Embassy of the United States Ottawa, Canada

Ambassador Jacobson meets with participants from the Study Canada Summer Institute tour.

Today the Embassy welcomed K-12 educators from the 33rd annual Study Canada Summer Institute tour. Teachers from across the United States traveled to Ottawa to learn about Canada and find ways to bring knowledge about Canada to their classrooms.

Participants spent six days in Ottawa. While in the city, received briefings from the Cultural & Educational Affairs Officer and the Economic Officer on life in the Embassy and the Foreign Service. Additionally, they were given a presentation on Canada from Dr. Paul Storer, Western Washington University's Economics Department Chair. Dr. Storer gave a lecture on the U.S.-Canada trade relationship, and introduced various school project ideas for students that highlight the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world.

The tour also included a field trip to Montreal. While in that city, they met with Université du Québec à Montréal Political Science Professor Dr. Frédérick Gagnon. Dr. Gagnon gave the educators an overview of Québecois and French culture in Canada, thereby providing them not only with an insight into French Canadian culture, but also a broader understanding of Canada's rich history and cultural diversity. Dr. Gagnon is a State Alumnus, having participated in the Fulbright program at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Ambassador David Jacobson made a special visit with the K-12 Study Canada Summer Institute participants, and spoke to them about the important role that the Institute has in sharing knowledge of Canada with American students.