Over the past few days, a tremendous controversy has filled the front pages of the country's newspapers. As public interest in the war on terror waned and coverage of carnage in the Middle East receded into an afterthought, the tumultuous setting of Utah emerged as a hub of international political fiascoes unseen since the end of the Cold War. I am, of course, referring to Skategate, the dispute over Olympic pairs figure skating. The basic gist of the situation is that a French judge, as part of the Triple Entente agreed to in 1891, gave an undeserving Russian pair the gold over the Canadians in exchange for protection of French claims in Alsace and Lorraine.
Lost in the reporting on the situation was a definition of what figure skating gold means to Canada as a nation. Americans assumed that the situation was analogous to an American team having been shafted. It is precisely this ignorance of Canadian nationhood and the Canadian people that necessitates the creation of a Canadian Studies Program (CSP) at Dartmouth. I am aware that it would take time to develop what the Canadian experience entails, but I am willing to work with professors and administrators alike in order to enable future Dartmouth students to learn the cross-disciplinary truth about Canada.
Though some may scoff and say that there is no room for further trivial specialization at an institution that prides itself on a heritage of liberal arts education, the CSP would touch on both European and American histories, a vast study of geography and the comparative sociological and literary surveys of French and British colonial legacies. Not to "sweep the ice in front of an inert stone," as we Canadians say (curling reference), but the proposal of an Asian American Studies program admitted that, "currently, there are two courses dealing specifically with Asian-American issues in the history department and two in the English department." By my meticulous reading of the most recent ORC, there are two fewer courses on Canadian issues in each of these departments. Zero representation, despite Hanover's extreme proximity to Canada geographically as well as culturally. In fact, a large percentage of New Hampshire's population has roots in the mass migration of French-Canadians to New England in the late 19th century. However, most Dartmouth students still know nothing of the country to the north. As Noah Zandan '05 said, "Canada? Didn't we win that in the Mexican-American war?"
No, you didn't. In fact, the United States twice attempted to invade its northern neighbour, but was repulsed both times. Actually, the armies turned back when they realized that it would be easier to live south of the 49th parallel while exploiting all wealth created by the Canucks. By wealth, I of course mean Pamela Anderson, Wayne Gretzky and the Queen of pop herself, Celine Dion. Perhaps an entire Canadian Studies economics course could analyze the relation between the wealthy ex-patriots in the United States and the non-existent Toronto cultural scene.
In all seriousness, it seems odd that no classes at Dartmouth deal with the United States' most important trading partner and sharer of the longest border in the world. There are classes on Mexican, Latin American and Caribbean history, while Canada, the Rodney Dangerfield of the continent, is left out. Just as my experiences studying in New Hampshire have helped me realize that despite overwhelming similarities, Canada and the United States are legitimately different, analyzing the contrast leads to an understanding of how parallel but slightly different histories have shaped two North American colonial realities. Canada has a rich cultural heritage beyond the hockey rink. Writers like Margaret Atwood and musicians such as the Barenaked Ladies have gained international prominence while reflecting their uniquely Canadian styles. Canada's own Pat Nailer '04 went so far as to say, "It's aboot time that we start learning about Canada, eh?"
Yes, because that is what a liberal arts education is about, being able to understand the human condition and how it is affected by different realities. I feel that if Mr. Nailer, when asked about potential interest among Dartmouth students in the CSP, responded "Go Leafs!" can understand Canada's academic importance, such pursuits are more than justified. Plus, if the recent skating drama has taught us anything, it is that Canadians will complain and complain and make themselves so obnoxious that the only alternative is to just make it happen.
