This thesis investigates the issue of Canadian economic and cultural dependence upon the United States by focussing on the origins of the Simon Fraser University athletic program in the mid 1960's. Simon Fraser was chosen for this study because of the abrupt shift its athletic policy took from the traditional Canadian model of university athletics (no athletic scholarships, less commercialization) towards the dominant American model featuring athletic scholarships and professionalized coaching. The thesis examines the historical, economic and cultural context in which the university was situated and provides an overview of Canadian-American sporting relations in the commercial and non-commercial spheres. With regard to the Simon Fraser case study, a detailed outline of the development of athletics at the University of British Columbia, British Columbia's oldest and dominant university, will provide necessary background. As well, research centers upon how the SFU athletic program was initially created and who the key personnel were in its founding. The concluding chapter evaluates the implications of the Simon Fraser policy move in light of developments in government spending over the past two decades. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate