Digital Reading Room 2.0 -- HERM 327: Heritage Policy in Canada (Rev. C2)

HERM 327: Heritage Policy in Canada (Rev. C2) Report a Broken Link

Heritage is central to Canadian cultural policy and is an important aspect of Canadian social, political, and economic life. HERM 327: Heritage Policy in Canada surveys the historical development of federal and provincial arts and heritage policies in Canada and related ideas of national and regional culture. It uses this framework to discuss perceptions of “culture” as social expression and the role of government policy in a diverse society.

Unit 1: How Do We Know Who We Are? The Role of Cultural Policy

Required Readings

Rabinovitch, Victor. “Four ‘Constants’ in Canadian Cultural Policy.” Canadian Museum of History, 2007.

Jeannotte, M. Sharon. “Millennium Dreams: Arts, Culture, and Heritage in the Life of Communities.” Canadian Journal of Communication 31, no. 1 (2006): 107–125.

Stanley, Dick. “Introduction: The Social Effects of Culture.” Canadian Journal of Communication 31, no. 1 (2006): 7–15.

Baeker, Greg. “Sharpening the Lens: Recent Research on Cultural Policy, Cultural Diversity, and Social Cohesion.” Canadian Journal of Communication 27, no. 2 (2002): 179–196.

Key Policy Documents

Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. A Sense of Place—A Sense of Being: The Evolving Role of the Federal Government in Support of Culture in Canada. Ninth Report. Ottawa, ON: Government of Canada, 1999.

Department of Canadian Heritage Act. S.C., ch. 11, 1995.

Museums Act. S.C., ch. 3, 1990.

Historic Sites and Monuments Act. R.S.C., ch. H-4, 1985.

Parks Canada Agency Act. S.C., ch. 31, 1998.

Department of Canadian Heritage. Annual Report on the Operation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act—2014–2015—Building a Diverse and Inclusive Society Canada. Ottawa: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, 2016.

Privy Council Office of Canada. Report of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, Book IV: The Cultural Contribution of the Other Ethnic Groups. Ottawa: Queen’s Printer for Canada, 1970.

Optional Videos

Debroye, Kim. “Social Cohesion.” YouTube video, 2.54. Posted July 3, 2012.

Essential Skills Ontario. “What is Public Policy?” YouTube video, 1.00.21. Posted November 1, 2012.

Black Strathcona. “Hogan’s Alley.” YouTube video, 3.34. Posted February 13, 2014.

CBC News. “Being Black in Canada.” YouTube video, 22.34. Posted February 8, 2015.

Unit 2: How Canada Invented Heritage

Required Readings

Bentley, D. M. R. “Prelude: Forgetful of Former Care: Notes on the Past and Present State of Canadian Memory.” In Mnemographia Canadensis. London, ON: Canadian Poetry Press, 1998.

“Chapter XI: Historic Sites and Monuments.” Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters, and Sciences, 1949–1951. Ottawa, ON: King’s Printer, 1951.

Foote, John. “Canada/ 1. Historical Perspective: Cultural Policies and Instruments.” Compendium: Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe, 2011.

Strong-Boag, Veronica. “Experts on Our Own Lives: Commemorating Canada at the Beginning of the 21st Century.” The Public Historian 31, no. 1 (2009): 46–68. doi:10.1525/tph.2009.31.1.46.

Key Policy Documents

Information Services, Department of Communications, Government of Canada. Report of the Federal Cultural Policy Review Committee. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Government Publishing Centre Supply and Services Canada, 1982.

Office of the Auditor General of Canada. 2003 November Report of the Auditor General of Canada: Chapter 6—Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Federal Government. Office of the Auditor General of Canada, 2003.

Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters, and Sciences, 1949–1951. Ottawa, ON: King’s Printer, 1951.

Canadian Museums Association. The State of Museums in Canada. Brief to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. 2016.

