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[Woman announcer] Good morning everyone, we're gonna get started
[in French] Hello everybody, we're going to be starting
I just want to make sure that whoever-
[in English] I think we have a few principals in the audience here
and we'll just get started with our program today.
Welcome to Sisler High School
I would also like to welcome those who have tuned in via our live stream
Welcome.
Thank you for taking the time to be here with us today.
My name is Angela Cassie and I'm the Director of Communications
and External Relations for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights
and I will be your MC for today's meetings.
I would like to begin by extending our sincere thanks to
Sisler High School Principal George Heshka and Vice Principal Ken Reimer
for your hospitality and help with this event.
Thank you. [audience claps]
We've had a number of students helping us all morning already,
whether it would be greeting at the door, we'll have some speakers
and some performers that you'll see shortly
and a lot of the students also worked to prepare all the white ribbons
that are displayed outside, and a number of us are wearing today.
and we'll speak a littlle more about that portion of our program in a little while.
But before we begin our formal program, I'd just like to share
a couple of housekeeping items.
First, the washrooms - very important - are just outside this door
and down the hall. Simultaneous interpretation is available,
At the back of the room we have our translators and there are headsets
if you wish. Channel number one would be for English,
and channel number two for French, if you need interpretation services,
and everything is available at the back of the room.
Sign language is also available, Tania has joined me on the other side of the stage,
and we invite anyone that requires this service to please locate themselves
close to the interpreter, and we have some museum staff who can help you,
if you need, just if you want to give us a sign
So I think that is it for some of those high level housekeeping items.
This meeting is, as I mentioned, being live streamed, and you will notice
that there are video cameras and photographers located around the room,
so we just wanted to make you aware of that.
So to give you a quick run through of our program today,
We'll be starting with some words from the Chair of our Board of Trustees,
followed by our President and CEO, as well as Cheif Financial Officer,
We'll have a special presentation from some students at Sisler High.
Following that we'll have a panel discussion from some of our staff and team
in the Museum Practice division.
And finally we will conclude with a question and answer period.
and at the end of the question and answer period, there will be media availability.
So we hope to conclude at noon, and I'll do everything that I can
to make sure that we keep everything on time today.
So without any further adieu, we'd like to begin.
and I'd like to begin by inviting the new Chair of our Board,
Mr. Eric Hughes, to speak.
Eric has been part of our Board since 2009, when he was first appointed
as Vice Chair, and he has been the interim Chair Person since December of 2011.
Eric has been the Chief Financial Officer of Coral Hill Energy Limited since 2009,
Prior to this he was Chief Financial Officer of Wave Energy Limited.
Please join me in welcoming Mr. Eric Hughes.
[audience claps]
[Eric Hughes] Good moring, it's a pleasure to be here this morning
Thank you for the introduction and thank you to the students of Sisler
High School for welcoming us here today for our Annual Public Meeting.
It's a great pleasure for me to be here with you today. I would like to express
my sincere gratitude for your interest in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
This is the first museum that's exclusively dedicated to human rights in Canada.
to the future of human rights, and to celebrating those rights.
our objective is not only to create a dedicated national forum for raising
awareness about human rights, but also to help develop a new leadership
in this area.
both in Canada, and on the world stage
As I was walking in, I noticed the moving display that awknowledges
another special apsect of today. Which is the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.
in my opinion, it was one of the most disturbing examples of gender
discrimination, where young women were murdered solely because they were young
intelligent women.
This was far more than just a tragic event. It was a tragic event not only
for Montreal and for the women, it was also a tragic event for our entire country.
As this individual attacked our society, and our values.
For me personally, at the time in 1989, December 6th, I was two days away from
getting my chartered accountant marks. I was engaged to the lady who is now
my wife, who was a young Francophone engineer, and suddenly the getting
of the marks seemed so utterly irrelevant,
saw how tragically these events unfolded
What happened to these women became very very real and very very important.
Personal connections make human rights real.
Personal experience obviously make those connections.
But education is another powerful way that those connections can occur.
As you'll hear many times this morning, education is a central pillar
of this incredible project, called the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
So it's a natural fit that today we're holding our Annual Public Meeting
at a school. I want to tell you, the students here today, what I told
my own kids, when I was speaking at their high school in Calgary a few months ago.
You are living in truly unprecedented moments.
You are more connected, you are more tech savy, you are more mobile,
more globally aware than any other generation that has come before you.
And growing up in Canada, this gives you an unprecedented opportunity,
not only to make a mark on this world, but to make it a better place.
It truly does.
We live in a world that will need your leadership.
You know well there are people here in Winnipeg, and around the globe,
That live each day facing real barriers, simply because of who they are,
and our job is to change that.
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is going to put new tools in your hands,
so that you can begin to remove these barriers.
but it's up to you to use them, and I invite you to take up the challenge.
Leave your mark, show the world that as individuals, we, together as a nation,
are capable of what we are capable of achieving.
Today you'll hear what the museum has been doing to create a place where people,
where all people, can have a meaningful stake in tackling some of our most
pressing human rights challenges.
It's a remarkable time for a remarkable project.
We have confirmed that our doors will open in 2014.
We have completed all the major exterior construction, and are now firmly focused
on the inside.
and where not long ago our attention was aimed at research, planning,
and development, we are now at an exciting place where transitioning to
exhibit fabrication, and where planning turns into operations.
Today, you'll hear more about a museum with a clear vision
a clear focus about opening in 2014, and a clear plan to get there.
As the museum's Board of Trustees, we are responsible under the
Canadian Museum's Act for all aspects of its business.
We are the stewards of the institution.
We supervise management, and ensure that all major issues affecting the
museum's business and affairs are given proper consideration.
This is a very big job, and I would like to thank my fellow board members
for all their hard work and dedication to this project.
In addition, our staff are some of the most incredibly talented, dedicated
creative individuals, who are on the front lines of bringing truly world class
programs and exhibits to life.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I'd like to acknowledge all the staff
of the museum, and thank you for your insight, your energy, your passion
for this project.
You are working very hard right now. And I want you to know that we are all
Very well aware of your efforts, and we thank you for that.
This is truly something we are all in together.
I would also like to acknowledge the Friends of the Canadian Museum for
Human Rights, which is leading our of fundraising campaign that has been a
national success story on its own.
Six million dollars in new private donations, just in the past year.
and a remarkable 136 million dollars raised to date.
and we all know they're not done yet.
and I'd like to acknowledge also the museum's many partners.
from the governments at all three levels, who have long recognized the value of
this investment.
to the thousands of Canadians, who have helped shape this project
with their ideas, their feedback, and their insight.
To each of you here today, for your interest in a project that is bigger than
anyone of us, but will empower all of us.
to make the kind of difference that truly matters.
Thank you again to Sisler High School. And to the Canadians from coast to coast.
Who are joining us on the web for today's events.
I'm so glad you're with us this morning and we look forward to welcoming you
as we open our doors in 2014.
It is now my pleasure to turn the microphone over to the museum's
President and CEO, Stuart Murray. Thank you.
[audience claps]
[Stuart Murray] Well thank you, Eric. Hello, good morning.
George I wanted to say that I think there are 79 big reasons we should be
giving you a hug today. George, I'm talking to you.
George?
I'm talking about you my friend. Seventy-nine reasons to give you a big hug.
Hey? Little inside secret.
I just want to thank our wonderful hosts at Sisler High and hello to all who are
joining us today, both here in Winnipeg, and online.
It is a great pleasure for me to be here today with you
I would also like to express my most sincere gratitude for your interest
in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
If you read our weekly blog or you follow us on Twitter or Facebook,
You're already familiar with some of the work our staff are doing as we
work towards our inauguration in 2014.
But public meetings like this are also very, very important.
they are an opportunity to step back and reflect on the big picture.
