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Annual Report 2017–2018

 
 

The Corporation and its Governance

The Canadian Museum of History is a federal Crown corporation that is responsible for two national museums: the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum. Together, the Museums showcase Canada’s national treasures and present exhibitions that preserve the memories and experiences of Canadians by exploring the events, people, themes and special objects that have helped shape the country, from earliest times to the present day.

The Canadian Museum of History

Canadian Museum of History

Canada’s national museum of human history
CMH IMG2012-0198-0008-Dm, photo by Steven Darby

Located on the shores of the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Quebec, the Canadian Museum of History welcomes over 1 million visitors each year. The Museum’s principal role is to enhance Canadians’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the events, experiences, people and objects that have shaped Canada’s history and identity, as well as to foster appreciation of world history and culture. The Museum safeguards a collection of close to 4 million artifacts and specimens, including some of Canada’s most valued national treasures. It is also home to the Canadian Children’s Museum and the new CINÉ+ movie theatre.

The Canadian War Museum

Canadian War Museum

Canada’s national museum of military history
CWM 2015-0029-0005-Dp2, photo by Harry Foster

The Canadian War Museum is Canada’s national museum of military history. Its mission is to promote public understanding of Canada’s military history in its personal, national and international dimensions. In particular, it is renowned for its exploration of the human dimension of war, and of the profound effect of armed conflict on combatants and civilians alike. Home to an outstanding collection of artifacts and attracting almost 500,000 visitors annually, the Museum occupies one of Canada’s most striking and iconic buildings. In addition, it houses a world-class art collection, comprising over 13,000 works, including paintings by some of Canada’s most celebrated artists. As a national centre for remembrance, education and historical research, the Museum is also a venue and facilitator for informed discussion of military affairs — past, present and future.

The Virtual Museum of Canada

The Virtual Museum of Canada (VMC) is an investment program, managed by the Canadian Museum of History, that supports Canadian museums and heritage organizations in developing online projects around their collections. Presented on virtualmuseum.ca, these diverse stories and experiences combine trusted content with digital technologies to showcase the history, heritage and culture of Canada. The VMC’s current mandate is to continue to invest annually in the museum sector, while endeavouring to be more responsive to the needs of its stakeholders. This involves a new vision and changes to the investment programs and website. The VMC is consulting museums and heritage organizations across the country as it proceeds with this work, and will build on existing partnerships and create new ones.

The Virtual Museum of New France

The Virtual Museum of New France is an innovative online project that explores the history, culture and living legacy of early French settlements in North America, profiling an area stretching from Acadia through the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley to Louisiana. Its examination of the history of New France focuses on themes that include economic activity, population and facets of daily life, such as food, entertainment, health and medicine.

The Board of Trustees

The Museum Trustees

The Museum’s Board of Trustees

The Corporation is governed by a Board of Trustees, whose members are appointed by the Minister of Canadian Heritage with the approval of the Governor in Council. The Trustees are selected from across the country. The Board, accountable to Parliament through the Minister, provides broad strategic direction and oversight with the assistance of six Committees and one Working Group.

Board of Trustees Committees

  • The Executive Committee assists in making decisions between Board meetings, as necessary.
  • The Audit Committee serves as the Board’s advisor on audit-related matters; ensures the maintenance of sound internal controls; and reviews internal audit plans, financial statements, and observations made by the Auditor General of Canada and relating to the Museum.
  • The Development Committee advises and supports the Board and management in achieving greater self-sufficiency through fundraising.
  • The Finance Committee advises the Board on accountability and planning in relation to financial matters such as financial reporting, the corporation’s investment policy and contracts, and other financial transactions over $500,000.
  • The Governance Committee advises the Board on matters related to corporate governance.
  • The Canadian War Museum Committee provides advice on matters related to the Canadian War Museum, and includes members of the Board of Trustees and representatives from veterans’ groups.
  • The Canadian History Hall Working Group advises on matters related to the Canadian History Hall, which opened on July 1, 2017.

Members of the Board

Dr. James (Jim) Fleck, C.C., Chair
Toronto, Ontario

Dr. Fleck is an entrepreneur, academic and leading cultural philanthropist. In business, he founded Fleck Manufacturing Inc. and was Chairman of ATI Technologies and Alias Research. He is Professor Emeritus at The Rotman School of the University of Toronto and taught at both Harvard and York Universities. In the non-profit sector, Dr. Fleck was President of the Art Gallery of Ontario and is Chairman of Business for the Arts, a national association of business leaders supporting the arts. He chairs the Board of Directors of the University of Toronto Schools, the only high school affiliated with a university and located on campus. In government, he served as Deputy Minister of Industry and Secretary of Cabinet for former Ontario Premier Bill Davis. Dr. Fleck’s many honours include Companion of the Order of Canada, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Edmund C. Bovey Award for Leadership Support of the Arts, the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts and the International Society for the Performing Arts’ Angel Award.