Department of Canadian Heritage. Towards a New Museum Policy: Discussion Guide. Ottawa: Minister of Public Work and Government Services Canada, 2005.

Optional Videos

Press, Jordan. “The Graves of Canada’s Deceased Prime Ministers.” YouTube video, 3.13. Posted June 29, 2012.

Wang, Karroy. “Massey Commission.” YouTube video, 3.23. Posted February 4, 2015.

Unit 3: Heritage for the People? The Role of the Federal State

Required Readings

Parks Canada. “7.1: Identifying Cultural Resources through Evaluation” and “7.3: Sharing Heritage Value.” In Cultural Resource Management Policy, 2013.

Peace, Tom. “Canadians and Their Pasts on the Road to Confederation.” ActiveHistory.ca, January 20, 2014.

Lefebvre, Christiane, and Eve Wertheimer. “An Indispensable Reference for Heritage Conservation: Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada.” Heritage Magazine (Spring 2005).

Heritage Canada Foundation. Legal Protection Needed for Historic Places under Federal Jurisdiction, n.d.

Office of the Auditor General of Canada. “Chapter 2: The Conservation of Federal Built Heritage.” In 2007 February Status Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the House of Commons. Ottawa, ON: Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2007.

Read from "Main Points" to "Conclusion."

Weibe, Christopher. “Historic Places Act: Canada Needs a Binding Law!” Heritage Magazine (Summer 2006).

Key Policy Documents

Information Services, Department of Communications, Government of Canada. “Chapter 1: Cultural Policies and the Public Will.” In Report of the Federal Cultural Policy Review Committee, 3–12. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Government Publishing Centre Supply and Services Canada, 1982.

Canadian Heritage. 2012–13 Report on Plans and Priorities.

Department of Canadian Heritage. Report on Plans and Priorities, Section III: Supplementary Information, 2016–17.

Office of the Auditor General of Canada. 2003 November Report of the Auditor General of Canada: Appendix—Roles and Responsibilities of Federal Cultural Organizations in Heritage Protection. Office of the Auditor General of Canada, 2003.

Optional Videos

Alexander, Chris. “Speaking in the House of Commons on the Canadian Museum of History Act.” YouTube video, 15.00. Posted May 30, 2013.

The Agenda with Steve Paikin. “Stephen Harper’s History of Canada.” YouTube video, 35.31. Posted June 13, 2013.

Canadian Museum of History. “Canadian Museum of History 2015–2016 exhibitions.” YouTube video, 2.13. Posted Apr 21, 2015.

TEDx Talks. “Making public policy more fun: Vasiliki (Vass) Bednar: TEDxToronto.” YouTube video, 7.20. Posted April 29, 2013.

Unit 4: Heritage on the Street—Cities, Towns, and Villages

Required Readings

Williams, Paul B. “A Local Sense of Place: Halifax’s Little Dutch Church.” Canadian Journal of Communication 31, no. 1 (2006).

Goddard-Bowman, Rebecca. “Something Old Is Something New: The Role of Heritage Preservation in Economic Development.” Papers in Canadian Economic Development 9 (2003): 96–109.

Shipley, Robert, and Marcie Snyder. “The Role of Heritage Conservation Districts in Achieving Community Economic Development Goals.” Waterloo, ON: School of Planning, University of Waterloo, 2011.

National Trust for Canada. “Up Close: Heritage and Housing: Ethno-Cultural Incentives for Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.” Heritage 27, no. 4 (2014).

Wall, Karen L. “Old Strathcona: Building Character and Commerce in a Preservation District.” Urban History Review 30, no. 2 (2002): 28–40.

Key Policy Documents

Income Tax Act. R.S.C., ch. 1, 1985.

Canadian Heritage. Towards a New Act: Protecting Canada’s Historic Places. Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2002.

Land Use Planning and Policy, Planning, Development and Assessment. Calgary Heritage Strategy. Calgary, AB: The City of Calgary, Records and Information Management, 2008.

