We need a plan in this Island for a provincial museum

HANSARD P.E.I. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14 DECEMBER 2006 -- pg 1048-1052
hon. Member from Crapaud-Hazel Grove, Carolyn Bertram ... as quoted in Hansard Dec 14, 2006

Mr. Speaker.
We’re talking about a provincial museum here and we’re talking about planning a policy - this upcoming year, 2007, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. This is the year to do the planning, it is the year to come up with the plan, the policy, behind a provincial museum. I believe this is the first step that we are not going to have full
consultation towards a true provincial museum. The member next to me talked about just a few minutes ago about federal dollars. The minister talked about how the Northumberland Development Corporation is using ACOA to get money for this structure.

We need a plan in this Island for a provincial museum, a structure built that can house the artifactory, can house the restoration component to this, can house our archives. There’s potential and there’s so many people that could work on a committee to be involved in this planning
process.

Leader of the Opposition: Hear, hear!

Ms. Bertram: We have so many people on Prince Edward Island that are committed. I have shared - they have written letters to the editor, they’ve phoned, they’ve emailed. They’re so committed to this whole issue, and they want to see a policy developed, and it was very disappointing to see the minister responsible on Tuesday evening speak against this.

Leader of the Opposition: Shame!

Ms. Bertram: Because it’s going to take away from our smaller sites.

Leader of the Opposition: Shame!

Ms. Bertram: We’re not doing that. We are going to bring more focus to them, we’re going to encourage people to reach out and find out even more about those different cultural and industry related activities of the past of Prince Edward Island. I think what’s important is the educational
component to all of this.

Leader of the Opposition: Hear, hear!

Ms. Bertram: We can teach Island history at the grade 6 level, but what good is that if the children in our school system don’t have interactivity, hands-on learning? We have 80,000 artifacts stored in the West Royalty facility which is in a dilapidated state. People of Prince Edward Island have
entrusted over the years these artifacts that were perhaps part of their family, they’ve entrusted to the government to keep safe these artifacts. Do they want to see them all locked up and no one to see them? For people not to enjoy them and appreciate them? No. We’ve been approached by family members that have given things in the past and they’re in complete opposition to a government that is going to be moving the artifactory down to the Murray River points. What we are saying - and I know Catherine Hennessey has stated that this being the anniversary year, let’s do this, let’s do in 2007 a planning process.

Celebrate our museums here on Prince Edward Island and plan for the future, and what a better way to do that in 2007 to celebrate the 35th anniversary?

Again in closing, I was disappointed that the minister and the Provincial Treasurer spoke against this the other evening. It is my hope that members will support this. I believe that we need policy on the table. We do not have a policy for a provincial museum here on Prince Edward Island for the protection of our artifacts here on Prince Edward Island. The Murray River concept, it should have
been an open process where other communities should have put forward ideas, and perhaps none of this would be on the table right now if we truly had a provincial museum strategy and policy and the development process could take place. Because what we have is a step one, but is step one going to lead to something else, and is this the best location for this? I don’t know, but we need to have consultation with the community on this because there are great people out there to do this.

Again, the final paragraph says: “... that the Legislative Assembly endorse the concept of a provincial museum and urge the government to begin planning as soon as possible.” I urge members this afternoon to support this. Support it, because we’re going to endorse the concept and if you want to say the scheme, okay, the scheme, it’s a planning year, 2007, and we can get on to
the business of the establishment of a provincial museum here on Prince Edward Island, still supporting our smaller facilities across the Island.

I will close with that. Thank you.