They give us a chance to speak directly to Canadians about the work that we've
been doing over the past year, and the steps that lay ahead.
And let me tell you this: when I step away from my desk.
and think about where this museum is at today, and what our team has accomplished
over the past year, I am very, very proud, and here's why:
the process of building a Human Rights Museum, and getting it right, is complex.
at every step, to do it right, it means ensuring that our decisions reflect
What we have heard.
What we have heard during our national Public Engagement sessions.
It means ongoing dialouge with communities, human rights advocates,
and academic advisors.
It means ensuring that our decisions can stand up to the scrutiny and the
expectations of external reviewers, and most importantly to the high expectations
that Canadians have set on us.
In practical terms, this means building a human rights museum that will
be a source of national pride.
There's a passionate debate over how this museum will tell certain stories,
and there is a debate over which stories we should tell.
In fact, spirited discussions will accompany every significant aspect
of this project
this is how it should be.
Human rights are best defended through education, and public awareness,
which requires open dialogue and vigorous debate.
There are many ways that our subject matter could be approaced.
Everyone has an opinion, some strongly so.
Our challenge, as the museum's leadership, is to make the difficult
decisions about inaugural program content, knowing there will never be unanimous
agreement.
If your museum was intended to memorialize or to comemerate,
then it might be appropriate to focus only on tragedy.
But if your museum is intended to educate, to inspire action,
then you must also include examples of where action has led to progress
on Human Rights.
So you have to do two things: You have to find powerful ways
to showcase the problems, to help people learn why action is essential,
and you have to find powerful ways to showcase how action can yield results,
to help people learn that they can make a difference.
That is what we mean when we say that we're striving for a balanced approach.
We're not talking about sugar-coating history or covering up abuses,
we're talking about injecting hope,
and we need to do that through a Canadian lens, using a Canadian
perspective, and ensuring that Canadian examples are included.
This is, after all, a Canadian National Museum.
So when we talk about positive stories, we're talking about things like:
Canada's world leadership on same-sex marriage legislation.
We're talking about a commitment to truth and reconciliation
and acknowledgements of the abuse of residential schools.
We're talking about public apologies as a pathway to healing.
We're talking about the rise of anti-bullying programming,
And an acceptance of language rights.
But we will also tell stories of where Canada has fallen short.
That will be essential as well, but it can't be the only thing
you cannot simply be, and we will not be, a hall of grievances,
which brings me back to education,
that is the purpose of schools like Sisler High, and it is also the purpose
of our museum.
Our galleries, exhibits, public programs, will be designed to educate
and inspire action for human rights,
and we are making solid progress towards that goal. That is what gives
me pride as I reflect on where we've come and where we're at today.
You know, a year ago, we had a steel and concrete shell.
Today, we have an architectural marvel. The exterior of our building,
fully formed, right down to the final piece of glass.
A year ago, we had some excellent blueprints for exhibits and galleries,
blueprints based on a tremendous volume of consultation, collaboration,
and continued refinement.
But today, we're moving from planning to producing.
Working with some of the most creative firms in Canada and the world.
We've started the process of developing the exhibits you'll see when
you first visit the museum in 2014
A year ago we promised that a key focus of this museum
would be rich public programming that would offer new opportunities
to learn and talk about human rights.
Today, with our doors not even open, we're already making good on that
commitment
With public events like the Holodomor Lecture series that we offered in several
Canadian cities just last month.
So two years before opening and we're already making a down payment
on our promise to open new doors, to learn, to converse, to take action,
on critical issues around human rights.
our remarkable building at the forks is the structure of our museum,
but education is the heart and soul.
We're building partnerships with schools and universities,
teachers organizations, ministers of education, human rights scholars,
all across Canada.
These relationships set the stage for one of our most important accomplishments
from the past number of months,
which has been the development of our learning and programming department.
Our learning and programming department staff are committed to seeing
that this museum benefits every classroom in the country.
Not just when students are visiting the museum, but every day
and this morning, we're announcing an initiative that will make that happen
I'm very pleased this morning to acknowledge the presence here today
of Paul Taillefer, who is the President of the Canadian Teachers' Federation,
who flew in from Ottawa to join us this morning and Paul,
I think you're here and if you are, would you please stand?
[audience claps]
Welcome.
Canada's teachers are already at the forefront
of human rights education in this country.
They're already bringing age-appropriate learning around bullying, racism, gender
ability, *** orientation, and other human rights issues
into the classroom
But what happens if teachers here at Sisler have developed an effective
classroom resource that expands our kids' understanding of human rights issues?
Could there be a way that educators in Vancouver, or Halifax, or Montreal,
could also have access to these teaching tools?
If teachers in other Canadian cities have put together innovative learning resources
that are proving effective, could they be shared with teachers here at Sisler?
It's my great pleasure to announce this morning, that the Canadian Museum
for Human Rights and the Canadian Teachers' Federation, have joined forces
to make this happen
Together, we will work with educators across Canada to build
a nation-wide inventory of human rights teaching tools.
The result will be an unprecedented national toolkit for Canadian teachers.
A resource that will open doors to new ways of teaching about human rights,
about human rights issues, and we believe will mark a new era
in the way that Canadian students will learn about human rights.
this is not just a great idea, it's an initiative
and it's an initiative that we're already setting in motion, and it's another
clear illustration of progress at the museum.
This national toolkit is another important example of ideas being translated
into action and collaboration that helps us meet our common objectives
and I'd like to just thank the efforts of those involved in the
Learning and Development programming that have enabled this program to happen
while we are still under construction, that's quite a feat,
and to be able to partner with the Canadian Teachers' Federation
Paul, I can tell you, we are just so thrilled and delighted to be your partner
in this most incredible initiative. Thank you very much.
[audience claps]
This transition from planning to operations underscores the core
of our focus at the musem
In recent months, and certainly, the focus over the year ahead.
Inside our building, you will see the shift to operations
as we turn on the interior lighting.
The Tower of Hope has already become a permanent fixture in the city skyline
and a very popular subject for photographers.
You'll see the shift to operations as we bring on key staff with
our multi-year staffing plans.
You'll see the shift to operations as we make more of the kind of
programming announcements like the one that we just made today.
And you'll see the shift as we roll out details of our updated inaugural gallery
plans in the spring of 2013, and also provide a sneak peak or two
at the tools and technologies we'll be using to bring our exhibits to life.
And our opening date will be
[...]
announced in the first half of 2013.
[crowd laughs]
Choosing that date is a product of discussion
between the museum, our master exhibit designer, the firms who are fabricating
our most ambitious and complex interactive exhibits
and our tourism partners, both domestically and abroad.
They're working along with us to ensure that we can leverage the ideal timing
To bring a new product to market. The work to secure the date of our
inauguration is happening right now.
We have, without question, some incredibly busy months ahead of us.
During the panel discussion today, you'll hear from people who are helping
develop our content and our programming.
A remarkable research and curation team is leading the way on content development
They are an incredibly talented group of academics with top notch credentials
in fields related to human rights.
Our Design, New Media and Collections team is also managing production of over
eighty different projects. An incredible workload!
But they're doing it.
Our learning and programming team is not only coordinating the educators'
toolkit that we announced today, but a broad portfolio of educational
programs for students and the general public.
We have an amazing team of talented staff.
Many have worked at some of the best museums of Canada, and the world,
and in universities across Canada
They have worked in places like: The Canadian Museum of Civilization,
The Canadian National War Museum, The National Gallery of Canada,
Pier 21 Museum in Halifax, The Alberta Art Gallery,
Parliament Hill, Olympic Games, and yes, our own, very proud Manitoba Museum.
I've never felt more exhillerated about this project than I do today
nor have I ever felt more proud of the people here.
