope for the critique of dependency and frustrated of Canadian Studies community and social solidarity ex- identity in a more plural context; neither pressed through the creation of Canad- abandon social criticism and a public requires renewal. ian Studies requires renewal. Recovery project on the one hand, nor assert it of social solidarity within Canada can unchanged on the other. motivate international involvement and has not disappeared; it is evident in the steer it away from liberal guilt toward an Canadian Studies as relations between regions and classes in analysis of the sources of exploitation. Counter-Hegemony Canada, as well as internationally. The Social criticism aware of its tradition in But how can one do this? What is the plurality of nations within the Canadian Canada has a certain style and emphasis public project that can unify individual nation-state requires analysis of internal that can contribute meaningfully to new studies in the present climate? What is imperialism, which runs parallel with international debates. For this, we still first needed is some clarity about the international inequalities. The critique of need to know our history, because hu- current situation: the combination of empire needs to be turned against the man solidarity finds its grounds in par- neo-liberal political-economic hegemony history and pretensions of the British ticular histories. The turn inward also with the intensification of the national Empire and the Canadian state as well opens outward. We must now explore security state. The renewal of public as turned outward toward the United the terms of the new configuration that scepticism toward the American agenda States. Perhaps most important, the de- is being set into place. is, in this context, important. The inter- fence of community in Canadian thought national interest in Canada as another needs to be radicalized into a political Note paradigm of English-speaking politics and philosophical inquiry into the 1. Ian Angus, A Border Within: National and culture is a good sign. Social critics grounds of human solidarity—for it is this Identity, Cultural Plurality and Wilderness can use these as public entry points into that the neo-liberal economy and the (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University more critical discourses: dependency national security state most threatens. Press, 1997), pp. 27-40.

A Gen-Xer’s perspective continued from page 21 ect of national subject-formation and a growing cleavage between the way that cess of creating a national organization their negotiations with and resistance to Canadian Studies is being reconceptual- of Canadianists at the university level. that project. Analogous to Michel de ized in university departments and the Such an association, I would argue, marks Certeau’s description of the difference way in which the Canadian Studies proj- the future of Canadian Studies in Canada: between experiencing the streets of ect has been conceptualized and institu- its emergence as an inclusive, mature, Manhattan from the top of the (now tionalized by the Canadian state. As a and fully autonomous field of study. destroyed) World Trade Center or from result, Pauline Rankin of Carleton Univer- the teeming and chaotic sidewalks, the sity, Pierre Anctil of the University of Ot- Note result of the shift in optics that has taken tawa, and Jim Struthers of Trent Univer- 1. Jill Vickers, “Liberating Theory in Canad- place at Carleton is the discovery of a sity have been working with the chairs ian Studies,” in Canada: Theoretical Canada that is confusing, complex, and and directors of other domestic Canadian Discourse/discours théoriques, ed. Terry conflictual. Ultimately, I would argue, it Studies programs to create a university- Goldie et al. (Montreal: Association for is also more interesting and more in tune based scholarly association. This asso- Canadian Studies, 1994), p. 364. with our experience of Canadian post- ciation has tentatively been named the modernity. “Canadian Studies Coordinators Net- work,” and it plans to hold a national Robarts Centre for Linkages Between Programs workshop in Ottawa in November 2007 While this shift has rejuvenated Canad- with the aim of strengthening linkages Canadian Studies ian-focused research here at Carleton, it between Canadian Studies programs and www.robarts.yorku.ca seems to have come with a certain price: faculty in Canada and to begin the pro-

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 23 The International Context of Canadian Studies Letters from Denmark: Thoughts on Canadian Studies

Taking Canadian Studies By Claire Campbell • One of its greatest strengths is its multidisciplinarity. Teaching history Abroad Claire Campbell teaches Canadian Studies y experience with Canadian Studies and History at Dalhousie University. through literature was, in part, a Mbegan with Bryan Adams. young historian’s way of coping In January 2002, I arrived in Aarhus, with material outside her ken (I had Denmark, as the new visiting lecturer in Molson Joe only minored in English as an un- Canadian Studies. This was odd for a notwithstanding, our dergraduate, for Pete’s sake). But, I couple of reasons: I had just received my believe, it is actually a better way of PhD from the University of Western On- national insecurity understanding place. When writing tario, in History, and, to be frank, couldn’t my book on Georgian Bay—osten- have located Denmark on a map. In over our international sibly an environmental history of a other words, this was less about seeing particular part of Ontario—I didn’t the world or flying the flag than a junior influence is at best just bury myself in archival land-use scholar needing a job. In the department records; I wanted to incorporate of English, which hosts the only Centre naive, and at worst, poetry and art alongside sessional for Canadian Studies in Scandinavia (as dangerously limiting. papers or park memos, because well as centres for American and Irish each kind of source reflected a dif- studies), I was to teach two courses: a ferent way in which people had first-year survey of Canadian literature, seen or used the landscape. Their and an upper-year course on Canadian appealed to them: like kids around the reactions could be imaginative and culture. On the first day I asked the senior world, they were inundated with Ameri- romantic at times, pragmatic and class what they thought of when they can popular culture, but Canada re- utilitarian at others. This also meant thought of Canada. mained essentially a blank slate. So each drawing on the spatial interests of The first three answers: wilderness, class was in part about the text, but more geographers and planners, the hockey, and Bryan Adams. Oh boy, I about the context: the reading served as concepts of place in folklore, ideas thought. an entree to the political, economic, and of representation in literature and By the end of the semester, the first- social climate of the day. How to teach art history. Integrating different year class had read everything from Da- The Backwoods of Canada,2 for exam- disciplines into a single story re- vid Thompson’s Narrative of His Explo- ple, without explaining the Loyalist mi- wards us with a much more com- rations in Western America1 to Alistair gration, the formation of Upper Canada, plete image of the past and a better MacLeod’s short stories. (Astonishingly, the experience of pioneering? How to reflection of actual historical experi- these 19-year olds often read a novel a talk about the value of the CBC without ence. week—something I have yet to see my a sense of the living conditions of the • I think Canadian Studies operates students in Canada do—and in their sec- Great Depression on the prairie? in much the same way. We can ond or third language!) The senior stu- circle the subject from different dents, for their part, began with the impe- Strengths and Weaknesses angles, because we can’t under- rial language of “The Maple Leaf Forever” of the Canadian Studies stand Canada or its workings and ended up wrestling with the logic of Project through only its political structure, CanCon legislation. It was, in retrospect, By the time I left Denmark to travel on a or its ecozones, or its literature. We a fantastic teaching experience. Eurail Pass—could there be any more are affected by many of its qualities Sometimes I felt a little like a school- “Canadian” thing to do?—I had come to simultaneously. I think of Douglas teacher in a one-room schoolhouse. several conclusions about Canadian LePan’s description of Shield coun- They were all very bright and beautifully Studies. My subsequent experiences— try, where “angels alone would see fluent in English, but I couldn’t assume joining the faculty at Dalhousie Univer- it whole and one”; stepping out of any prior knowledge of Canada. Indeed, sity, for example—have only reinforced disciplinary corridors allows us to this was precisely why Canadian Studies these. see the whole. At Dalhousie most

