Ottawa, September 17, 2021
Update on federal election advocacy
On September 2, the CMA and 11 provincial and territorial museums associations issued an open letter urging all party leaders to prioritize our sector and commit to modernizing Canada’s outdated national museums policy. The letter included a short questionnaire asking the political parties to share their vision for Canada’s museums by September 13.
Following this united appeal, we received two responses:
- The Bloc Québécois completed the questionnaire and supported our call for an updated national museum policy, recognizing the key role of arts and culture.
- The Liberal Party stated that they were unable to respond in detail and referred us to review their platform for policy commitments.
We have not yet heard back from the Conservative Party, New Democratic Party, or Green Party.
While we are disappointed by the lack of responses, we also understand that this was a short campaign dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the parties’ focus has been getting out the vote.
What is important here is that we have made our priorities clear and this is just the start. Our entire community must continue to make the case for Canadian museums and heritage institutions and demand an updated national museums policy that reflects, supports, and enhances the vital role they play in Canadian society.
As a next step, the CMA is planning a pan-Canadian series of online roundtable consultations bringing our community together to develop a shared vision for what a national museum policy should look like. Stay tuned for more information.
Thank you to all our provincial and territorial association colleagues and all CMA members who shared the open letter and helped amplify our important message.
Massimo Bergamini
Executive Director & CEO
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