From JHarding@MuseumsAssn.bc.ca Fri Oct 6 23:43:51 2006 From: JHarding@MuseumsAssn.bc.ca (Jim Harding) Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 15:43:51 -0700 Subject: [BCMA MBEN] BCMA AGM Notice of Meeting Message-ID: <452679B7.18771.B796A26@localhost>
Greetings from BCMA!

The Annual General Meeting of the British Columbia Museums Association will be held as part of Conference 2006,
on Saturday, October 21, 2006
at the Ramada Hotel Downtown Prince George
444 George Street, Prince George, BC
@ 8:30am.

Special Guest Speakers include:
Mr. Richard Porges, Director of Research, Tourism BC
and
Mr. Gerry Osmond, Executive Director,
Alberta Museums Association

AGM materials have been mailed to current BCMA members.

AGM meeting documents have now been posted to the BCMA website for downloading, including:
the Agenda,
2005 AGM Minutes,
Institutional Member's Notice of Voting Rep,
Assignment of Proxy Vote,
Call for Nominations (2006-07 Council)
BCMA 3-Year Business Plan, and
Year One Annual Plan - 2006-07
Membership Homepage

To access the dedicated "Annual General Meeting" webpage:

1. Refer to your personalized BCMA Member GO Card,
2. ENTER the Member Login information & click Sign-in,
3. Click "Annual General Meeting" link in the navigational bar at LEFT to call up the AGM webpage, listing the above links, voting eligibility terms and membership categories.

Continue to watch BCMA-L and MBEN listservs for updates!

See you at Conference 2006!

---   30   ---



_______________________________
Jim Harding, ED
BC Museums Association
(250) 356-5694
From JHarding@MuseumsAssn.bc.ca Thu Oct 12 18:16:11 2006 From: JHarding@MuseumsAssn.bc.ca (Jim Harding) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 10:16:11 -0700 Subject: [BCMA MBEN] Cuts to Youth Employment Programs? CAP Cuts Impact? Message-ID: <452E15EB.23836.2933779C@localhost>
Hello Members & Subscribers;

The dominos continue to fall as a result of the federal funding cuts September 26...and BCMA is trying to keep the consequences front and centre before our MP's...

BCMA has been compiling data on the impact of cuts to youth employment programs in terms of real numbers, as we believe these to be far more grave and wider reaching, especially for small museums, than the cutbacks to MAP--which funded 30 BC institutions in 2003-04 and only 21 in 2004-05, (2005-06 figures not posted yet by Canadian Heritage).

"Due to the Privacy Act", as cited by the department of Human Resources and Social Development Canada, BCMA cannot obtain a central list of all BC museums and art galleries that sponsored Summer Career Placement students over spring and summer 2006.

Instead, we have to obtain individual riding-by-riding lists of program clients from BC MP's (now in progress), because MP's are required to sign-off on all federal-client agreements.

Therefore, we are asking BC museums and art galleries to quickly respond to BCMA-L or MBEN ("members only" dedicated listeserv) with the following information ASAP:

1. Did your institution receive student placements this spring and/or summer? (Institution Name?)

2. How many? Job Title(s)? For how long (number of weeks)?

3. Did you receive all positions you applied for? (ie. 3 of 4, etc)

4. Under what federal program? (ie. Summer Career Placement, Young Canada Works? Other-please identify?)

5. What was the $$$-value of your 2006 youth employment agreement?

6. Please list in point form how NOT having access to these, or similar youth employment programs, will have an impact on your institution:


ALSO: This week, CBC Radio 1 carried stories concerning cutbacks to the Community Access Program (CAP) that assisted with the provision of internet access and regional servers to enable public internet access, including through such public institutions as public libraries, but may also affect remote access via internet, in more rural areas.

Details are still surfacing, but BCMA wants to know if your institution has been or may be affected (ie. regional servers) in the future by the loss or severe restriction of such service?

BCMA has added a discussion about federal program cuts to our Annual General Meeting agenda for Saturday, October 21st and having the latest information and examples of the impacts (it's plural) is important to this discussion.

