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HERM 327: Heritage Policy in Canada 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
Canada. 2018 Fall Reports of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada. Report 2—Conserving Federal Heritage Properties.,
Canada. House of Commons. Preserving Canada’s Heritage: The Foundation For Tomorrow Report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, 2017.
House of Commons Standing Committee on Multiculturalism. Multiculturalism: Building the Canadian Mosaic. Supply and Services Canada, Ottawa, 1987.
Multiculturalism and Citizenship Canada. Operation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act: Annual Report 1998–2022. Ottawa: Multiculturalism and Citizenship Canada, 1992.
Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism. Report. Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1967–70.
Canadian Heritage. Annual Report on the Operation of The Canadian Multiculturalism Act 2003–-2004: Canada’s Diversity: Respecting Our Differences.  .
National Trust for Canada. Heritage Preservation and Protection in Canada: Brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Development, 2022.
Vitali, Vanda. “Written Brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in Support of Its Study of the Challenges to Art, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors Caused by COVID-19.” Canadian Museums Association, December 16, 2020
Optional Videos
EssentialSkillsOntario. “Webinar: What is Public Policy?” YouTube, November 1, 2012. 45:00.
Debroye, Kim. “SUN Social Cohesion.” YouTube, July 3, 2012. 2:54.

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.
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. Report of the Auditor General of Canada: Chapter 6—Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Federal Government, November 2003.
Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters, and Sciences, 1949–1951. Report. Ottawa, ON: King’s Printer, 1951.
Canadian Museums Association. The State of Museums in Canada. Brief to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, 2016.
Optional Videos
Jordan Press. “The Graves of Canada’s Deceased Prime Ministers.” YouTube, June 29, 2012. 3:13.
Karroy Wang. “Massey Commission.” YouTube, February 4, 2015. Video, 3:23.

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.
Auditor General of Canada. “February Status Report of the Auditor General of Canada. Chapter 2—The Conservation of Federal Built Heritage.”  Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada., 2007.

Read pages 1–17.
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.
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.
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
McLean’s. (2017) “Why Some Indigenous People Are Calling Out Canada 150.” YouTube, June 23, 2017. 4:58.
Chris Alexander. “Speaking in the House of Commons on the Canadian Museum of History Act.” YouTube, May 30, 2013. 15:51.
TVO Today. “Stephen Harper's History of Canada.” YouTube, June 13, 2013. 35:31.
Canadian Museum of History. “Canadian Museum of History 2015–2016 exhibitions.” YouTube, April 21, 2015. 2:13.
TEDx Talks. “Making public policy more fun: Vasiliki (Vass) Bednar: TEDxToronto.” YouTube, April 29, 2013. 7.20.
Toronto Star. “‘Mother Canada’ a monument to Harper’s sad legacy.” YouTube, July 7, 2015. 1:33.
Toronto Star. “Ottawa’s planned memorial to victims of communism pure political propaganda.” YouTube, July 7, 2015. 2:23.
CBC. Mercer Report. “RMR: Rick's Rant - Who Chooses our Monuments?” YouTube, March 17, 2015. 1:47.

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

Required Readings
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.” 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.
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.
Government of Ontario. Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. More Protection For Ontario’s Heritage Properties. June 12, 2006.
Canada’s Historic Places. Heritage Conservation Brief. Smart Growth.
Canada’s Historic Places. Heritage Conservation Brief. Property Values & Taxes [municipalities], November 28, 2006.
City of Calgary. Heritage Strategy 2008.
Edmonton Historical Board/Edmonton Heritage Council. Edmonton’s Heritage and Historical Resources, 2021.
City of Edmonton. The Art of Living 2008–2018, 2008.
Barrett, Scott. Heritage Conservation Districts in Toronto: Procedures, Policies and Terms of Reference, 2012.
Esquimalt, BC. Heritage Policy Framework, July 2012.
City of Vancouver. Heritage Policies, 2020.
Sudbury. Cultural Heritage Policy Discussion Paper, November 2013
City of Winnipeg. Heritage Design Standards and Guidelines, 2023.
Optional Videos
Canada Explore. “New Life in Old Buildings: Distillery District, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.” YouTube, September 24, 2009. 1.58.
Tourism Vancouver. “Inside Vancouver Neighbourhoods: Gastown.” YouTube. 4.23.
Simon Fraser University. “A Brief History of Gentrification in Vancouver.” YouTube, December 31, 2013. 1:20:17.
Badfreeway. “Vancouver 1960s freeway protests.” YouTube,ay 19, 2009. 1:34.
John L. Coulson. “Gastown and Other Canadian Heritage Sites, circa 1978.” YouTube, September 23, 2011. 15:15.
INSTRCC. “Vancouver’s Chinatown: Past, Present, and Future (Part 1 of 2).” YouTube, August 4, 2009. 6:30.
Black Strathcona. “Black Strathcona: Hogan’s Alley.” YouTube, February 13, 2014.  3:34.  
CBC News. “CBC News: Being Black in Canada (2015).” YouTube, February 8, 2015. 22:34.
Education Department. “Black History in Canada: A Timeline.” YouTube, November 3, 2021. 6:10.

