April 26, 2007

Human Rights Museum Gets A Big Boost

The proposed Human Rights Museum, planned to open in 2010 in Winnipeg, moved one step closer to reality with the Prime Minister’s April 20 announcement that it will be given national status and federal operating funding.

This is on top of the federal government’s $100 million capital investment. The total capital is expected to be $311 million, and operating costs are expected to be about $22 million per year.

“The Human Rights Museum is a bold, exciting new museum,” said John McAvity, CMA executive director. “It is a museum about ideas and ideals. CMA has long supported the Human Rights Museum. It is encouraging that the federal government recognizes that important museums exist outside Ottawa in other communities; this is an important step in the evolution of museum policy in Canada.”

CMA is pleased to see new federal investment in museums; however, it remains critically important to address the needs of existing museums across the country. CMA continues to urge the government to introduce a new museums policy. CMA has presented policy recommendations to Heritage Minister Bev Oda, and the government. “We hope the government will adopt the same enthusiasm for museums in communities across Canada that it has for this new national museum in Winnipeg,” said McAvity.

As the Human Rights Museum news was announced in Winnipeg, the Senate of Canada was holding hearings about one exhibit panel at the new Canadian War Museum, which has offended some veterans. The CWM had the panel reviewed by an independent jury of historians and is standing by the original wording on the panel. Like all federal museums, the CWM is at arm’s length from government, and should be free from political interference, to ensure impartiality and independent decision-making.

Museums play an important role as a public forum for debate, and as such, must remain objective, independent, and accountable for the information they convey. CMA supports this independent role, and urges the government to ensure that the new Human Rights Museum is also guaranteed this responsibility.

“It is important that these national, publicly funded institutions are able to serve the public and carry out their mandates free from political interference,” said McAvity.

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For more information:
Naomi Grattan
Director of Communications
Canadian Museums Association
ngrattan@museums.ca
613-567-0099 x223

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