Let’s Welcome the Refugees with Open Arms

Le français suit.
 
Canada is moving fast to welcome 25,000 refugees, mostly from Syria, in the next few weeks. This is an ambitious target for Canada, more so after the tragic events of last week in Paris and Beirut. The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) welcomes this humanitarian action and we call upon all members to embrace these people with open arms.

They will be arriving in cities and town all across the country. Each province has its own quota, for example, Saskatchewan’s is 2,500, Ontario and Quebec are expecting 8,000 each, and Prince Edward Island’s is 100 individuals. They will be arriving in the midst of our cold winter, in a very different culture, and many will not be able to speak either French or English. The challenges these souls face are incredible, but as you know hundreds of thousands have risked their lives with the hope for a better future.

Social service agencies are springing into action all across Canada. Museums can and should join in these efforts to welcome these refugees. There are many reports from Europe that new refugees feel isolated in the shelters that are provided and isolated from contact with the people of their new homeland. While they may have shelter, meals and heat, there are long hours of uncertainty, worry and boredom. There are missed opportunities to adjust to their new homeland, to explore it and to meet other people.

We feel museums have a role to play, to help welcome them to their new homeland, help them learn more about our history and culture, but also as community centres for learning and adjustment. Language may be a barrier initially, but a warm smile does not need translation and speaks volumes.

Each one of us should consider what role we can play. Small steps of kindness will help make their adjustment to the new homeland much more inviting.
   
Let us all consider what role we can play.

John G. McAvity
Executive Director
Canadian Museums Association






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Réfugiés : accueillons-les à bras ouverts

Le Canada bouge vite afin d’accueillir dans les prochaines semaines, 25 000 réfugiés venant pour la plupart de la Syrie. C’est un objectif ambitieux, surtout suite aux événements tragiques de la semaine dernière à Paris et Beyrouth. L’Association des musées canadiens (AMC) se félicite de cette initiative humanitaire et nous encourageons nos membres à accueillir ces gens à bras ouverts.

Les refugiés arriveront dans les villes et villages à travers le pays. Chaque province dispose de son propre quota. Par exemple, Saskatchewan accueillera 2 500 réfugiés, l’Ontario et le Québec s’attendent à recevoir 8 000 réfugiés chacune, et l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard accueillera 100 individus. Ils arriveront en plein cœur de notre rude hiver, au sein d’une culture qui leur est étrangère, et beaucoup d’entre eux ne parleront ni le français ni l’anglais. Les difficultés auxquelles sont confrontées ces âmes sont incroyables mais, comme vous le savez, ils sont des centaines de milliers à risquer leurs vies dans l’espoir d’une vie meilleure.

Les agences de services sociaux passent déjà à l’action partout au Canada. Les musées peuvent et devraient participer aux efforts d’accueil des réfugiés. De nombreux témoignages nous proviennent de l’Europe indiquant que les nouveaux réfugiés se sentent isolés dans les hébergements mis à leur disposition et isolés du contact avec la population de leur nouvelle patrie. Les réfugiés disposent de logements et de repas chauds certes, mais ils endurent aussi de longues heures d’incertitude, d’inquiétude et d’ennui. Ils ratent des occasions de s’adapter à leur nouvelle patrie, de la découvrir et de rencontrer d’autres personnes.

Nous estimons que les musées ont un rôle à jouer pour l’accueil des réfugiés dans leur nouvelle patrie, en les aidant à connaitre notre histoire et culture, mais aussi en étant des centres communautaires pour l’apprentissage et l’adaptation. La langue pourrait être une barrière au début, mais un sourire chaleureux est assez éloquent, et en dit long sur nos intentions.

Chacun d’entre nous devrait envisager de jouer un rôle. Des petits gestes de gentillesse contribueront à rendre l’intégration des réfugiés à leur nouvelle patrie encore plus attrayante.

Songeons tous à contribuer notre part.

John G. McAvity
Directeur général
Association des musées canadiens

A Busy Spring and Summer

What a most amazing Conference we just had. You should see my photos of what midnight looks like in Whitehorse! 

