Tourism and Culture: Celebrating Our Cultural Identity Promoting Our Culture

Liberal Party of PEI - tourism and culture highlights from the policy document
http://www.islandersfirst.ca/files/press_release/tourismcultureliberal.pdf
Released May 25, 2007


The Island’s cultural heritage defines who we are and where we come from. Our culture is something to be both protected and enhanced. It requires public policy commitment and a focus that is based upon a shared sense of community. Such a focus on cultural policy has been lacking under the Conservatives. The Conservative’s plan to re-locate the provincial artifactory to Murray River is ill-conceived. Liberals believe that we need a plan based upon meaningful input from Islanders that identifies how we should promote our cultural heritage.

A Liberal Government will put Islanders first by:

• 1. Putting greater emphasis on educating our children about the human and natural history of our province;
• 2. Initiating policies to help preserve and protect our rural landscape;
• 3. Placing a moratorium on the construction of a new artifactory in Murray River;
• 4. Consulting with P.E.I. communities, museums, and our arts and cultural communities to explore options for a Provincial Museum;
• 5. Investing more resources in educating local artists, musicians, and craftspeople and helping them to market to the world;

. . . also from a speech delivered at the same time
http://www.islandersfirst.ca/news/press_releases.cfm?id=61

Placing a moratorium on the construction of a proposed new artifactory, and beginning a comprehensive planning process dedicated to creating a NEW Prince Edward Island Museum worthy of our beautiful province.

Liberals promise provincial museum

As published by CBCnews - on May 25, 2007 http://www.cbc.ca/canada/peivotes2007/story/2007/05/25/liberals-museum.html

P.E.I.'s Liberals say a place to store the province's artifacts isn't enough and if elected Monday, they will begin planning for a provincial museum.

There would be a moratorium on the construction of a new artifactory in the eastern end of the province, the Liberals announced Friday.

A Liberal government would launch "a comprehensive planning process dedicated to creating a new Prince Edward Island Museum worthy of our beautiful province," the party said in news release.

The announcement was part of the Liberals' culture and tourism platform.

In addition to planning for a provincial museum, the Liberals promised a greater emphasis on teaching P.E.I. children about the human and natural history of the province and more investment in educating local artists and craftspeople, in particular about marketing.

In the tourism sector, the Liberals promised to privatize the four government-owned golf courses and invest more in park infrastructure.

The PEI Green Party in support of Natural History Museum

Recently received from Green Party Leader, Sharon Labchuk the following statement:

The Greens support a public school curriculum that includes ecological literacy integrated with every subject. A provincial museum that included natural history would be a major resource for our schools and the education of all Islanders in understanding of the natural world around them.

Liberal Party Responds: Cultural Policy for PEI Needed

Thank you for providing the Liberal Party the opportunity of sharing our views on the important topic of a Provincial Museum, and the larger issue of protecting our heritage and culture in our province.  We have attached our responses to your questionaire below.

Sincerely,
Liberal Party of PEI

As Islanders will be examining the cultural policies of all parties, it is important that they know what your provincial museum policy is and vision for a provincial museum. To assist in this regard please provide a copy of your museum policy and answers to the following questions, as soon as possible so that Islanders may be better informed prior to election day.

The Legislative Assembly in 1983, created a provincial museum mandate, "to study, collect, preserve, interpret, and protect the human and natural history of Prince Edward Island for the use, benefit and enjoyment of the people of the province." Since then, many aspects of this mandate have not been fulfilled, especially in the natural history area and the development of exhibition space to interpret existing collections. Despite this, the Legislative Assembly adopts annually a report from the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation, with no mention of many of the activities mandated by the Museum Act.

Question 1
Please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have the active provincial museum as mandated by the Legislature, that will study, collect, preserve, interpret, and protect the human and natural history of Prince Edward Island, and that sufficient funds and facilities to carry out its mandate will be provided.

The Liberal team believes that our culture and heritage defines who we are and where we come from. As a small Island surrounded by the influences of United States and larger Canadian centers, it is essential that we maintain and strengthen our commitment to our culture and heritage. A Liberal Government will undertake stakeholder consultations into the development of a P.E.I. Cultural Strategy, with an active provincial museum that includes the important area of natural history.

Question 2
Please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have an opportunity to see both permanent and changing exhibitions of the current artifacts within the existing Provincial Collection.

Liberals believe that the Conservative strategy of storing artifacts away from public viewing is short sighted and short changes Islanders, especially our youth, from learning more about our province’s unique and proud heritage. A Liberal Government will work to improve this situation by combining the need to preserve our artifacts and the need to make them accessible to Islanders.


Question 3
As museum development requires solid planning, please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have a provincial museum development plan that fulfills the mandate granted by the Legislature.