24 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 of the courses in “Canadian Stud- ies” are simply those cross-listed Canadianists at home seek out locality with other departments, from com- parative religion to theatre. But I and difference—regional, ethnic, class; think this results in the very best Canadianists abroad try to distill singular kind of Arts degree, for its breadth and diversity. national qualities. • I was reminded of this in August 2006 when Dalhousie played host to the week-long summer seminar for the International Council for usual reaction when I told other were quick to point out, the paral- Canadian Studies (ICCS). Partici- Canadians I went to Aarhus (be- lels between Canada and the United pants from Bosnia, Belgium, Mexico, sides “Where?”) was “Why on earth States, and between Quebec and Israel, Russia, and elsewhere lis- would Danes care?” Molson Joe English Canada, aren’t that far off tened to Lesley Choyce and Hermé- notwithstanding, our national inse- the mark. négilde Chiasson; visited Lunenburg curity over our international influ- • The field isn’t without its limitations. and Grand Pré; attended sessions ence is at best naive, and at worst, As the “expert” Canadianist, I on media at the CBC, on federalism dangerously limiting. Even the net- fielded questions on everything at Province House, and defence on work of international scholarship is from free trade to Inuit land claims, HMCS Fredericton (a thrill more for a terrific resource. For example, I’m and my answers were often over- the hosts, I think, since civilians are part of a research team studying simplified and probably ill-informed. rarely allowed on the base). An tourism on the North American When Danes asked me what Cana- historian’s take on “Atlantic Cana- seaboard: a collaboration of Danes, dians thought about our presence da” would have been too limiting, Canadians, and Americans. in Afghanistan, I couldn’t believe I probably would have talked too • It sounds trite, but an external per- was supposed to answer for my much about fish, and would have spective makes you think about entire country. I noticed this again underestimated the role Canada things differently. Immigration had last summer, in the questions posed plays on the world stage today. only ever been an abstract concept by the ICCS participants. Canadian- • While interdisciplinary research to me; as a fourth-generation Can- ists at home seek out locality and has become the norm (très fashion- adian, multiculturalism meant a difference—regional, ethnic, class; able in grant applications), other fifth-grade report on “The Scots in Canadianists abroad try to distill programs—like Atlantic Canadian Canada” or colourful posters from singular national qualities. Studies or Acadian Studies, for ex- the federal government. Danes, however, kept asking me, “Where ample, here in Nova Scotia—are Enthusiasm for Canada are you from?” As an emigrant na- defined by cultural realities rather And yet, this may turn out to be Canadian tion—and one whose monarchy than political ones. They have not Studies’ secret weapon. To the question can trace its lineage to the 10th made the study of the nation-state “Has it won the battles it set out to do in century—residence from 1904 redundant. As Philip Buckner once the 1960s and 1970s?”: has it resolved didn’t count as ethnic identity. (In argued in Acadiensis, we hold mul- endemic questions of identity and unity? fact, my great-great-grandmother tiple identities, and belong to these No—but working with Canadianists from was born in Nykobing, not two different groups, simultaneously. abroad ignites my latent patriotism. I hours from Aarhus, in 1866.) More Still, I suspect, Canadian Studies blush to admit this; after all, patriotism is generally, studying Canada in isola- thrives best in the old Laurentian one of those sentiments that, as academ- tion—from the inside, well, in—pre- heartland, less troubled by contra- ics, we are supposed to dissect or sup- vents us from drawing on other dictory regionalisms. press. But their enthusiasm for my experiences. Denmark, for exam- • The usual refrain in this country— country, for the whole, and for its poten- ple, borders a much larger country trotted out for November 11 or July tial, is truly infectious. (one that, in the past two centuries, 1—is that nobody knows or cares As a relative newcomer to the field, I has been by turns hostile and ac- about Canadian history. Somebody think it needs some advertising. The quisitive) and, now, the polyglot tell that to the Danes. And to the Canadian academy is experiencing a European Union. This proximity network of Canadian Studies cen- remarkable turnover. (This was the situ- has heightened anxieties about the tres throughout Europe. I couldn’t ation in Denmark, too; I was hired to survival of Danish language and believe the depth of interest in bridge the year between the retirement Canada outside of Canada. The culture. As my Danish students Letters from Denmark, page 30

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 25 Too much of a good thing? The case for Canadian Studies in the 21st century

s Canadian Studies a victim of its own By Andrew Nurse concerned with a supposedly new and success? The question is politically global environment. I Andrew Nurse is director and program charged because it implies several things: co-ordinator of the Centre for Canadian that the objectives originally set for Canad- Studies at Mount Allison University. The Objectives of Canadian ian Studies have been accomplished, that Studies the study of Canada is overextended, and The development of Canadian Studies that overextension impedes a scholarly or Retold, the story of was part of a longer historical process educational focus on other matters that are Canada is less the through which Canadians narrated—and of supposedly greater import than Canada. hence constructed—the ideal of a Can- These assumptions are not new. The idea story of the evolution adian nation-state with its own history, that Canada is important enough to merit demographics, culture, and political scholarly attention has always been con- of a Canadian nation processes. The foundational ideals of tested.1 More recently, proponents of Canadian Studies were overtly political. “North American Studies” have argued that than the story of a As Tom Symons noted in his influential Canadian Studies programs need to particular project report on Canadian Studies, a core ob- broaden their focus to take account of a jective of a Canada-centric curriculum wider political-economic framework2 while of nation, realized was to enhance self-knowledge.4 At the discourse of “globalization” suggests Mount Allison University, the ideal of that a similarly broader framework and through a process self-knowledge animated the organiza- international focus are needed in the con- tion of one of Canada’s first interdisci- temporary academy. of conflict involving plinary Canadian Studies programs in The simple question about the scope subject social groups, 1969.5 Established through a combina- and focus of Canadian Studies as part of tion of faculty interest and philanthropy, a post-secondary environment is, in this marginalized Canada-centric courses began to develop sense, more complicated than it first in increased numbers at Mount Allison appears because the “Canadianization” communities, and University in the late 1960s and 1970s. of the academy carried with it more than Initially, the program involved using a one objective. It was about scholarly, “historic nations.” combination of discipline-based Canada- cultural, and educational issues. A con- centric courses. Among the first interdis- sideration of the status of Canadian ciplinary courses offered was an inter- Studies needs to look at these diverse Studies is hampered by a discourse that mediate-level course that traced the aims. It also needs to avoid a “balance sets it apart from other possible subjects “[c]ultural and intellectual development sheet” approach to the study of Canada. of scholarly attention, such as globaliza- of Canada from the Ancient Regime to Such an approach might conclude that tion or North American Studies. The the present.”6 The same approach had some objectives have been met while study of Canada is not a zero sum game. been earlier highlighted by Dr. G.F.G. others retain their relevance. I want to Consideration of the practical and actual Stanley, the first director of Mount Alli- suggest a different way of looking at Can- context of, say, globalization enriches son’s Centre for Canadian Studies. adian Studies. My goal is to suggest two Canadian Studies, and the study of Among his intermediate-level history different but interrelated points. First, Canada can enrich a consideration of courses was a third-year course called what constitutes Canadian Studies today globalization. Canada is part of the globe Canadian Civilization, which examined is something different than its founda- (or, part of North America) and to pro- the political as well as intellectual and tional documents forecast. The study of ceed as if it were not is to make an odd cultural development of Canada.7 In Canada has shifted ground markedly counterfactual assumption. It is to assert these courses, self-knowledge was over the last generation; Canadianists3 that the Canadian experience can tell us equated with historical knowledge, an are not, by and large, working to accom- nothing about globalization. Such an understanding of the events, processes, plish the aims of a previous generation assumption obscures the degree to patterns, and peoples that formed Can- but have established new goals. Second, which a consideration of Canada is actu- ada. While the approaches of individual the further development of Canadian ally of use to a range of other peoples instructors undoubtedly varied, the ideal

