Thank you.
Evidence of meeting #5 for Veterans Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was museum.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #5 for Veterans Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was museum.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:10 a.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
I have a quick question.
Charley Fox lived in my riding. He was the hero of The Last Patrol. He was the Canadian who strafed Rommel's car, and he went back to the base and said virtually nothing about it.
I've been looking everywhere for The Last Patrol. It's iconic, and I can't find it anywhere. Would the War Museum have The Last Patrol so we could all remember Charley Fox?
10:10 a.m.
Acting Director General and Vice-President, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, Canadian War Museum
I'll look into it and get back to you.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Joe Daniel Conservative Don Valley East, ON
Thank you.
Thank you for coming.
The word “museum” gives a connotation of everything old. But my question is whether you are acquiring any artifacts from some of the more modern activities we're having, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, some of the peacekeeping efforts, and how much money—this is a double-barrelled question—do you have to be able to acquire these?
10:10 a.m.
Acting Director General and Vice-President, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, Canadian War Museum
Concerning acquisition of artifacts for modern times, the museum is very proactive in working with the Department of National Defence to be able to secure key artifacts for the national collection. One that comes to mind was one of the G Wagons, the vehicle that first hit a landmine in Afghanistan. The crew inside were not killed. Their legs were broken, their ankles were crushed, and the engine was blown about 20 feet. The engine remained in Afghanistan, but with the help of the Department of National Defence, this particular artifact was preserved and brought back. It is now in the national collection and has been on display in an exhibition on Afghanistan.
So the museum remains very proactive in trying to work with all parties to make sure that modern-day artifacts are preserved. Right now the Department of National Defence has a large legacy program under way, so we work with them to see what artifacts are of national importance to the museum to ensure they're preserved. It doesn't necessarily have to be at the Canadian War Museum, but we want to make sure that those memories and those artifacts are preserved somewhere in Canada.
A lot of our artifacts come through donation and transfer as gifts, but we are fortunate to have a national collection trust fund that people, private members, are able to donate to, which allows us to purchase certain artifacts that we deem to be of great importance. The majority of our artifacts still come in through donation. We receive e-mails from individuals. I can tell you that I received an e-mail yesterday from a fellow who was in Afghanistan, who has all this material that he acquired, and he's looking for a good home for it. We are fortunate to have the ability to collect all material all the time.
Thank you.
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Joe Daniel Conservative Don Valley East, ON
I understand the budget for the Museum of Civilization is approximately $60 million. How much of it goes to the War Museum? What's your portion of that funding?
10:15 a.m.
Acting Director General and Vice-President, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, Canadian War Museum
Because the museum is a corporation and we have a lot of services that are shared, I'm not in a position to tell you how our portion breaks down, but if you like I can get back to you on that.
10:15 a.m.
Manager, Communications, Canadian War Museum
Corporate services include all the financial, contracting, marketing, public affairs, etc. I don't believe that breakdown even exists, because it's shared resources for the two. Project by project, the projects we've discussed with you here today, all of those go into a work planning mode, and funds are allocated based on that. But I don't believe that a split even that simple exists. It really is a question of project-specific and corporate services.
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Joe Daniel Conservative Don Valley East, ON
I have an author in my riding called Walter Cooke, who actually wrote a book about all the VCs, with a little biography, a chapter, on each one of them. Maybe I can see if I can get a copy of it for you. That might help you with the VCs.
10:15 a.m.
Acting Director General and Vice-President, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, Canadian War Museum
Yes, thank you.
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Wladyslaw Lizon Conservative Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON
I would like to thank you for the great work you do.
I have a question. Do you have any specific suggestions for us, members of Parliament, on how we can help you in our ridings to promote the museum?
10:15 a.m.
Manager, Communications, Canadian War Museum
Is that a standing offer? I'd be happy to provide you with much more material to speak to your constituents. We'd be pleased if you could present to your riding, as you see fit, all the wonderful comments that you've made here today. If I can provide you with additional material, please let me know. Invite people to come and visit our website. We'd look forward to it.
You'll each get a package when you leave that will contain quite a bit of information, along with my card, if you'd like to reach us.
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
Wladyslaw Lizon Conservative Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON
As members of Parliament we work closely with the Library of Parliament. We are getting educational kits to schools and teachers in ridings. If there is anything of that sort that you need done, I can't speak on behalf of everybody, but speaking on behalf of myself, I would be more than happy to help you promote what you do. I know you said that most of the people who come to visit the museum come from outside the capital region. Maybe there is not enough knowledge of what the museum does, what activities it conducts. If I can help you in delivering that message to my constituents, I would be more than happy to do it.
If you have any specific suggestions, though, maybe you could share them with the rest of us.
10:20 a.m.
Acting Director General and Vice-President, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, Canadian War Museum
I would also like to say that if any museums in your riding need help with any preservation or any questions that they need answered, the museum is always ready to come and help out to preserve the information, to preserve the artifacts. By all means, feel free to contact us to have us help museums in your ridings as well.
Thank you.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
Wladyslaw Lizon Conservative Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON
Okay. Going along the same line, do you have any specific problems that you would like us as members of Parliament to address on your behalf?
10:20 a.m.
Acting Director General and Vice-President, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, Canadian War Museum
I can't think of any at this time.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
Wladyslaw Lizon Conservative Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON
That's great. Then you have no problems.
10:20 a.m.
Manager, Communications, Canadian War Museum
Your offer and your interests are noted. I will certainly start to work on something with regard to sending you material and seeing how we can provide you with additional information for your riding.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
Wladyslaw Lizon Conservative Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON
What do you do to encourage schools to organize trips to the museum?