People who have taken what was once nothing more than an idea
and built it into what we see today.
and we're not done yet.
Whether you're joining us today at Sisler High School, from elsewhere in Canada,
or somewhere else in the world, I invite you to stay in touch with us.
Read our blog, follow us on Twitter, Like our Facebook site,
We are ramping up, it's full steam ahead until our doors are open,
and we will continue to have new stories and new achievements to share with you.
Thank you everyone for sharing this day with us.
Thank you for your interest, your insight, your commitment to human rights issues,
and your embrace of this remarkable project, this noble Canadian experiment,
called the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is your museum.
It belongs to you,
and the progress we've made today, is fully yours to celebrate.
Thank you very much.
[audience claps]
I would now like to ask Susanne Robertson to come to the Podium. Susanne?
[Susanne Robertson] Good Morning. As the Chief Financial Officer,
I'm the lucky one that gets to talk about the numbers.
But as Stuart has said, it has been a year of great progress.
We are meeting our project milestones,
and it's a very exciting time of transition as we shift from
planning to operations.
Inauguration is set for 2014, and the museum is on sound financial footing,
as we move to operational readiness.
Tremendous progress has been made in the construction over the past year.
After beginning construction three and a half years ago,
our iconic building now stands fully formed on the Winnipeg skyline.
As announced at last year's meeting, the total cost of the project
is 351 million dollars.
The base building is 100 per cent tendered and is tracking for the exterior
and major components of the building, such as Buhler Hall,
the Garden of Contemplation, and the Hall of Hope,
to be substantially complete by the end of this month.
It's exciting to see the interior finishing being done.
The painting, the ceiling and floor finishes, the completion of the washrooms.
It's all coming together for the buiding to be turned over from PCL to CMHR
early in 2013
The soft landscaping, however, the planting of the trees,
and the seeding of the prairie grass, of course, won't be completed until
the spring, once the ground is thawed.
With funding certainty in place, and inauguration set for 2014,
Good progress is being made towards moving the exhibits forward.
We needed funding certainty to do that.
Exhibit fabrication and audio visual integration have been tendered,
and the exhibit fit up of the gallery spaces will be tendered early in 2013.
In regards to opening, we have a clear plan
as we ramp up to inauguration.
The museum's move toward operations readiness is guided by sound rigourously
reviewed operations strategies.
We have controls in place, both to ensure we adhere to our project timelines,
and budget targets, but also to continue to maximize the value that we derive from
every dollar invested in the project.
We want to give you a little bit of an overview of the operational priorities
this year and last year.
Last year our approved appropriations for 2011/2012 fiscal year were 21.7 million
As our priority, though, was the completion of the capital project
exhibit and program development costs were deferred, and other non-essential
cost reductions were implemented.
This resulted in 10 million dollars of savings,
which were carried forward, and which we are allowed to use
for the capital project this year. CMHR operated for the 2011/2012 fiscal
year within the reduced appropriations of 11.7 million dollars
This year, with inauguration confirmed for 2014,
The museum's operations reflect a move to readiness for opening
and fiscal discipline will continue.
Appropriate staffing is an important part of the museum's shift
to operational readiness. Our staffing reflects the shift to operations.
For example, we are currently recruiting for a number of positions related to
facilities management, security, learning and programming,
as well as visitor services.
Our ramp up to operations has also meant that certain projects funded in prior
years were carried forward and done in the 2011/2012 fiscal year.
This timing difference, where the funding was received in previous years
the expense in the 2011/2012 fiscal years show in the books as the expenses for
2011/2012 being 66 thousand dollars higher than the current year's revenues.
However, we will continue to spend within our allocation.
The most important development within the past year, of course, was getting
our funding certainty.
In July, to facilitate cash flow that will enable a 2014 opening,
the Federal Government agreed to advance 35 million,
designated for future operating expenditures to be used to complete
the construction of the museum project.
This advance will be repaid in full in future years after inauguration
and after the museum's revenue generating activities
are fully implemented.
In addition, the Friends of CMHR secured financing that was facilitated by
a 35 million dollar guarantee from the province of Manitoba.
The City of Winnipeg also increased its commitment to the project
by 3 million dollars.
And finally, support from private donors continues to be strong,
as Stuart mentioned, Friends have raised 6 million in pledges
from private donors in the past year.
The continued support from all levels of government, and from the financial
institutions as well, we thank them, and from the private sector,
are critical to the success of this project, and we thank them all.
New revenue streams, however, including retail strategies, and membership sales
are part of the shifts to operations.
Those programs are in development now. For more information on our full financial
information is available on the website.
Our audited financial statements are part of the annual report.
and we also post interim quarterly financial statements.
So if you have any questions, please check them or see us later.
Thank you
[audience claps]
[Angela Cassie] Thank you Eric, Stuart, and Susanne.
and I'm really excited about - not that I wasn't excited about your speeches,
but I'm really excited about the next portion of our program
and I think some of you are wondering 'why a school?' and 'why Sisler High?'
Did you know that Sisler is acclaimed as one of the top 10 best public schools
in Canada, and the best all around high school by MacLeans magazine?
Math, technology, ya - [audience claps]
Math, technology, the language arts, music, sports, home economics
environment, their community garden. If I went through the list of the
accomplishments and successes of the school,
I would use the rest of our time here, and as tempting as that may be
at the end of the day, it's really striving for excellent
human rights programming.
It's well rounded, striving for excellent, and we have, as a museum, a lot of those
common names. So while the museum is your museum,
we can't wait to welcome those students into our doors,
the museum is also accessible to you outside the doors of the museum,
whether you visit us online, or whether you participate in some of
our education and public programming.
I'm very excited now, to introduce the next part of our program
and I would like to welcome Sisler High School students
Kasiem Bendoza, Peter Krawchuck, Jay Erasmo, to the stage.
Could you please join us?
[audience claps]
[female student] Good morning, and welcome to Sisler High School.
On behalf of Sisler, I, Keisha Mendoza welcome all guests here today,
and those watching live around the world.
Sisler is honoured to host the Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Annual Public Meeting.
In order to serve as a positive influence on our community,
our school has many student groups that promote and support
basic human rights.
From human trafficking, to oversee educational funding, to lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender awareness, to supporting those devastated by war.
Sisler strongly upholds the values of human rights and social justice
[male student #1] On December 6th, 1989, a man murdered 14 women,
at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal.
He took the lives of 14 young women in an act of hatred and violence,
now referred to as the Montreal Massacre.
He killed them because they were women, and only because they were women.
His name became a household word after the massacre
but somehow, the names of the fourteen young women were forgotten.
we must change that.
Ever since the massacre occured, Sisler has held a memorial for those women,
in this room on this day.
In fact, this is the 23rd year, since the massacre,
that we have honoured these women.
This year, we are honoured to host the Canadian Museum for Human Rights'
Annual Public Meeting on December 6th, so this then takes the place of our
traditional memorial service.
[Male Student #2] At a time in our history when 25 per cent of men are physically
violent towards women, it becomes increasingly important for men to support
each other in the campaign to end violence towards women.
In the hallway, you will notice a display of the names of the women,
along with 14 lit candles to honour the memory of the 14 womenw whose lives
were taken by a mad man.
As each candle burns brightly, we remember,
that the 14 lives were snuffed out in an ugly act of violence towards women,
and we join together in the hope that all people everywhere will be safe.
we would ask that all the men in this room join us and wear a white ribbon in support
of this day
Please feel free to pick up a white ribbon as you are leaving,
located on the table outside of the theatere.
Thank you.
[audience applause]
[Male student #1] With the completion of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights
approaching, we, along with the city of Winnipeg, and the province of Manitoba
join together in the excitement.
We hope this museum will become a national and international meeting ground
to educate the importance of human rights and initiate postive momentum towards
ending discrimination and oppression.
