Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Members of the committee, good morning.
I am pleased to be able to meet with you today to discuss the role of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation in the commemorations leading up to Canada's 150th birthday.
The corporation comprises two museums of natural history: the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum. These two institutions preserve and share the heritage of Canada. They contribute to the promotion and reinforcement of the Canadian identity.
In 2011 the two museums combined welcomed more than 1.7 million visitors. As well, travelling exhibitions were presented in 14 Canadian cities, attracting over 300,000 visitors. Additionally, the websites of the two museums attracted another 2.4 million visitors.
Before speaking to you about our ideas and projects for “Canada 150”, I would like to talk a bit about the ways in which our two museums have commemorated important events in the past, and how we will continue to do so from now until 2017.
Each year, our museums mark important Canadian anniversaries in various ways, including exhibitions, public programming, performances, lectures and in other ways. Here are some important events we have highlighted over the last few years.
In partnership with our colleagues at the Canadian Museum of Nature, we are currently presenting an exhibition documenting the first Canadian scientific expedition to the far north. This expedition, which my colleague made reference to, took place from 1913 to 1916, and was a critically significant but relatively unknown event in the history of our country. The exhibition, entitled Expedition: Arctic, presents both the victories and the defeats of this adventure, demonstrating how it brought the far north and its people to the public eye. This historic expedition redrew the Arctic map and accumulated a wealth of knowledge on the environment and culture of the far north.
In 2007 the Canadian War Museum presented Afghanistan: A Glimpse of War. This groundbreaking exhibition examined Canada's role in the Afghan war at the time it was occurring, looking both at the history of our contribution to the war on terror and at the reconstruction of a country torn apart by many years of conflict. Each year, in November, the War Museum highlights the importance of Remembrance Day, and has become a much-visited venue for this solemn occasion.
In 2004 the Canadian Museum of Civilization participated in commemorations and anniversaries by presenting a major exhibition on life in New France to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first permanent European settlement in North America. The following year, the exhibition Acres of Dreams was produced to commemorate the centenaries of the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
My colleague has mentioned the Vancouver Olympics. In 2010 our museum presented with great success an exhibition at Richmond City Hall entitled Lace Up , which tells a story both ancient and contemporary of one of the oldest and most popular recreational sporting activities in the country: skating. This exhibition was visited by thousands during a very short time period.
This past October we hosted the government's launch of Women's History Month at the Canadian War Museum. As well, this past week we hosted the government's launch of Black History Month. Mr. Benskin, you and I met there that evening.
These are just a few examples of the types of commemorations we are able to organize to highlight important dates, while also raising awareness of our rich history.
Leading up to 2017, we are preparing and planning exhibitions that will increasingly focus on the exploration of Canadian history in its personal, national, and international dimensions. Exhibition programming will be anchored on major commemorative anniversaries and will favour projects that have national outreach components and that are developed in partnership with museums and cultural organizations across the country.
In the summer of this year, we will have two major exhibitions, one to commemorate the Queen's diamond jubilee, at the Museum of Civilization, and one for the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, at the War Museum. In subsequent years, an exhibition at the War Museum will feature the battles of World War I, and another at the Museum of Civilization will present the events that led to Confederation and the making of our country.
Several of these exhibitions are being created in partnership with other agencies and will travel across the country after their initial showing at the Museum of Civilization and the War Museum. All of them, along with several public programs, will be important steps on the road to 2017.
Last October, the corporation described projects commemorating the war of 1812 and World War I to the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs.
Today, we will be talking about our plans to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, an event that will be marked in large part at the Museum of Civilization. 2017 will be an exceptional year at the Museum of Civilization, Canada's national museum of human history.
The museum is also an important cultural destination for all Canadians, with its Children's Museum, the IMAX theatre, its numerous cultural presentations and its exceptional location in the heart of the National Capital Region.
The museum is, in effect, an ideal venue to commemorate Canada's 150 years. And, for this important occasion, we will pull out all the stops.