Unit 5: Heritage in the Regions—Provinces and Territories

Required Readings
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.
Arpin, Roland, and Yves Bergeron. “Developing a Policy on Cultural Heritage for Quebec.” Museum International 58, no. 4 (2006): 69–76.
Nelson, Robin. “Museum Community and Community Museum.” Revue Gouvernance / Governance Review, 17, no. 1 (2020): 45–66.
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.
Key Policy Documents
Optional Resource
Sustainable Heritage Case Studies
Optional Videos

Ryan Jacob. "Ferryland Lighthouse." YouTube, July 21, 2014. Video, ?:??.

Unit 6: Sustainable Communities—Natural and Cultural Heritage

Required Readings
Ross, Susan M. “Re-Evaluating Heritage Waste: Sustaining Material Values through Deconstruction and Reuse.” The Historic Environment: Policy & Practice 11 no. 23 (2020): 382–408.
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.
Lemelin, Raynald, and Nathan Bennett. “The Proposed Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage Site Project: Management and Protection of Indigenous World Heritage Sites in a Canadian Context.” Leisure/Loisir, 34, no. 2 (2010): 169–187.
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.
Key Policy Documents
Canadian Heritage. 2020 to 2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy, 2020.
Government of Canada. Sustainable Practice for Heritage Institutions, 2022.
Government of Ontario. Heritage Resources in the Land Use Planning Process, 2005. 
University of Waterloo. Heritage Resources Centre.
ICOMOS. Heritage and the Sustainable Development Goals: Policy Guidance for Heritage and Development Actors, 2022.
Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada. A Cultural Framework for Canadian Heritage Rivers, 2001.
Parks Canada. Sustainable Historic Places: A Background Paper for the Historic Places Branch, Parks Canada, 2008.  
Buggey, Susan. “An Approach to Aboriginal Cultural Landscapes.” Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, March 1999.
Sciarra, Rebecca, and Lauren Archer. “Policy Planning For Managing Cultural Heritage Landscapes: A Case Study.” Archaeological Services Inc., 2017.  
Town of Oakville. Cultural Heritage Landscapes Strategy, January 2014.
UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Cultural Landscapes.
UNESCO World Heritage Convention. World Heritage and Sustainable Development. 2023.
ICOMOS. Heritage and the Sustainable Development Goals: Policy Guidance for Heritage and Development Actors, 2021.
Von Droste, Bernd, Mechtild Rossler, and Harald Pachter, eds. Cultural Landscapes of Universal Value: Components of a Global Strategy. Gustav Fischer/UNESCO, 1995.
Optional Videos
CityHallWatch MetroVanWatch. “Elizabeth Murphy heritage demos Vancouver, Legg Residence 25 May 2014.” YouTube, May 26, 2014. 6:18.
UBC. “Claire Campbell—Wilderness Culture and the Nature of Canada.” YouTube, February 28, 2012. 1:21:12.
HiMY SYeD. “Julian Smith: Exploring Cultural Landscapes, Toronto Canada, Wednesday November 14 2012.” YouTube, November 14, 2012. 39:18.
NFB. “Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie (Clip 5).” YouTube, September 23, 2010. 1:40.
Parks Canada. “The Gwaii Haanas Legacy Pole—Version 1.” YouTube, July 23, 2013. 5:24.
uraass2utube. “Gary Fjellgaard—I Can Hear Somebody Crying Somewhere on the Island.” YouTube, November 11, 2011. 4:16.
MaggiWalkerNPS. “National Park Service's Indigenous Cultural Landscape.” YouTube, May 9, 2013. 6:45.
Optional Resource
Sustainable Heritage Case Studies

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).
Gunter, Christopher. “Representing the Marginalized Public: How the Workers' History Museum Challenges the Heritage Policy Landscape.” In Canadian Cultural Policy in Transition, edited by Devin Beauregard and Johnathan Paquette. Routledge.
Key Policy Documents
Museums Act. Justice Laws Website, 1990.
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. Ottawa, 1992.
Hushion, N. L., and Associates. Towards a New Museum Policy: Report on the Round Table Discussions. Department of Canadian Heritage, August 2005.
Canadian Heritage. Summative Evaluation of the Museums Assistance Program and Canadian Museums Association Program, 2010.

Canadian Museums Association. “The Need for a New Museums Policy.” Brief to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, June 20, 2006.

National Museums of Canada/Conseil d’administration, Musées nationaux du Canada. Museums in Canada: The Federal Contribution: Response to the Report of the Task Force on National Museums. Ottawa: National Museums of Canada/Musées nationaux du Canada, 1986.
DFHCS. “Mounting a Metis Octopus Bag at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.” YouTube video, 10.21.
Parliament of Canada. “Bill C-42: An Act to Amend the Museums Act and to Make Consequential Amendments to Other Acts,” 2008.
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 Video
3DI Inc. “New Royal Alberta Museum.” YouTube, April 7, 2011. 5:15.