With that being said, I would like to introduce Sisler High School's very
own dance troupe: Sisler's Most Wanted.
[audience applause]
[piano music intro]
[female singing voice] I heard there was a secret chord,
that David played and it pleased the Lord
but you don't really care for music, do ya?
well it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth,
the minor fall, the major lift
the baffled king composing Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Baby, I've been here before,
I've seen this room and I walked the floor.
I used to live alone before I knew ya.
But I've seen your flag on the marble arch,
our love is not a victory march,
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
Maybe there's a god above,
but all I've ever learned from love,
was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya.
It's not a cry that you hear at night,
it's not someone who's seen the light,
It's a cold and broken hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
[music fades out]
[audience claps]
[Angela Cassie] Well I think we understand why that group is called
Sisler's Most Wanted.
and I just want to acknowledge Melanie Akthaid, who helped choreograph
and work with the students in the development of that beautiful piece.
Thank you, Melanie.
[audience claps]
So, we're going to move right into our panel discussion.
And, part of this - as they're setting up I'm going to just begin to
start introducing our panelists.
We're missing one
I get the short chair.
That's kinda tough to follow that up, hey?
Do you guys just want to try dancing?
[audience laughs]
C'mon.
Okay, well I'd like to introduce our panel.
I'm going to start with Gilles Hebert, who is our Vice President, Museum Practice
Monsieur Hebert joined the CMHR in January of 2012.
and brings more than 25 years of experience as a curator,
senior arts administrator, museum professional and artist.
Throughout his career, he's held senior positions with the Winnipeg Art Gallery,
The Saint Norbert Arts Centre in Manitoba,
the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon,
The art gallery of Windsor in Ontario
and most recently,
he served as the Executive Director of the Art Gallery of Alberta.
in Edmonton.
Where he successfully led that institution to the final stages
of its renewal. Punctuated by the opening of its new facility,
in the winter of 2010.
Gilles was actually born in Saint Boniface, Manitoba.
and he received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba,
And he also studied Fine Art History and took studio courses at
both the Ontario College of Art and Design, and the University of Toronto.
In 2002 he received the Queen's Jubiliee gold medal.
In 2010, he received the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Arts,
Celebrated Alumni Award. Welcome Gilles.
[Applause]
Next to Gilles is June Creelman,
She's our Director of Learning and Programming
She joined the team this year, and has over 25 years experience,
in developing programming in both the private and public sectors,
for Museums, Cultural, and Historic sites.
June has played a leading role in the development of new national institutions,
such as the Canadian War Museum, Founder's Hall, Pier 21,
Canada's Immigration Museum.
She also worked internationally on projects such as,
a children's museum in Argentina, public access to parliament in Rwanda,
and international expositions in Spain, Korea, and China.
Welcome June. [Applause]
Next to June is Corey Timpson.
He's our Director of Design, New Media, and Collection.
He's been with the Museum since 2009,
and is responsible for directing Design, New Media,
and Collection based initiatives.
His primary focus at the museum is interactive and dialogic expereinces,
and I think "Dialogic" is a word he made up. [Laughs]
And it's really about the experiences between and amongst visitors,
both online and on-site.
Corey has a B.A in law from Carlton University and a post graduate diploma,
in interactive multimedia from Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology,
and prior to accepting his role at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights,
Corey spent eight years at the Canadian Heritage Information Network,
and virtual museum of Canada. Welcome Corey.
[Applause]
Natalie Foidart is our New Media Project Coordinator.
Natalie joined the Museum in 2010, in the position of Exhibit Contract Coordinator.
She has a Masters of Interior Design from the University of Manitoba,
and a post graduate diploma in Heritage Resources,
and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Her experience includes museum curatorial positions,
various leadership roles in non-profit, professional and student groups,
and experience with design contracts, fabrication,
construction, and installations. Welcome.
[Applause]
and last but not least I'd like to introduce Dr. Travis Tomchuk,
who's one of the Curators Researchers at The Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
He's been with the Museum since January of 2012,
He completed his Ph.D in History at Queens University
and prior to that he received a Masters, or obtained a Masters of Arts and History,
from the University of Manitoba.
Throughout his academic and professional career,
Travis has joined --uh-- has gained a strong background in both research,
and oral history methodologies.
and in his role at the museum, Travis conducts research for exhibits,
that focus primarily on Canadian Human Rights Journey,
issues, and related subject matters.
So, welcome panelists.
[Applause]
[Angela sarcastically] OK, the panel is over now, thank you.
[Laughter]
So we're just going to start with Gilles, and I'd like you to talk a little bit,
we hear a lot about this term "ideas museum".
[Gilles Hébert] The Ideas Museum. [Angela] What is that?
[Gilles] Well you know, it's actually kind of short hand.
It makes it easy for us to try and explain how we are approaching the development,
of what is absolutely the most ambitious cultural project in a generation,
in this country.
When people think of Museums, they generally think of objects,
and labels that describe the objects, and those objects are usually collected,
in rooms that we call galleries, and there's thematic and,
those are the accepted strategies that people expect,
when they hear the word Museum.
We will have objects, and we will have artifacts,
but we will also be using other strategies to tell stories,
Um.. and again when you talk about a Museum,
you don't often think about it in terms of, uh, taking action, dialogue,
uh, sorry, but, uh..
Individual responsibility, and these kinds of concepts that we work with,
everyday in terms of the development of our programming,
both in terms of the exhibits, but also the public programs and school programs,
that June and her people are working on.
It's just a shorthand way of explaining what we're doing.
[Angela] OK, so from now on we'll just say "ideas".
[Gilles] Just ideas, yeah.
[Angela] So, but what does that mean at the end of the day?
What will someone experience when they come through the Museum?
[Gilles] We're using all kinds of strategies to tell stories to engage,
our visitors, and part of it will be of course the digital technology piece,
and the public programming piece,
but again, it's less of a reliance on the artifact or the object.
and more of a reliance on new strategies to tell a story... and I guess...
that's the easiest way for me to try and explain.
[Angela] OK, thank you Gilles.
[Gilles] And these guys will help me too, so that's good.
[Angela] OK, so Corey, Help Gilles.
Can you talk a little bit about what you think technology and human rights
...what do you struggle with everyday when you try to merge those 2 things?
[Corey Timpson jokingly] How much time do we have?
[Angela] Two Minutes. [Laughter]
[Corey] I think when we about technology in the Museum and how we're employing it,
it's actually, it couldn't be a better fit than, given our Museum subject matter.
So, I think leaning on what Gilles just spoke about the ideas museum,
our subject matter is conceptual, it's a concept, it's and idea,
and, I love this quote that I've been using for about 12 years,
by this experienced designer Nathan Shedroff who says,
"The most interactive experience you have in your life, is a great conversation."
So, you know, human rights, conceptual, a lot of different interpretations,
and perspectives on human rights, and when we think about the role,
of media and technology, we think about how that can be a facilitator,
of the conversation.
A throwback to our mandate of encouraging reflection and dialogue
we employ technology, be it a game, an app, a table, um, your mobile device,
the website, we're employing it in such a way to facilitate that dialogue,
to encourage that communication and to deliver stories.
So, that's, I mean, I--, it's a chance of a lifetime to work on a project like this,
it's why I moved to Winnipeg to work on this project,
and um, you know, it's just got such a great fit between our subject matter,
and what technology can do.
[Angela] But, um, I mean I can barely work my Blackberry most days. [Laughs]
And I refuse to even try the iPhone, so... [Laughter]
[Angela] You know... [Corey interrupts] First of all...
[Angela] There are a lot of people like me, who you know, you say technology,
and right away I think I'm gonna struggle my way through the entire Museum,
and I won't know how anything works, can you talk about that a little bit?
