Canadian Heritage Committee on April 21st, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Good morning, everyone.

I would like to let everyone know who is presenting and those who are asking questions of our interviewees today. The situation is that we're going to take one person at a time, there are four people, and the first person will have five minutes to present. There will be a 25-minute round of questions. That makes it 30 minutes. There are four people. Thirty times four gives us two hours, because we don't want to bring anyone back. We want to get this done today.

Thank you very much.

We will begin with Mr. Mark O'Neill, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Museum of History.

Good morning, Mr. O'Neill. Please begin, and I will give you a two-minute indication when you have two more minutes left, so you can wrap up.

I'm sorry you thought you had a longer time to present, but it wouldn't have worked time-wise.

[Mark O'Neill, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Museum of History]

I understand, Madam Chair. Thank you very much, and I'll try to be brief this morning.

Thank you very much for inviting me here today.

I wanted to begin my comments by mentioned that this December I will proudly mark my thirtieth anniversary as a federal public servant. I've always been deeply honoured to serve in a career that continues to be so richly rewarding.

I've had the privilege to work in the departments of the Secretary of State of Canada, Multiculturalism and Citizenship, and Canadian Heritage, and for the past 15 years, the Canadian Museum of History. In 2011, I was appointed president and CEO of the museum following a competition. I am immensely proud to have had the opportunity to lead these two national museums during a very exciting time, especially because of the approaching sesquicentennial celebrations.

Our museum's community members continue to grow and identify new ways to engage the public and disseminate research into Canada's history. Our most important project right now is the development of the new Canadian history hall. When it opens on July 1, 2017, the Canadian history hall will present Canada's story to Canadians and the world, beginning with the dawn of human habitation on this land and extending to the present day. Spanning three galleries on two levels of the museum under the careful architectural supervision of Douglas Cardinal, the original architect, the hall will share Canada's proud history like never before. For example, it will highlight the history of indigenous people from time immemorial, the struggle by individuals and communities for social justice and equality, and Canada's role in the world.

Based on the latest research, the hall will bring together archaeology, history, and ethology to present a more dynamic exhibition about Canada's past. Moreover, the hall will be authentic and rich in artifacts, allowing visitors to connect with real objects from our past instead of reproductions.

Commitment to authenticity was a frequent comment we received during a pan-Canadian public engagement project the museum conducted in 2012. More than 24,000 Canadians shared their thoughts about what they wanted to see in the new museum. I should tell you that feedback has greatly influenced the exhibition content, which is being developed by the museum's team of museologists, historians, and archaeologists. Canadians told us also they wanted to see the complete story of Canada's history, so the hall will challenge visitors and not shy away from difficult subjects.

The museum's team is also working with external independent advisory committees composed of researchers, scholars, and cultural leaders from across the country.

I am proud to say that the level of engagement that has been undertaken for this new hall is unprecedented for our museum. When it opens on July 1, 2017, it will be the centrepiece of the museum's contribution to the commemorations for the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

The museum also presents special exhibitions on Canadian history, such as Terry Fox, which is now touring across Canada. It presents special exhibitions on world history, like The Greeks, Agamemnon to Alexander the Great, which was organized by an international consortium of museums led by our museum. Later this year, we will be opening Napoleon and Paris, developed in collaboration with the Musée Carnavalet, in Paris. A respected centre of research excellence, the museum also conducts research projects, as guided by our first-ever research strategy.

It is an exciting time at the Canadian War Museum as well. Last May, the War Museum celebrated its 10th anniversary on LeBreton Flats. It is recognized as a critical and popular success, welcoming nearly 500,000 visitors each year.

We presented some very outstanding exhibitions related to the centenary of the First World War, including the special exhibition “Fighting in Flanders”, which highlights the famous poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae and reflects on the significant challenges Canadians faced while fighting in Belgium.

Our recent special exhibition on world war women has been a major critical and popular success. Very recently, the museum announced the creation of “Women and Conflict”, a multi-research initiative dedicated to the roles and impact of women during conflict, both at home and on the world stage.

We also work with international organizations to enhance the knowledge of Canada's contributions to conflict situations around the world. As a brief example for committee members, the War Museum is in fact currently working with the City of Arras, France, to present the museum's special exhibition on Canadian art of the First World War at the Musée des beaux-arts d'Arras. The museum is also collaborating with French partners for the upcoming commemoration of the 100th anniversaries of the Battle of the Somme in 2016 and the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 2017.

