Midwest Association for Canadian Studies

MWACS

Upcoming Events

Canadian Transportation Research Forum Conference

June 10 to June 12, 2013

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Canada has always been an important trading nation. In this trading world, Canada is faced against giants such as US, EU, China, CIS, Australia and Brazil that are fiercely competitive. These countries are dismantling regulatory and other barriers to internal and external trade, investing in infrastructure and building gateways and portals to various parts of the world to ensure that the flow of trade is not only efficient but costs are as low as possible. Are we doing enough to maintain our position in this competitive world? And even though Canada is blest with an initial endowment of resources, are we maintaining our absolute and comparative advantages in what we produce and manufacture? Are we keeping up with other countries and devoting sufficient resources to remain as an important trading nation in the world, especially as our future growth and prosperity depends on our exports and imports?

In this competitive struggle to remain among the top trading countries, transportation plays a key role. It is one component in the supply chain, but is it competitive? Are various modes of transport competitive within each mode and between modes? Does our transportation system compare favourably with other trading nations? Do supporting factors (infrastructure, gateways, etc) exist to keep it competitive? To examine what we have done, what we are doing and what we are planning to do, the 2013 CTRF Conference will focus on the North American Competitiveness in Global Trade: the Role of Transportation.

Visit the CTRF website for more information.

Association for Canadian Studies in the US Conference

November 19 to November 23, 2013

Tampa, FL

The ACSUS Biennial conference, established in 1971, is the leading international academic event focusing on Canada and its relationship with the United States, North America, and the world. Major academic presses and publishers give you access to the newest publications on Canada and Canada-US relations.

The theme of the 2013 ACSUS conference is “Canada in the Hemisphere”. In recognition of the 20th anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on January 1, 2014, and the rising importance of the Arctic to Canada.

Visit the 2013 Tampa Biennial Conference website for more information

The Midwest Association for Canadian Studies (MWACS) is an interdisciplinary regional organization of scholars and professionals. MWACS, like the Association for Canadian Studies in the United States, encourages creative and scholarly activity in Canadian studies, facilitates the exchange of ideas among Canadianists in the United States, Canada, and other countries, enhances the teaching of Canada in the United States, and promotes Canada as an area of academic inquiry.

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Updates

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THANK YOU UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA FOR HOSTING THE 2013 MWACS CONFERENCE!
THANK YOU UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR FOR HOSTING THE 2010 MWACS CONFERENCE!

The University of North Dakota hosted the 2012 MWACS conference on Oct. 5 and 6. The program was excellent and included an eclectic mix of presentations addressing culture, policy, language, business, and environment-related topics. Everyone in the room was fascinating!

The conference was divided in two parts. On Friday, Oct. 5, speakers engaged in issues related to border security in the Great Plains and Prairies. On Saturday, Oct. 6, papers were presented by MWACS scholars. Discourse continued through dinner. The perfect conference day was topped off with a special treat – a night in the UND President’s box at the Stadium during the UND vs. Manitoba Game. You have not seen HOCKEY until you have seen a UND’s Fighting Sioux. Do people do the chicken dance at all hockey games? Or is that just UND?

Although we have had to scale back some of our original plans because of the cuts to the Understanding Canada program, we still intend to keep registration fees at $100 or less for employed academics and at $50 or less for students. We will also be providing at least one dinner/reception.

We want to share pictures that were taken during the conference. Please send any from your collection to csc@isp.msu.edu.

If you attended the conference, feel free to follow up with Kyle Conway (kyle.conway@und.edu) or Timothy Pasch (timothy.pasch@und.edutimothy.pasch@und.edu). Kudos to UND in Grand Forks! Your work was genuinely appreciated by all who attended MWACS 2012.

We look forward to reviewing proposals for MWACS 2014 during the ACSUS conference in Tampa.