Thirty-seven professors, researchers, young scholars and graduate students participated through the cluster in the First Symposium of the PWFC. The cluster took part in Symposium activities including:

• Discussion of the priorities for research of government agencies, with comments on the medium term policy issues and research gaps set out by the Human Resources and Social Development Canada.
   
• Presentation of papers in panel sessions spotlighting population, family and life course research.
   
• Poster session with 15 posters from research of established and young scholars.
   
• A book launch: “Canada’s Changing Families: Implications for Individuals and Society”, an outcome of the SSHRC-funded strategic project, Family Transformation and Social Cohesion.
   
• Life Course Framework and Associated Policies, a paper of invited guest, Frans Willekens, Director of the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI) - who was unable to attend - was presented by a cluster member, Rajulton Fernando.
   
• A roundtable discussion on Research Direction: Well-Being and Participation Over the Life-Course  organized by Human Resources and Social Development Canada.

For the program and presentations given at the Symposium, see the PWFC Symposium page of the Policy Research Initiative website.