Unit 8: Pages Turning—Indigenous Heritage Policy

Required Readings
Udy, Vanessa. “The Appropriation of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage: Examining the Uses and Pitfalls of the Canadian Intellectual Property Regime.” IPinCH. November 19, 2015.  
Fisher, Darlene. “Repatriation Issues in First Nations Heritage Collections.” Journal of Integrated Studies 1, no. 3 (2012).
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.
Simpson, Moira. “Museums and Restorative Justice: Heritage, Repatriation and Cultural Education.” Museums International 61, no. 1/2 (2009), 121–129.
Key Policy Documents
Alberta. First Nations Sacred Ceremonial Objects Repatriation Act, RSA 2000, c F-14, 2008.
Government of Canada. Discussion Guide – Renewal of the Canadian Museum Policy. “Theme 3: Advancing Reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples,” 2023.
Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. “Repatriation Policy,” 2011.
Canadian Museums Association 2022. Moved to Action: Activating UNDRIP in Canadian Museums, 2022.
British Columbia Museum Association. “Repatriation Call to Action,” 2023.
First Peoples Cultural Council. Report On the First Peoples’ Cultural Council. Indigenous Cultural Heritage Forum: Reflections and Recommendations from the Indigenous Cultural Heritage Forum, 2020.  
First Peoples Cultural Council. Review of Federal and Provincial Legislation Implicating Indigenous Heritage in B.C., 2022.
Folklore Association of Canada. “Canadian Declaration for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage,” 2014.  
Heritage BC. “Indigenous Cultural Heritage,” 2023.
Assembly of First Nations and the Canadian Museums Association. Task Force on Museums and First Peoples, Turning the Page: Forging New Partnerships between Museums and First Peoples, 1992.
Government of Canada. 2022. “Indigenous Heritage—Museums Assistance Program,” 2022.
Canadian Conservation Institute. “Policy for Serving Indigenous Clients and Preserving Indigenous Collections,” 2007.  
Squamish Nation. Heritage Policy, 2021.  
Simpcw First Nation. Heritage Policy, 2015.  
Stó:lō Temexw Stewardship Alliance. Stó:lō Heritage Policy, 2020.
Optional Videos
Parks Canada. “Parks Canada’s Métis Reconciliation Projects: Sharing the Metis Story.” YouTube, May 25, 2016. 6:18
Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage. “Catherine Bell on ‘Indigenous Cultural Heritage: Issues of Canadian Law’.” YouTube, January 13, 2015. 1:27:55.
Paula Kirman Radical Citizen Media. “Manitou Stone Pipe Ceremony & Information Session.” YouTube, April 11, 2013. 28:48.
Optional Reading
Wrightson, Kelsey R. “The Limits of Recognition: The Spirit Sings, Canadian Museums and the Colonial Politics of Recognition.” Museum Anthropology, 40, no. 1 (2017): 36–51.

Unit 9: Digital Technologies—Shaping Knowledge and Access

Required Readings
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.
Hou, Yumeng., Sarah Kenderdine, Davide Picca, Mattia Egloff, and Alessandro Adamou. “Digitizing Intangible Cultural Heritage Embodied: State of the Art.” Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage, 15, no. 3 (2022): 1–20.
Kandiuk, Mary. “The Rhetoric of Digitization and the Politicization of Canadian Heritage.” Library Trends, 65, no. 2 (2016): 165–179.
Key Policy Documents
Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN.) Information on Copyright and Intellectual Property.

Canadian Heritage. “Copyright Policy.”
Copyright Act ( R.S. 1985, c. C-42 ).
Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN). “Digital Preservation Recommendations for Small Museums,” 2013.  

Preserving Canada’s Digital Documentary Heritage. Library of Parliament Research Publications, 2012.

Government of Canada. (2014). “Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board.”
Canadian Heritage. Status Report on Copyright Reform, 2004.
Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN). “Access to Information and Privacy,” 2023.

Canadian Heritage. Digital Preservation for Museums: Recommendations, 2004.

Canada. Canadian Culture Online Policy Statement. E-Policy Resources. 
Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. Study of the Government Status Report on Copyright Reform, May 2004.
Government of Canada. “Capture Your Collections: A Guide for Managers Who Are Planning and Implementing Digitization Projects,” 2021.
UNESCO. Charter on the Preservation of the Digital Heritage, 2009.
Optional Videos
UBC. “Kate Hennessy—Repatriation, Digital Media, and Culture in the Virtual Museum.” YouTube, March 18, 2011. 40:36.
NSLA. “Born Digital 2016: Indigenous voices with Dr Rachael Ka’ai-Mahuta.” YouTube, August 8, 2016. 6:27.
UBC. “Amber Ridington—After Digital Repatriation.” YouTube, December 6, 2011. 52:28.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. “Digital Canada 150.” YouTube, April 16, 2014.
Copyright Canada. “Copyright Consultation.” YouTube videos.

Unit 10: In Conclusion and Anticipation

Key Policy Document
National Trust for Canada. “Subject: Recommended Amendments to Bill C-23 on Behalf of Undersigned Organizations and Individuals,” February 2023.