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Oct 17-19: Juneau World Affairs Council Fall Forum: Canada

“We’ll have a number of distinguished Canadian and US speakers including several of our faculty speaking on topics such as the history of Canadian-US relations, Yukon and BC government policies, climate change, economic development, environmental protection, First Nations, education, and more,” said UAS Provost Rick Caulfield.

Juneau, Alaska

Date of Press Release: October 14, 2013

This year's Juneau World Affairs Council forum will center on Alaska’s nearest neighbor, Canada.  The three-day event takes places at the University of Alaska Southeast Auke Lake campus.

“We’ll have a number of distinguished Canadian and US speakers including several of our faculty speaking on topics such as the history of Canadian-US relations, Yukon and BC government policies, climate change, economic development, environmental protection, First Nations, education, and more,” said UAS Provost Rick Caulfield.

“The purpose of the forum is to provide the Juneau community and UAS students with a fuller picture and understanding of our western Canada neighbors. The intent is to conduct a conversation with friends over the back fence. What can we learn from one another? How can we cooperate to enrich the lives of people living in these communities?” writes JWAC President Jim Clark.

Noted Canadian historian and author William Morrison will provide an overview of Canadian history to open the forum on Thursday,  October 17th 7 p.m. He will begin the program on Friday with a history of the Yukon.

For the Evening at Egan, Friday October 18th  at 7 p.m.,  Morrison, who is also Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Northern British Columbia  will present “The Sinking of the Princess Sophia: a Canadian-American Disaster.”  Morrison co-authored the book, Sinking of the Princess Sophia: Taking the North Down with Her. The tragedy of the Canadian ship Princess Sophia near Juneau in 1918 was truly international.  The disaster killed all 354 passengers and crew.  The stories of the ship's Canadian and American passengers and crew show how interconnected the two northern territories were in the early days of their settled history.

Daytime presentations on Friday October 18th include topical panel discussions on climate change impacts and policy, opportunities for renewable energy exchanges between Alaska, B.C. and the Yukon, Alaska and western Canadian energy issues, and the impact of Arctic issues such as loss of sea ice to the indigenous people of the Arctic.

On Saturday, October 19th Professor Morrison will describe how the Mounties maintained the peace in western Canada at the turn of the last century. UAS Chancellor John Pugh and his counterpart at Yukon College, Karen Barnes will explain and compare secondary education practices in Southeast Alaska and the Yukon. There will be a panel describing the histories, cultures and contemporary issues of First Nations and Tlingit and Haida.  A natural resources panel will discuss common timber, mining, and fisheries problems and opportunities. Finally, there will be a panel discussion on what might be done to improve cross border cooperation.

All are welcome and admission is free. The full agenda is at this link: http://uas.alaska.edu/provost/docs/jwacforum.pdf

Press Release Contact

Jim Clark
President, Juneau World Affairs Council
(907) 723-6952
jfclarkiii@gmail.com