26 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 of teaching Canadian Studies as history focused on foundational “moments,” Borders are not shields that deflect the world events, patterns, and key national char- acteristics and attributes remained cur- and force introspection. rent through the 1990s.8 It encapsulated a generational approach to the study and teaching of Canada. Symons and others, rationalized Canad- tance of marginalized communities that Over the last decade, Canadian histo- ian Studies in terms of self-knowledge, made space for themselves in a racist rians, media commentators, and other scholars in a wide range of disciplines society, the ways in which women chal- intellectuals continued to argue for the began a series of critical studies focused lenged sexism, and how the Canadian importance of this educational objective. on the multiple dynamics of inequality political-economic system reinforced At times, as in the work of historian J.L. in Canada’s past and present. Often or- socio-economic inequalities across time. Granatstein, this focus was linked di- ganized through new journals—such as This narrative moved away from explain- rectly to national political life. Canadian Labour/Le Travail (which looked at ing foundations and defining Canadian history education, in Granatstein’s view, processes of class formation, material characteristics as part of a process of could—and should—be tied directly to the inequality, and social conflict), Studies self-knowledge to looking at Canada as development of a stronger sense of Can- in Political Economy (which published an unfulfilled national project. adian identity in that it stood to provide studies exploring how processes of state At Mount Allison University, this new a common narrative that bound citizens formation bolstered capitalist political approach to a consideration of Canada together in a cohesive national commu- economy), Acadiensis (whose studies developed on two interrelated fronts. nity.9 Self-knowledge is an important provided a critical reflection on pro- First, it developed through an expansion educational objective. Studies of Canad- cesses of regionalism and stereotypes of of interdisciplinary inquiry that interro- ian political knowledge, for example, regional culture), and Canadian Woman gated “the Canadian experience” from a indicate that there is a significant disjunc- Studies (which offered a feminist critique range of different directions and that ture between the ways in which Canadi- of Canadian society, culture, and political asked questions about the ethics of con- ans understand their country and what economy)—university-based scholars temporary Canadian life. Second, it de- is actually going on in it. This disjuncture developed a new conception of Canada’s veloped through an expansion of special- is particularly pronounced with regard national development.12 ized courses that explored historically to Native issues and has a definite effect marginalized peoples in Canada, includ- on voting patterns and the degree to Reconstructing the ing First Nations, ethno-cultural com- which Canadians are receptive to social National Narrative munities, and women.14 reform measures.10 The problem with What is this conception? Answers to this It is this particular line of inquiry that this approach is that it can subject schol- question are difficult because no single merits the attention of those who wonder arship and education to the politics of narrative emerged from the re-orienta- about “overextension” as it provides the patriotism. Moreover, national narratives tion of Canadianist scholarship that took basis for a reconsideration of what Can- are never ideologically neutral. They place from the 1970s to the 1990s. In brief, adian Studies is all about. On this level, carry with them an often implicit but however, the ideal of Canada as a unique the study of Canada provides important potentially powerful political message nation conditioned by its own history grounds for research into global issues. that serves to both rationalize and justify and defined by a series of characteristics There are, of course, a broad range of specific conceptions of Canada.11 gave way before a conception of Canada issues that could be considered from a I suspect that it is this political con- in which the Canadian nation-state was global perspective.15 Some examples scription of the scholarly and educa- viewed as a particular project defined by might include migration, the politics of tional enterprise that draws the concern socio-economic, political, ethnic, and difference, regional development in the of those interested in establishing a cultural inequalities. Retold, the story of service of increased socio-economic wider context for Canadian Studies. The Canada is less the story of the evolution equality, and the politics of state forma- patriotic manipulation of scholarship can of a Canadian nation than the story of a tion. In each of these instances, experi- turn Canadian Studies into a narrowly particular project of nation, realized ences in Canada provide an important focused pursuit that appears overly con- through a process of conflict involving basis for research into processes affect- cerned with traditional issues. What is subject social groups, marginalized com- ing different parts of the globe. Consider, important to note, however, is that this munities, and “historic nations.”13 What for example, the issue of migration. In- politically oriented conception of Can- was important to learn about Canada was creased international migration from adian Studies is a minority position not just how the country evolved as a developing to developed countries has among Canadianists. At the same time nation-state but the processes of political produced rising ethnic conflict in a range that Canadian academics, such as Tom and economic marginalization, the resis- Too much of a good thing?, page 28

