Trent University International Development Students to Host Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community Movements Conference on ‘Canada and its place in the world’

Tuesday, February 8, 2011, Peterborough

The Trent University Students’ Association for International Development invites the public to the fifth annual Community Movements Conference taking place from Friday, February 11 to Sunday, February 13 at the Peterborough Public Library, Sadleir House and Trent University.

"Now in its fifth year, the annual Community Movements conference run by the Student Association for International Development is most probably the best student-organized international development conference in Canada. In its ability to attract outstanding speakers on innovative and challenging themes, the conference is enjoyed by students, by activists, by academics, and by members of the broader community, and demonstrates the commitment of Trent University's international development students to scholarly activism," said Professor Haroon Akram-Lodhi, chair of the Department of International Development Studies.

The Topic of the 2011 conference is ‘Canada and its Place in the World’ and issues such as Canada’s environmental policy, Indigenous rights, use of natural resources, and foreign policy will be explored in areas such as mining laws, residential schools, tar sands development and international relations. Key politicians and expert speakers will be on hand to speak and to foster discussion between students, academics and members of the community.

On Friday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Peterborough Public Library, keynote speaker Dr. Todd Gordon, a professor of political science from York University and author of Imperialist Canada, will argue why Canada must be considered an imperialist power today.

On Saturday, February 12 at 11:00 a.m., a panel discussion on the topic of mining will feature the Honourable MP John McKay, Dr. Shin Imai, professor of law from York University, and Jennifer Moore, the Latin America program coordinator of MiningWatch Canada. Free and open to the public, the panel discussion will take place in room 114 of Gzowski College at Trent University.

Other guests at the conference will include Greenpeace, the International Development Research Center and Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough. To view a complete agenda, please visit: www.communitymovementsconference.ca

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For more information, please contact: Molly MacDonald, Community Movements Conference Coordinator, 705-760-4233, communitymovementsconference@gmail.com, or Professor Haroon Akram-Lodhi, chair of the Department of International Development Studies, 705- 748-1011 ext. 7290, haroonakramlodhi@trentu.ca