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The Three Sisters Lecture Series: Welcome by John Maher

The Three Sisters Lecture Series Celebrating 75 Years of Confederation between Newfoundland and Canada (1949-2024).

Welcome to Dr. Renée Hulan

My name is John Maher and as a Chair of the Centre for Newfoundland and Labrador Studies I want to offer from South East Technological University a Céad Mile Fáilte, (ar ais don ceathrú uair) augus míle buiochas to Professor Raymond Blake for being a speaker at the inaugural Three Sisters Lecture Series. The 2024 series marks 75 years since Newfoundland and Labrador joined Canada in 1949, following two referenda in the previous year.

We are deeply grateful to the Canadian Embassy in Ireland for their support for this lecture series and for the insightful remarks of chargé d’affaires Elizabeth Rice Maden regarding the depth and breadth of the relationship across communications, flight, literature, politics and trade between our peoples over the last 5 centuries. Thanks to David Kyffin for your cooperation in obtaining this commitment Thank you, Kieran Cronin for hosting this lecture on behalf of the Luke Wadding library and its outreach programme to the community in SETU and its hinterland.

Professor Veronica Campbell our University’s president, has commended the organisation of this series. She has expressed her sincere gratitude to the guest lecturers for giving of their time and expertise as our students and community explore Canadian themes of the selected topics. She warmly acknowledged the support of the Canadian Embassy, and the recognition this gives to the connections between Ireland and Canada, and between the South East and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Professor Raymond Blake holds the chair of History at the University of Regina Saskatchewan. His work is focused on 20th century politics, nationalism and identity, citizenship, and federalism, He has participated in numerous conferences of the Association of Canadian Studies in Ireland and twice held the visiting Craig Dobbin chair of Canadian Studies at UCD. He has published widely

in historical journals and books, the most recent of which is entitled Canada’s Prime Ministers and the Shaping of a National Identity from UBC press. His research has been supported by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada: its purpose is to recognise academic leaders who will help build a better future in Canada and around the world through their scholarship, and engagement with wider society.

Professor Blake will deliver his presentation and stimulate our thinking. He would welcome further discussion on its conclusion. We appreciate the initiative of Kieran Cronin for assembling a set of reading guides for this series. These you may avail of for further exploration and inquiry in the weeks and months ahead.

Beannachtaí na nDéise ort, Raymond, augus bainfaimid taitneamh as do shaothar gan scoth.

John Maher
Chair of the Centre for Newfoundland and Labrador Studies

Contact details

Mr John Maher

Department of accounting & economics
South East Technological University

Executive Director - International Council for Canadian Studies

Council Member Association of Canadian Studies in Ireland

Email: john.maher@setu.ie