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 27 Too much of a good thing? continued from page 27 of different locations.16 As a 2001 Inter- things. It can signify new technologies of that have emerged out of it are impressive national Labour Office/United Nations communication, a “global conscious- and illustrate how smaller countries can report noted in its introduction: ness,” the development of a “global enhance, promote, and protect domestic civil society,” or expanding patterns of cultures under conditions of an increas- The twenty-first century promises trade.20 In reality, globalization has been ingly globalized media and consumer- to be a new age of migration. In- a messy process involving unequal rela- ism. The Canadian experience points to, tensifying international migration tions between states, manipulated pat- and provides examples of, a range of pressures present many societies terns of trade, and—perhaps most impor- policies that are important to the “wider with major policy dilemmas; tantly—a need to address the realities of context,” such as content regulation, most countries of the world are American power in the world.21 Here, the non-market media sectors, state support becoming more multicultural, Canadian experience can be particularly for Internet diffusion, and ownership and multi-ethnic, multi-religious and instructive. Studies of the effects of con- distribution regulations.26 With regard to multi-lingual. These changes tinental free trade agreements on the all these points, Canada’s record is challenge governments and civil Canadian economy show the remark- mixed. Precisely for this reason, they society to accommodate and ably uneven impacts of these economic should command wider attention. gain from this diversity in ways treaties.22 Canada’s high volume of trade which promote peace and re- and interaction with the United States The Relevance of Canada spect for human rights.17 illustrates the dilemmas confronted by In Borderlands, W.H. New reminds us From this perspective, what is interesting states looking to access the American that borders are complex things. The about Canada is the relatively peaceful market and take account of US homeland discourses of North American integra- and effective process of political-eco- security policy. tion and globalization suggest that na- nomic integration of ethno-cultural dif- Perhaps most importantly, the Canad- tional borders are becoming less im- ference (without a concomitant state- ian example has a particular salience for portant. This may be the wrong way to sponsored assimilation campaign) cultural issues. Among the different pos- look at borders and at the nation-state. compared with other societies. There sible effects of globalization is an ex- New suggests that borders serve as are, to be sure, problems with Canadian panded prevalence of American cultural points of negotiation through which na- multiculturalism.18 Nevertheless, as Will products. Canadians have, perhaps, a tional communities debate their own Kymlicka has pointed out, the creation longer experience with American cul- modes of interaction with the wider of multiculturalism marked a different tural power than any other nation.23 The world.27 If this is true, the Canadian and inventive policy response to racism dramatic international diffusion of experience is instructive to a wider con- in Canada that, when measured against American culture through both new and text in terms of people, material goods, its objectives, can be considered more old communications technologies raises culture, and political processes. Borders than a qualified success.19 Both the suc- questions about national cultural au- are not shields that deflect the world and cesses and failures of Canadian multicul- tonomy and the abilities of smaller force introspection. They are a way in turalism can, then, be instructive to countries to preserve, develop, and which parameters of difference are de- countries addressing increased ethnic maintain control of their own cultures.24 termined in the 21st century. In this re- tensions as a result of migration, or Canada’s complicated and often frag- gard, Canada should be thought of not other, issues. mented cultural policy is far from perfect. as a nation per se, but as a national proj- Other aspects of Canada’s diverse There is good reason to raise questions ect, the aim of which, on its most basic experiences can be instructive too. Ca- about the ways in which domestic music level, is to develop a different type of nadianists have appreciable experience industries have been developed, media North American society. Said differently, with issues relating to federalism in mul- convergence, the dynamics of federal the Canadian national project is built tinational societies, international trade, Internet access policy, and a host of around the organization of a society that multilateralism on the global stage, eco- other matters.25 Even with this in mind, does not reject Americanism, American logical mismanagement, and the com- Canadian cultural policy provides a se- values, and globalization, but through its plex dynamics of accommodation for ries of important case studies in creative border negotiates the degree to which indigenous peoples within the nation- and often constructive responses to a these are accepted, modified, reformed, state. All of these issues are important to globalized media. For all its problems or rejected. The Canadian national proj- a consideration of what globalization and for all its limitations, Canadian cul- ect is, in this sense, intended to preserve actually means in practice. In theory, tural policy and the artistic, literary, musi- the ability of Canadians as a national globalization can mean a wide variety of cal, cinematographic, etc., developments community to build a society organized

28 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 around values different from those of the difficult to believe that Canadian Studies 6. Mount Allison University, Calendar 1976- United States.28 provides “too much of a good thing.” 77 ([1976]), p. 49. The implications of this for Canadian Even if one rejects this argument, the 7. Mount Allison University, Calendar 1969- Studies are multiple. First, it illustrates the idea that the Canadian academy should 70 ([1969]), p. 101. ways in which the study of Canada has focus on other issues (North America or 8. For example, see John Ralston Saul, Re- changed over the last generation and globalization) does not necessarily fol- flections of a Siamese Twin: Canada at how new approaches to Canadianist low. The idea that one can or should the End of the Twentieth Century (To- research and teaching can be of value in assess the one (say, globalization) with- ronto: Penguin, 1998) and Philip Resnick, a time of “broader” contexts. Where Can- out a consideration of the other (Cana- The European Roots of Canadian Iden- adian Studies formerly focused on defin- da) is built around a faulty either/or tity (Peterborough: Broadview, 2005). ing the key attributes of Canada and premise. I’ve tried to show precisely the 9. J.L. Granatstein, Who Killed Canadian charting its evolution as a nation-state, opposite: a consideration of important, History? (Toronto: HarperCollins, 1998). the current focus is to explore the ideas say, global, issues should involve a con- 10. Elizabeth Gidengil et al., Citizens (Van- and values that animate Canada as a sideration of Canada. couver: University of British Columbia national project. There is now a genera- The either/or approach to Canadian Press, 2004). To state my point bluntly: tion of scholarly literature pointing to the versus some other studies is under- the fact that a sizable percentage of Cana- different ways in which “the Canadian scored, I think, by a particularly problem- dians are misinformed about issues, such experience” has “played out” for different atic trend in Canadian Studies: the po- as Aboriginal standards of living, has clear Canadians. Questions relating to dis- litical conscription of scholarship and implications for the degree to which they crimination, marginalization, power, and education into the service of patriotism. are receptive to policies designed to im- diversity are core elements of Canadian This potential danger is best addressed, prove the lives of First Peoples. Studies. In addition, critical attention is however, not by shifting the focus of our 11. Katarzyna Rokszto, “Up for Sale: The directed to whether or not Canada lives work away from Canada but by bringing Commodification of Canadian Culture,” up to its ideals.29 Second, it illustrates how a critical lens to bear on the Canadian in Canadian Communications: Issues in the experiences of Canada and Canadi- experience. Canadian Studies was once Contemporary Media and Culture, eds. ans are not secondary to a consideration concerned with the nationalist question Bohdan Szuchewycz and Jeannettee of a wider context. Nor should they be and there are Canadian intellectuals and Sloniowski, 2nd ed. (Toronto: Prentice displaced by consideration of other is- public figures who are still concerned Hall, 2002), pp. 391-396. sues. The reverse is true. Consideration about it. Happily, this is not the general 12. Other important new journals that of Canada can illustrate important dy- case. Canadian Studies has already made evolved in this period include BC Studies, namics associated with globalization, for the transition to critical scholarship and Prairie Forum, Atlantis, Histoire sociale/ example, and the ways in which public is already ready for the 21st century. Social History, and Canadian Ethnic Stud- policy has responded to new socio-eco- ies. While often containing a high percent- nomic, demographic, and international Notes age of historical work, a significant contexts. Canada should be an important 1. For a narrative of the development of Can- number of these journals (for example, consideration for anyone interested in adian Studies, see Jeffrey Cormier, The Labour/Le Travail, Atlantis, Prairie Fo- population movements, citizenship in Canadianization Movement: Emergence, rum, BC Studies, Studies in Political diverse polities, multinational federalism, Survival, Success (Toronto: University of Economy) were overtly designed as inter- indigenous peoples, and cultural auton- Toronto Press, 2004). disciplinary forums. omy under conditions of advanced com- 2. Raymond Blake, “The Future of Canadian 13. On the concept of “historic nation,” see munications technologies. Studies in ‘La Gran Familia,’” Canadian Will Kymlicka, Finding Our Way: Rethink- It is, of course, important that people Issues (March/April 2001), p. 40. ing Ethno-Cultural Relations in Canada who live and work in Canada know more 3. I will use the term “Canadianist” to signify (Toronto: Oxford University Press, about the country. This is not a national- both discipline-based scholars working 1998). ist idea, but a pragmatic and common on Canada-centric or Canada-compara- 14. What is, of course, equally important is sense contention. Increased formal edu- tive subjects and interdisciplinary schol- that current Canadianist scholarship ap- cation, studies suggest, promotes higher ars who are based on an identification proaches the consideration of diversity levels of citizenship engagement, which with Canadian Studies programs proper. and its political-economic and power (in turn) enhances democracy and ex- 4. T.H.B. Symons, To Know Ourselves: The dynamics from a non-essentialist position pands popular agency. For this reason Report of the Commission on Canadian that explores processes through which alone, knowing more about Canada will Studies (Ottawa: Association of Universi- particular people and communities be- remain important to people living here, ties and Colleges of Canada, 1975). come, for example, racialized. whether or not they self-identify as Ca- 5. Canadian Studies “Fact Sheet” (Mount nadians. And, for this reason alone, it is Allison University, n.d.). Too much of a good thing?, page 30