City of Edmonton. “Art of Living.”

Barrett, Scott. Heritage Conservation Districts in Toronto: Procedures, Policies and Terms of Reference. Toronto, ON: City of Toronto, City Planning Division, 2012.

Donald Luxton and Associates Inc. Township of Esquimalt Heritage Policy Update. 2012.

City of Vancouver. “Heritage Action Plan.”

Greater Sudbury. Cultural Heritage Policy Discussion Paper. 2013.

HTFC Planning and Design. Winnipeg Heritage Conservation Districts: Policies and Procedures Framework. Winnipeg, MB: City of Winnipeg, Urban Design Division, 2014.

Optional Videos

Canada Explore. “New Life in Old Buildings: Distillery District, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.” YouTube video, 1.58. Posted September 24, 2009.

Tourism Vancouver. “Inside Vancouver Neighbourhoods: Gastown.” YouTube video, 4.23. Posted August 7, 2013.

Simon Fraser University. “A Brief History of Gentrification in Vancouver.” YouTube video, 1.20.17. Posted December 31, 2013.

Badfreeway. “Vancouver 1960s freeway protests.” YouTube video, 1.34. Posted May 19, 2009.

John L. Coulson. “Gastown and other Canadian Heritage Sites, circa 1978.” YouTube video, 15.15. Posted September 22, 2011.

INSTRCC. “Vancouver’s Chinatown: Past, Present, and Future (Part 1 of 2).” YouTube video, 6.30. Posted August 4, 2009.

Unit 5: Heritage in the Regions—Provinces and Territories

Required Readings

Arpin, Roland, and Yves Bergeron. “Developing a Policy on Cultural Heritage for Quebec.” Museum International 58, no. 4 (2006): 69–76. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0033.2006.00584.x.

Dawson, Bruce. “Why are you protecting this crap?”: Perceptions of Value for an Invented Heritage—a Saskatchewan Perspective.” Paper presented at the Value Based Decision Making for Conservation, Canadian Studies Heritage Conservation Programme Symposium, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, November 2005.

Campbell, Claire. “On Fertile Ground: Locating Historic Sites in the Landscapes of Fundy and the Foothills.” Journal of the Canadian Historical Association 17, no. 1 (2006): 235–265. doi:10.7202/016109ar.

Sullivan, Claire, and Clare J. A. Mitchell. “From Fish to Folk Art: Creating a Heritage-Based Place Identity in Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador.” The Journal of Rural and Community Development 7, no. 2 (2012): 37–56.

Optional Videos

Guitarjacobs. “Ferryland Lighthouse.” YouTube video, 0.56. Posted July 21, 2014.

CBC News. “A Village History Lesson.” CBC Player video, 2.02. Posted on August 7, 2015.

Unit 6: Sustainable Communities—Natural and Cultural Heritage

Required Readings

Mitchell, Nora, and Susan Buggey. “Protected Landscapes and Cultural Landscapes: Taking Advantage of Diverse Approaches.” The George Wright Forum 17, no. 1 (2000): 35–46.

Mitchell, Nora, Jacquelyn Tuxill, Guy Swinnerton, Susan Buggey, and Jessica Brown. “Collaborative Management of Protected Landscapes: Experience in Canada and the United States of America.” In The Protected Landscape Approach: Linking Nature, Culture and Community, edited by Jessica Brown, Nora Mitchell, and Michael Beresford, 191–204. Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 2005.

Wong, Winston, and Paul King. “Fragments of Our Heritage: Approaches to Connecting and Conserving Cultural Resources along Ontario’s River Corridors.” Canadian River Heritage Conference Proceedings, Guelph, Ontario, June 6–9, 2004.

Prosper, Lisa. “Wherein Lies the Heritage Value? Rethinking the Heritage Value of Cultural Landscapes from an Aboriginal Perspective.” The George Wright Forum 24, no. 2 (2007): 117–124.

