Ottawa, May 29, 2012 — Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Carleton University have signed an agreement to transfer the Metropolis Secretariat to Carleton where it will continue its work in the field of international migration and population diversity.
“I am pleased to see Metropolis find a new home at Carleton University,’’ said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. “It was always intended to have Metropolis establish itself as an independent think-tank. Metropolis should be proud of what it has accomplished over the last 16 years and I hope it will continue to flourish at Carleton University.”
The federal department began discussions some months ago to transfer the Secretariat as an independent Metropolis research centre on the university’s campus which will be located within the forthcoming Carleton Institute of International Studies. Under the continuing leadership of Howard Duncan as Executive Head, the work of Metropolis will include academic research with a focus on policy and will involve collaborations within Carleton, across Canada and around the world.
Metropolis will continue to manage the International Metropolis Conference, which attracts some 1,000 people and is regarded as one of the most important annual migration conference in the world. It will also continue to play a central role on the Metropolis International Steering Committee, establishing research partnerships, hosting meetings and events, and organizing international conferences.
“It is fitting that Carleton, which is already so strong in refugee, migration and diaspora studies, should carry on the fine work of the Metropolis Secretariat,’’ said Carleton President Roseann O’Reilly Runte. “This research and global networking is of immense benefit to policy-makers seeking to improve immigration policies and settlement programs.”
Andre Plourde, Dean of the Faculty of Public Affairs, said the partnership will be a cornerstone of the new Institute of International Studies and will enhance teaching in this area at Carleton, while providing support for the development of more courses and programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
“Carleton already has two active research centres on related issues and at least 25 undergraduate courses in 12 units across three faculties,” said Plourde. “But now, with this partnership, we are developing even more initiatives that will enhance research and teaching in this area.”
Follow us on Twitter (new window to unfollow or login):
twitter.com/CitImmCanada
Photos of Minister Kenney available at: www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/photos/high-res/index.asp.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Ana Curic
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
Howard Duncan
Executive Head
Metropolis
Carleton University
Howard_Duncan@carleton.ca
(613) 520-2600, ext. 3106
Steven Reid
Media Relations Adviser
Carleton University
Steven_Reid3@carleton.ca
(613) 520-2600, ext. 8718
Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada’s economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.
About Metropolis: Metropolis at Carleton University continues to support the longstanding Metropolis mandate of enhancing policy through research in the field of migration. With the other Metropolis offices in Amsterdam, Seoul, and Manila, Metropolis contributes to the global migration debate through the research that it stimulates at Carleton and elsewhere in the world, and through its numerous conferences, public lectures, and policy-research roundtables. It maintains the world’s largest network of academic researchers, government bodies, and NGOs in the field, chairs the Metropolis International Steering Committee, and manages the annual International Metropolis Conference. Metropolis at Carleton will stimulate research and policy discussions on migration and its effects on societies, including population diversity, economic effects, and geo-political effects. It will continue the expansion of Metropolis’s international network, and will offer research-based analysis and advice to organizations in this field of endeavour throughout Canada and the world.
