The High Commission of Canada brings “Canada Down Under” to Hobart for a series of free public
events from Monday 16 – Wednesday 18 February, 2015.
There are many synergies between Canada’s involvement in the Arctic and Australia’s involvement
in the Antarctic, and as Australia’s gateway to the Southern Ocean, Hobart is the ideal location for
a series of events to highlight these connections.
Several of the High Commission of Canada’s “Canada Down Under” events will be held at the
University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), an internationally
recognised centre of excellence for marine and Antarctic research and education.
“Canada Down Under” events (detailed below) include the opening of an Arctic photographic
exhibition, a free documentary film screening, a Study in Canada information session for high
school students, an academic workshop, a ceremony for the Monument to Exiles from the
Canadian Rebellion, and a lecture on Sir John Franklin, former Lieutenant Governor of Van
Diemen’s Land, Lady Franklin, and the HMS Erebus, discovered in 2014 in the Canadian Arctic.
Canada’s Arctic: Vibrant and Thriving – Photography Exhibition
Monday 16 – Friday 27 February | Exhibition Space, IMAS
This travelling, bilingual exhibition of contemporary photographs of the Canadian Arctic from
Canadian Geographic Magazine provides a glimpse into the lives of Northerners, and offers
perspectives on the environment and activities that influence the diverse circumpolar region.
Canada’s Arctic: Vibrant and Thriving will be on display with free admission, bringing the beauty of
Canada’s North to an Australian audience, and telling the story of how Canada is working with its
partners in the Arctic Council (for which it holds the Chair from 2013-2015) to ensure economic and
environmental development and sustainability during this time of unprecedented opportunity and
growth.
Kinngait: Riding Light into the World – Film Screening
5:30PM Monday 16 February | Aurora Lecture Theatre, IMAS
Kinngait: Riding Light into the World is a unique Canadian documentary telling how the isolated
Inuit community of Cape Dorset located at the tip of Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of
Nunavut, Canada, became the internationally celebrated art capital of the North. Weaving together
many voices with images of iconic artworks, the film is a captivating chronicle of how art making
replaced fur-trapping in the 1950s. Kinngait: Riding Light into the World details the enduring
relationships between the artists and their network of supporters.
Tickets are available for free via registration at: https://eventbrite.com/event/15194956524/
Study in Canada – Information Evening
6:00PM Monday 16 February | Conference Centre, The Hutchins School
The quality of education and living standards in Canada are amongst the highest in the world, and
the cost of living and tuition fees for international students are generally lower than in other
countries. Canada is often the preferred choice for students attending college or university, and is
also a popular destination for gap year placements and working holidays.
Tasmanian high school students, parents, teachers and career counsellors are cordially invited to
attend this free information session to hear about the benefits of studying and travelling in Canada.
Australian Canadian Ocean Research Network (ACORN) – Academic Workshop
Tuesday 17-Wednesday 18 February | IMAS, University of Tasmania
This workshop titled Polar Marine Species at Risk: Canadian and Australian Responses will
include six academics from Dalhousie University, and Australian researchers from the University of
Tasmania (IMAS), the University of Sydney, The Australian National University, Macquarie
University and the University of Western Australia. While the workshop will be closed for
participants only, ACORN plans to publish the papers presented, adding to the body of previous
research collaborations between Canadian and Australian ACORN members.
Ceremony for the Monument to the Exiles from the Canadian Rebellion
2:00PMTuesday 17 February | Corner of Sandy Bay Road and Marieville Esplanade
In partnership with the Hobart City Council, the High Commission of Canada will hold a ceremony
for the re-erection of the Monument to the Exiles from the Canadian Rebellion of 1840 in Hobart.
This monument was originally unveiled in 1970, by the Honourable Douglas Harkness, former
Minister of National Defence of Canada, to mark the 130th anniversary of the landing of the
Canadian exiles from the uprising of the 1837-38 in Upper Canada in Van Diemen’s Land. The
High Commission’s ceremony in 2015 will mark the 175th anniversary of this event.
Franklin Discovery – Lecture Series
5:45PM Wednesday 18 February | Government House
With thanks to Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Kate Warner, Governor of Tasmania, the
High Commission of Canada will present the inaugural Franklin Discovery Lecture at Government
House in Hobart.
The lecture will be delivered by Dr Erika Behrisch Elce of the Royal Military College of Canada
whose work focuses on the letters of Lady Franklin concerning the search for the lost Franklin
expedition, Canadian Coast Guard Captain Bill Noon who led the Canadian expeditions in search
of the Franklin ships, and local historian Dr Alison Alexander, recipient of the 2014 National
Biography Award for her work “The Ambitions of Jane Franklin: Victorian lady adventurer”.
Speakers will focus on the Arctic exploration of Sir John Franklin, Lady Franklin’s role in the search
for her husband’s lost expedition, and the historical significance of the discovery.
Dr Elce and Captain Noon will travel to Canberra and Sydney to deliver the Franklin Discovery
Lecture Series at the Australian National University and University of Sydney following the
inaugural lecture in Hobart.
Download Flyer:
Canada_Down_Under_Days_Hobart_-_Events_Flyer.pdf
Sarah Malone, Public Affairs
