Canada and Australasia:
Globalization, Nations, Cultures and Borders
11-13 April 2006
University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

From 11-13 April 2006, the Association for Canadian Studies in Australia and New Zealand (ACSANZ) held its Biennial Conference in Dunedin, New Zealand.   The theme for 2006 was  “Canada and Australasia: Globalization, Nations, Cultures and Borders.”

The conference opened with a spectacular opening reception, held at the prestigious Otago Museum in downtown Dunedin, and sponsored by the Canadian High Commission in Wellington.  The Museum was deemed a fitting environment, not only for its close proximity to the University of Otago, but also given its focus upon and preservation of Maori history and culture, with the status of indigenous peoples and cultures one of many themes explored by the conference.   Delegates were treated to a Powhiri (traditional Maori welcome) by Huata Holmes from Ngai Tahu - the  local icoi (tribe) in Otago.  They were also given the opportunity to explore the Tangata Whenua Gallery, with its impressive display of Maori cultural artefacts.

The next morning delegates were officially welcomed to the conference by the sponsors and organisers, including Canadian High Commissioner, Her Excellency Ms Penny Reedie, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago, Professor Gareth Jones, ACSANZ President, Dr Barbara Hocking and ACSANZ Secretary and Conference Organiser, Dr David MacDonald.

Then followed the academic sessions, commencing with a plenary titled  “Comparative Indigenous Issues”.  The plenary was wide-ranging in its topics and considered such important issues as: native title and comparative land holding regimes in the three countries; Treaty (re-)education in New Zealand, which tackles the invisibility of whiteness; New Zealand's controversial 'Foreshore and Seabed Act 2005'; a comparative on indigenous language within national language education policy, and; indigenous legal pluralism in the Canadian context.

The conference dinner was held at the historic Dunedin Club.

With the opening plenary having set a high standard, over the next two days delegates continued to present thought-provoking papers.  Some of the many topics discussed were:

• English literature, especially indigenous and immigrant literature in Canada and Australia
• Further explorations of native title rights
• Residential schooling in Canada
• Models of state development; e-commerce taxation; capital investment and environmental social controls
• Women in parliament and the representation of women in elections
• Canadian Studies in the Asia-Pacific
• Refugee and Asylum seeker policy post-9/11
• Management of the environment and GM foods

A second plenary was held in the afternoon of the second day on the topic of "Education and Policy", which considered religion and education in a Secular state; the Asian impact on international education in Canada, Australia and New Zealand; the value of Canadian government funding to research in Australian universities, and; the value of teaching Canadian politics in Japanese universities.

There was also a welcome participation throughout the conference by our international guests, including representatives from other Canadian Studies Associations in Korea, India, Japan and Israel, as well as several prominent Canadian scholars.

The conference concluded with a Dialogue Canada in the Federation Dialogues Series, presented by the Canadian High Commission in collaboration with ACSANZ.  The Federation Dialogues Series brings together eminent Canadians and New Zealanders to discuss issues of mutual interest to the two countries.  In this Dialogue, Professor Jim Miller (University of Saskatchewan) and Professor Tania Ka’ai (Te Tumu University of Otago) tackled the challenging topic "Taking on the System: Decolonizing Indigenous Education – Experiences, Insights and Perspectives from Canada and Aotearoa/New Zealand", with the assistance of the moderater, Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (Te Papa Tongarewa).

From left: Professor Jim Miller (University of Saskatchewan), Professor Tania Ka’ai (Te Tumu, University of Otago) and Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (Te Papa Tongarewa)

Several conference participants were able to add to the cultural experience by taking in the delights of Dunedin and its surrounds.  While some took a trip to the nearby Otago Peninsula to see the albatross and penguin colonies, some went by train up the spectacular Taieri Gorge while others stayed close to town and explored the historic architectural wonders of Dunedin.

Overall, this was an extremely successful Conference, not just in terms of the interest generated by the various panels and individual papers but by the location at the University of Otago, by the kind weather Dunedin afforded us, and more particularly, by the meticulous planning initiated and followed through by the Conference Convenor, ACSANZ Secretary, Dr David MacDonald.

Story: R. Morris and P. Torrance
Photos: R. Morris, K. McMahon-Coleman and P. Torrance
1 May 2006

	Conference Timetable and Abstracts
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