Canadian Heritage Committee on April 20th, 2007

[Kealy Wilkinson]

The CBC museum?

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Yes.

[Kealy Wilkinson]

Yes, it's on the ground floor as you walk in from Wellington Street, and if you're going to be visiting there today, you might well just pass by. It has an exhibition facility on that floor, and then if you go through the atrium in the first level sub-ground there is another small exhibition facility, storage space, and offices where everything is managed from.

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

And you were saying you just don't have the funds to...? Are you up against limitations on--

[Kealy Wilkinson]

I must make it clear, sir, we are in fact not representing the CBC broadcast museum itself. We are a different foundation, but we do have a great concern for the future of the CBC museum because of the artifacts it holds, and--

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

What is the nature of your concern, that they don't have enough money?

[Kealy Wilkinson]

They do not have sufficient resources in which to properly exhibit and preserve the material they have. And currently, of course, they're in a situation where they will be losing 100% of their staff, so there is no--

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Here's my question. If the government were to give more money to CBC, of course, because it's an arm's-length organization, the government would not be directing the funds and then breaking it down and saying that of this extra $100 million, please give $1 million to the museum in the CBC building, and so on. You just can't do that. I would think the top management at CBC would say they need that extra money for programming, and so on.

It would seem to me an interesting suggestion that this collection, which is invaluable, which is extraordinary and linked to our history and culture, should perhaps be transferred to the Museum of Civilization in order to be properly funded, and for all Canadians to see when they come to the national capital.

What do you think about that? And I don't want to put you on the spot. You can say you have no comment.

[Kealy Wilkinson]

There are a variety of resolutions for this kind of thing. In the event that the CBC is determined to be an ongoing and significant member of the heritage community, I think there are obviously ways in which the Government of Canada can preserve that kind of position and ongoing activity.

If, on the other hand, it's felt that there are proper resolutions and better resolutions for the amount of material that it currently holds and will obviously collect in the future, then I think that, too, will have to be addressed, either legislatively or with direction from the Government of Canada.

One of the solutions could be in fact a mariage de convenance with another heritage institution of that kind. But so far that has not occurred. And the fact is that we stand in jeopardy of losing a great deal of material because there has in fact been no direction.

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

I agree, and I thank you for bringing that up, because sometimes these important issues get lost in the broader discussion.

Thank you.

[David Taylor]

If I might respond further to that, I don't want you to think that our interest is only in the museum--

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

I don't, no.

[David Taylor]

--exclusively that, or in the wardrobe area, which you will see is resplendent with wonderful costuming. But tucked away in the archives departmentally are treasure troves of important Canadian cultural artifacts.

So when we talk about a strategy, we really mean that somehow there needs to be some very good strategic thought put to how we deal with what is there, because we understand it's really not the business of the CBC. How do we deal with what's there so it's not lost, and then how do we get it to a point where it's accessible to Canadians? And there's the issue of the continuing evolution of that collection, because today is tomorrow's history.

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

I would suggest, Mr. Chair, if I may, that part of our report, or one recommendation, should be dedicated to that issue, especially since we did not produce a museums study.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

That'll be noted.

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Thank you.

[Tina Keeper, Liberal, Churchill, MB]

Do we have time for another question?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

I don't think we do. This is what happens. Questions turn into debate, and that's good. That's what we're here for.

But we'll move on to a very short question from Ms. Bourgeois.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

My question is to Ms. Wilkinson. Your foundation began its activities in 1994. On whom do you depend?

[Kealy Wilkinson]

We depend on the broadcast industry, by and large. We are supported by private and public broadcasters, in the main. It was an initiative generated principally by broadcasters who came together and recognized that there was a significant problem developing around the issue of broadcast heritage. There didn't appear to be a resolution, so we were funded basically to begin development of the national broadcast collection and to examine options for development, eventually, of a museum of Canadian broadcasting.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

I would like you to be more specific and tell me who asked you to establish the Canadian Broadcasting Museum Foundation: was it broadcasters, the government, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation?

[Kealy Wilkinson]

Basically, it was an initiative launched originally by the AFBS, Actra Fraternal Benefit Society, and then drew in public broadcasters, private broadcasters, such as CTV and cable broadcasters, and those sorts of things.

I should note, however, that I may have misled you. We were actually launched as a foundation in 2000 and granted charitable status in 2001.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

In the brief you submitted, I see that one of the members of the board of directors Cecil Rabinovitch, who is a consultant. Is that a man or a woman? Is he or she related to Mr. Rabinovitch?

[Kealy Wilkinson]

Yes, she is in fact. She is a heritage expert and the wife of the current president of the CBC.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

What did CBC say in response to Ms. Rabinovitch's concerns, since she is a heritage expert?