March 8-9, 2001
McGill University
Montréal, Québec

Throughout the 1990s, proud Canadian citizens, politicians and/or propagandists have drawn attention to the United Nations Human Development Report and to Canada's consistently high ranking at or near the top of the Human Development Index. Canada's recognition as the "No.1 nation" on this list has led several experts, especially the Prime Minister, to declare that "Canada is the best place to live in the world."

The Canadian Studies Graduate Students' Association invites papers that will address this subject. Panellists are encouraged to interpret the question "Canada: No. 1 or Not Really?" as creatively possible. Papers that open the discussion and balance both sides of this complex issue are preferable to arguments that are one-dimensionally positive or one-dimensionally negative. Possible themes or questions to be considered might include:

What are the HDR and the HDI? How do international rankings work? What is their value? Considering the interprovincial disparities in language, culture, wealth distribution, health care and education, is there "one" Canada to be ranked "No. 1"? Is there a "Canadian Way" to accommodate Nationalism and Federalism? Has Canadian culture/art/literature found its place on the world stage? Discrimination based on gender, class, race or sexual orientation: are there second class citizens in a first class country? How do Canada's first peoples fit in to the UN's "First Place Nation?" Debt forgiveness, Immigration and Peace Keeping: Does Canada have a responsibility to the rest of the world? Past, Present, Future: Are we better off than we were or will be? Where do you go when you're ranked No. 1?

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: EDWARD BROADBENT - FEDREAL LEADER OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY (1975-1989), PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT (1990-1997)

We invite submissions of abstracts from graduate students in all disciplines and in either French or English. Presentations should not exceed 15-20 minutes.

Travel and accommodation reimbursements may be available to selected conference participants. An editorial board will select the papers to be published in a series of "occasional papers" under the imprimatur of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada

Deadline : January 30, 2001
Please send a ONE-PAGE ABSTRACT to:
CSGSA Conference
c/o The McGill Institute for the Study of Canada
3463 Peel, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1W7
tel: (514) 398-2974 fax: (514) 398-7336
mducha1@po-box.mcgill.ca

The Canadian Studies Graduate Students' Association of McGill University is an interdisciplinary organization of students interested in the study of Canada. The aim of the conference is to provide an engaging environment in which graduate students from various disciplines may share ideas, knowledge, and research about Canada while gaining valuable conference experience.