SACKVILLE, NB — On Saturday, January 11, Mount Allison University’s Department of Politics and International Relations will host leading Canadian political scientists, economists, legal experts, sociologists, students, and policymakers for “New Brunswick Politics: A Canadian Microcosm — The Workshop.” This unique, bilingual, one-day event will critically examine the province’s political landscape and public policy since 2000, with an eye toward identifying lessons that can guide governance across the country.
 
“New Brunswick has a long tradition of pioneering governance and policy reform,” says workshop organizer and Mount Allison University professor Dr. Mario Levesque. “From early adoption of the secret ballot and voters’ registries to landmark social welfare renewal through the Equal Opportunity Program and Indigenous rights advancements, the province has consistently served as a testing ground for progressive policy initiatives. Now, amidst shifting provincial and federal dynamics, participants will be able to look back on the successes, challenges, and opportunities emerging from New Brunswick’s political and policy environment.”
 
Keynote speakers at the workshop will include Dr. Julia Woodhall-Melnik, Canada Research Chair in Resilient Communities at the University of New Brunswick Saint John, who will speak on “Housing Policy and Community Well-Being” and Dr. Joanna Everitt, Professor of Politics at the University of New Brunswick Saint John, who will present on “Drawing Broader Provincial Lessons from New Brunswick’s Experience”. Dr. Michelle Landry, the Canada Research Chair on Francophone Minorities and Power at l’Université de Moncton will also be in attendance, presenting on “L’Acadie in a New Century.”
 
Interactive sessions will cover topics such as Situating New Brunswick, The Challenges of Governing, and Governance & Public Policy. These sessions will feature expert panel discussions followed by an open Q&A, encouraging dialogue between academics, students, policymakers, and the public. A unique feature of the workshop is the feedback presenters will receive from attendees, which will inform the development of a forthcoming book, New Brunswick Politics: A Canadian Microcosm, to be published by the University of Toronto Press.
 
The event is free and open to the public, with media encouraged to attend for live coverage and interviews. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance at https://forms.gle/4hhYiswcjAb1sz5y7. Conference check-in opens at 9:30 a.m., with sessions running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Tweedie Hall in the Wallace McCain Student Centre at Mount Allison University.

People can also follow workshop updates on Instagram and Facebook pages. Here, you will find workshop goals, the itinerary, and profiles of all workshop participants and photos.
 
For media inquiries, please contact: Dr. Mario Levesque, Associate Professor & Head, Department of Politics & International Relations, Mount Allison University, malevesque@mta.ca