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 29 Too much of a good thing? continued from page 29

15. Denis Stairs, “Canada and the New World 20. Stairs, supra note 15, “Canada and the Canadian cultural sector is Ted Madger, Order” in Canada and the New World New World Order.” Canada’s Hollywood: The Canadian Order: Facing the New Millennium, eds. 21. Daniel Drache, Borders Matter: Home- State and Feature Films (Toronto: Univer- Michael J. Tucker, Raymond B. Blake, and land Security and the Search for North sity of Toronto Press, 1993). P.E. Bryden (Toronto: Irwin, 2000), pp. America (Halifax: Fernwood, 2004). 27. W.H. New, Borderlands: How We Talk 1-15. 22. George J. De Benedetti, “Reflections on About Canada (Vancouver: University of 16. Thomas F. Pettigrew, “Reactions Toward the Tenth Anniversary of the Canada-U.S. British Columbia Press, 1998). the New Minorities of Western Europe” Free Trade Agreement,” in Tucker, Blake, 28. Michael Adams, Fire and Ice: The United American Review of Sociology, 24 (1998), and Bryden, Canada and the New World States, Canada and the Myth of Converg- pp. 77-103. Order, supra note 15, pp. 151-62. ing Values (Toronto: Penguin, 2004). 17. International Labour Office, International 23. Mary Vipond, The Mass Media in Cana- 29. The Canadian Democratic Audit, for Organization for Migration, Office of the da 3rd ed. (Toronto: Lorimer, 2000), pp. example, organized by the Centre for United Nations High Commissioner for 24-29. Canadian Studies at Mount Allison under Human Rights, International Migration, 24. Naomi Klein, No Logo: Taking Aim at the the direction of Dr. Bill Cross, explored Racism, Discrimination and Xenophobia Brand Bullies (Toronto: Vintage Canada, the degree to which the ideal of democ- (Geneva: International Labour Office, 2000), especially chapter 5. racy was realized in Canadian political 2001), p. [I]. 25. For an overview, see the essays in David practice. For further information on the 18. Yaseem Abu Laban, “For Export: Multi- Taras, Frits Pannekoek, and Maria Bakard- Canadian Democratic Audit, see Centre culturalism and Globalization,” in Profiles jieva, eds., How Canadians Communicate for Canadian Studies, Mount Allison Uni- of Canada, eds. K.G. Pryke and W.C. (Calgary: University of Calgary Press, versity, “The Canadian Democratic Audit,” Soderlund, 3rd ed. (Toronto: CSPI, 2003), 2003). http://www.mta.ca/faculty/arts-letters/ pp. 249-277. 26. For case studies, see Taris, Pannekoek, canadian_studies/cda/index.html (ac- 19. Kymlicka, supra note 13, Finding Our Bakardjieva, How Canadians Communi- cessed 13 September 2007). Way. cate, ibid. A nuanced treatment of one

Letters from Denmark continued from page 25 of the program’s founder and the hiring sign: scholars at all stages of their careers tive of His Explorations in Western of its new director.) Just like under- recognize its importance. An artifact of America 1784-1812 (Toronto: Champlain graduates, young academics need to be third-pillar internationalism, perhaps, but Society, 1916). reassured that it is a teachable and a this is one thing from the 1970s that hasn’t 2. Catharine Parr Traill, The Backwoods of recognized field of study. The dramatic gone out of style. Canada: Being Letters from an Emigrant opposition to the proposed cuts to fund- Officer, Illustrative of the Domestic ing for Canadian Studies abroad in the Notes Economy of British America (London: C. summer of 2006 was an encouraging 1. J.B. Tyrell, ed., David Thompson’s Narra- Knight, 1836).