Madam Chair, thank you once again for this opportunity to update you. I look forward to answering committee members' questions.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much.

We will now begin the round of questions, starting with Mr. Samson for the Liberals.

You have five minutes, Mr. Samson.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Your museum is a hallmark attraction for visitors to the national capital region. Its unique architecture and collections certainly set it apart.

Could you talk to us about what you do to keep attracting visitors from here and all over the world? What is your strategy to attract more visitors over the next three years?

[Mark O'Neill]

Thank you for your question.

If you don't mind, I am going to answer in English for the other members of the committee.

The member of the committee is correct, in that it's extremely important that we continue to be able to attract visitors to both of our museums in the national capital. We have a very active marketing division and a communications and planning branch that is working with all of the tourism organizations on both sides of the river. We also do an enormous amount of outreach across the country so that we can develop audiences to bring to the national capital region.

There are of course enormous competitive issues in a city such as Ottawa, where there are so many other great national museums and other pastimes for visitors to the national capital to indulge in while they're here. Our marketing campaigns, communications campaigns, and working with the National Capital Commission and the cities of Gatineau and Ottawa are where we strive to make sure that our buildings are accessible and top of mind for visitors who come to the national capital.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

We are all familiar with the rich history and contribution of indigenous peoples in Canada.

How do you intend to promote the history and culture of the Inuit, Métis, and first nations?

[Mark O'Neill]

Thank you for your question.

The museum is currently working with a few advisory committees that include aboriginals and experts. They are enhancing our understanding of the history of Canada's aboriginal and first peoples. That is crucial.

We also have ties with aboriginal communities all over the country to ensure their history is showcased in an easy-to-understand format in the new hall. The history of first peoples will be a focal point in the new hall, which will open on July 1, 2017.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Will it entail a physical representation on site, day in and day out? Do you have a way to promote that history and culture right there, on site?

[Mark O'Neill]

Absolutely.

For instance, we are working right now with members of Quebec's Algonquin community to figure out a way to promote the fact that the museum is located on their land, in other words, on Algonquin land.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Very good.

A few days ago, I went to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. There were aviation and space aficionados on site, and people could ask them questions. I got to meet many people from Ottawa who do this as a hobby. They could speak at greater length about the experiences and contributions of some key figures, their families, and others.

So you can see, having aboriginal people on site is invaluable. Visitors could talk to them and ask them questions. I think it would really enrich the visitor experience.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I will go to Mr. Van Loan from the Conservatives.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Thank you for coming this morning.

You are in part the Canadian Museum of History as well as the Canadian War Museum, and you referenced the sesquicentennial. I prefer the minister's terminology, which I also use, the 150th anniversary of Confederation. As we approach that I have this funny hang-up that we should actually be celebrating Confederation. What are your museums' plans to do that?

[Mark O'Neill]

The museum, in a buildup to underlining the 150th anniversary of Confederation—I agree with the member that it's important to know that it is the anniversary of Confederation—we had an exhibition last year on the rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada, the rebellions of 1837, in which we put together, for the first time in the museum's history, a truly political history exhibition on how those rebellions really contributed to what eventually became the Confederation of the country.

That for us was an extremely successful and very important history exhibition. We have worked with Library and Archives Canada on an exhibition on Sir John A. Macdonald that is at the museum now and will travel. I should mention also that the exhibition on the rebellions is also travelling across the country in different formats. We're also creating material online that will raise awareness amongst Canadians of the importance of underlining Confederation in 2017. Those are some examples, Madam Chair.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

You talk about the opening of the Canadian history hall that you're looking forward to as part of those celebrations. How will we see Confederation reflected there?

[Mark O'Neill]

Confederation is in, I believe, the second gallery. There are three galleries in the hall. Confederation will figure very prominently. It would be incomprehensible, as you know, to create a comprehensive exhibition of Canada and Canadians without reference to Confederation and the events that led up to it, so the issues, stories, and artifacts that will help to interpret those stories will be in the hall.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

I'll suggest to you respectfully that, as people are coming to Ottawa to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, perhaps in your marketing that would be one of the things that you could use to attract them, since that will be on the mind and should be front of mind for all.

