This article is an opinion piece that was written in collaboration with the Travel Committee. Its contents represent the standpoint of the authors and not UPF Lund or The Perspective’s editorial board. Additionally, all uncited claims and photos were taken from UPF’s trip to Canada.
Every year, the Travel Committee at Lund’s Association of Foreign Affairs arranges two international trips for the purpose of bringing its members out into the world. Neither my co-head Max nor I had ever been to Canada when we decided on it as our fall trip destination, but Canada has made international news a lot this year and its relations with the European Union are growing steadily closer.
When planning this trip, we sought out contrasts. Canada is rife with them, whether politically, linguistically, or even in terms of climate: we arrived to lovely fall weather and left in the middle of a snowstorm. To capture this variation, we decided to visit two cities: Ottawa and Montréal. In Ottawa, the primarily anglophone capital of Canada, half of the people sitting around you at a comedy show work for MPs, government agencies, or in various invisible roles that keep the political machine running. Walking around Parliament Hill felt like being transported back across the Atlantic to England, with its castle-like architecture and well-manicured lawns.
If Montréal bore any resemblance to England, it was specifically to Notting Hill, but only in parts. Stepping away from Montreal’s cosmopolitan city center and into the Plateau neighborhood meant swapping skyscrapers for rows of colorful townhouses, and noisy construction sites for small, rectangular neighborhood parks where the fall leaves hadn’t yet been raked off the paths.
We managed to capture Canadian society’s many facets in our site visits: a non-partisan think tank, two prestigious universities, repeated (for some of us) visits to the House of Commons, a hockey game, fine arts galleries, bagel places, and not least the quintessential visits to the Swedish embassy and Swedish enterprises. There are a lot of things that our group would love to tell you about, and I have stitched together some of their accounts of the trip here.
Best, Sabina Rameke
Montréal, Québec
Floor Kuper — The Season of Colours: It was my first time in Montréal, and I would not hesitate to go back in the future. The autumn colours made the city feel like a painting! To anyone considering a trip, I would definitely recommend visiting in October or November as we did. At this time, the city is decked out in full autumn splendor and it is not too cold yet. There is so much to see and to do, from attending a hockey game to the amazing thrifting and art scene. I think Montréal would be a really exciting destination for an exchange!
Simon Vassal — Friends Without Borders: Of the many memorable moments from the trip, one in particular stands out. We had some food at a Mexican restaurant, and while we were there, two women and a man started talking to us. They asked where we were from, and we told them that we were all from Europe, though from different countries. The man joked, “Wow, and you’re still talking to each other!” It made us all laugh, but the comment also stayed with me. In a world that can often feel divided, his remark was a reminder of how meaningful it is when people from different places connect and communicate.
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Simon Vassal — Protecting Linguistic Identity in Québec: I knew beforehand that French is the primary language in Québec, but I did not fully grasp how much the government actively seeks to preserve this status through specific laws. For example, businesses are required to use French first on signage and in communications. This highlights how Canada’s provinces manage their own internal governance to a significant degree.
Emilie Osland — Rising Tuition Tensions at McGill: Since McGill is an English-speaking university, its interests sometimes clash with the provincial government’s efforts to prioritize French-speaking institutions. One of the ways that the government has advanced its priorities is by raising tuition fees for international and non-Québec students. So far, McGill has been covering part of the extra cost to support its students, but this is becoming increasingly unsustainable. Students have expressed concern that the university will soon no longer have the financial capacity to subsidize these rising costs, which could limit access for future international students and affect the diversity that defines McGill today.
Floor Kuper — Insights from a Canadian Think Tank: Visiting the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) as our first stop of the trip was perfect, because we were able to lay a great foundation for the rest of our visits. Charles Breton, Executive Director of the Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation at IRPP, welcomed us with open arms. He spoke passionately about topics such as bilingualism in Montréal, Canada’s ever-evolving relationship with the US and the Civil Code of Québec, which includes a law requiring spouses to keep their own name after marriage. On top of that, we got to learn more about the organizational structure of IRPP and its past and current research projects. It was both helpful and inspiring to take this knowledge on board during the rest of the trip!
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Max Ulander — Canada’s Favorite Pastime: On the evening of November 4th, we had the privilege of watching the Montreal Canadiens host the Philadelphia Flyers at the 22,000-capacity Centre Bell. Following a slow start, “The Habs” eventually found their rhythm and completed an impressive comeback to force overtime. While luck wasn’t on their side in the shootout, it was an entertaining game of hockey that ebbed and flowed, full of momentum swings. Our contact at the IRPP described Montreal fans as the “best fans in the NHL,” and although the Canadiens couldn’t deliver a complete performance on the night, the crowd more than lived up to its reputation. The energy inside the Centre Bell was electric from start to finish!