Meanwhile, please keep your direct letters to your MP, Minister Oda, PM Harper coming. Please copy BCMA, (thanks to all of you who have), but also your MLA and mayor and council.

Thank you! See You at Conference 2006 next week!

--Jim

_______________________________
Jim Harding, ED
BC Museums Association
(250) 356-5694
From museum@sunshinecable.com Thu Oct 12 23:17:15 2006 From: museum@sunshinecable.com (Greenwood Museum-Cable) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 15:17:15 -0700 Subject: Fw: [BCMA MBEN] Cuts to Youth Employment Programs? CAP Cuts Impact? Message-ID: <000601c6ee4c$2c5bd9a0$6501a8c0@OWNER4ILK49AQS> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C6EE11.7FE051E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Jim Harding=20 To: bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca=20 Cc: broadcast@museumsassn.bc.ca=20 Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 10:16 AM Subject: [BCMA MBEN] Cuts to Youth Employment Programs? CAP Cuts Impact? Hello Members & Subscribers; The dominos continue to fall as a result of the federal funding cuts = September 26...and BCMA is trying to keep the consequences front and = centre before our MP's... BCMA has been compiling data on the impact of cuts to youth employment = programs in terms of real numbers, as we believe these to be far more = grave and wider reaching, especially for small museums, than the = cutbacks to MAP--which funded 30 BC institutions in 2003-04 and only 21 = in 2004-05, (2005-06 figures not posted yet by Canadian Heritage). "Due to the Privacy Act", as cited by the department of Human Resources = and Social Development Canada, BCMA cannot obtain a central list of all = BC museums and art galleries that sponsored Summer Career Placement = students over spring and summer 2006. Instead, we have to obtain individual riding-by-riding lists of program = clients from BC MP's (now in progress), because MP's are required to = sign-off on all federal-client agreements. Therefore, we are asking BC museums and art galleries to quickly respond = to BCMA-L or MBEN ("members only" dedicated listeserv) with the = following information ASAP: 1. Did your institution receive student placements this spring and/or = summer? (Institution Name?) yes-summer Greenwood Heritage Society = (Museum) 2. How many? Job Title(s)? For how long (number of weeks)? 1-student; = Title-Museum Attendant/Visitor Counsellor; No. of weeks - 14 3. Did you receive all positions you applied for? (ie. 3 of 4, etc) No - = we applied for 2 positions 4. Under what federal program? (ie. Summer Career Placement, Young = Canada Works? Other-please identify?) Program - Summer Career Placement 5. What was the $$$-value of your 2006 youth employment agreement? The = value of the agreement - $5, 056 6. Please list in point form how NOT having access to these, or similar = youth employment programs, will have an impact on your institution: -hours for our Museum/Visitor Centre will have to be cut -loss of revenue -loss of tourism to the City=3Dloss of revenue for our City businesses -the only industry we have is TOURISM! We are a single industry city and = our museum is the major attraction. If we have to cut our hours it = could have devastating results for all of us. ALSO: This week, CBC Radio 1 carried stories concerning cutbacks to the = Community Access Program (CAP) that assisted with the provision of = internet access and regional servers to enable public internet access, = including through such public institutions as public libraries, but may = also affect remote access via internet, in more rural areas.=20 Details are still surfacing, but BCMA wants to know if your institution = has been or may be affected (ie. regional servers) in the future by the = loss or severe restriction of such service? BCMA has added a discussion about federal program cuts to our Annual = General Meeting agenda for Saturday, October 21st and having the latest = information and examples of the impacts (it's plural) is important to = this discussion. Meanwhile, please keep your direct letters to your MP, Minister Oda, PM = Harper coming. Please copy BCMA, (thanks to all of you who have), but = also your MLA and mayor and council. Thank you! See You at Conference 2006 next week! --Jim _______________________________ Jim Harding, ED BC Museums Association (250) 356-5694 _______________________________________________ broadcast mailing list = To unsubscribe or change your preferences visit = broadcast@museumsassn.bc.ca = http://hp.bccna.bc.ca/mailman/listinfo/broadcast ------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C6EE11.7FE051E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Jim=20 Harding
To: bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca =
Cc: broadcast@museumsassn.bc.ca
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 10:16 AM
Subject: [BCMA MBEN] Cuts to Youth Employment Programs? CAP = Cuts=20 Impact?