Has Canadian Studies had its day? continued from page 19

ties and Colleges of Canada, 1984), p. 3. Canada in comparative and global per- adian Studies, 31:1 (1996), pp. 103-28. See also the abridged version of To Know spective. The latter may be consciously 5. Bowling for Columbine (dir. Michael Ourselves, T.H.B. Symons, The Symons disciplinary, but it still contributes to the Moore, Alliance Atlantis Communica- Report (Toronto, Book and Periodical Canadian Studies project. tions, 2002). Development Council: distributed by Mc- 3. Very small amounts exist now. For ex- 6. Ann Curthoys, “We’ve Just Started Making Clelland & Stewart, 1978). ample, the ACS currently has $5,000 a National Histories and Now You Want Us 2. I see two parallel and overlapping projects: year for student conferences, to be shared to Stop Already?” in After the Imperial Canadian Studies as an interdisciplinary across the nation. Turn: Thinking With and Through the Na- area of study, with its own programs, 4. Himani Bannerji, “On the Dark Side of tion, ed. Antoinette Burton (Durham, NC: projects, and publications and Canadian- Nation: The Politics of Multiculturalism Duke University Press, 2003), pp. 70-90. ist research focusing on Canada and on and the State of Canada,” Journal of Can-

30 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 Comparison to Québec Studies Les études québécoises à l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières: un programme d’études avancées et un centre de recherche

La fondation du programme Stéphane Castonguay d’encadrer des étudiants aux cycles supérieurs ne pouvaient compter sur des études québécoises Stéphane Castonguay détient la Chaire ’expérience des programmes de de recherche du Canada en histoire un bassin suffisamment large pour Lmaîtrise et de doctorat à l’Université environnementale du Québec à l’Université mettre en place un programme du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) du Québec à Trois-Rivières. d’études avancées dans une seule peut-elle nourrir la réflexion sur le discipline. Il fallait proposer aux devenir des études canadiennes? Pour instances de l’Université et du répondre à cette question nous Même si les ministère de l’Éducation du Québec un retracerons le développement des études programme novateur, absent de la québécoises à l’UQTR et dégagerons les organismes programmation offerte dans les autres spécificités de notre démarche. universités. La présence d’un fort Le programme de maîtrise en subventionnaires contingent de professeurs spécialisés études québécoises débute en 1977 à dans l’étude du Québec dans différents l’UQTR, grâce à des professeurs qui insistent sur départements de sciences humaines à oeuvrent au sein du groupe de l’importance l’UQTR favorisa la mise en forme d’un recherche sur la Mauricie, notamment programme de maîtrise, puis de Normand Séguin et René Hardy, et qui, d’une formation doctorat (1988), en études à la même époque, mettent en place le québécoises. Elle facilita également Centre d’études québécoises et d’une recherche l’émergence d’une unité de recherche (CÉDEQ). Le programme de maîtrise regroupant ces professeurs actifs aux en études québécoises — comme la interdisciplinaires, études avancées et offrant un lieu programmation scientifique du CÉDEQ les universités qui d’encadrement et de formation. — se fonde sur la participation de Reconnu officiellement en 1986 par chercheurs versés en histoire relaient volontiers ces l’UQTR, le CÉDEQ permet aux culturelle, en géographie historique, en étudiants d’acquérir une expérience de histoire socio-économique, mais aussi discours demeurent recherche dans un environnement en littérature, en théologie et en interdisciplinaire. Attachés à des philosophie. L’interdisciplinarité encore réfractaires équipes à titre d’assistants de caractérise ce programme dès ses recherche, des étudiants participent débuts pour des raisons intellectuelles à embaucher aux grands chantiers qui animent — la et institutionnelles. Sur le plan des titulaires de vie du centre depuis près de quinze intellectuel, il s’agit d’une démarche ans, comme les synthèses d’histoire qui s’apparente à ce qui est pratiqué doctorat formés à régionale sur la Mauricie, le Centre du ailleurs dans les area studies, où les Québec ou Lanaudière, ou encore les projets autour des aires culturelles l’interdisciplinarité. Atlas historique du Québec sur l’axe reposent sur des perspectives laurentien. — Pour certains étudiants, la disciplinaires croisées. Si des frontières participation à un de ces chantiers géopolitiques déterminent a priori ce institutionnel, il s’agit du premier offre la possibilité d’inscrire son projet sur quoi travaillent les étudiants — et les programme d’études avancées en de maîtrise ou de doctorat dans la chercheurs, — ils demeurent que tous sciences humaines et sociales à programmation scientifique du reconnaissent qu’il s’agit là d’un objet l’UQTR (depuis, des programmes en CÉDEQ. d’étude et de recherche en philosophie et en littérature sont La proximité d’une unité de construction qui bénéficierait d’une offerts, mais pas en histoire). À cette recherche et l’interdisciplinarité telle approche. Sur le plan époque, les professeurs désireux Les études québécoises, page 32

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 31 Les études québécoises continued from page 31 marquent donc le développement du programme études québécoises depuis Il faut reconnaître le dynamisme du champ ses débuts. Ce programme se donne comme objet « la saisie du Québec des études québécoises avec la parution contemporain comme objet d’étude » prochaine du dixième volume de Globe. La et « l’étude du changement socioculturel dans ses diverses Revue internationale d’études québécoises, manifestations ». Si, dans leur contenu, les cours abordent évidemment une publié par l’Association internationale historiographie et des enjeux propres au Québec, il faut que la première d’études québécoises, ainsi que le quinzième préoccupation soit problématique anniversaire du Centre interuniversitaire avant d’être thématique. En ce sens, l’offre de cours peut se transposer à d’études québécoises, formé par le CÉDEQ et toute autre aire culturelle, en encourageant les étudiants à réfléchir le Laboratoire de géographie historique de sur les rapports à l’espace, les représentations collectives, le l’Université Laval en 1993. changement culturel ou les structures sociales. Si nous pouvons associer ces quatre cours aux disciplines instabilité dans le recrutement étudiants désireux de décrocher un fondatrices des études québécoises d’étudiants. Cette situation serait poste dans un CÉGEP qui optent alors (soit, respectivement, géographie, attribuable à un intérêt de plus en plus pour entreprendre un programme de philosophie, littérature et histoire), il marqué pour les questions maîtrise mono-disciplinaire. Dans la faut surtout noter l’absence de internationales chez les étudiants qui même veine, une fois levées les périodisation et de thématique propres délaissent le Québec comme objet réticences qui empêchaient à l’histoire du Québec (par exemple, la d’étude. Le programme de maîtrise initialement la création de programmes Nouvelle-France, les Rébellions, la qui, comme dans tout autre université, d’études avancées disciplinaires à Révolution tranquille) dans l’intitulé s’alimente surtout à partir de l’UQTR, le démarrage de programmes des cours pour précisément couvrir programmes de premier cycle, perd en lettres et en philosophie a quelque plusieurs périodes et thèmes aux des étudiants qui se dirigent vers les peu détourné une partie de la clientèle travers d’une problématique. Ce autres universités pour étudier un autre naturelle des programmes d’études programme, qui s’est maintenu sous sujet que le Québec, ou pour étudier québécoises, soit celle provenant des cette forme depuis ses débuts, s’ajuste dans une discipline reconnue. À cet programmes de premier cycle où depuis peu aux questions émergentes égard, une des difficultés touchant le enseignent les professeurs en études avec des cours thématiques portant sur recrutement concerne le placement québécoises. la société comme débat politique, les des diplômés en études québécoises. Enfin, si la présence du CÉDEQ a dynamiques sociales, ou les rapports — Les institutions d’enseignement eu un effet bénéfique, en favorisant sociaux à la nature. universitaire ou collégial sont l’embauche d’étudiants et leur généralement peu enclines à intégration dans des équipes de Instabilité dans le reconnaître et embaucher les recherche, cette proximité entre les recrutement d’étudiants détenteurs d’un diplôme programmes d’études avancées et Depuis sa création, l’UQTR a diplômé pluridisciplinare. Même si les l’unité de recherche peut toutefois 109 candidats à la maîtrise et 13 organismes subventionnaires insistent nourrir des revers. Pour supporter le candidats au doctorat; plusieurs thèses sur l’importance d’une formation et développement du CÉDEQ, le profil de doctorat sont parues, notamment d’une recherche interdisciplinaires, les des professeurs recrutés doit dans la collection « Géographie universités qui relaient volontiers ces correspondre en partie aux principaux historique » publiée aux Presses de discours demeurent encore réfractaires axes de recherche du centre. Ce l’Université Laval. Toutefois, on à embaucher des titulaires de doctorat faisant, le programme d’études remarque depuis quelques années non formés à l’interdisciplinarité. Ce avancées s’est tenu à l’écart de pas un essoufflement mais une problème touche également les Les études québécoises, page 34

