[Bcma-l] Fw: Lynsey, please use if posble.

[bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca]

FOR MUSEUMS ROUNDUP -
Larry A. Ewashen, Curator
The Doukhobor Discovery Centre
112 Heritage Way, Castlegar V1N 4M5
1-250-365-5327
www.Doukhobor-Museum.org <http://www.Doukhobor-Museum.org>
----- Original Message -----
*From:* larry <mailto:larryewashen@telus.net>
*To:* Castlegar News <mailto:newsroom@castlegarnews.com>
*Cc:* ISKRA <mailto:info@iskra.ca>
*Sent:* Monday, June 04, 2007 8:26 AM
*Subject:* ATT: Lynsey, please use if posble.

Senator Pat Carney Visits Doukhobor Discovery Centre

BC Senator Pat Carney was a recent visitor to the Doukhobor Discovery 
Centre. Senator Carney has long been concerned with heritage sites and 
museums and on this occasion selected the Discovery Centre and one other 
museum for close scrutiny to determine how the Federal Government might 
assist important museums in fulfilling their mandates.

She said that the Doukhobor Discovery Centre was a remarkable museum in 
many ways and all the more so because of its limited resources and 
funding support. She has asked Curator Larry Ewashen to prepare a 
comprehensive report on the status of the Centre which will be presented 
to Jim Abbott, Parliamentary Secretary to Bev Oda, Minister of Heritage.

Ewashen notes that this may indicate that special funding may be 
approved from a new museum assistance program. Ms. Carney also indicated 
that the Doukhobor Discovery Centre should be recognized as a National 
Heritage Site which would preserve its autonomy and future programs.

Part of the purpose of this examination is to make Ms. Oda aware of 
support needs of key museums. Senator Carney said that the Doukhobor 
Discovery was a rare jewel of a museum speaking to the testimony of a 
hardy group of pioneers who had come for peace and contributed mightily 
to the province and Canadian society. In an interview for the Doukhobor 
Discovery Center website, Ms. Carney said: ‘The Doukhobor Discovery 
Center is a remarkable piece of history here in the West Kootenay where 
my twin brother and I went to high school, and it really shows a history 
of people who came here from protest and lived here in peace and made a 
remarkable contribution to their community through their way of life, 
their crafts, in terms of their religious spirit, and I would like to 
commend all of he volunteers who work so hard to make this wonderful 
Doukhobor Discovery Center for the rest of us to enjoy and learn from.’