[Corey] Sure. And first of all congratulations for,
admitting that in public. [Laughter]
Um, but, I mean this is only the technology piece that I was talking about,
and the way to build a proper program or great exhibits mean they have to be,
multi-faceted, it has to be like an onion with many, many layers so we have to have,
passive experience where people read, watch, and listen.
We have to have active experience,
where we ask people to do something,
we have to have interactive experience, where we build some kind of reciprocal,
relationship between the museum and the visitor.
And visitors and visitors.
Immersive environments we'll have in the museum, that are multi-sensory,
so, um, you know, don't...
No one should be hung up on "wow, this is gonna be a high-tech musuem,
I'm not going to be able to operate".
There will be absolutely something for everybody, irrespective of ability,
and I think Natalie will talk a little bit about that,
But, this is why we're working with arguably world's largest,
exhibition design design firm.
Um, they're pros. And we have great staff to help them out as well.
And, it's not just about the technology, technology will be one of those layers,
of the onion that provides the full well rounded experience for all of our visitors.
[Angela] Thank you Corey.
And maybe you just want to build on that Natalie,
because Corey mentioned accessibility in the museum,
could you touch a little on your work there?
[Natalie Foidart] Sure.
[Natalie] Can you hear me OK? [Panel Memebers] yep.
So the museum has created the inclusive design advisory council,
some of the... I've seen a few of the members out here today actually.
And the reason we created this group, it's comprised of 8 people,
from across Canada with varying levels of ability and expertise related,
to inclusive design.
And we created this committee so that it can advise us on what we can do,
in our exhibition program, and to create the best experience for all,
of our visitors, regardless of their level of ability.
Right now we're closely looking actually at all of our areas of our exhibits,
with them and looking at where we can implement ASL, LSQ, closed captioning,
open captioning, what would be most appropriate to use in what instance.
The museum is actually in a really excellent position,
because we're building everything from the ground up,
you know we're starting from scratch, and a lot of institutions don't have,
that wonderful opportunity that we have.
[Angela] When you're talking about accessibility,
was it really just about how you get to use the exhibits?
[Natalie] No, the Museum, we're really committed to, for all of our visitors,
to be able to have a rich fruitful experience, an educational...
Just a really rich experience.
So, we're just looking at ways that we can basically do that for everybody.
[Natalie] Yeah. [Angela] Thank you.
[Angela] So Travis, as a researcher you're involved in the development,
of the content of the inaugural exhibits.
What's the most interesting part of your job?
[Travis] I'd say for me the most interesting part is doing the actual research.
I'm quite a history nerd so I enjoy reading books, reading articles on,
various human rights subjects as they pertain to Canada.
Because that's my specialty.
And the other thing to is having a background in Canadian history, I have,
a pretty good sense of the human rights issues that we're featuring,
in the gallery that I work on.
But at the same time, for the ones I don't know very well,
I get a chance to actually go a bit deeper into that material,
and I learn fascinating things.
For instance; Sleeping car porters, a job that if,
you're a black man in the early 1900's right up to 1960, that was generally,
because of the discrimination you would have faced as a black man that was,
probably the best career option open to you, however,
we're talking about gentlemen who have university degrees in a lot of cases.
Doing that kind of work.
But the discrimination they face in the workplace, if they work a sleeping car,
run from Toronto to Winnipeg, that was 72 hours of non-stop work.
they were constantly on call, they didn't have in the way of breaks,
they were not provided with sleeping quarters aboard the train,
they had to pay for their own meals, while working out of their own pockets,
as, it's the same case with their uniforms
and, also when they did eat meals in the dining car,
they were only allowed to eat at particular times where there wasn't,
going to be a lot of the white passengers present.
However, if some white passengers wanted their breakfast rather early,
in the morning, and they came onto the dining car,
while black sleeping car porters were present,
a curtain was drawn around the black sleeping car porters,
so white passengers would not have to see them.
the way black sleeping car porters addressed this issue was to form,
their own labour union to fight for changes in their workplace,
to fight the discrimination they faced, they developed their own union,
because at the time white unions were not open to have any black members.
[Angela] So, that's an interesting story that has links here in Winnipeg as well,
So very often though, when we look at it on the surface what you're saying is,
you can look at discrimination, but what you're starting to appeal back using,
Corey's onion reference as making those connections and those human rights links.
[Travis] Absolutely. [Angela] OK, Thanks for sharing that.
So June, [Laughs]
What do you do everyday?
[Gilles] What are you up to?
[June Creelman] I'm the Director of Learning and Programming.
So, I'm the one who gets the really great job of, me and my team of course,
building a really rich program activities, and today we're here in your school,
I'm looking at you students from Sisler, we sure hope that when we open,
you're gonna be in our museum and there's a place in the museum that's reserved,
for students, like we have classrooms,
not that it's gonna normal classroom,
like you're going to be able to do fun things there.
And we're going to be having a whole suite of activities in the classroom,
and in the galleries, and different themed experiences,
and it's gonna be not just for high school kids,
we're gonna have something for everybody,
like starting maybe even in kindergarten, grade 1 and all the way up, to university,
so we're developing a whole range of programs for school groups,
those who can come, and of course we'll bring things out to those who can't.
[Angela] and who are you working with as external partners?
We heard a little bit about our exciting announcement today with,
the Canadian Teachers Federation, but are there other partners,
working along with you?
[June] Oh yeah, we're working with, of course with Manitoba Teachers and,
Departments of Education all across Canada.
But we have other partners too.
One of landmark programs that we want to develop is a national student program,
where we bring high school or university students to Winnipeg,
maybe for up to a week, and they're going to have rich programming,
in the museum, but around Winnipeg themes,
I mean our indigenous history, the Winnipeg general strike,
women's rights. And so we're working with partners like,
the Asper Foundation, and Rotary International,
Encounters with Canada, to try an make that possible.
[Angela] Thank you.
And what if for some of us may have finished high school a few years ago,
[Laughter] [Angela] OK, a lot of years ago,
What is there for me at the museum if I want to come on an evening or a weekend,
by myself, or with friends or family?
[June] Yea, we got public programs too.
So if you come in, you just come in on your own any day,
There's going to be people in the galleries who are going to be able to talk to you,
So if you're not the technology type, we're going to have people who can talk,
to you and explain things.
And these people will be really highly trained and knowledgeable,
But they'll have things too that you can look at and see, for example,
if you're talking about child labour we may have a little rug,
and you can look at how many knots per inch,
and even try and make some knots and think about that sort of thing.
And we'll be having film nights, and lectures, and panel debates,
for adults, and things for kids.
It can be as simple as story time.
And of course there will be the music, and the art, and the dance,
and that sort of thing because I think we all saw today how art,
can be the most powerful way to convey messages.
[Angela] Thank you June.
So we're just about finished our time with the panel.
But I thought, Travis, to bring it back to you a little bit,
We've heard a lot about oral histories,
and what is a oral history?
And why are they important?
And what does that mean to your job as a researcher in the Museum?
[Travis] Right. So an oral history is a type of interview,
It differs from the kind of typical journalistic interview,
that you will see, where as, you're kinda in those situations, they're quite short,
you're maybe just speaking about a particular issue.
However with the oral histories that we do, we capture those on video,
we film them with video cameras, and we have staff that conduct those,
and for us on the research end of things,
when we've decided on a particular subject, we need to contact people,
that were involved.
Whether it was a survivor of a mass atrocity,
or someone who fought against various forms of discrimination,
coming up with a list of questions we want to speak to them about,
having them accept, being willing to participate in such a process.
and letting them tell their own personal stories at their own pace,
which means that in some cases an interview can last under an hour,
and we've done at least one that lasted up to seven hours.
So it's important for us because oral histories,
it's a project that's still on going of course.