Hello Members=20 & Subscribers;

The = dominos=20 continue to fall as a result of the federal funding cuts September = 26...and BCMA=20 is trying to keep the consequences front and centre before our=20 MP's...

BCMA has been=20 compiling data on the impact of cuts to youth employment programs = in=20 terms of real numbers, as we believe these to be far more grave and = wider=20 reaching, especially for small museums, than the cutbacks to MAP--which = funded=20 30 BC institutions in 2003-04 and only 21 in 2004-05, (2005-06 figures = not=20 posted yet by Canadian Heritage).

"Due to the = Privacy Act", as=20 cited by the department of Human Resources and Social Development = Canada, BCMA=20 cannot obtain a central list of all BC museums and art galleries that = sponsored=20 Summer Career Placement students over spring and summer = 2006.

Instead, we have = to obtain=20 individual riding-by-riding lists of program clients from BC MP's (now = in=20 progress), because MP's are required to sign-off on all federal-client=20 agreements.

Therefore, we are = asking BC=20 museums and art galleries to quickly respond to BCMA-L or MBEN ("members = only"=20 dedicated listeserv) with the following information = ASAP:

1. Did your = institution=20 receive student placements this spring and/or summer? (Institution = Name?)=20 yes-summer  Greenwood Heritage Society (Museum)

2. How many? Job = Title(s)? For=20 how long (number of weeks)? 1-student; Title-Museum Attendant/Visitor=20 Counsellor; No. of weeks - 14

3. Did you receive = all=20 positions you applied for? (ie. 3 of 4, etc) No - we applied for 2=20 positions

4. Under what = federal program?=20 (ie. Summer Career Placement, Young Canada Works? Other-please = identify?)=20 Program - Summer Career Placement

5. What was the = $$$-value of=20 your 2006 youth employment agreement? The value of the agreement - $5,=20 056

6. Please list in = point form=20 how NOT having access to these, or similar youth employment programs, = will have=20 an impact on your institution:

-hours for our = Museum/Visitor=20 Centre will have to be cut

-loss of=20 revenue

-loss of tourism = to the=20 City=3Dloss of revenue for our City businesses

-the only industry = we have is=20 TOURISM! We are a single industry city and our museum is the major=20 attraction.  If we have to cut our hours it could have devastating = results=20 for all of us.

 


ALSO: This week, = CBC Radio 1=20 carried stories concerning cutbacks to the Community Access Program = (CAP) that=20 assisted with the provision of internet access and regional servers to = enable=20 public internet access, including through such public institutions as = public=20 libraries, but may also affect remote access via internet, in more rural = areas.=20

Details are still = surfacing,=20 but BCMA wants to know if your institution has been or may be affected = (ie.=20 regional servers) in the future by the loss or severe restriction of = such=20 service?

BCMA has added a = discussion=20 about federal program cuts to our Annual General Meeting agenda for = Saturday,=20 October 21st and having the latest information and examples of the = impacts (it's=20 plural) is important to this discussion.

Meanwhile, please = keep your=20 direct letters to your MP, Minister Oda, PM Harper coming. Please copy = BCMA,=20 (thanks to all of you who have), but also your MLA and mayor and=20 council.

Thank you! See You = at=20 Conference 2006 next week!

