CANADIAN MUSEUM OF CIVILIZATION: NYCOLE TURMEL FEARS POLITICAL INTERFERE IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE NEWLY NAMED CANADIAN MUSEUM OF HISTORY

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 5th, 2013

OTTAWA — New Democrat MP Nycole Turmel (Hull–Aylmer) fears that the announcement by Heritage Minister James Moore to change the mandate and name of the Canadian Museum of Civilization constitutes political interference in the future of the museum.

The Heritage Minister is scheduled to appear before a parliamentary committee today.

“The decision to redefine the museum’s mandate is part of the government’s broader attempt to re-write our country’s history to place greater emphasis on Conservative values,” said Turmel.

“Minister Moore had no qualms about publicly denouncing a recent exhibit at the Canada Science and Technology Museum; why would he hesitate to do so behind closed doors,” added Ms. Turmel, referring to the ‘Sex: A Tell-All Exhibition’, which raised the Heritage Minister’s hackles.

Ms. Turmel is also worried that the rebranding of the Canadian Museum of Civilization will have a negative impact on regional tourism. “The government is attacking a winning formula. The museum’s public success is attributable to the mix of exhibits on Canadian history and exhibits on other world cultures. My constituents like their museum as it is: open to the world and non-politicized,” added the MP for Hull–Aylmer.