Michigan State University will host former Gov. James J. Blanchard as the first Canadian National Railway (CN) Distinguished Lecturer at the inaugural CN Forum Thursday, Oct. 6, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Kellogg Center Auditorium on the MSU campus. CN, Canada's largest freight railroad, has endowed an annual forum series focusing on policy issues concerning U.S.-Canada relations through MSU's Canadian Studies Center. Additional funding is provided by the Canadian Consulate General in Detroit and the MSU Institute of Public Policy and Social Research.

As the first CN Distinguished Lecturer, Blanchard will deliver a keynote address titled "Strengthening Canada-U.S. Relations." An MSU alumnus, Blanchard was named ambassador to Canada in May 1993 after serving two terms as Michigan governor (1983-1991) and four terms as a U.S. congressman (1975-1983). As ambassador, he managed a number of issues relative to both the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Open Skies Agreement. Additional speakers include: Dennis Schornack, International Joint Commission U.S. Section Chair; Rocco Delvecchio, Canadian Consul General; Eddie Francis, Mayor of Windsor, Ontario; Harry Whalen, Michigan Economic Development Corporation Senior Vice President; and Tim Hoeffner, Michigan Department of Transportation Policy Advisor.

The CN Forum is open to the public at no charge. For more detailed inforamtion, visit the Web at: www.cnforum.msu.edu or call (517) 353-9349.