Another thing that is becoming of interest to me as we look more and more at museums as we prepare to do a study of museums—not the national museums but others—is a statistic I found that museums in Canada use to reflect their own sustainability. That's a figure that is the amount of taxpayer dollar subsidy per visitor. You take all the taxpayers' dollars you get, divide that by the number of visitors, and you come up with a figure. What would that be for your two museums?

[Mark O'Neill]

I'm looking to my chief operating officer with us here today. I don't have that number handy. We'll get back to you with the number. We don't have it offhand, I'm afraid.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

That's surprising to me because it appears to be one of the major criteria or figures that museums use as they work towards sustainability.

Is sustainability one of your objectives as a museum?

[Mark O'Neill]

It is indeed.

What I can tell you is that the Canadian Museum of History and the War Museum operate on essentially 80% appropriation and 20% commercial operations. It will be slightly higher this year for us because we've had a very good year. That tends to be the breakdown.

I'd be very happy to get back to you with the per visitor cost. Frankly, we haven't used that number in our own corporate planning and reporting, I don't believe. What we're trying to do is more sophisticated fundraising because we believe that the third tranche of revenue generation is more critically important than ever.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Over to the War Museum in particular, right now there are, as you referenced, a number of 100th anniversary exhibitions under way and about to be under way. Again, that's a huge opportunity for you, I think, at a time when Canadians have increasingly embraced pride in our military history and the sacrifices we have made.

You referenced it a bit but could you expand on how you're doing that and particularly how you want to link that to the marketing side of things, especially for next year?

[Mark O'Neill]

We have had, since 2012, a campaign dedicated to Canada from 2014 to 2018. We've had, I believe, three exhibitions already. We have another exhibition that we're developing on the air war for the First World War, and it will be opening soon.

We are working with partners across the country. We have, for example, The Rooms in Saint John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, which will highlight the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel. We also have a variety of other initiatives with our partners in Canada and abroad. The marketing for the war museum focuses on the importance of these anniversaries in Canadian history.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much.

Now I go to Mr. Nantel.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I'd like to begin by thanking all of you, even those who aren't here in person.

Mr. O'Neill, thank you for your presentation.

I know you have a tremendous amount of experience on Parliament Hill. I'm struck by how curious my Conservative colleagues seem to be when it comes to the specific nature of your exhibits. That's why I have some important questions for you this morning regarding the appropriateness of your being the museum head, of your remaining in that position, and of your being appointed to it.

Mr. O'Neill, you will appreciate that your leadership of the Canadian Museum of History may have been called into question by certain individuals in the past most certainly because you were perceived to have been very close to the former Conservative government.

In January, the website BuzzFeed posted a tape recording of a staff meeting that took place in 2012. And at that meeting, Jean-Marc Blais, your director general and vice-president at the time, described your relationship with the government of the day as follows: “What he's good at is to work the machine…[t]he arm's length is way shorter, if it still exists.” Speaking about you, he went on to tell staff to read between the lines, adding that the president and CEO “doesn't work alone…[w]e have our minister. Our minister is here often. Very often. Very, very often. And so that's a big change.”

Mr. O'Neill, what do you make of those comments by your former director general?

[Mark O'Neill]

I am very much aware of the online article that the member references. I'm aware of the tape recording that was, I understand, made in 2012. I wasn't at the meeting in question. I am not aware of the context in which the comments were made. I can, however, assure the members of the committee that in the 15 years that I have been in the museum corporation, in my experience or to my knowledge, I am unaware of any minister of the crown interfering in the content of the museum. I've worked with a wide variety of ministers, from Sheila Copps, to Shelly Glover, to James Moore, and to the current minister, Mélanie Joly, and I can assure the members of the committee that on no occasion has there been any intervention by any minister in the content of the museum.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Thank you for your answer.

I fully appreciate that the party isn't your focus, but what does worry me is that the government is.

On June 18, 2015, the day before the last Parliament ended, you were appointed for a new term that would not begin until a year later, on June 23, 2016. In December, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Dominic LeBlanc, asked you in writing to step down in order to eventually participate in a non-partisan merit-based appointment process, through which, you could have been appointed on the basis of skill and merit.

Why did you refuse to participate in such a process, especially since it would have put the emphasis on your skills and dispelled any lingering doubts as to the political nature of your appointment?