--Jim

_______________________________
Jim = Harding,=20 ED
BC = Museums=20 Association
(250)=20 356-5694
_______________________________________________ = broadcast=20 mailing list To unsubscribe or change your preferences visit=20 broadcast@museumsassn.bc.ca = http://hp.bccna.bc.ca/mailman/listinfo/broadcast=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C6EE11.7FE051E0-- From JHarding@MuseumsAssn.bc.ca Mon Oct 16 18:53:31 2006 From: JHarding@MuseumsAssn.bc.ca (Jim Harding) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:53:31 -0700 Subject: (Fwd) Fw: [BCMA MBEN] Cuts to Youth Employment Programs? CAP C Message-ID: <453364AB.8647.3DEF01F5@localhost> ------- Forwarded message follows ------- Date sent: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:40:26 -0700 From: Tracy Calogheros Subject: Fw: [BCMA MBEN] Cuts to Youth Employment Programs? CAP Cuts Impact? Info for the listserve ----- Original Message ----- From: Amanda Tisseur To: Tracy Calogheros Sent: Monday, October 16, 2006 9:22 AM Subject: Re: [BCMA MBEN] Cuts to Youth Employment Programs? CAP Cuts Impact? Tracy, Here is the requested info. I'm not on the BMCA-L or MBEN, so can you please forward it for me? Please add your thoughts on the impact of the loss of summer student funding on us (#6). Thanks. 1. The Exploration Place did receive student placements in summer 2006. 2. New Media Instructor, 16 weeks; Outdoor Education Instructor, 16 weeks; 2 Science Alliance Instructors, 16 weeks; Assistant Archivist, 12 weeks; Science Alliance Instructor, 17 weeks; Gallery Interpreter, 6 weeks. 3. We received 7 out of 14 requested positions. 4. We received funding under Summer Career Placement, Young Canada Works in Heritage Institutions (CMA & CCA) and Summer Work Student Exchange 5. The value of our 2006 youth employment agreements totalled $30,233. 6. -Reduced quality of summer programming -Potential for the cancellation of a number of summer programs -Reduced ability to conduct archival research and development tasks leading to future public exhibits -Overwork and burnout of existing fulltime staff attempting to maintain programs while understaffed -Reduced customer service to increased summer traffic in our galleries ----- Original Message ----- From: Tracy Calogheros To: Amanda Tisseur Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 10:49 AM Subject: Fw: [BCMA MBEN] Cuts to Youth Employment Programs? CAP Cuts Impact? Can you supply the answers to this for the BCMA? Thanks! Tracy ----- Original Message ----- From: Jim Harding To: bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca Cc: broadcast@museumsassn.bc.ca Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 10:16 AM Subject: [BCMA MBEN] Cuts to Youth Employment Programs? CAP Cuts Impact? Hello Members & Subscribers; The dominos continue to fall as a result of the federal funding cuts September 26...and BCMA is trying to keep the consequences front and centre before our MP's... BCMA has been compiling data on the impact of cuts to youth employment programs in terms of real numbers, as we believe these to be far more grave and wider reaching, especially for small museums, than the cutbacks to MAP--which funded 30 BC institutions in 2003- 04 and only 21 in 2004-05, (2005-06 figures not posted yet by Canadian Heritage). "Due to the Privacy Act", as cited by the department of Human Resources and Social Development Canada, BCMA cannot obtain a central list of all BC museums and art galleries that sponsored Summer Career Placement students over spring and summer 2006. Instead, we have to obtain individual riding-by-riding lists of program clients from BC MP's (now in progress), because MP's are required to sign-off on all federal-client agreements. Therefore, we are asking BC museums and art galleries to quickly respond to BCMA-L or MBEN ("members only" dedicated listeserv) with the following information ASAP: 1. Did your institution receive student placements this spring and/or summer? (Institution Name?) 2. How many? Job Title(s)? For how long (number of weeks)? 3. Did you receive all positions you applied for? (ie. 3 of 4, etc) 4. Under what federal program? (ie. Summer Career Placement, Young Canada Works? Other-please identify?) 5. What was the $$$-value of your 2006 youth employment agreement? 6. Please list in point form how NOT having access to these, or similar youth employment programs, will have an impact on your institution: ALSO: This week, CBC Radio 1 carried stories concerning cutbacks to the Community Access Program (CAP) that assisted with the provision of internet access and regional servers to enable public internet access, including through such public institutions as public libraries, but may also affect remote access via internet, in more rural areas. Details are still surfacing, but BCMA wants to know if your institution has been or may be affected (ie. regional servers) in the future by the loss or severe restriction of such service? BCMA has added a discussion about federal program cuts to our Annual General Meeting agenda for Saturday, October 21st and having the latest information and examples of the impacts (it's plural) is important to this discussion. Meanwhile, please keep your direct letters to your MP, Minister Oda, PM Harper coming. Please copy BCMA, (thanks to all of you who have), but also your MLA and mayor and council. Thank you! See You at Conference 2006 next week! --Jim _______________________________ Jim Harding, ED BC Museums Association (250) 356-5694 _______________________________________________ broadcast mailing list To unsubscribe or change your preferences visit broadcast@museumsassn.bc.ca http://hp.bccna.bc.ca/mailman/listinfo/broadcast ------- End of forwarded message ------- _______________________________ Jim Harding, ED BC Museums Association (250) 356-5694 From JHarding@MuseumsAssn.bc.ca Fri Oct 27 00:25:59 2006 From: JHarding@MuseumsAssn.bc.ca (Jim Harding) Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 16:25:59 -0700 Subject: [BCMA MBEN] [Fwd] Museums Vote Passed in House of Commons Message-ID: <4540E197.27531.729EC9D8@localhost>

