Canadian Studies and the Canadian University in the Twenty-First Century

Point-Counterpoint: "Looking Ahead Into Into the Past" We are pleased to offer our readers the text of a timely, wise and eloquent overview by T.H.B. Symons of the past, present and possible futures of Canadian studies. First delivered as a talk at the "Canadian University in the Twenty-First Century Conference," it includes a summary of the mandate, method and history of the Symons Commission - and of its thoroughgoing and significant report. While awaiting the publication of the Cameron Report and update, it serves to remind us that the findings and recommendations of the Symons Commission remain urgent. In particular, Professor Symons's frank concluding remarks on the current situation give pause for thought, while offering hope for the future. Margaret Laurence, in another context, once similarly reminded us to "Look ahead into the past, and back into the future..." (The Diviners, McClelland and Stewart, 1974). M.L. Canadian Studies and the Canadian University in the Twenty-First Century The organizers of the "Canadian University in the Twenty-First Century" conference have invited me to speak on the Symons Report and its aftermath, and I am glad to do so.' However, I would like to do this in a future-oriented way in order to consider more broadly something of the role and condition of Canadian universities in the increasingly continentalist environment in which we now find ourselves. In particular, and in keeping with the theme of this conference, I would like to develop the argument that the study of Canadian higher education is a key area of Canadian studies that is still surprisingly neglected, despite the good work of a small handful Journal ofCanadian Studies Vol. 30, No. I (Printemps 1995 Spri11fi) of scholars some of whom are attending this gathering, including some from the University of Manitoba's Centre for Higher Education Research and Development , which has made such an important contribution in the field. But few universities are paying sustained or adequate attention to this subject, and I fear that Canadian universities will place themselves in peril if they continue this neglect. In his thoughtful address opening this conference, Bernard Shapiro posed the question, "does the university have a future? " I would put to you, as a companion question, "does Canada have a future?" and I would suggest to you that it won't, unless our universities devote sufficient attention to fostering knowledge and understanding about our country in their teaching and research. Throughout the conference, in every session and in the corridors, participants have laid stress on the need for our universities to prepare and to rethink, in order to meet the challenge of the next century. An important part of that challenge for Canadian universities is to meet the particular needs of this country. To do so, they must both have and offer a knowledge and an understanding of Canada. Thus, teaching and research about Canada is a central facet of the challenge facing Canadian universities in the 2Jst century. What, then, is the present state of Canadian studies? It would, I suppose, be possi ble to answer that question by reviewing and enumerating - and perhaps even relishing - the remarkable growth in teaching and research about Canada in the last 15 or 20 years. One possible approach along these lines would be to take you back to the findings presented in To Know Ourselves: The Report of the Commission on Canadian Studies (1976), and to contrast the situation described there with the situation that exists today. For example, there were then less than I0 programmes or centres for Canadian studies in universities and community colleges across the country, appreciably more in the United States. Today, there are three dozen such 115 programmes or centres listed by the 80plus universities of Canada. It is, apparently, a dramatic improvement. Similarly, outside Canada, there has been a dramatic change. Then, there were associations for Canadian studies abroad in three countries or groups of countries. Today, there are 15 such associations with more on the way. Then, there were programmes or centres for Canadian studies abroad in half a dozen countries. Today, there are over 150 programmes or centres for Canadian studies outside Canada, located in...