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PhD Candidate
University of New Brunswick
(Fredericton)
The recent announcement of a name change for
Canada’s Museum of Civilization has sparked a great deal of public debate in
Canada. It all began, when Heritage Minister, James Moore, first announced the idea
in 2012,
as part of a departmental branding initiative. In anticipation of Canada’s upcoming
150th anniversary of Confederation, funding priorities are being directed
towards specific historical benchmarks.
One month after making the announcement, Bill C-49, An Act to amend the Museums Act in order to establish the Canadian Museum of History and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, received first reading in the House of Commons, followed by a second reading in May 2013. Meanwhile, museum consultants launched a cross-Canada engagement campaign, holding roundtable discussions in nine cities, and establishing an online survey for wider participation. By December 2013, the name change became official. The Canadian Museum of Civilization would now be called the Canadian Museum of History.
