Question Period Note: Review of Designations – National Program of Historical Commemoration

Review of Designations – National Program of Historical Commemoration

· National historic designations reflect the rich and varied heritage of Canada and provide an opportunity for Canadians to learn more about our diverse history. They commemorate important aspects of Canadian history, both positive and negative.
· Parks Canada recognizes the need to ensure that commemoration and public history programs are inclusive of all perspectives on the events, people, and places that have shaped Canada's history.
· Parks Canada is committed to sharing Canada's history from all points of view and the Framework for History and Commemoration: National Historic Sites of Canada System Plan (2019) includes direction for the review of existing designations to ensure that the full stories of these historic events, people, and places are told.
· Through the review of designations, the commemorations which tell the history of Canada, will better acknowledge the contributions of Indigenous peoples and the diversity of historical experiences of all Canadians. This review includes addressing the more difficult and tragic aspects of Canada's past as well as the historical figures who were part of these events.
CURRENT STATUS
· An assessment is currently underway to identify priorities and develop a sustainable approach for the consistent review of existing designations and their plaque texts.

· Over the course of the past 100 years, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) has recommended more than 2,200 designations of national historic significance to the Government of Canada. The HSMBC recognizes the shifts in historical understanding that have occurred over the past century and acknowledges that it needs to be responsive to these shifts. The HSMBC and Parks Canada are working to address questions raised about existing designations and plaque texts.
· In August 2019, Parks Canada began a process to update the Directory of Federal Heritage Designations to indicate which designations of national historic significance are currently under review. This work was initiated in response to public requests over the past several years related to incomplete or inaccurate plaque texts. The work supports broader efforts by Parks Canada and the HSMBC to better reflect diverse perspectives and voices and address controversial aspects of Canadian history.
· The Framework for History and Commemoration: National Historic Sites System Plan outlines the HSMBC's approach for the careful review of existing national historic designations. Page 39 of the Framework outlines the HSMBC's process for review. Please see https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/plan/cadre-framework for more information. Additional guidance and clear processes for review have been established.
· An important consideration for this review is the Government's endorsement of the Calls to Action of the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), in particular Call to Action 79.
· There are more than 2,220 existing designations under the National Program of Historical Commemoration which reflect 100 years of evolving perspectives and interpretations, associated with the times in which each was designated. Of this number, 205 have been identified as requiring a review at this time.
· Priorities were set by taking into account public requests for reviews, public controversies, subjects identified as urgent by an Indigenous consultant, requests from Parks Canada field units, and plaques already on the list to be replaced as part of the general program update.
· The designations and plaques which require review have been assessed as relating to four issues: colonial legacy, absence or erasure of a significant layer of history, outdated or offensive terminology, and controversial beliefs and behaviors. For example, offensive terminology includes the use of the terms "Indian" or "Eskimo" in existing plaque texts. The scope of what will be reviewed includes designations associated with residential school history, major political figures such as Egerton Ryerson and John A. Macdonald, as well as people associated with the eugenics movement.
· External engagement is a cornerstone of the reviews, with input from the requestor of the review when applicable, any implicated community, subject-matter experts and local stakeholders, where relevant. The review process is in keeping with public history practices and with processes used for new nominations and plaque texts.

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