Northeast National Resource Center on Canada

NORTHEAST NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER ON CANADA

Americans need to know much more about Canada. Growing integration of the U.S. and Canadian economies aided by the North American Free Trade Agreement; common environmental concerns, particularly over-harvesting of natural resources and pollution of common waterways and airspace; and long-standing social and cultural ties are significant reasons for studying the Canadian-American relationship. In addition, many Canadian developments have considerable relevance for the United States, including the continuing debate in Canada about the place of minority languages and cultures in confederation; the role of the Canadian government in social and welfare issues; the emphasis that Canada has placed on international organizations and multilateral cooperation; and the successful efforts made by Canadians to develop a distinctive cultural tradition in the face of homogenizing tendencies of mass culture. For Americans, Canada acts as a mirror, allowing us to better understand ourselves.



Canadian-American Center at the University of Maine

The Canadian-American Center at the University of Maine is one of the leading institutes for the study of Canada in the United States. Designated as a National Resource Center on Canada by the United States Department of Education in 1979, the Center coordinates an extensive program of undergraduate and graduate Canadian Studies education; helps support a major research library on Canada; promotes cross-border research in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and professions; and directs the outreach programs to state, regional, and national audiences. The Center also serves as the Secretariat of the American Council for Quebec Studies. The Canadian-American Center is a founding member of the Northeast National Resource Center on Canada.
Establishing the Canadian-American Center reflects both local and national needs. At the local level, ties between Maine and Canada are long-standing and varied. Although part of New England, the state of Maine is virtually surrounded by the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick. And, almost half of the state's population has ancestral roots in Canada. Economic connections, from energy to tourism, are close, and environmental issues frequently demand international cooperation.


Center for the Study of Canada at Plattsburgh State University

The Center for the Study of Canada at Plattsburgh State University of New York, established in 1975, is dedicated to promoting and providing comprehensive scholarly professional development programs on Canada to academic, government and business constituents in the United States. Recognized as a Title VI National Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Education since 1983, the Center is at the forefront of innovative Canadian-focused curriculum, research and program initiatives. The Center is proud to offer one of the most comprehensive undergraduate Canadian Studies program in the United States.
The Center also sponsors and manages a rich variety of scholarly outreach programs including the Distinguished Canadian Address, the Quebec Winter Symposium, the Samuel de Champlain Symposium, the Quebec Summer Seminar, Teaching Canada, and the Institute on Quebec Studies. In October 2003, the Center, along with the Canadian Studies Program at the University of Vermont, initiated CONNECT - a program, as featured in the National Post, The Christian Science Monitor, Associated Press, Newsweek, and National Public Radio, designed to identify, recruit, orient and mentor new Canadianists for the American higher education community.