Following is the la= test on MAP...


Museu= ms Vote Passed in House of Commons

Otta= wa, October 25, 2006 - Yesterday, Members of Parliament voted in support of rescinding the recent unexpected cuts to MAP, and further that a new Canadian Museums Policy be established as soon as possible. The vote was 146 in favour, 114 against, with the three Opposition parties voting for it, and the government members voting against.

This vote follows Monday's unprecedented three hour debate in the full House of Commons on the need for stable long-term funding for Canada's museums, and a new museums policy — as per the Conservative Party's election commitment — as soon as possible.

Over the past two days, museums have been front and center in the House of Commons. Never before has there been such a debate in the full chamber on the federal role in supporting museums across Canada.

Here is some of what was said during Monday's debate:

—MP Maka Kotto (BQ):= "The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and the Standing Committee on Finance have presented successive recommendations to previous governments and the current government in favour of new investment in museums. The urgency of having a federal museum policy is supported by the current Government of Quebec, by the provinces and territories of Canada, by the tourist industry, the cities, municipalities and several other entities.In light of this data, the Canadian Museums Association and the Société des musées québécois = recently called on the Government of Canada to immediately honour the election promise by the Conservative Party of Canada to implement a new Canadian museum policy with multi-year funding for museums across Canada as soon as possible."

—MP Jim Abbott, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (CPC), repeated that his government intends to bring in a new policy for museums but needs time to consider the issues. He went on to discuss "third party delivery" of the new programs and the need to raise public support for museums. He stated: "There is a fundamental question that has to be answered. What museum, at what place in Canada, should be getting federal funding, and for what purposes? There is, within museums, the entire issue of the facilities, the building of the facilities. There is the maintenance of the facilities. There is the issue of acquisition and storage of artifacts. There is the staffing issue. What portion of museum costs should be borne by the federal taxpayer and why?"

—MP Charlie Angus, NDP: "What we need in this House is a commitment. We need to tell our cultural arts sector, not only that they are the ones who tell our stories and make of us a nation, but that they are also a serious industry. These museums are a serious player in the creation of jobs. If we go to any small town in Canada and ask people in the town about their tourism strategy, what do they point to? They point to their museum. Every small town knows that culture is what brings in tourists and tourists play a major role in the ability of our smaller communities to survive."

CMA will be meeting= with the Honourable Bev Oda, Minister for Canadian Heritage, shortly to present preliminary recommendations for the long awaited museums policy and funding requirements. CMA hopes she will make a commitment to bring this in as early as the next federal budget expected in February or March. CMA encourages members, trustees, volunteers, and all those who support Canada's heritage to talk to MPs, and inform them of their needs.

