Evidence of meeting #20 for Canadian Heritage in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:15 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
I don't remember receiving such a request. We sometimes receive requests from other countries, but we can't...
4:15 p.m.
Bloc
4:15 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
We did not receive any request from this museum.
In order to have an exposition in other countries or to lend artifacts, we cannot act alone because that is not our mandate. We have to work in tandem with the Department of External Affairs.
4:15 p.m.
Bloc
Maka Kotto Bloc Saint-Lambert, QC
The request was officially made to Canada, but did not reach you directly. There was a communication problem.
Thank you very much.
4:15 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Are there any more questions?
4:15 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
That's very interesting. I was quite thrilled to see the artwork in the Gatineau office. The first time I saw it, I wasn't there as an art connoisseur. I was working for Algonquins of Barriere, and we occupied the building. Since we spent the entire day waiting to speak with the minister, we were able to visit the exhibits, and they were quite interesting.
A lot of people haven't seen the art, and it is quite a collection. Is there a long-term plan to expose our Canadian population to it, or to house it in a permanent museum that's accessible? Is there a plan?
4:15 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
There are plans being talked about for a national aboriginal art gallery. It coincides with the 2010 Expo in Vancouver. I haven't seen anything in the last year. I know that in the last discussions artists were saying that it would be good for us to loan works to them.
4:15 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I'll go back a bit to the politics of INAC. It's nothing against your colleagues, but I found that over the years Indian Affairs has been brutally inefficient on basic things like first nations health, elders, seniors, you name it. Everything falls through the cracks. I'm very surprised to see such a well- planned, efficient delivery of service in the arts area.
Are you there as a bureaucrat or as an artistic director? How did you find your way into the Kafkaesque world that is INAC?
4:15 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
First of all, I'm aboriginal. I'm Mi'gmaq from Listuguj first nations in Quebec. My passion for the arts has been with me for 40 years. I'm almost 60 and about to retire. I hope I find somebody with the same passion to work in this area.
Indian and Northern Affairs is part of my life and has always been. It hasn't been that difficult to work there. For some reason, the support we get from the aboriginal community is astounding. They bring me gifts, they talk to me. When chiefs come to see the minister, a lot of times they'll come and see me. It's not just me; it's what's there. They want to see the collection. They want to make sure that we're responsible for it and that we're taking good care of it. That connection is so important.
It's not just first nations; it's everyone, including Métis. There is an Inuit woman from Igloolik. She had an exhibition in 2005, which she helped put together. It was quite touching for her, because she saw photographs that Indian and Northern Affairs had collected of Inuit for 50 years. When she saw one of them, she broke down in tears and told us that this was the only photograph she had of a daughter who had been killed in front of her. It was emotional. That kind of connection is with people, and that's what keeps the place going.
4:15 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
You mentioned your connection with the Canada Council for the Arts. I know the important role Canada Council plays in helping to encourage new talent. Do you have any connection with the jury process, in choosing who gets support at Canada Council? Do you have any of that sort of cross-fertilization, or is it completely separate?
4:15 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
It's completely separate. Sometimes they will ask me to sit on juries because of the specialty I have, but it's a separate operation.
4:15 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
They would consider bringing you in for the juries, because of your expertise?
4:15 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Yes, or we will recommend people for specialties they're not aware of.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
Thank you for coming and speaking to us today. This is all new to me. It's the first time I've had any idea of what's involved in the collection of Indian and Inuit art in Canada.
You referred to something like $458,000 going to the Inuit Art Foundation.
4:20 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
That's right.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
4:20 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
I had to go over it quickly because I didn't have much time.
The Inuit Art Foundation was set up to take over the marketing and promotions that Indian and Northern Affairs was doing in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. By the time the northern programs were developed and had begun devolving to Nunavut during its creation, the Inuit Art Foundation was already in existence. They did a magazine called Inuit Art Quarterly, which is still published.
Canadian dealers in Inuit art asked that the department fund this organization to help them market and promote Inuit art. They've been doing it for 20 years now. They're located on Merivale Road and have a great website. I wanted to bring you some information, but it was only available in English and Inuktitut, so I couldn't bring it in.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
4:20 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
For core funding.
4:20 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
It's for administration and board meetings—because they have to bring Inuit representatives from the north for meetings—and the publication of Indian Art Quarterly, and for a training program for urban Inuit in the arts.
4:20 p.m.
Manager, Indian and Inuit Art Centres, Corporate Services Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Just Inuit art, yes.