Emilie Osland — Indigenous Voices and Colonial Legacies: Coming on this Canada trip, I was eager to explore colonial history and Indigenous issues. These themes proved especially striking throughout our trip even though we did not have the opportunity to meet with any specific actors related to these topics. In Montréal, the Maisonneuve Monument caught my attention: the Indigenous figure at its base had been dressed in a costume Native American feathered headpiece, while the other figures remained untouched — a subtle reminder of how Indigenous identities are often symbolically altered in public representations. Visiting the Kent Monkman exhibition was both refreshing and impressive; his bold reinterpretations of Western art powerfully reclaim Indigenous narratives. At an Indigenous art gallery in Montreal, a member of the staff commented, “The natives must move on from the past for there to be any change.” Hearing this in a space dedicated to Indigenous art and history was unexpected, as it seemed to overlook the ongoing systemic issues that continue to affect communities. It prompted me to reflect on how perspectives within societies can differ and how the legacies of colonialism are still very much alive today.
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Ottawa, Ontario
Simon Vassal — Stepping into Ottawa: Being in the anglophone part of Canada after spending several days in Québec was a fascinating contrast. Walking around Parliament Hill and experiencing Canada’s political life up close is something I will always associate with Ottawa.
Daniela Agostinho — Contrasting Cities: Montréal was lively and energetic, while Ottawa felt calm and structured. That contrast made the trip memorable.
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Elin Wendt — Remembrance: It also got closer to Remembrance Day, so everywhere we went, we could see people wearing red poppies on their jackets and shirts—a sign of respect for veterans and fallen soldiers.
Daniela Agostinho — Making Connections: Visiting Saab Canada as students coming from Sweden was really interesting. We went to a well structured workshop followed by a networking session with students from Carleton University and their professors. I learned a lot about Canada and Sweden’s partnership in the defence sector as Arctic neighbours. All the staff were very welcoming and happy to answer our questions.
Simon Vassal — Clashing Perspectives: Visiting Saab and learning about their work, and then meeting a soldier who had served in the Canadian military for 16 years a few days later , gave me two very different perspectives on the topic of what the military represents and its role in society. While Saab focuses on producing military equipment and highlighted career opportunities amid increasing global security challenges, the soldier spoke openly about his experiences and expressed clear reservations about joining the military. Overall, I got the impression that Canada’s relationship with its military differs from what I have seen in European countries. The strong military presence during our stay was partly due to Veterans Week, but even beyond that, there are many monuments dedicated to honoring soldiers and military history.
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Simon Vassal — Diplomacy in Practice at the Swedish Embassy: It was interesting to learn how an embassy operates, especially as they were preparing for a visit from the Swedish royals. At the Swedish embassy, we discussed similarities and differences between Sweden and Canada. Later, a Swedish diplomat shared insights on his work, his experiences abroad, and the context of the recent US shutdown along with related political developments.
Emilie Osland — The Lives of Diplomats: One of the highlights was speaking with the embassy’s intern, a Swedish law student from Lund University. She shared what it was like to work there during such a significant moment and gave us personal insights that made the experience feel even more special. Leaving the embassy, it felt like we had not just learned something new, but witnessed a small part of Sweden-Canada relations as they are being shaped today.
Floor Kuper — Defending the Dollars: One of my favorite parts of the trip was attending the Question Period at the House of Commons in Ottawa. We were fortunate with the timing, because the government had just proposed a new budget. This led to a fiery but interesting hour of critical questions and discussions. It was special to watch politicians live in action, especially in a country where English, French and Indigenous languages are all represented.
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Emilie Osland — Bilingual Politics Up Close: Members of Parliament switched effortlessly between English and French, and with the built-in earpieces, we could choose our preferred language and follow the real-time translations as the debate unfolded. After the one-hour session, we coincidentally met some of the youth working with Hansard, the official transcript service of Parliament. They explained how they help ensure every word spoken in the chamber is accurately recorded, even when the room becomes noisy or multiple MPs speak at once. Hearing about their behind-the-scenes work gave us an unexpected and fascinating look at the machinery that keeps parliamentary democracy transparent and accessible.
Elin Wendt — The Work of Parliament: The question period in the House of Commons was a very exciting part of the trip. It was an amazing opportunity to see real parliamentarians in action, debating and defending their arguments for and against the newly proposed budget. It was also a chance for us to compare how the parliament works to the Swedish Riksdag, revealing both similarities and differences.
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Max Ulander — Parting Words: During our last evening in Canada, we all reconvened for dinner. It was a moment filled with joy and laughter, but also with quiet remorse, knowing that our time in Canada — and our time together — was coming to an end. It is hard to believe that prior to the trip most of us were complete strangers, but by that final evening, true bonds had been formed.
Echoing the poignant words of Simon Vassal, it is truly important that we take the time to communicate with one another. I believe that communication is the key to unlocking a multicultural understanding, and I am deeply grateful that all participants on the trip took this opportunity to heart, engaging with Canadians from all walks of life. In addition to our enlightening official visits, this gave us real insight into how Canadian society looks and functions in 2025. It is large, diverse and not without its division, but when it truly matters, it is able to come together and fight for what is right.
As we return home, we carry with us not only memories; but also new questions, friendships, and a broader sense of what it means to engage with the world beyond our borders. Thank you, Canada, you were a pleasure!
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By Sabina Rameke, Max Ulander, Emilie Osland, Floor Kuper, Simon Vassal, Daniela Agostinho and Elin Wendt
December 9, 2025