For the complete transcript of the debate, select media coverage, and reactions to the MAP cuts, visit
www.museums.ca  

For more information:
Monique Horth
Director of Public and Professional Affairs
mhorth@museums.ca
613-567-0099 l225

----------------------------------------


_______________________________
Jim Harding, ED
BC Museums Association
(250) 356-5694
From ntuele@shaw.ca Fri Oct 27 01:34:16 2006 From: ntuele@shaw.ca (Nicholas Tuele) Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:34:16 -0700 Subject: [BCMA MBEN] [Fwd] Museums Vote Passed in House of Commons In-Reply-To: <4540E197.27531.729EC9D8@localhost> Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.2.20061026172908.00ba3d80@shawmail.gv.shawcable.net> --=====================_2104171==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Astonishingly good news and testimony to the efficacy of the hard efforts=20 that our national and provincial associations have put into this issue in=20 the past number of weeks. As well, this underlines the great significance=20 of the motion recently passed at the BCMA's annual general meeting with=20 regard to pursuing the heritage policy initiative with our provincial=20 government. We look forward to the critical next steps on both the provincial and=20 federal levels. Nick Tuele At 04:25 PM 10/26/2006 -0700, Jim Harding wrote: > > >Following is the latest on MAP... > >Museums Vote Passed in House of Commons Ottawa, October 25, 2006 -=20 >Yesterday, Members of Parliament voted in support of rescinding the recent= =20 >unexpected cuts to MAP, and further that a new Canadian Museums Policy be= =20 >established as soon as possible. The vote was 146 in favour, 114 against,= =20 >with the three Opposition parties voting for it, and the government=20 >members voting against. This vote follows Monday's unprecedented three=20 >hour debate in the full House of Commons on the need for stable long-term= =20 >funding for Canada's museums, and a new museums policy as per the=20 >Conservative Party's election commitment as soon as possible. Over the=20 >past two days, museums have been front and center in the House of Commons.= =20 >Never before has there been such a debate in the full chamber on the=20 >federal role in supporting museums across Canada. Here is some of what was= =20 >said during Monday's debate: > >MP Maka Kotto (BQ): "The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and the=20 >Standing Committee on Finance have presented successive recommendations to= =20 >previous governments and the current government in favour of new=20 >investment in museums. The urgency of having a federal museum policy is=20 >supported by the current Government of Quebec, by the provinces and=20 >territories of Canada, by the tourist industry, the cities, municipalities= =20 >and several other entities.In light of this data, the Canadian Museums=20 >Association and the Soci=E9t=E9 des mus=E9es qu=E9b=E9cois recently called= on the=20 >Government of Canada to immediately honour the election promise by the=20 >Conservative Party of Canada to implement a new Canadian museum policy=20 >with multi-year funding for museums across Canada as soon as possible." MP= =20 >Jim Abbott, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage=20 >(CPC), repeated that his government intends to bring in a new policy for=20 >museums but needs time to consider the issues. He went on to discuss=20 >"third party delivery" of the new programs and the need to raise public=20 >support for museums. He stated: "There is a fundamental question that has= =20 >to be answered. What museum, at what place in Canada, should be getting=20 >federal funding, and for what purposes? There is, within museums, the=20 >entire issue of the facilities, the building of the facilities. There is=20 >the maintenance of the facilities. There is the issue of acquisition and=20 >storage of artifacts. There is the staffing issue. What portion of museum= =20 >costs should be borne by the federal taxpayer and why?" MP Charlie Angus,= =20 >NDP: "What we need in this House is a commitment. We need to tell our=20 >cultural arts sector, not only that they are the ones who tell our stories= =20 >and make of us a nation, but that they are also a serious industry. These= =20 >museums are a serious player in the creation of jobs. If we go to any=20 >small town in Canada and ask people in the town about their tourism=20 >strategy, what do they point to? They point to their museum. Every small=20 >town knows that culture is what brings in tourists and tourists play a=20 >major role in the ability of our smaller communities to survive." > >CMA will be meeting with the Honourable Bev Oda, Minister for Canadian=20 >Heritage, shortly to present preliminary recommendations for the long=20 >awaited museums policy and funding requirements. CMA hopes she will make a= =20 >commitment to bring this in as early as the next federal budget expected=20 >in February or March. CMA encourages members, trustees, volunteers, and=20 >all those who support Canada's heritage to talk to MPs, and inform them of= =20 >their needs. For the complete transcript of the debate, select media=20 >coverage, and reactions to the MAP cuts, visit=20 >www.museums.ca For more information: Monique=20 >Horth Director of Public and Professional Affairs=20 >mhorth@museums.ca 613-567-0099 l225 > >---------------------------------------- > >_______________________________ >Jim Harding, ED >BC Museums Association >(250) 356-5694 >_______________________________________________ broadcast mailing list To= =20 >unsubscribe or change your preferences visit broadcast@museumsassn.bc.ca=20 >http://hp.bccna.bc.ca/mailman/listinfo/broadcast --=====================_2104171==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Astonishingly good news and testimony to the efficacy of the hard efforts that our national and provincial associations have put into this issue in the past number of weeks. As well, this underlines the great significance of the motion recently passed at the BCMA's annual general meeting with regard to pursuing the heritage policy initiative with our provincial government.

