The Canadian Network
for Economic History (CNEH) successfully concluded its 2019 Meetings sponsored by
Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and held at the historic Prince Arthur
Waterfront Hotel. The three-day event from September 27th to
29th, 2019 included three days of sessions, two keynote speakers and also
provided keynote Professor Ann Carlos from the University of Colorado-Boulder
as the speaker for the Lakehead Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies September
26th Science Speakers Event. The event was met with sunny crisp autumn
weather that highlighted the scenic Sleeping Giant out in the harbour.
The conference theme was the economic history of
Indigenous communities, and interactions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
economies in Canada and the conference attracted Canadian and international scholars. The
Mary MacKinnon Memorial Lecture was given by Donna Feir (Federal Reserve Bank
of Minneapolis and University of Victoria) and was titled “Economic History and
Reconciliation”. The Saturday evening
keynote by Ann Carlos (University of Colorado-Boulder) was on “Globalization
and the Fur Trade.” Elder Gerry Martin
from Mattagami First Nation shared his insight and wisdom with opening and closing remarks. A theme that emerged from all speakers as
well as the specific sessions dealing with Indigenous and European interaction, Indigenous
health and well-being was that more effort must be made to bring the
Indigenous perspective into our research and teaching on Canadian and North
American economic history.
Generous financial support was provided by the
Canadian Economics Association, the Alan Green Memorial Fund, Lakehead
University's departments of history and economics, the Faculty of Science and
Environmental Studies at Lakehead and the Lakehead University Office of the Vice Provost of Aboriginal
Initiatives. Special thanks to administrative assistants Jennifer McKee (Lakehead) and Sharon Sullivan (Queen's) for their hard work in putting everything together.
Plans are for the next CNEH to be held in Vancouver in the Spring of
2021. From the mid-coast to the west
coast. See you there!
