Artifactory not a tourism commodity

as published by The Guardian - March 2, 2007 RICHELLE HUME-MACDONALD Charlottetown

Editor:

In reply to Doris White’s letter dated Feb. 23, and Gordon Belsher’s letter dated Feb. 24.

I applaud efforts by government to partake in community economic development. Indeed, the cleaning up of derelict buildings and the creation of a new “storefront complex” seems like a laudable idea. I think new development ideas are great for the community. However, placing the Island’s artifactory within this complex is not appropriate.

This issue is not an economic development issue, nor is it a tourism issue.

It is true that Murray River is close to many of the things Mr. Belsher mentions such as fishing harbours and rail lines, but the artifactory is not a mere tourism commodity. It’s an integral part of a larger cultural heritage system. As Ian Scott, former executive director of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation, and scholars like Ed MacDonald have pointed out, the main arguments against the proposed move have to do with the ability of the cash-strapped and understaffed foundation to carry out its mandate. I would like to reference Dr. Macdonald here: “To put the collections facility in a non-central location will only isolate and divide an already painfully small core staff by putting three of them in Murray River . . . Yes, there is e-mail and the telephone, but that is a sorry substitute for a cadre of complementary staff working in proximity to one another, pooling resources and ideas to serve the public, the sites, and the many local museums and heritage organizations scattered across theprovince.”

(www.PEIMuseum.blogspot.com)

Finally, it should be noted that the PEIMHF is not a regular government department. It is a Schedule B provincial Crown corporation, governed by its own act, and directed by an independent board of governors and an executive director. Yes, it reports to the minister of Community and Cultural Affairs, and the legislative assembly, but it is the board that is supposed to be providing direction to the organization and not politicians.

I am sure Premier Binns, by taking a hands-on approach to economic development, means well in moving the artifactory to Murray River, but with all due respect, he does not have the requisite academic background to be deciding the course of cultural heritage policy and direction for the province.