CAPC Advocates: Letters to Ministry of Heritage, National Gallery of Canada Board of Trustees and Interim Director
Canadian Association of Professional Conservators (CAPC) and the Canadian Association for Conservation of Cultural Property (CAC) have delivered official letters to the Ministry of Canadian Heritage, and also to the Board of Trustees and Interim Director of the National Gallery of Canada (NGC). These letters were in response to the elimination of numerous conservation positions at heritage institutions over the last three years, with most recently the termination and potential position elimination of the Director of Conservation and Technical Research at the NGC. This represents a serious risk to collections and a devaluation of the conservation profession. As such, the Boards of Directors of CAC and CAPC have asked the Minister of Canadian Heritage to support the conservation of Canada’s cultural heritage by including conservation perspectives in the review of the Museums Act and by providing funding allocated for conservation projects. These letters were written with contributions from many CAC and CAPC members, approved by the Boards of Directors, and sent to their recipients on December 6, 2022. Copies of the letters are linked below.
The original letter contained a section entitled "Barriers to Reconciliation," the content of which both Boards were alerted to for its potential for misinterpretation. Upon reflection and in discussion with the (Re)conciliation Working Group, and under their counsel, the CAC and CAPC Boards have removed the section in order to align with our commitment to reconciliation and decolonization efforts. The CAC and CAPC are grateful for the engagement of their members as we continue to learn and work together.