Question Period Note: Memorial to the Victims of Communism

Progress on the Memorial was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of a key sub-contractor, resulting in a construction stoppage. With $4 million in additional funding confirmed through Budget 2021, work recommenced. The Memorial to the Victims of Communism is in its construction and fabrication phase.

• In May 2017, the Government of Canada announced the winning design for the Memorial to the Victims of Communism–Canada, a Land of Refuge.
• The pandemic led to increased costs and funding needed to be secured for work on the Memorial to continue.
• With additional resources announced in Budget 2021, the Government is finalizing completion of the Memorial.

• The Memorial to the Victims of Communism–Canada, a Land of Refuge, will recognize Canada’s role as a place of refuge for people fleeing injustice, persecution and oppression. It is intended to commemorate the millions of victims of communism worldwide and in Canada.
• The Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for overall project management of the Memorial. The National Capital Commission (NCC) is responsible for securing Federal Land Use and Design Approvals and for managing the implementation and construction phase of the project.
• The project proponent is Tribute to Liberty (TTL), a charitable organization. Its project proposal was championed by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada in 2009.
• Originally planned for a site adjacent to the Supreme Court of Canada, the Memorial project generated controversy due to its prominent location and the large scale of the proposed design.
• In 2015, the Minister of Canadian Heritage relaunched the project with a smaller site at the Garden of the Provinces and Territories.
• In 2017, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Multiculturalism) announced the winning design, “Arc of Memory”, by Team Raff.
• In 2018, a contract was finalized with Paul Raff Studio (PRS) to fabricate the main artistic element, the “Arc of Memory.” The sculpture was to be fabricated by a PRS sub-contractor.
• In 2019, the NCC began preliminary construction at the Memorial site.
• In 2020, the sub-contractor responsible for fabrication of the sculpture did not resume operations following the initial COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. All work was halted until the necessary funds to resume and complete the project could be secured.
• $4 million in additional funding was announced as part of Budget 2021.
• NCC has resumed construction work on site and contract negotiations are in progress to amend PRS’s contract. The NCC will then tender fabrication of the artistic elements, at which time project completion timelines will be finalized.
• The Memorial will feature a Wall of Remembrance that will display 600 events and names of individuals affected by communism provided by project donors.
• TTL will link the Wall of Remembrance to a website they will develop and host that will share the stories of these events and individuals.
• In early 2021, PCH engaged a number of qualified experts to review the list provided by TTL. Reviews have yielded approximately a dozen problematic entries, the most common issue being links to Nazism and/or fascism.
• TTL has been presented the results of the preliminary review and is expected to provide a formal response in November.

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