But they inform the work that we do,
they help, they're going to be a component of a number of the built exhibits throughout,
throughout the museum.
And, the other thing to, is because in a lot of cases the people that we are,
interviewing have not actually been,
interviewed before about their own personal experiences,
that becomes part of our oral history collection at the museum,
that will also act as a research tool not only for us,
but for researchers who are interested in that perticular subject matter.
[Angela] And do you have a sense of how many oral histories,
have been conducted so far?
[Travis] As of yesterday I understand that we've done about 130.
[Angela] Thank you.
[Angela] Well thank you very much for all of you for joining us in the panel,
and I think we're going to move to the Q and A.
So thank you very much for your time today.
[Gilles] Alright, thank you.
[Applause]
[Angela off-screen] OK, we're going to move to our question and answer period.
[Angela Speaking in French]
[Angela] A lot of our students from Sisler need to get back to their regular,
schedule of activities so we actually had offered and opportunity for a few,
of the students to ask questions.
And what I'll do is provide an opportunity.
And I just want to warn you there may be a bell that rings in about 10 minutes,
that means the students need to go,
everyone else can stay put.
You're not free yet.
But why don't we open the floor to the back of the room,
If you want to direct the questions to me and we have our team in front here,
And they'll, depending on the nature of the question, help us to respond.
So Lise.
[Male Specator 1] Hello, my name is James Wilson,
and I'm a grade 12 student here at Sisler High School.
My first question is, given that the current Ukrainian government,
has officially reversed their position of the Holodomor genocide,
that it did not happen. What is your position?
Like, how do you guys see this?
[Angela] OK, so I think that's a Clint question.
Dr. Clint Curle who's our head of stakeholder relations as well as,
being a researcher and curator with the Museum.
[Clint Curle] Sure, Good morning.
That's a good question. First of all, I think we need to talk,
a little bit about what is Ukraine's official position.
In 2006 Ukraine passed a law which recognized the famine in 1932-33,
as a genocide, I'll read you just 2 articles, from that piece of law.
The first article states the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine,
is genocide against the Ukrainian people.
And article 2 says, public denial of the Holodomor of 1932-33 is considered,
the desecration of the memory of millions of Holomodor victims,
the humiliation of the dignity of the Ukrainian people,
and is illegal.
So this is in 2006.
In 2010, then president Yanukovych,
made a public statement that the famine should not be considered genocide,
and I think this is what your question is referring to,
because it was a common tragedy of the Soviet people.
So you have a situation in Ukraine today where you have a law on the books,
which has never been repealed, which identifies the famine as genocide,
then you have a statement by the head of state,
which says it was not genocide.
So what is the official position in Ukraine today?
And the answer is confusion. [Quiet Laughter]
About this point. Now to the extent that Ukraine today,
the Ukrainian government is committed to the rule of law,
to that extent the law is the official position.
So we're in a situation of confusion right now, regarding Ukrainian thoughts,
about the status of the Holomodor as genocide.
Never the less, your question is about the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Here I'm very pleased to reassure you that our museum aligns,
with the Parliament of Canada.
Which in 2008 recognized the famine in Ukraine in 1932-33 as a genocide,
and in fact I think it's a very important story for our museum,
and we have a number of exhibits, which will deal in great detail,
with the Holodomor. Thank you.
[Applause]
[Angela] Are you the keeper of all the questions?
[Male Spectator 1] I have a second one. [Angela] OK, go ahead.
[Male Spectator 1] Given that gender identity issues are becoming,
a topical issue in human rights, and social justice.
What exhibits and education is planned for these?
[Angela] OK, so.. [Male Spectator 1] Gender identity.
[Angela] Sharon Reily is our acting director of research and curation.
[Sharon Reilly] Gender issues right across the board are identified,
in every way when we did our cross-country evaluation of what people,
hope to see in the museum.
they came up in our research with experts in the field,
and with activists in the field,
in our own curatorial research,
so every aspect of gender human rights,
from violence against women and equity issues,
to questions of lesbian and gay rights,
bi-*** rights, and trans-gender rights.
So it's very important to us to address all of these issues.
and our plan is to look at gender issues, across all of our galleries,
in fact we have 10 different galleries,
and I think that gender issues comes up in every single one,
and in many cases more than one time,
specifically with regards to gender identity,
we have two elements in our Canadian galleries,
one of which is going to look at legislation,
protecting gender identity,
and another which is going to incorporate oral histories and research,
with activists and members of the community,
to look at the experiences of transgendered, and gay,
lesbian and bisexual people.
We're going to be looking from the,
as Stuart was saying earlier, from positive stories,
about this, like in the Indiginous community, the respect and regard,
with which... two identity persons,
are going to be interpreted right though to the experiences of homosexuals,
under Nazi Germany.
We're going to be looking at legislation,
and when legislation was passed to protect people, individuals,
and we're going to be looking at activities that people engage in to bring,
greater awareness, and to make change.
We're going to be looking at bullying.
We have one exhibit toward the upper levels of our gallery,
which is going to be a full map of the world,
and which is going to look at cross-cutting issues,
and look at those in many different countries in all parts of the world,
and one of the first issues we identified to be looked at there, was that of gender,
with all of those manifestations.
And further to the things that Corey was saying,
about the way our exhibits are going to be digital.
This is going to be a digitally fed exhibit, that can be changed and upgraded,
and made current, practically on a daily basis. If not a daily basis.
So this is a place where we'll be able to look,
at the struggles going on internationally,
in this regard and many other issues,
and keep focused on that.
[Angela] Thank you Sharon.
[Applause]
[Angela] And I know the bell is going to ring, so if it rings just pause,
with your question, we'll let it ring, and let you continue with your question.
So please go ahead.
[Male Spectator 2] My name is Bradley Rigowski.
I'm and 11th grader at Sisler High School,
What are the economic consequences of genocide and how does it effect culture?
[Angela] Good Question. Clint?
[Laughter]
[Clint] What's with you guys? I don't know...
OK Bradley, I got a good answer.
Under current international law, let me read you the definition of genocide.
It's important that we know what we're talking about.
OK, genocide is defined in the genocide convention,
also in the Rome statute, as the intentional attempt to destroy,
whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Right, so you have the intent to destroy the group.
So it's a group attack,
In the law, international law, there's 5 ways, 5 sort of,
actions that are specifically mentioned,
outright killing of members of the group,
causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group,
inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about,
it's physical destruction,
imposing measures intended to prevent births from within the group,
or finally, forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
So, this is genocide.
[School Buzzer Sounds]
It's an attempt to destroy the group, in whole or in part.
[Angela interrupts] Just for the record, we weren't censoring any,
inappropriate language. That was the bell.
[Laughter]
[Clint] I missed my chance there to say something.
The consequences of genocide are far-reaching,
they effect almost element of the victim group's life in the aftermath,
Raphael Lemkin, who's the jurist who developed the concept of genocide,
in the 20th century argued that one of the standard techniques of genocide,
is to attack economic basis of the target groups,
so for example, seizing businesses, or properties,
or excluding members of that group from certain professions,
Right, these are some examples of ways to weaken the economic base,
as an attempt to destroy the group.
So the effects of these kinds of attacks can be very long lasting,
have major economic consequences for members of the group,
and often these will actually be generational consequences, economically,
where the group even after the genocide is over, there's a survivor remnant,
they're put in such a bad position economically,
that it can take generations to recover what's lost,
and in some cases particularly with the seizure of businesses and properties,
these are never recovered.
You also asked about culture.
