Canadian Museums Association: The report, titled Moved to Action: Activating UNDRIP in Museums, is aimed at advancing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s “Call to Action #67” that asks the federal government to provide funding to the CMA to review, in partnership with Indigenous peoples, Canadian museum policies and practices and make recommendations for the sector to become more compliant with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

The report, created over five years thanks to funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage, was informed by guidance and advice from CMA’s Reconciliation Council, a cohesive and influential body of experts in Indigenous culture and museum practices.

It makes 10 recommendations and will provide a set of learning tools for the inclusion and representation of Indigenous communities within museums and cultural centres.

Support the development of peer networks and mentorship.

Among the recommendations are calls for:

• more financial support for Indigenous cultural centres and Indigenous-led national heritage organizations, particularly to support repatriations;
• a revised National Museum Policy and Museums Assistance Program that support UNDRIP in their structure and delivery and a national UNDRIP professional development strategy for museum professionals to assist museums in implementing UNDRIP at each level of their operations.

“Our field has a deep legacy of colonization and there’s a lot of relationship repairing that needs to be done. This report is an importance tool to support this work,” says Heather George, CMA President. “The report highlights the importance of self-determination of Indigenous peoples in museum spaces. Our understanding of history is richer when Indigenous peoples have authority over their representations. We are grateful for the continued support and knowledge sharing from the CMA Reconciliation Council and the ongoing work of Indigenous people in this space.”

The CMA represents over 2,700 museums, from small, volunteer-led museums to our national institutions in Canada. in Canada, with a total of approximately 600 institutional members to-date. The report says that museums must work to transfer power to Indigenous nations “through significant decolonization in the policies, processes, categorization, and approaches to cultural belongings.”

It also calls for museums to adopt “meaningful Indigenous governance with decision-making authority, not simply advisory bodies.” It stresses that at every step of the way, Indigenous initiatives and leadership must be prioritized.

In its report, the CMA also details 30 new standards for museums for Indigenous engagement and partnership. The standards are not exhaustive but form a strong foundation for the way in which Canadian museums support decolonization and Indigenous-led initiatives.

The Canadian Museums Association looks forward to having this work strongly considered in upcoming discussions with the Department of Canadian Heritage around a new National Museum Policy for the sector. The CMA is also advocating for Indigenous-led organizations and cultural centres to advise the process.

For further information please contact:

Rebecca MacKenzie, Director of Communications, Canadian Museum Association 
communications@museums.ca

Members of the Reconciliation Council are also available for interviews. Established in 2018, the Council is comprised of leaders in Indigenous heritage across the nations and has acted as the advisory body to the CMA throughout the duration of this project.

Recommendations:

1. Enact strong legislation to support the repatriation of Indigenous belongings and ancestors.
2. Provide dedicated funding for the repatriation process.
3. Bolster financial support for Indigenous cultural centres, Indigenous-led national heritage organizations and Indigenous- led commemorative activities.
4. Revise the National Museum Policy and Museums Assistance Program.
5. Revise application processes to support Indigenous self-determination.
6. Develop a cohesive collections strategy.
7. Implement UNDRIP within all provinces and territories.
8. Review existing laws related to heritage for compliance with UNDRIP.
9. Develop a national UNDRIP professional development strategy for museum professionals.

About the Canadian Museums Association

The Canadian Museums Association is the voice for Canada’s vibrant museum community, from small, volunteer-driven organizations to cherished national institutions, and for the millions of Canadians whose lives are enriched by museums.

We advocate for public policies and support, we build skills across the profession, and we establish and inspire connections to strengthen and sustain museums.