The organizing team proposes a theme that will permit our community to take the measure of its development over the past quarter century all while spanning the transition into the new millennium: Questions that count, a critical evaluation of historical archaeology in the 21^st century.

Come and explore this theme in the birthplace of French America, the Old Québec UNESCO World Heritage District. Québec City offers myriad opportunities to visit historic sites and world-class museums, to experience fine dining and to appreciate Old World charm in a New World setting. Should you want to warm up outside, you can go ice-skating in front of the fortifications, snowshoeing on the famous Plains of Abraham battlefield or, should you look for even more adventure, cross-country and down-hill skiing, snowmobiling or ice fishing in the boreal forest! Winter is an essential part of the Québec cultural experience.

The Québec City Tourism web site offers an overview of available activities (www.quebecregion.com/en). For specialized archaeological interests, it will be possible to visit the laboratories and collections of the major host institutions – the City of Québec, the provincial Culture and Communications Department (www.mcc.gouv.qc.ca), Laval University (www.laboarcheologie.ulaval.ca) and Parks Canada. Several archaeological interpretation centers will also be available for visits, including the renowned Centre d’interprétation de Place-Royale (www.mcq.org/en/cipr/index.html) or the Parks Canada network of facilities, particularly the World Heritage site fortifications in the Old Town (www.pc.gc.ca/eng).

The Old Town is a fascinating place in the snow and we extend you a warm welcome to discover it with us! But first meet with your colleagues from the Society for Historical Archaeology and the Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology in the Quebec Convention Center!

Conference logo

The Conference logo – a padlock and key – represents the vast store of important questions before us and the key to their identification. The logo was designed by Bussières communications. (Wrought iron key and padlock with brass escutcheon plate stamped SECURE; Finlay Market, Québec City (CeEt-137), 19^th Century; Place-Royale Archæological Reference Collection; Photo: Chantale Gagnon, Ville de Québec.)