Collection consists of records available in multiple formats relating to the 14-lecture series "Canadian-American Relations: Perspectives on the Columbia River Treaty" held at Simon Fraser University in 1974.

The Columbia River Treaty was an agreement between Canada and the United States for flood control and the construction of dams for the generation of hydroelectricity. Four dams were constructed - three in Canada (Mica, Arrow, and Duncan) and one in the United States (Libby). The treaty was signed in 1961 but was not ratified by the Canadian Parliament. The treaty was so controversial that a Protocol was drawn up, which eventually defined the monetary terms and operational procedures without changing any of the physical plan. The Protocol was agreed upon in 1964.

The lecture series was organized through the combined efforts of the Canadian Studies Program, the Department of Continuing Studies, and the Alumni Association and was chaired by Professor George Cook of the History Department. Each lecture was given by a person who had been closely connected to the Columbia River Treaty. Admission to attend the lectures was free. All lectures were held in the East Concourse Cafeteria, SFU (Burnaby campus).

Collection consists of audio recordings of the Columbia River Treaty lecture series advertised by Simon Fraser University as "a series of talks and panels designed to increase public understanding of this issue in Canadian-American relations on the international, national, regional and local levels and from the political, legal, economic, geographic and social aspects." The collection also consists of transcripts compiled by BC Hydro (Dania Robinson) in 2011 from the audio recordings of the Columbia River Treaty lecture series. Due to variable audio quality, the transcripts are not a full disclosure of the lectures. Researchers are advised to review access copies of the original audio recordings.

Document types include reel to reel, audio cassette tapes, digital (mp3 format) as well as transcripts (paper and PDF formats) of the audio recordings.

Journalist Peter Stursberg interviewed Hugh Keenleyside as part of an oral history project for the Parliamentary Library and the National Archives of Canada. Dr. Keenleyside was a former chair of the B.C. Power Commission and played an important role in the development of hydroelectric power in B.C.

The collection consists of three files containing the complete transcripts of two interviews.

Fonds consists of business records relating to the management and operation of BC Rail, when Mac Norris worked for the company. Records include reports, financial information, board materials, press releases, speeches, and correspondence.

James W. Wilson was a Professor of Geography at SFU, who had served as the first executive director of the Lower Mainland Regional Planning Board and a relocation planner for the Columbia River Power Project in B.C.

Collection consists of records and publications collected by James W. Wilson concerning the work of the Lower Mainland Regional Planning Board. Also includes materials about the resettlement project that B.C. Hydro carried out during the Columbia River Project. Includes personal memoirs written by Dr. Wilson as well as annual reports, minutes, newsletters, essays, correspondence, notes, books, surveys, newspaper clippings, and photographs.

The fonds consists of records relating to the life of W.A.C. Bennett. Documented are his personal life, business ventures, community service, club affiliations, and political activities, including his terms as Member of the Legislative Assembly for South Okanagan, and as Premier of British Columbia.

Personal records consist of early correspondence and household records, as well as material which documents W.A.C. Bennett's association with freemasonry and his fundraising activities with organizations such as the Salvation Army.

Business records consist of material relating to Bennett Hardware, Bennett’s Stores, and Calona Wines.

Political records refer to Bennett's tenure as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for South Okanagan, as Premier and as leader of the Opposition. Also relevant are records referring to the passage of a number of Municipal Acts and Bennett’s relationship with Federal politics.

Records include correspondence, advertisements, minutes, annual reports, telegrams, itineraries, schedules, financial statistics, financial statements, petitions, questionnaires, resolutions, reports, speeches, press releases, proposals, maps, plans, charts, file notes, memoranda, newspaper clippings, scrap books, ephemera, photographs, audio recordings, film reels, and video cassettes.