How to Improve Your YCW Application | Améliorez vos demandes Jeunesse Canada au travail

(Le francais suit)  

As employer applications are received for the 2014 Young Canada Works (YCW) program, the CMA would like to thank last year’s peer review committee for their hard work.

During last year’s review process, we asked the committee to identify general recommendations for developing stronger employer applications. 

We would like to share the top 5 tips to help you write your best application yet!

What a Week in Whitehorse! | Quelle semaine à Whitehorse!

We hope you have returned safe, sound and stimulated from the 2013 CMA National Conference; we certainly have! We were treated once again to the genuine hospitality of the people of Whitehorse. Even Mother Nature gave us a warm welcome! It was the perfect setting for learning and networking with some of the best in the museum community. From singing keynote speakers and inspiring award recipients, to throwing atlatls at mock mammoths and panning for gold — the week flew by!

You can relive some of your favourite moments by viewing photos on the CMA Flickr site (can you tell which ones were taken at midnight?), and videos of the Award recipients on the CMA YouTube channel. To see the entertaining “photo-booth” pictures taken during the event at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History, click on this hyperlink and use the access code “museum”. Who knew museum professionals could strike a pose like that? Our thanks to the MacBride Museum for sharing those images and for hosting a wonderful evening.

The Black Wolf Squadron

The story of the first transcontinental flight to land in Whitehorse

As we embrace the northern spirit before making the trek to our 66th CMA National Conference, we'd like to share this fascinating article about the first transcontinental flight to land in Whitehorse, Yukon. We hope you enjoy this little piece of history as you prepare to make your way north.

The first powered flight in aviation history — when the Wright brothers flew the Flyer in North Carolina — lasted 12 seconds and covered 36.5 metres. Just 17 years later, the United States Army developed an audacious plan: a 14,500-kilometre transcontinental flight. No one, military or otherwise, had attempted such a feat. 

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

Heritage Never Gets Old

It’s a great time to get involved in the museum and heritage sector. In the next few years alone, Canadians will celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Confederation (2017), the 200^th birthday of our first Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald (2015), and the centennial of the Great War (2014), in which Canadians played a major role in important battles such as Vimy Ridge.

In light of all these commemorations, the government is focusing on our history more than ever. In 2012, Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared Canadian heritage to be a top priority. Even in a time of economic uncertainty, Harper has promised that the heritage sector, a $46 billion dollar industry which provides over 630 000 jobs, will have steady funding for the next five years.

Museums have a valuable role in society. They tell the stories of people who can no longer tell their stories themselves. They promote cultural unity through understanding and appreciation. They act as teacher, storyteller, and facilitator of discussion all at the same time.