The Conference was terrific and I wish everyone could experience the wonderful Yukon hospitality!

While up North, I went to Skagway which is one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Forest, dessert, lakes, barren rocks above the tree line, crossing the Rockies, and then straight down to Skagway. I had lunch in a brothel (now a museum), took a helicopter ride over the mountains, one of which my grandfather climbed on the way to the Klondike looking for gold a century ago (he never found much, just enough for my grandmother’s wedding ring). And then it was back to Whitehorse, where I had the opportunity to have dinner with the Premier of the Yukon, Darrell Pasloski.

I also did several important things before getting to the Yukon, such as attending the Organization of Military Museums of Canada conference in London, ON, attending meetings with the President of the Chinese Museums Association in Toronto, and I was one of three speakers to officially open the new Robert Bateman Museum in Victoria, BC.

And now I’m in New Brunswick, where I will be working for the summer. I want to wish everyone a great summer and look forward to seeing everyone in the fall!

John G. McAvity

Executive Director

ICOM Europe Conference: Public Policies towards Museums in Times of Crisis

City of Lisbon, Portugal

In April 2013, I participated in a conference in Lisbon on the funding crisis facing museums in Europe, which was sponsored by ICOM. I was also invited to speak on “the Canadian experience”.

I was eager to attend this conference and to learn more about how museums in Europe are dealing with the massive cuts. While there, I heard many horror stories but felt the hope of my museological colleagues. There have been many closures of museums, aggressive programs for merging museums, rushed privatization of some sites, and many layoffs. These extensive changes have even paralyzed many museums. The seriousness of the situation was very evident in Lisbon where youth unemployment is over 50% and the economy is stagnant.

Celebrating Future Museum Professionals

On the evening of Thursday, April 25, I had the privilege of addressing the soon-to-be graduates of Algonquin College's Applied Museum Studies (AMS) program at a well-attended public event. The students talked about their experiences as interns at various museums across Canada as well as several international sites.

© CMA / AMC 2013

This three-year Ontario College Advanced Diploma program provides students with a background in museum work and the technical areas common to all museums including collections management, exhibit preparation, conservation, educational programming and museum management.

The AMS program — one of the most recognized of its kind in Canada — is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary. Congratulations to Algonquin College and all the graduates!   

The CMA is the proud employer of a number of the students who were introduced at the event. These young people represent the future of our profession–we will be in good hands. Bravo Algonquin!

 






John G. McAvity

Executive Director

Special Exhibition on Parliament Hill | Exposition spéciale sur la colline du Parlement

On the evening of Tuesday, April 23, Audrey Vermette and I had the opportunity to go to the Prime Minister's office and Cabinet Rooms for the unveiling of a special exhibition of rare artifacts from the Franklin Expedition, organized by the Canadian Museum of Civilization. With several cabinet ministers and MPs also in attendance, Audrey and I had the opportunity to discuss key issues facing museums in Canada. 

© CMA / AMC 2013

Few people know that the Cabinet Rooms showcase a number of important Canadian works of art as well as artefacts, underlining to our federal representatives the importance of Canadian heritage and the role museums play in preserving it. Plans are underway to continue displaying collections on loan from museums. 

John G. McAvity
Executive Director
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Pendant la soirée du mardi 23 avril, Audrey Vermette et moi sommes allés au Cabinet du Premier Ministre et aux salles de réunion du Cabinet pour l’inauguration d’une nouvelle exposition d’artefacts de l’expédition Franklin, présentée par le Musée canadien des civilisations. Tandis que plusieurs ministres et députés étaient aussi présents, nous avons eu l’occasion de discuter des principaux enjeux auxquels font face les musées au Canada.

Peu de gens savent que les salles de réunion du Cabinet servent de vitrine pour présenter plusieurs œuvres d’art et artefacts canadiens importants. Ceci souligne aux représentants fédéraux l’importance du patrimoine canadien et le rôle que jouent les musées pour le préserver. Il est prévu de continuer de présenter des collections prêtées par des musées.

 






John G. McAvity
Directeur général