The Liberal team agrees with your assessment of the importance of solid planning to ensure making sound policy decisions. Certainly, the Conservative scheme to relocate the provincial artifactory in Murray River was ill-conceived and based more on political agendas then sound public policy. A Liberal Government will address the issue of sound planning by consulting with P.E.I. communities, museums, and our arts and cultural communities to explore options for a Provincial Museum, and consult with stakeholders in the development of a P.E.I. Cultural Strategy.


Question 4
Many Islanders since 1880 have called for a centrally-located,
adequately-resourced provincial museum building to tell the Island story (including natural history), exhibit the Island collection, and also to serve the various branches community museums and education system by creating exhibits to tour the province. Do you support this vision of a solid hub that can provide strength to the various spokes of a decentralized museum system?
Liberals support the concept of having a solid hub that can provide strength to our existing network of museums across our province. A Liberal Government will consider placing a moratorium on the construction of a new artifactory in Murray River and begin a consultation process with stakeholders to develop the most appropriate plan for a Provincial Museum.

Island New Democrats - respond

ISLAND NEW DEMOCRATS

81 Prince Street, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4R3

Tel. 902 566 2266

ndppei@pei.aibn.com

DEAN CONSTABLE, Party Leader

Question 1
Please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have the active provincial museum as mandated by the Legislature, that will study, collect, preserve, interpret, and protect the human and natural history of Prince Edward Island, and that sufficient funds and facilities to carry out its mandate will be provided.

If I gain the confidence of a majority of voters and receive the privilege of representing the citizens of District 12 Charlottetown – Victoria Park, I will fight for a Provincial Museum that will serve all Islanders. This means I will work for highly skilled and appropriate staffing to deliver all the exciting educational opportunities that a comprehensive museum of the human culture and natural history of our Island presents. I will also work to ensure that our inner city kids make the very important connections with their history and their culture and the natural world around them. This is their right and I want to see our society invest in them.

Question 2
Please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have an opportunity to see both permanent and changing exhibitions of the current artifacts within the existing Provincial Collection.

I will personally study the large issue of Museums on Prince Edward Island and become familiar with the bigger picture and challenges that includes over 30 community museums across PEI. I will support the establishment of a comprehensive integrated Provincial museum facility of culture and natural history located in an area that is accessible without undue hardship for all community museums, adults and especially children across PEI. To ensure access to changing thematic exhibits and exhibits that tell the bigger Island Story I will be insisting that the PEI Museum Collection and the dedicated professionals hired to work with it be located within close proximity at one site, namely the Provincial Museum. I will work to identify community partners such as educational institutions – UPEI and Holland College for example.

Question 3
Museum development requires solid planning, please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have a provincial museum development plan that fulfills the mandate granted by the Legislature.

I will support an immediate moratorium on the old Conservative Government’s plan to place the Provincial Storage facility (Artifactory) in the Premier’s home riding of Murray River. I will insist upon a comprehensive planning process that focuses on the future of Heritage and Museums development in PEI. I see this as a planning process that is much larger than the current PEI Museum, that is inclusive of the heritage community as a whole, from tip to tip of PEI.

Question 4
Many Islanders since 1881 have called for a centrally-located, adequately-resourced provincial museum building to tell the Island story (including natural history), exhibit the Island collection, and also to serve the various branches community museums and education system by creating exhibits to tour the province. Do you support this vision of a solid hub that can provide strength to the various spokes of a decentralized museum system?

I support the concept of a strong and solid hub serving all the museums and their audiences across PEI. I also support the development of a strategy for public and private investment in the infrastructure of museums across PEI. Our museums are in our communities telling our stories for our residents and our visitors. There can be no better investment for our culture, our economy and our feeling good about ourselves and our communities than investing in our museums. The planning element I mentioned above must come first to ensure that investments are strategic.

Response from the PC Party of Prince Edward Island

May 22, 2007

Question 1
Please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have the active provincial museum as mandated by the Legislature, that will study, collect, preserve, interpret, and protect the human and natural history of Prince Edward Island, and that sufficient funds and facilities to carry out its mandate will be provided.

Response: Protecting our past and celebrating our heritage has always been a priority for Islanders and the Pat Binns Government.
Our Government will construct a new Artifactory in Murray River to ensure that over 80,000 Island artifacts are stored in a safe and secure facility. The Artifactory will work closely with the 7 Provincial Museums and 26 Community Museums to ensure the history of Prince Edward Island continues to be presented in communities throughout PEI. The new facility will contain: Environmentally controlled space for artifact storage.

• Conservation workshops.
• Exhibition construction facilities
• Workspace for the Collection Registrar
• Exhibition space for temporary exhibits.

The history of Prince Edward Island is best shared by all Islanders. We will continue to ensure that the funding is there to properly display Island history. Increasing the budget for the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation from $800,700 in 2006-07 to $1,025,800 in 2007-08 and increasing the operating grant to the PEI Community Museums Association from $55,000 in 2006-07 to $90,000 in 2007-08, is a concrete example of that commitment. Over the years, we have also contributed to various projects including the investment of $550,000 towards the construction of the Agricultural Museum at Orwell Corner Historic Village in 2003.