Parks Canada. “Approach to Aboriginal Cultural Landscapes.” Last modified February 24, 2009.

Key Policy Document

Minister of Department of Canadian Heritage. A Cultural Framework for Canadian Heritage Rivers. 2nd ed. Ottawa, ON: Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2001.

Optional Videos

HiMY SYeD. “Julian Smith: Exploring Cultural Landscapes, Toronto Canada, Wednesday November 14 2012.” YouTube video, 39.18. Posted on November 14, 2012.

MaggieWalkerNPS. “National Park Service’s Indigenous Cultural Landscape.” YouTube video, 6.45. Posted on May 9, 2013.

NFB. “Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie (Clip 5).” YouTube video, 1.40. Posted on September 23, 2010.

Parks Canada. “The Gwaii Haanas Legacy Pole—Version 1.” YouTube video, 5.24. Posted on July 23, 2013.

uraass2utube. “Gary Fjellgaard—I Can Hear Somebody Crying Somewhere on the Island.” YouTube video, 4.16. Posted on November 11, 2011.

UBC. “Claire Campbell—Wilderness Culture and the Nature of Canada.” YouTube video, 1.21.12. Posted on February 28, 2012.

Optional Reading

Campbell, Claire. “‘It Was Canadian Then, Typically Canadian’: Revisiting Wilderness at Historic Sites.” British Journal of Canadian Studies 21, no. 1 (2008), 5–34.

Unit 7: The Museum—Public Forum or Treasure Vault?

Required Readings

Canadian Heritage. “Towards a New Museum Policy: Discussion Guide.” 2005.

Read the following sections:

Introduction (pages 1–2)
The Policy Process (page 3)
Museum Trends: Operating Budgets (pages 4–5)
Museum Trends: Workforce (pages 5–6)
Policy Priorities (page 12)
Policy Principles (page 14)

Ashley, Susan. “State Authority and the Public Sphere: Ideas on the Changing Role of the Museum as a Canadian Social Institution.” Museum and Society 3, no. 1 (2005): 5–17.

Aronczyk, Melissa, and Miranda J. Brady. “Branding History at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.” Canadian Journal of Communication 40, no. 2 (2015).

Staring, Scott. “Harper’s History.” Policy Options. February 1, 2013.

Key Policy Documents

Task Force on Museums and First Peoples. “Turning the Page: Forging New Partnerships between Museums and First Peoples.” Assembly of First Nations and the Canadian Museums Association, 1994.

Department of Canadian Heritage. Museums Assistance Program: Guidelines for 2017–2018.

Canadian Heritage. Summative Evaluation of the Museums Assistance Program and Canadian Museums Association Program. 2005.

Canadian Museums Association. The State of Museums in Canada: Brief to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. 2016.

Department of Canadian Heritage. “Executive Summary.” In Evaluation of Museums Assistance Program, 1–10. Office of the Chief Audit and Evaluation Executive, Evaluation Services Directorate. Ottawa: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2010.

Bill C-42, An Act to Amend the Museums Act and to Make Consequential Amendments to Other Acts, 2d sess., 39th Parliament, 2008, SC 2008, c. 9.

Langlois, Marie-Claude. Canada’s National Museums. Ottawa, ON: Library of Parliament, 2013.

Hill Strategies. “Government of Canada Survey of Heritage Institutions: 2011.” Last modified March 18, 2015.

Optional Videos

3DI Inc. “New Royal Alberta Museum.” YouTube video, 5.15. Posted on April 7, 2011.

DFHCS. “Mounting a Metis Octopus Bag at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.” YouTube video, 10.21. Posted on March 26, 2015.

Unit 8: Pages Turning—Aboriginal Heritage Policy

Required Readings

Devine, Heather. “After the Spirit Sang: Aboriginal Canadians and Museum Policy in the New Millennium.” In How Canadians Communicate III, edited by Bart Beaty, Derek Briton, Gloria Filax, and Rebecca Sullivan, 217–239. Athabasca: Athabasca University Press, 2010.

