Canadian Museum for Human Rights

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The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) is a proposed national museum to be built in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the historic Forks. This location was chosen for two reason.

First, The Forks served as a meeting place thousands of years ago where Aboriginal people would get together to engage in peaceful neogation. It is the intent that this historic meeting place will once again serve it's purpose as such, but this time it would be a meeting place for the world.

The second reason that this location was chosen is due to the fact that Manitoba is the home of many human rights victories for women's rights, French- language rights and labour rights.

The museum will have educational and interactive components that chronicle Canada’s human rights journey, and feature compelling stories and inspirational heroes from around the world. The Museum's content will include both human rights triumphs and failures, as both are necessary to provide an honest and balanced account of the state of human rights through the ages.

The museum will be unlike anything that exists today. It will be a forum for dialogue where legislation such as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms will be explained and discussed.

Historical events such as the Residential Schools will be told through unique storytelling techniques employed by Aboriginal Canadian elders.

The museum will serve as an education facility for peacekeepers where they will learn about the culture of other nations before they are deployed.

Also, there will be an observatory with current i.e real-time information on human rights issues and situations from embedded journalists and activists situated around the world. Visitors will be able to access information about international rights groups and can immediately register to be advocates of these groups if they choose.

The project began with the vision of the late Izzy Asper, the Canadian media magnate, who wanted to create a world-renowned museum in Western Canada; indeed, it would be the first Canadian national museum beyond the area of Canada's capital city, Ottawa.

The proposed museum is also seen as an opportunity to revitalize the downtown core of Winnipeg and the city's tourism industry.

The museum's design has been completed by architect Antoine Predock, and features a "glass sculpture" stylization. The project has been primarily promoted by Asper's daughter, Gail Asper, and the Asper Foundation, which has committed C$20 million in funding.

These parties envision the museum as a public-private partnership, in which the Canadian federal government would commit to a share of the development costs, estimated at C$311 million, and the operational costs, estimated at C$20 million annually. Ten percent of the total development costs will come from the Province of Manitoba, C$20 million from the City of Winnipeg, and the remainder (C$160 million) from the private sector.

In terms of economic impact, it is estimated that the museum will generate a minimum of C$171 million in direct expenditures and an estimated C$122.7 million in spin-off expenditures into the Canadian economy. 1,710 jobs will be created during construction and 495 direct and indirect jobs annually by the third year of operations. An expected 250,000 tourists will visit the museum in the first year.

Half of the operational budget requested from the federal government will be allocated to fund a national student human rights education and travel program. This program, unique to the CMHR, will bring 20,000 Grade 9 students from across Canada by the second year of operations to participate in a special human rights educational trip.

The program is intended to make students aware of human rights issues,instill values of respect and tolerance and inspire them to become advocates for human rights in their respective communites and throughout their lives.

As of February 2007, the Museum has raised $72 million from private donors leaving approximately $89 million to go.

Depending on funding, construction will being in fall of 2007 and the Museum is targeted to open in 2011.

[edit] References

• Colin Campbell, "Building Izzy's dream: does Canada need to fund a national museum of human rights—located in Winnipeg?". Maclean's; March 27, 2006.

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

• Canadian Museum for Human Rights web site
• Predock Wins Canadian Museum for Human Rights Architectural Design Competition, with illustrations
• Government of Canada funding announcement - April 17, 2003
• An address by The Honourable Stephen Owen, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport) Winnipeg, Manitoba April 15, 2005
• CBC News photo gallery
• Canadian Museum for Human Rights One Step Closer to Reality (Canadian Heritage Media Release)
• Charles Coffey, "Creating a Canadian brand for human rights leadership"
• Princess Auto is Proud to Support the Canadian Museum for Human Rights
• CANAD INNS DONATES $1MILLION TO MUSEUM