Lemkin also identified cultural attacks as pretty standard technique,
of genocidal perpetration. So, for example,
The destruction of religious buildings or sacred sites, desecration,
or for example, the marginalization of language,
or, even, we could say, for example,
the targeting poets, writers, and other cultural leaders,
and these are quite common in genocides, those cultural attacks to occur,
as the group is being attacked.
and of course as well, you have the major long term ramifications,
from those kinds of cultural attacks,
and you know one of the things about genocide is when you have that,
cultural loss, not only the victim group is hurt, but the whole world is hurt.
It's sort of like a situation about diversity where you're getting certain,
life forms that are eradicated it affects the whole eco-system.
and it's the same way with the cultural life of the world,
when one culture is marginalized and destroyed and dismantled,
all of us are impoverished by that.
These destructive effects of genocide become current human rights issues,
which is one of the reasons why our museum is tackling the subject of genocide,
because while it's history, it's also current events,
and human rights, can be an effective tool for groups to begin to reconstruct,
their lives, their economic and cultural lives in the aftermath,
and so this is one of the reasons why we've got lots of exhibits looking at this subject
Thank you.
[Applause]
[Angela] Thank you Clint.
[Male Spectator 3] Hi my name is Brian Sousa.
And I'm a grade 12 in Sisler.
and my question is, given that the Manitoba government recently recognized,
transgender rights in our charter, what plans do you have to address,
the issues of the LGBT community?
Especially in regards to gender neutral, or unisex bathroom facilities,
in public access buildings.
[Angela] OK, Susanne, responsible for the building,
as CFO could you answer that?
[Susanne] OK, sure, thank you. Good question.
There are many public washrooms in the museum,
and we have made provision for unisex or gender neutral washrooms,
within the facility. So we are providing that. Thank you.
[Angela] Thank you. [Applause]
[Angela] So I think that's all for the questions from the school,
thank you very much.
Have a good lunch and get back to class.
[Laughter and Applause]
Merci Beaucoup.
[Angela] So we'll move right into the rest of our Q & A session.
and if I can have just the CMHR staff with the microphones signal,
where you are. There's Helene in the corner over there.
Lise over here. And so if you just want to give them a sign,
We'll go about your questions, what we'll ask is that you ask one question,
at a time, if after this question and answer period we are unable,
to answer you questions we will be available afterwards.
We will be also taking some questions that have been coming in online,
and through twitter. And then we will be posting a frequently,
asked questions document on our website in the coming days.
so please check back there.
And I just want to remind the media that there will be media availablities,
following the question.
And so we're just going to set some basic ground rules,
namely that everyone's questions perspective is important,
and, but we will not accept or respond to comments that are personal insults,
or personal attacks or insults.
And we will allow each individual, as I said, to answer one at a time,
of course if there aren't any additional questions we would come back,
to you at that point. So I think Lise in the corner,
you have a question?
[Male Spectator 4] Hello, My name is Oscar Poaleska,
I'm a former honourary council for Ukraine in Manitoba,
I want to tell you I liked Angela Cassie from way back when,
and I like her even more.
Because if she can't operate the Blackberry let me tell you something,
she's my type of lady. [Laughter]
I don't, I need assistance with getting this DVD operating in my own house.
So my grandson does it for me.
Anyway, I'd like to, you know, we talk a lot of things here, and,
I think there's been really a lot of good steps forward,
taken by the museum over the past number of years.
I don't think it's a big secret that as a member of the Ukrainian-Canadian,
community and one of the original, "Rah-Rah" supporters of the museum,
as Mrs. Asper can probably agree to that,
That I turned out to be a cynic over the years,
and really quite disappointed with the way things were going,
and the prism that was being used to to show things in the museum.
I would like to say that the most recent statements from the museum,
are a big step forward in addressing these kinds of problems.
Particularly I like some of the comments of Mr. Murray,
where he mentioned that we're looking at it through a Canadian prism,
Canadian viewpoint, which I think is what it should be,
it's a Canadian museum,
so that's excellent.
Further more, some comments that should not be simply an exposition of tragedies,
but should be something that leads you to the understanding of...
what has to be done in order that those tragedies do not occur again.
So I think this is really very good.
So, congratulations to the team and particularly to Mr. Murray, Clint Curle,
Angela Cassie and I don't know who else was involved in bringing,
initiating the contact with the Ukrainian Holodomor Museum Memorial,
in Kiev in Ukraine.
and to bring two experts to Canada in this recent tour.
I think this was a big step forward.
But the question that I have, and I wrote to Mr. Murray on the 10th of Novemeber,
And I notice on the panel there was one person,
unfortunately I can't remember the name, you know I'm at least over 35,
I don't remember these things.
But um, I am concerned about the Museum's,
ability attract a visitor on the repeat visit.
Not the first visit, I think everyone will come to a first visit, just to see.
But, in order for the Museum to be successful in bringing in people,
as a learning experience, where you would like to learn again,
And I have serious concerns about this so-called "iPad" approach,
I call it iPad approach, in my letter I wrote this looks to me like,
a CNN, United States election presentation,
you know where you pull the thing down, you move things back,
you have red squares, green squares, yellow squares and so on.
I tell you what, that doesn't turn me on at all.
Maybe the students that just left, maybe it's for them,
I would really like to have that aspect to be looked at.
[Angela] OK, maybe I'll ask Stuart to start and maybe Corey or Gilles,
if you'd like to add.
[Stuart] Thank you so much, and thank you for not embarrassing me,
because we talked privately about answering your letter,
you know I'll answer it.
And I thought you might bring it forward today, and thanks for your comments.
You know the fact of life is I think that one of the, a question that was asked,
about this being an idea museum.
I think it speaks really to your point specifically, and it's not just about,
utilization of the individual using technology,
it's about the museum using internal technology to be able to be able to deal,
with the iterative ongoing issues that happen today around human rights.
So, we're very aware that this is not a museum that is going to use technology,
to alienate. And I appreciate your comment.
There's a lot of visitors that will feel that way,
so we want to make sure that it's a welcoming experience,
but we will be using not so much as an individual having,
to figure out the technology, the technology will come to you,
but we use that to make this a very iterative, creative,
ever-changing opportunity.
Because again, our mandate is to ensure that we look at issues that are happening,
in Canada, and world wide to bring those to our visitors,
so you'll never ever have the same visitor experience once.
I don't know if Corey, Do want to..
You know, upstanding this guy.
[Corey] I just like to reiterate also that a good friend of mine,
is the VP of technology at the Newseum in Washington,
and it is a very, very technology heavy museum,
when you compare it to other museums.
But he gave me a quote once and he said that the best experiences in our museum,
are the people on the floor.
And so as someone who is largely responsible with my colleague,
Chris Rivers the Director of IT, for ensuring technology in the museum,
is by no means, that your experience does not rely on that,
it's what can the technology do to facilitate should you choose to use it.
but it's really about building a multi-sensory, multi-faceted eperience,
and we're in a situation where we can take advantage of the maturity,
of the technology domain to use it really wisely, and smartly and cost-effectively,
but is by no means a crutch that your museum experience will have to lean on.
[Angela] I mean I think June as well touched a little about learning,
and programming earlier, and the use of the theatre and arts and music,
as powerful ways, and those are some of the elements that would encourage you,
and provide you opportunities to come back to the museum as well,
Do we have another question? Over here.
[Female Spectator 1] Good morning, my name is Jess Turner,
I'm co-chair of the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities.
My question is two-fold.
Canada and more so the Province of Manitoba has a long standing,
and rich history related to the disability rights movement.
How will this history be showcased at the museum?
And I think we can all agree that disability affects everyone.
And so how will this subject matter be intertwined with other aspects,
of human rights?
[Angela] OK, I'm going to ask Sharon Reilly,
Acting Director of Curation and Research to address that question.
