Canada-U.S.
Canada and the New South Conference
The Southern Association for Canadian Studies has a call for papers for its 2010 biennial conference in Nashville, Tennessee, October 7-10. Authors are invited to submit paper proposals on related topics including arts, commerce, humanities, and other areas of interest to Canadian Studies. There will be a special track on race and ethnicity; student papers are strongly encouraged. Read

Economy
Mortgage Finance Reform: Protecting Taxpayers from Liability
The American government’s take over of Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac prompts the question as to whether a mortgage finance industry can function effectively in normal times. A new Fraser Institute study examines this issue by focusing on secondary markets and mortgage insurance in a review of the American experience, as well as the models in other countries. Read

Reforming Canada’s Pension System
A new C.D. Howe Institute study calls for reform in Canada’s pension system. In order to benefit from this reform, William B.P. Robson highlights two primary obstacles and offers suggestions to improve the system. Read

Public Policy
Language and Integration in Quebec
What is needed for the successful linguistic integration of immigrants in Quebec is better economic and social integration into French culture and society, rather than tightening language policy, claims Michel Pagé in a recent Institute for Research on Public Policy study. Read

New Brunswick’s “Overcoming Poverty Together” Plan Earns Praise and Creates Hope
All sectors of New Brunswick society, including business, community non-profit organizations and citizens share responsibility with the government for creating new opportunities for New Brunswick residents. This Caledon Institute of Social Policy paper examines New Brunswick’s use of public engagement in efforts to reduce poverty in the province. Read

The Paradox of Market-Oriented Public Policy
A Centre for the Study of Living Standards report examines the contradiction of productivity-enhancing public policies and the continuation of poor productivity performance. The report finds that the high level of market orientation in public policy that already exists in Canada suggests that the productivity-enhancing effects of further liberalization may be quite small. Read

Energy/Environment
Will Buying Food Locally Save the Planet?
Consuming locally grown food will reduce greenhouse emissions and protect against environmental degradation, argues this Montreal Economic Institute study. Read I Lire

Science and Technology
Nanotech Discovery May Green Chemical Manufacturing
A new nanotech catalyst developed by McGill University chemists offers industry an opportunity to reduce the use of expensive and toxic heavy metals, as the team’s discovery does away with chemical processes altogether. Read

News from Canadian Universities
Happiness under a Microscope: UBC Helps Lead a New Scholarly Focus on Wellbeing
A new University of British Columbia (UBC) study cautions against equating more money with more happiness. UBC psychology researcher Elizabeth Dunn discovered that wealth and even thinking about wealth can rob a person of the ability to stay in the moment and reap enjoyment from life’s daily pleasures. Read

University of Ottawa Professor Helps Canada Compete for Gold
Penny Werthner, professor at the University of Ottawa’s School of Human Kinetics, participated in Canada's “Own the Podium” plan to dominate the Olympics. Professor Werthner’s contribution was to help the athletes control their physical and mental response to gear up in the moments before a performance. Read

UBC’s Museum of Anthropology Launches a Massive Digital Collection
Next month, the University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology, the Musqueam Indian Band, the Sto:lo Nation, Sto:lo Tribal Council and the U’mista Cultural Society will launch the first-ever digital network of more than 300,000 Northwest Coast objects. Called the Reciprocal Research Network, this Web-based resource links collections of 12 partner organizations, including the Smithsonian Institution in the U.S., and Oxford and Cambridge in England. Read