Join us Thurs., Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. in the PUB Quiet Dining Room (9208) for a talk by James Hill, Consul General, Canada. This event is free and open to the public.

The United States and Canada share two borders and their bilateral relationship is one of the closest and most extensive in the world. It is reflected in the high volume of bilateral trade–more than $2 billion a day in goods and service; the fact that the two countries have one of the world’s largest investment relationships; and in people-to-people contact–about 300,000 people cross between the countries every day. In fields ranging from security and law enforcement to environmental protection to free trade, the two countries work closely together on multiple levels, from federal to local.

Canada and the U.S. cooperate on continental defense, transboundary environmental and water issues, and on international high seas governance initiatives. They are both founding members of the Arctic Council. They are both members of numerous multilateral political, military, and economic fora, including the United Nations, NATO, WTO, NAFTA, G7, G20, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Organization of American States, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

But do they see eye to eye on every international issue? There is a tendency of Americans to take Canada for granted – “they are just like us, aren’t they?” While the two nations do share many basic values and cooperate in many spheres, Canada does have interests and perspectives that at times are at odds with the United States.

Join us in exploring Canada’s worldview  with the current Consul General of Canada in Seattle, James Hill. See more details on Consul Hill.

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Join us this Thurs., Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. in the PUB Quiet Dining Room (9208) for a talk on the complex relationship between Guatemala and the U.S. by John Hamilton, U.S. Ambassador (retired).

Guatemala has a complex national identity: more than 40% of the population is indigenous Maya, 73% of whom live in poverty, many in extreme poverty. It also has a complicated relationship with other countries, especially the United States, often characterized as “close but strained.”

During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a set of peace agreements formally ending the internal conflict, which had left more than 200,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, about 1 million refugees.

The 1996 peace accords removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and since then Guatemala has pursued important political and military reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force in July 2006, spurring increased investment and diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports.  At the same time, it has experienced high rates of criminal violence, drug trafficking and substantial out-migration, including by unaccompanied minors.

Join us for a discussion of Guatemala with former U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala, John Hamilton,   See more details about the speaker.

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