Question 2
Please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have an opportunity to see both permanent and changing exhibitions of the current artifacts within the existing Provincial Collection.

Response: Collections management must always balance the sometimes competing goal of public education and the preservation of the artifact for future generations. We believe it is important for Islanders to have the opportunity to enjoy Island history and culture through the museum experience. Many of our museums such as Beaconsfield, Greenpark and Orwell Corner, serve as permanent exhibits that allow Islanders and visitors to immerse themselves in the past and glimpse what life was like for our early settlers. The continuous rotation of artifacts and exhibits adds variety to our museums, promotes interest and offers new perspectives, but also limits exposure to uncontrolled environments that compromise the physical integrity of the artifact. The new Artifactory will be a great asset to the PEI Museum and will provide much better conditions in which to store and conserve its collection while also delivering increased public exhibition space.


Question 3
As museum development requires solid planning, please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have a provincial museum development plan that fulfills the mandate granted by the Legislature.

Response: A Pat Binns Government looks forward to consulting with stakeholders and hearing the suggestions of all those in the public who share our goal of preserving and interpreting our Island’s rich heritage through the museum experience. We applaud the hard work done by the Friends of the PEI Museum and other like minded groups working to ensure that future generations of Islanders can also enjoy this cultural tradition.

Question 4
Many Islanders since 1880 have called for a centrally-located, adequately-resourced provincial museum building to tell the Island story (including natural history), exhibit the Island collection, and also to serve the various branches community museums and education system by creating exhibits to tour the province. Do you support this vision of a solid hub that can provide strength to the various spokes of a decentralized museum
system ?

Response: We believe that the PEI Museum and Heritage model of one museum with seven sites has been an effective way to preserve and exhibit the Island’s cultural and natural history. The team of professionals at the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, along its partners at the Community Museum Association, have done an excellent job preserving, conserving, and interpreting the Island’s heritage treasures within a system designed to take the greatest advantage of our rich history and small size. We look forward to the exciting time ahead. The construction of the new Artifactory will provide the surroundings and resources needed to manage the Museum’s collection. However, we are always interested in listening to proposals for changes to this model, including examining the concept of a single provincial museum site. The first step in this process would be the completion of public consultations and a business plan to determine viability.

Islanders wish to see the mandate of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation fulfilled.

Blog editorial - by Ian Scott

With the release of the Institute of Island Studies' report of their province-wide consultations on the state of the provincial museum on PEI, it is clear that Islanders wish to see the mandate of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation fulfilled.

A museum planning study is needed and continues to be called for by concerned Islanders. In reality the provincial government, continues to vote down the subject of a planning study every time it is raised in the Legislature.

The members of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation at their AGM recently voted for such a study and for a moratorium until this process has been concluded.

The government-appointed board which operates the Museum has since concluded that policies of the Museum as determined at the AGM are merely suggestions they might consider adopting - or not.

Clearly there are jurisdictional issues to be resolved when the votes of members are meaningless at a legally constituted meeting of the organization, and a board charged with governing the Museum, can reject outright the policies thus adopted by the organization.

These actions beg the question - what is the meaning of membership?

Meanwhile, all this controversy does little to restore support for the Museum, which has just completed a major campaign to try and turn the tide of declining membership renewals.

Questions for the Campaign Trail

With a provincial election underway, the policies of the various parties regarding a provincial museum for PEI are becoming a campaign issue for many Islanders.

If you happen to see anyone in the campaign mode perhaps the following questions would be appropriate.

The Legislative Assembly in 1983, created a provincial museum mandate, "to study, collect, preserve, interpret, and protect the human and natural history of Prince Edward Island for the use, benefit and enjoyment of the people of the province." Since then, many aspects of this mandate have not been fulfilled, especially in the natural history area and the development of exhibition space to interpret existing collections. Despite this, the Legislative Assembly adopts annually a report from the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation, with no mention of many of the activities mandated by the Museum Act.

Question 1
Please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have the active provincial museum as mandated by the Legislature, that will study, collect, preserve, interpret, and protect the human and natural history of Prince Edward Island, and that sufficient funds and facilities to carry out its mandate will be provided.

Question 2
Please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have an opportunity to see both permanent and changing exhibitions of the current artifacts within the existing Provincial Collection.

Question 3
As museum development requires solid planning, please indicate what your government would do to ensure that Prince Edward Islanders have a provincial museum development plan that fulfills the mandate granted by the Legislature.

Question 4
Many Islanders since 1880 have called for a centrally-located, adequately-resourced provincial museum building to tell the Island story (including natural history), exhibit the Island collection, and also to serve the various branches community museums and education system by creating exhibits to tour the province. Do you support this vision of a solid hub that can provide strength to the various spokes of a decentralized museum system ?