32 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 Publishing in Canadian Studies The Journal of Canadian Studies then and now

Founding the Journal By Donald Wright understanding of 1960s Canada, the very orty-one years ago the Journal of Can- context in which the Journal was found- Donald Wright teaches in the Political Fadian Studies was launched. Proudly Science department at the University of ed. Volume 40, number 3, contains three featured on its cover was Champlain’s as- New Brunswick, Fredericton, and is co- articles—one written by a professor of trolabe, which in 1966 was part of the New editor of the Journal of Canadian Studies. English, another by an historian, and yet York Historical Society’s collection. The another by a doctoral candidate in Com- editors didn’t explain the astrolabe. Per- parative Literature. The issue examines haps they felt they didn’t have to. Its sym- It has evolved from the historical imperative to imagine a bolism was obvious: as a navigation device, nation through the Centennial Voyageur the astrolabe helped Champlain explore a magazine-format Canoe Pageant, the new flag, and the unknown worlds; as an academic journal, CBC television series Adventures in the Journal of Canadian Studies has helped journal of opinion Rainbow Country. Chris Champion’s Canadians navigate familiar and unfamiliar brilliant essay on the flag debate even worlds, past and present, in both English and ideas into one adds to our understanding of Tom Sy- and French. of the very best mons, one of the Journal’s founders. It was a different time and a different place. The Quiet Revolution was unfold- academic journals in Francophones and ing at a staggering and bewildering rate; Canadian Studies once the domain of dreamers and radi- the country and into But has the Journal contributed to a na- cals, separatism had become fashion- tional consensus between French and able and respectable, if not yet main- the leading journal of English Canada? In 1966, the Journal of stream. The “Other Quiet Revolution,” Canadian Studies published 12 articles, this one in English Canada, saw English Canadian Studies in 9 in English and 3 in French. It did not Canadians re-imagine themselves in part the world. publish another French-language article through a new flag while the Royal Com- until 1972 when it published one French- mission on Bilingualism and Bicultural- language article and eighteen English- ism criss-crossed the country en route language articles. And so it went. Since to its bleak assessment in February 1965: spirit can endure.” As part of doing 1966 the JCS has published 1,367 articles. Canada, the commissioners warned, “is something in these inauspicious times, Only 92 have been in published in passing through the greatest crisis in its the Journal of Canadian Studies “has French, or less than 7 per cent. Of history.” Meanwhile, the war in Vietnam been founded.” It is hoped, Smith ex- course, these figures are imperfect. They raged on and on and talk of the Ameri- plained, that “the country will achieve do not take into account French-speaking canization of English-Canadian universi- greater self-understanding and a more authors who choose to write in English ties grew louder and more anxious. tolerable national consensus, and that because they know that the Journal’s The appearance of a new journal is, the Journal may contribute something to audience is, for the most part, English- by definition, an optimistic statement: we these ends.” speaking, and they obscure the Journal’s have something important to say and we Has the Journal of Canadian Studies honest efforts to create a scholarly dia- are going to say it. In his inaugural edito- contributed to a “greater self-understand- logue across the two solitudes through rial, Denis Smith noted that Canada must ing and a more tolerable national con- editorial board membership, direct invi- contend with the challenges posed by sensus”? The answer is mixed. tation, and thematic issues. the “creative explosion of French-Can- Certainly, through the publication of Still, these figures point to the ongoing adian ambition” and by living “always in outstanding scholarship and critical re- challenges of publishing a bilingual jour- the shadow of the neighbouring super- views, the Journal of Canadian Studies nal and to the elusive goal of contributing power.” If something is not done, he has added immeasurably to our under- to “a more tolerable national consen- warned, well, let’s just say, “there are standing of Canada and, ultimately, of sus.” The journal Denis Smith introduced limits to what the collective national ourselves. It is now contributing to our Journal of Canadian Studies, page 34

