Ottawa

Abstract

“Ottawa” signifies all sorts of meanings for all sorts of people. For many, it is the name of Canada’s capital city and the river whose waters flow behind the Parliament Buildings, or a favored tourist destination, or perhaps a necessary research destination. For some, especially during an election cycle or at tax time, it is also a name conveying a mix of condescension and revulsion. Perhaps the least well-known “Ottawa” is the city that is home for almost one million people. Before, during, and after the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Historical Association, which opens at Carleton University on Monday, May 25 and ends Wednesday,May 27, there will be ample time to explore both the official and the vernacular Ottawa which, together, make the city a place worth exploring or exploring a new. Indeed, this year’s conference theme, “Authority in the Past, Authority of the Past” owes much to the city’s official and vernacular cultures, and as Program Chair it is my hope that time spent traipsing around the city will extend the conference experience, deepen it, and make your time in Ottawa even more enjoyable. I cannot offer a money-back guarantee, but I can offer some reasons for why I think this is the case.