Fisher, Darlene. “Repatriation Issues in First Nations Heritage Collections.” Journal of Integrated Studies 1, no. 3 (2012).

Simpson, Moira. “Museums and Restorative Justice: Heritage, Repatriation and Cultural Education.” Museums International 61, no. 1/2 (2009), 121–129. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0033.2009.01669.x.

Plotkin, Howard. “The Iron Creek Meteorite: The Curious History of the Manitou Stone and the Claim for Its Repatriation.” Earth Sciences History 33, no. 1 (2014): 150–175.

Key Policy Documents

Task Force on Museums and First Peoples. “Turning the Page: Forging New Partnerships between Museums and First Peoples.” Assembly of First Nations and the Canadian Museums Association, 1994.

First Nations Sacred Ceremonial Objects Repatriation Act, Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000, c. F-14.

Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. “Repatriation Policy.” 2011.

Optional Videos

Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage. “Catherine Bell on ‘Indigenous Cultural Heritage: Issues of Canadian Law.’” YouTube video, 1.27.55. Posted on January 13, 2015.

Kirman, Paula E. “Manitou Stone Pipe Ceremony and Information Session.” YouTube video, 28.48. Posted on April 11, 2013.

Unit 9: Digital Technologies—Shaping Knowledge and Access

Required Readings

Brown, Michael F. “Heritage Trouble: Recent Work on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Property.” International Journal of Cultural Property 12, no. 1 (2005): 40–61.

Pannekoek, Frits. “Canadian Memory Institutions and the Digital Revolution: The Last Five Years.” In How Canadians Communicate, edited by David Taras, Frits Pannekoek, and Maria Bakardjieva, 71–94. Calgary, AB: University of Calgary Press, 2003.

Hennessy, Kate, Natasha Lyons, Stephen Loring, Charles Arnold, Mervin Joe, Albert Elias, and James Pokiak. “The Inuvialuit Living History Project: Digital Return as the Forging of Relationships between Institutions, People, and Data.” Museum Anthropology Review 7, no. 1/2 (2013): 44–73.

Bearman, David, and Kati Geber. “Transforming Cultural Heritage Institutions through New Media.” Museum Management and Curatorship 23, no. 4 (2008): 385–399.

Gendreau, Andrée. “Museums and Media: A View from Canada.” The Public Historian 31, no. 1 (2009): 35–45. doi:10.1525/tph.2009.31.1.35.

Key Policy Documents

Government of Canada. “Intellectual Property and Copyright.” Last modified March 7, 2016.

Government of Canada. “Copyright Policy Branch.” Last modified February 9, 2016.

Government of Canada, Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “Copyright.” Last modified September 9, 2016.

Government of Canada. “Digital Preservation—Best Practices for Museums.” Last modified November 13, 2015.

Trehearne, Lara, Sonia Bebbington, Christine St-Jacques, and Sébastien Tremblay. “Preserving Canada’s Digital Documentary Heritage.” Library of Parliament Research Publications. September 26, 2012.

Government of Canada. “Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board.” Last modified September 1, 2016.

Optional Videos

MetroVanWatch.ca. “Elizabeth Murphy heritage demos Vancouver, Legg Residence 25 May 2014.” YouTube video, 6.18. Posted on May 26, 2014.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. “Digital Canada 150.” YouTube video, 4:16. Posted on April 16, 2014.

Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada. “Connecting Canadians—Digital Canada 150.” YouTube video, 1.20. Posted on May 20, 2015.

UBC. “Kate Hennessy—Repatriation, Digital Media, and Culture in the Virtual Museum.” YouTube video, 40.36. Posted on March 18, 2011.

UBC. “Amber Ridington—After Digital Repatriation.” YouTube video, 52.28. Posted on December 6, 2011.

Unit 10: Summary—Mapping a Twisted Road

No required readings