Last weekend, 12 members of Notre Dame's Student International Business Council traveled to Windsor, Canada to fulfill the SIBC mission statement of "Peace through Comm-erce." Members of both the Finance and Global Develo-pment divisions participated in the International Political Economy project, a semiannual event highlighted by a debate about an international topic that is both globally and economic-centered, junior and co-director of the International Political Economy project Matt Walsh said."The debate is more than a debate," Walsh said. "In a way it is a diplomatic statement that our two countries, especially young students form both countries, can work together to have an intellectual discussion about issues that will affect us in the future as well as now."This semester's topic was whether the political and economic rise of China will positively or negatively affect North America in the future. The students of the hosting school, the University of Windsor, took the negative side and won the debate.Notre Dame has hosted University of Windsor students in the fall semester the past two years. The relationship with the Canadian commuter school was established from a former Notre Dame SIBC member from Canada.Although the teams were serious about the debate, relations were friendly between the schools. Notre Dame students attended a wine and cheese party and a dinner with the University of Windsor group. "It seemed like they [the University of Windsor students] were genuinely glad to host us," said freshman Jack Millhouse, a member of SIBC's Finance and Accounting divisions. "They treated us well."The debate weekend also grants the students exposure to experienced members of the International Political Economy field. This year, judges of the debate included professors and deans of the University of Windsor as well as a Ford Corporation executive.Notre Dame faculty member and SIBC advisor Susan Soisson accompanied the students on the trip.