[Sharon Reilly] Well as Natalie said from the stage, we do have our,
we do have our inclusive design advisory council,
which began really as a group of people who would help us to think,
about making the facility accessible,
for persons of all kinds of abilities,
and levels of abilities,
but that committee has actually started to become something else,
because we've been talking to them about,
the experience exhibits that we have planned,
and the research that we're doing,
and they are, in fact, advising us at this stage on,
talking about disability rights in our exhibits,
we're also working with other groups across the country,
in planning these kinds of exhibits,
so we have... You know I gaive a presentation to our IDAC committee,
back in March,
and for that I was asked to point to all of the different places we have planned,
so far where we're actually going to be addressing disability rights,
and the number was really very good.
There were a good number of exhibits that are planned,
including one of our story niches, which is in the Canadian gallery,
which is a small exhibit area,
we have 18 of these surrounding the perimeter of that gallery,
they're 8 foot by 8 foot by 8 foot square,
and for that space we've been working with the Ryerierson Institute,
of Disability Rights in Toronto,
and preparing an exhibit on that area.
We've also been involving our oral history research in this capacity.
So it's a very important issue to us, it's one where we want to keep growing,
and learning, and changing our exhibits up to, again, tackle emerging issues,
and issues that we can't cover off on day one,
because we can't cover every single issue that we want to,
from the whole range of human rights concerns.
So it's very important to us, and we're definitely working toward that.
[Angela] Thank you Sharon.
[Applause]
[Angela] I'm gonna ask Lise Pinkos to ask a question,
that's either come through social media, twitter or facebook.
[Lise Pinkos] So this message is from Pamela on Facebook.
She would like to know why the atrocities of our country are being left out.
Do we not need to acknowledge our weaknesses in order to not repeat them?
[Angela] Sharon would you like to? Or Stuart?
[Stuart] Thank you very much for the question.
First and foremost one of the areas that we want to be very clear about,
is the fact that being a Canadian Museum for Human Rights,
that we respect governments of Canada who over time,
have recognized five genocides.
So that is one area that we want to ensure that we feature in our,
the gallery that we are currently calling "Breaking the Silence,"
In addition to that, we will also be featuring other genocides,
such as the Cambodia issue, and some lesser-known genocides,
our simple fact is that we know there is a tremendous number,
and people use the number 80,
one of our challenges is to get to inauguration, we had to settle on,
how many we could do for inauguration,
that doesn't mean that, after inauguration we won't add and deepen,
and enrich other genocides that are important to visitors,
to Canadians that we've listened to.
So, our initial approach was to ensure that we had something,
that recognized Canada,
Canada's recognization of genocides, as well as some other genocides,
and I may just ask Clint...
[Angela] Before you do that Stuart, sorry I'm just going to interruppt.
I think the question was more specific to Canadian experiences,
rather than, I think maybe the word atrocities made a connection,
more to external issues, but I think it's really speaking,
about Canada's own history, so I'm just wondering if Sharon,
or a member of the curatorial team, or Gilles could speak,
more specifically to Canada?
Sorry to interrupt.
[Sharon] One of the questions that we've been dealing with in the last week,
is the question of, are we telling Canadian stories that are positive,
and I would argue that we are doing that very much so,
because we are telling the story of our history in this country,
and that includes the violations of human rights,
and people's struggles to bring about change, too improve life,
for a group, or the cultural organization,
or who's ever rights have been violated,
so if we're looking at an issue for example,
like the internment of Japanese-Canadians during the second World War,
which is one of the black spots on Canada's history.
We're examining that history, we're facing up to it, and we must.
But we're also talking about the fact that Japanese-Canadians themselves,
first generation, second generation, into the third generation,
organized and fought to have the wrong that was done to that group of Canadians,
apologized for, for some token of redress to occur,
and for the opportunity to evolve for Japanese-Canadians to become,
a fully integrated part of Canadian society.
which of course has happened today, and not that many years ago,
that this event that began in 1942 with the bombing of Pearl Harbor occurred.
So I would argue that is a Canadian success story,
It's an atrocity, it was a terrible thing that happened,
but we've been able to come back from that,
and in that way I think that Canada does exemplify a country where people,
can fight to build and protect, and enhance human rights,
and we can look at dozens and dozens of stories throughout Canadian history,
where the very same kind of thing happens so we can...
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, that's the biggie I think in Canada today.
The forced...
relocation of Indigenous children into residential schools,
beginning in the late 1800's and continuing up until really quite recently,
in the 20th century has been a huge blight on Canada's growth and development,
and on the Aboriginal peoples of this country,
and that's an issue we're tackling in this museum.
[Angela] Thank you Sharon. [Sharon] So Yeah, we have to do this.
[Angela] We're gonna take one other question from social media.
[Lise] This one from Twitter, are Canada's first national internment operations,
going to be covered by an exhibit in the CMHR?
[Angela] First national internment operations? Travis?
Our resident historian.
[Travis] Uh, Yeah. The answer is yes.
[Laughter]
[Angela] Yes.
[Travis] I don't know what else to tell you. Yes it will be there.
[Angela] Well that's 140 characters, it's a twitter response.
[Laughter]
[Angela] So we're just over noon. Are there any more questions?
OK, I think we have one more.
[Lise] Please provide an explanation for the desertion of so many former
employees and their claims of government interference,
in decisions of museum content.
[Angela] OK, Stuart?
[Stuart] Thank you very much. Thanks for the question.
Hopefully I'll understand this one. [Chuckles]
You know the fact of life is there's a couple of issues there.
Number 1 is, the start-up museum, start-up project is always a challenge,
and there's never one particular reason I believe where people move on,
I think people make their own choices,
I think the fact of life is that we have had in this start-up project,
this, what I call this noble Canadian experiment,
we've had some lot of challenges,
a lot of it was on the basis that we did not have funding certainty.
Funding certainty that came to us in July of 2012, was a real pivot point for us,
it allowed us to ensure that we had a master schedule, for an opening in 2014,
and it allowed us actually even talk about an actual opening in 14,
prior to that, understand that some people with uncertainty,
weren't sure when we were going to open, and we had to be candid with people.
So, challenges along the way? Absolutely.
But I think I have to be clear to answer the person that asked that question,
as I said from the podium, I am very confident in the women and men,
that are involved in this organization, that we will open this museum in 2014.
As I said that we will talk about the actual date early 2013,
but I know that we are committed and we will get to creating something,
that all Canadians expect us to deliver which is something that all Canadians,
will be proud of. Thank you.
[Applause]
[Angela] So I believe that brings us to the close.
[Angela speaking in French]
First I would like to thank some individuals,
Thanks to Vice-Principle Ken Reimer, and Principle George Heska,
and the staff and students of Sisler High School.
Merci beaucoup. Thank you. [Applause]
[Applause]
I would like to thank all of our speakers today,
as well as the translators in the back of the room,
our ASL interpreter Tanya, thank you very much.
[Applause]
All of our technical team who were here late in the hour, working out kinks,
and who've been here since early this morning allowing us to live stream
thank you to everyone in the back of the room.
[Applause]
Scott and Caroline here at the side of the room,
who have been following everything on social media,
and have been live tweeting and following us on social media,
Shouresh, Jessica, Aaron, Scott, and Jatinder who have been helping us,
with everything IT related.
[Applause]
[Angela speaking french]
And because I have the microphone I also want to take a minute to,
thank my team Lindsay, Maureen and Amy.
It's been a challenging year, it's an exciting project and it's a pleasure,
and an honour to work with each of you.
So thank you for everything that all of you have done to make today,
and the last weeks, and the last months a fantastic time at work. Thank you guys.
[Applause] Merci, Thank you Maureen.
Thanks to our board, to the rest of the CMHR team, to our Friends,
both from the friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights,
and everyone who joined us.
[repeating in French]
Thanks to the Q's and A's here at the front of the room.
Thank you very much, drive safely, have a great day.
[Applause]