Canadian studies in Britain 1970-2010: an assessment in the context of a changing world

The study of Canada has long been a feature of the British academic scene, but the pattern of teaching and research was largely fragmented until the 1970s when Canadian Studies became a recognised field of academic study in Britain. Several developments in the 1970s led to Canadian Studies being formally established in the UK. A colloquium was held in 1971 to discuss Canada-UK relations and what could be done to strengthen the bilateral relationship in the context of the magnetic continental pull affecting each country, as Britain prepared to join the European Community, and Canadian economic ties within North America were becoming stronger. One idea mooted at the colloquium was that a Chair in Canadian Studies be founded at a British university. The then Canadian High Commissioner in London, the Hon. Jake Warren, took the initiative to establish a Foundation for Canadian Studies in the UK to raise funds to support this. In 1975 in a separate but linked initiative, a group of academics with Canadian interests founded the British Association for Canadian Studies, an academic network for individuals interested in Canada. Finally, the Government of Canada began to support Canadian Studies abroad, and the position of Academic Relations Officer at the Canadian High Commission in London was established in 1977.