Are we American?

Examining the nature of star making in Canada will be just one piece of the puzzle when academics, policy makers, media celebrities and industry executives gather at McGill this week for "Are We American?" a conference to discuss culture at the crossroads in the age of globalization, the Internet and the iPod. Will Straw, communications professor and acting director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, said he was curious to see how changing immigration patterns, the North American Free Trade Agreement and globalization are reshaping both the Canadian cultural identity and those of its nearest neighbours. From Feb. 13-15 at the Hotel Omni Mont-Royal, the conference gathers together some heavy hitters in arts, policy making, media, academia and business from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, all of whom are currently involved in Canadian cultural products and their circulation throughout North America.