CAUT opposes Bill C-49 destruction of
Museum of Civilization

The recently tabled Bill C-49, the Canadian Museum of History Act, indicates not only the expected narrowing of focus from that of the erstwhile Canadian Museum of Civilization, but an end to the institution’s mandate as a knowledge-creating institution. While the act creating the Museum of Civilization stated that the museum’s purpose was the increase of understanding, knowledge and appreciation for “human cultural achievements and human behaviour,” the new act refers only to the “events, experiences, people and objects that reflect and have shaped Canada’s history and identity.” More strikingly, the reference in the previous act to collecting and developing collections “for research and posterity” has been dropped entirely from the statement of purpose of the Canadian Museum of History.

The suspicion that this change will involve a significant decline in the research and collections function of the new institution is supported by recent actions taken by management of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. In May 2012 the office of Vice-President of Research and Collections was abolished, and the museum’s curators and collections managers were placed under the management of the Vice-President of Exhibitions. Fears that this action foretold a regime in which the nature and scale of research would be driven solely by the requirements of exhibitions now appear to be justified.

Who will decide on the exhibitions that will be developed in such an organization? The world’s great museums are knowledge-creating institutions, in which exhibits flow from a dynamic relationship between the discoveries of researchers and the interests of public audiences. This was recognized in the Statement of Principles of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, which affirmed that “Museum activities focus on the creation and dissemination of knowledge. Our research is rigorous and creative, thereby contributing to new understanding. Our exhibitions and programmes are knowledge-based and provide clear information to the public.” In an institution in which research is relegated to the gathering of facts required to support particular exhibits, the choice of exhibit topics and content are entirely driven by the judgment of administrators and, to a much greater extent than has existed to this time, subject to the influence of political forces.