We look forward to the critical next steps on both the provincial and federal levels.

Nick Tuele

 At 04:25 PM 10/26/2006 -0700, Jim Harding wrote:
<?xml version=3D"1.0" ?>

Following is the latest on MAP...

Museums Vote Passed in House of Commons Ottawa, October 25, 2006 - Yesterday, Members of Parliament voted in support of rescinding the recent unexpected cuts to MAP, and further that a new Canadian Museums Policy be established as soon as possible. The vote was 146 in favour, 114 against, with the three Opposition parties voting for it, and the government members voting against. This vote follows Monday's unprecedented three hour debate in the full House of Commons on the need for stable long-term funding for Canada's museums, and a new museums policy as per the Conservative Party's election commitment as soon as possible. Over the past two days, museums have been front and center in the House of Commons. Never before has there been such a debate in the full chamber on the federal role in supporting museums across Canada. Here is some of what was said during Monday's debate:

MP Maka Kotto (BQ): "The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and the Standing Committee on Finance have presented successive recommendations to previous governments and the current government in favour of new investment in museums. The urgency of having a federal museum policy is supported by the current Government of Quebec, by the provinces and territories of Canada, by the tourist industry, the cities, municipalities and several other entities.In light of this data, the Canadian Museums Association and the Soci=E9t=E9 des mus=E9es qu=E9b=E9cois recently called on the Government of Canada to immediately honour the election promise by the Conservative Party of Canada to implement a new Canadian museum policy with multi-year funding for museums across Canada as soon as possible." MP Jim Abbott, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (CPC), repeated that his government intends to bring in a new policy for museums but needs time to consider the issues. He went on to discuss "third party delivery" of the new programs and the need to raise public support for museums. He stated: "There is a fundamental question that has to be answered. What museum, at what place in Canada, should be getting federal funding, and for what purposes? There is, within museums, the entire issue of the facilities, the building of the facilities. There is the maintenance of the facilities. There is the issue of acquisition and storage of artifacts. There is the staffing issue. What portion of museum costs should be borne by the federal taxpayer and why?" MP Charlie Angus, NDP: "What we need in this House is a commitment. We need to tell our cultural arts sector, not only that they are the ones who tell our stories and make of us a nation, but that they are also a serious industry. These museums are a serious player in the creation of jobs. If we go to any small town in Canada and ask people in the town about their tourism strategy, what do they point to? They point to their museum. Every small town knows that culture is what brings in tourists and tourists play a major role in the ability of our smaller communities to survive."

CMA will be meeting with the Honourable Bev Oda, Minister for Canadian Heritage, shortly to present preliminary recommendations for the long awaited museums policy and funding requirements. CMA hopes she will make a commitment to bring this in as early as the next federal budget expected in February or March. CMA encourages members, trustees, volunteers, and all those who support Canada's heritage to talk to MPs, and inform them of their needs. For the complete transcript of the debate, select media coverage, and reactions to the MAP cuts, visit www.museums.ca &nbs= p; For more information: Monique Horth Director of Public and Professional Affairs mhorth@museums.ca 613-567-0099 l225

----------------------------------------

_______________________________
Jim Harding, ED
BC Museums Association
(250) 356-5694
_______________________________________________ broadcast mailing list To= unsubscribe or change your preferences visit broadcast@museumsassn.bc.ca http://hp.bccna.bc.ca/mailman/listinfo/broadcast --=====================_2104171==_.ALT--