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 33 Journal of Canadian Studies continued from page 33 Robarts Centre Mandate in 1966 is not the journal of today. It has The Robarts Centre for Canadian evolved from a magazine-format journal Knowing ourselves Studies supports interdisciplinary of opinion and ideas into one of the very and discipline-specific research best academic journals in the country is not a destination; pertinent to the study of Canada and and into the leading journal of Canadian it is a journey. “Canada in the World.” In practice, Studies in the world. Its mandate—to this has meant an orientation toward publish the best scholarship about Can- broader Canadian and international adian history, culture, and society from dedicated to interdisciplinary and multi- scholarly and policy-making com- both junior and senior scholars—is clear. disciplinary scholarship. The Journal munities, inquiries into comparative And its mission—”to track the great trans- must compete in an academic environ- perspectives on the Canadian mo- formation of the Canada project and to ment in which there are only so many saic, and assistance to York scholars contribute to the development of ‘Can- subscribers and only so many high-qual- in working with their counterparts adian Studies’ with appropriate interdis- ity submissions to go around. in other countries. ciplinary tools and approaches”—is Yet, given the Journal’s outstanding Faculty at the Robarts Centre, ambitious. track record of publishing the very best including the Director, the Robarts scholarship on Canadian history, culture, Chair and other Robarts research- New Contexts science, and society in a timely fashion, ers, regularly teach courses and But like other journals its age, and indeed there is every reason to be optimistic. contribute to curriculum develop- some much younger, the Journal must As Tom Symons observed in his 1975 ment in areas pertaining Canadian face the demand for open access pub- report for the Commission on Canadian and North American as well as lishing and all that it entails. In addition, Studies, the “soundest justification for comparative studies. The Robarts the Journal operates in a very different Canadian studies” is the “need for self- Centre also provides supervised academic environment than the one in knowledge.” He was right then and he is research and writing opportunities which it was founded. For example, the right now. Knowing ourselves is not a for graduate students from a wide Americanization of English-Canadian destination; it is a journey. I like to think range of York graduate programs. universities, of the professoriate and of that with a little luck, a lot of hard work, The Robarts Centre offers a undergraduate and graduate curricula, and a commitment to academic excel- strong program of high-level semi- is a non-issue. The study of Canada—as lence, the Journal of Canadian Studies nars, workshops, and conferences distinct from Canadian Studies—is thriv- will remain part of that journey—with on major issues focusing on Canad- ing. There are over 200 academic jour- Champlain’s astrolabe now housed at ian perspectives on Communica- nals in Canada today, many of which are the Canadian Museum of Civilization, not tions, Culture, the Fine Arts, History, dedicated to some aspect of the Canad- far from where it was lost nearly 400 Political Economy, Public Policy, and ian experience and some of which are years ago. International Relation. Participants include York faculty and students, Canadian and international scholars Les études québécoises continued from page 32 as well as the larger community of certaines tendances qui ont marqué le d’études québécoises, publié par Metropolitan Toronto. développement du champ des études l’Association internationale d’études At the present time, ongoing québécoises comme l’histoire québécoises, ainsi que le quinzième work at the Centre includes research politique, les études amérindiennes ou anniversaire du Centre initiatives on the public domains l’anthropologie culturelle. — Pour les interuniversitaire d’études and international standards, Canad- mêmes raisons, le programme n’a pu québécoises, formé par le CÉDEQ et le ian cinema, and issues pertaining to attirer une clientèle intéressée par une Laboratoire de géographie historique media perspectives on Canada. The histoire américaine ou canadienne de l’Université Laval en 1993. — C’est Centre acts as a research arm for (hors Québec) susceptible d’apporter d’ailleurs cette vitalité qui encourage the Joint Program in Communica- un regard continental sur l’expérience peut-être un nombre de plus en plus tion and Culture and its work on the québécoise. Néanmoins, il faut grand d’étudiants étrangers (Canada, Canadian Internet Project. It also reconnaître le dynamisme du champ France, États-Unis, Roumanie, Japon) à houses the Toronto offices of the des études québécoises avec la s’inscrire aux programmes de maîtrise Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canad- parution prochaine du dixième volume et de doctorat en études québécoises à ian History project. de Globe. La Revue internationale l’UQTR.

34 Canada Watch • FALL 2007 Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History Project What happened to Tom Thomson? New mystery coming for student sleuths

Research and devel- opment on one of the final three mysteries of the University of Victoria-based Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History Project is nearing completion at the Ro- barts Centre. “Death on a Paint- ed Lake: The Tom Thomson Tragedy,” revolves around the great Canadian paint- er who went out alone for a fishing trip on a lake in Algonquin Park on July 8, 1917, and never returned. His empty canoe was sighted on the lake that afternoon, and his body was found afloat in the lake eight days later. What happened to Thompson? Was it an accident caused by bad luck? Or did he meet a more sinister end as a result of debt, his support of the First World War or a love interest? To date, the project includes these nine mysteries: The research director for this mystery is Gregory Klages, • Where Is Vinland? PhD candidate in Communication and Culture at York Uni- • Torture and the Truth: versity in Toronto. Klages has provided investigators with a Angélique and the Burning of Montreal wealth of on-line information about Tom Thompson and the • Jerome: The Mystery Man of Baie Sainte-Marie circumstances surrounding his demise (see www.canadian- • We Do Not Know His Name: mysteries.ca). Klatsassin and the Chilcotin War The Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History proj- • Who Killed William Robinson? ects have been selected by a national competition. Student Race, Justice and Settling the Land sleuths will soon have a total of 12 whodunits with which to • Who Discovered Klondike Gold? hone their historical and detective skills. • Aurore! The Mystery of the Martyred Child • Heaven and Hell on Earth: The Massacre of the “Black” Donnellys www.canadianmysteries.ca • Explosion on the Kettle Valley Line:

Canada Watch • FALL 2007 35 Visit the Robarts Centre’s website at www.yorku.ca/robarts for past issues of Canada Watch

Recent issues include: • “The Chrétien Era: A Red Book Audit” Feb 2004, Vol 9, Nos 3–4 • “From Doha to Kananaskis: The Future of the World Trading System and the Crisis of Governance.” Sept 2002, Vol 9, Nos 1–2 • “The New Mexico Under Fox: Is It Happening? Jul 2001, Vol 8, No 6 • Canada–U.S. Relations in the New Millennium” Nov–Dec 2000, Vol 8, Nos 4–5

Also available on the website, the Robarts lecture series: • “English Canada and Quebec: Avoiding the Issue” by Kenneth McRoberts –Sixth Annual Robarts Lecture 1991 • “1492 and All That: Making a Garden out of a Wilderness” by Ramsay Cook – Seventh Annual Robarts Lecture 1992 • “Politics on the Boundaries: Restructuring and the Canadian Women’s Movement” by Janine Brodie –Eighth Annual Robarts Lecture 1994 • “In our own Image: The Child, Canadian Culture and our Future” by Carole H. Carpenter –Ninth Annual Robarts Lecture 1995 • “Where is Here? Canadian Cultural Policy in a Globalized World” by Joyce Zemans –Tenth Annual Robarts Lecture 1996 • “Queer Nation?” by Terry Goldie –Eleventh Annual Robarts Lecture 1997 • “Defining Aboriginal Title in the 90’s: Has the Supreme Court Finally Got it Right?” by Kent McNeil –Twelfth Annual Robarts Lecture 1998 • “Theatre and Transformation in Contemporary Canada” by Robert Wallace – Thirteenth Annual Robarts Lecture 1999 • “The Writer’s Conscience: or why reports of the death of the author have been greatly exaggerated” speaking notes by Susan Swan – Fourteenth Annual Robarts Lecture 2000 • “Canadian Movies, eh?” by Seth Feldman –Fifteenth Annual Robarts Lecture 2001 • “Rethinking Feminization: Gendered Precariousness in the Labour Market and the Crisis in Social Reproduction” by Leah F. Vosko –Distinguished Robarts Lecture Series 2002 • “Citizenship After Orientalism” by Engin F. Isin –Distinguished Robarts Lecture Series 2002 • “The Digitalization of Knowledge: Tribal Ignorance and the African Diaspora” by Paul E. Lovejoy FRSC –Distinguished Robarts Lecture Series 2002

36 Canada Watch • FALL 2007