The Museum of Civilization will offer events, exhibitions, and activities that will engage Canadians not only in the national capital, but also across the country. The road to 2017 presents a unique opportunity for museums of national history to lead discussions with Canadians on the historical events that influenced who we are as Canadians and how our country has evolved over time.
We want to talk with Canadians about what are the most important historical events, eras, movements, changes, and personalities that have shaped our country and that ought to be presented in a national history museum, such as the Museum of Civilization, so we can reflect back on these in our programming moving forward. That is why we are launching a consultation with Canadians that will take us to six Canadian cities and that will also engage Canadians via social media between the months of April and June.
Canadians will help us sketch our plans and projects. They will tell us how best we can engage with them over the coming years in what are, after all, their national museums.
Presenting the history of Canada in an engaging way is what we do best. We are committed to making the museum a must-see destination in 2017.
As a knowledge-based institution, the museum seeks to expand understanding of the identity, history and culture of Canada—knowledge that it seeks to disseminate to the greatest number of people by a wide range of methods. This, to us, is an important trust.
In the same way, our approach for 2017 will be varied and multipronged. A special working group has been created to plan our commemorations, and we anticipate developing a more precise planning document by this fall. Having said that, we can already share some of our ideas with you.
The museum will create a major national history exhibition focusing on themes that reflect on 150 years of being Canadian. This exhibition will be an opportunity to reflect on who we are as Canadians, how we came to be, and what makes the Canadian experience so unique for the world. The exhibition will be supported by travelling components to ensure a national reach, and also by strong public programs such as lecture series, virtual activities, publications, and the enhancement of artifacts in our national collection that help us to tell the Canadian story.
I would also like to draw your attention to an important and ongoing aspect of the museum's work, namely, the collection and preservation of the material and intangible history of our collective heritage. We continue to enrich our collection of historical and contemporary artifacts through donations and acquisitions, through field work and through transfers from other institutions. In the years to come, the museum will showcase these new acquisitions, and the story they tell, for the benefit of all Canadians, wherever they live.
To give you an example, today we have brought with us a gold pocket watch with an 18-karat gold case, presented to Sir John A. Macdonald by the Montreal Watch Case Corporation, at Christmas in 1890. The dedication refers to the first prime minister as “the Father of the national policy” and the Montreal Watch Case Corporation as “one of its industries”. The national policy, among other things, created a system of tariffs to foster Canadian manufacturing.
To remain one of the most reliable and accessible sources of Canadian historical information and artifacts, which is our goal, the museum requires ongoing support and partnerships in order to meet its objectives. The museums belong to all Canadians and therefore should be as accessible as possible to all Canadians. In this context, we intend to create and nurture key lasting partnerships, not only with other museums but also with cultural institutions, government departments and agencies, broadcasters, and other content providers. By building such a network, our goal is to leverage the strengths of each of those partners, to invite Canadians to learn about their country, to appreciate the richness of their history, and to discuss with each other what it means to be Canadian in 2017.
Our plans are being drafted as we speak. The Museum of Civilization has the clear objective to ensure that the 150th anniversary of Canada will provide an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on 150 years of being Canadian.
The history of the museum is as old as our country, and the historical expertise of our staff is unique. Our experience clearly shows that Canadians expect the best of us, as they should, in presenting our history in a unique and engaging way.
We have learned to plan and stage events and exhibitions that complement each other and enable Canadians to appreciate their history in new and different ways. We have also learned that developing strong partnerships with both the public and private sectors is essential to accomplishing our goals.
Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, we are very enthusiastic about the prospect of commemorating Canada's 150 years. We have developed a diversified approach that allows us to work on multiple projects at the same time. Our aim is not just to offer 12 months of activities at the museum itself, but also in every region of the country.
The theme 150 years of being Canadian is a theme that will resonate across the country, and our hope is for all Canadians to learn, participate, and celebrate together.
Thank you.