Governance Committee Chair
Executive Committee Vice-Chair
Audit Committee Ex Officio
Finance Committee Ex Officio
Development Committee Ex Officio
Canadian War Museum Committee Ex Officio

Dean Brinton, M.S.M., M.A., Vice-Chair
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Dean Brinton studied Philosophy and Comparative Religion at the universities of Calgary and Toronto, receiving a Master’s Degree from the University of Toronto in 1987. He has worked in the arts and culture sector for over thirty years and was appointed CEO of The Rooms Corporation in St. John’s, Newfoundland in January 2005. He was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Canada Council in 1997, where he served for six years. For four of these he was the Board’s appointee to the Executive Committee and Chair of the Governance Committee. He served on the sectoral committee of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and as the Council’s representative on the Public Lending Rights Commission. Between 2001 and 2008, he was a member of the Board of Governors of the National Theatre School of Canada and the Board of Governors of the Nova Scotia College of Art Design University, where he chaired the Development Committee. He is presently on the Board of Directors of the Salvation Army and is serving as Chair of the Capital Campaign for the Centre of Hope. In the fall of 2017, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation and the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum as Vice-Chair. Mr. Brinton has received the Meritorious Service Medal as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Governance Committee Ex Officio
Executive Committee Ex Officio
Audit Committee Ex Officio
Finance Committee Ex Officio
Development Committee Ex Officio
Canadian War Museum Committee Ex Officio

Ms. Andrea T. Bobkowicz, Trustee
Westmount, Quebec

Andrea Bobkowicz is an Investment Advisor with National Bank Financial, Private Wealth Management. Ms. Bobkowicz previously worked in Global Institutional Equity Sales at RBC Dominion Securities in New York and, as a result, has business experience in South Africa, Australia and Latin America. She is fluent in English, French and Spanish. Her volunteer work in the community includes leadership positions with the Foundation of Catholic Community Services and the St. Patrick’s Society of Montréal. In addition, Ms. Bobkowicz has served as a member of several major professional and policy-shaping organizations, including the Canadian Council for the Americas, the Canadian Society of New York, the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, Women in Capital Markets and the Financial Women’s Association of New York.

Finance Committee Chair
Development Committee member

Ms. Jean Giguère, C.M., Trustee
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Jean Giguère has a long and distinguished record of leadership and achievement within the Canadian cultural community. A founding member of Culture Days, a project committed to making culture a daily habit for Canadians, she is past Vice-Chair of the National Culture Days Board and currently chairs Culture Days Manitoba. She is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. In 2009, Ms. Giguère was elected a Director of Business for the Arts, a national organization dedicated to building partnerships between the arts and the business community. She was first elected to the Board of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 1997, later serving as its Chair and, in 2011, was appointed Chair Emeritus. Ms. Giguère has extensive experience in board governance, fundraising and strategic planning in the cultural sector. After serving five years on the Canadian Arts Summit Steering Committee, she chaired the 2009 Summit in Montréal. At the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, she has served as Vice-President responsible for fundraising and Chair of Special Events. Ms. Giguère was the inaugural recipient of the Winnipeg Art Council’s Making a Difference Award and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her “outstanding contribution to artistic life in Canada.” In 2014, she was honoured with the Ramon Hnatyshyn Governor General Award for Voluntarism in Performing Arts.

Governance Committee member
Development Committee member

Mr. Richard J. Gwyn, O.C., LL.D., Trustee
Toronto, Ontario

Richard J. Gwyn is a renowned historian, author and political commentator. His career as a journalist includes 30 years with the Toronto Star, where he wrote and continues to write columns on national and international affairs and was a regular commentator on television and radio. The highly praised author of seven books, Mr. Gwyn has written biographies of Prime Ministers Sir John A. Macdonald (two volumes) and Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and of Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood. His study Nationalism Without Walls has been ranked by the Literary Review of Canada as one of Canada’s 100 most important books. Mr. Gwyn’s honours include two National Newspaper Awards, a National Magazine Award, the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing and the J. W. Dafoe Book Prize. From 2002 to 2007, he was Chancellor of St. Jerome’s University at the University of Waterloo. The recipient of five honorary degrees, Mr. Gwyn was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2002.

Governance Committee member
Canadian War Museum Committee member
Canadian History Hall Working Group member

Ms. Amanda Kinsgley Malo, Trustee
Sudbury, Ontario

Amanda Kingsley Malo is an elementary school teacher and community organizer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in history from the University of Ottawa, as well as a Bachelor of Education from Laurentian University. Having long ago discovered that she feels most like herself when giving back to others, Amanda has dedicated herself to the betterment of her community. She is the founder of PoliticsNOW, a grassroots organization that is dedicated to getting women in Northern Ontario more involved in politics in their communities. She has volunteered for several local organizations, including with newly arrived refugees, and organized Sudbury’s first Women’s March. In recognition of her efforts, Amanda was a Samara Everyday Political Citizen nominee, as well as the winner of CBC’s #WeAretheChange contest, which highlighted innovative community changemakers across our country in honour of Canada 150. Amanda lives in her hometown of Sudbury, Ontario with her husband Jeffrey and their newborn daughter.

Governance Committee member

Dr. Christopher McCreery, M.V.O., Trustee
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Dr. McCreery is the Private Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia and Executive Director of Government House in Halifax. Author of more than a dozen books, he holds a doctorate in Canadian political history from Queen’s University and is a recognized authority on Canadian honours, symbols and the role of the Crown in Canadian government. He has served on the Department of Canadian Heritage War of 1812 Advisory Committee, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Committee and the Prime Minister’s 2010 advisory committee on the appointment of the Governor General. Dr. McCreery is a Member of the Royal Victorian Order, a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and a Fellow of the Queen’s University Centre for the Study of Democracy.

Executive Committee member
Finance Committee member
Development Committee member
Governance Committee member
Canadian History Hall Working Group member

Dr. Rodney Nelson, C.Dir, PAED, CAPA, Trustee
Ottawa, Ontario

Claude Rodney Nelson is an advocate for economic development within Indigenous communities’ worldwide and is passionate about retaining traditional knowledge. He is a professor at Carleton University where he teaches within the Center for Initiatives in Education within the Faculty of Social Science and co-coordinates the Indigenous Enriched Support Program. He is also the current CEO and Principal of Governance for the Global Governance Group. His interests include; board governance, economic development, education, ethics, traditional knowledge and Indigenous relations. Rodney is a corporate anthropologist with over 25 years’ experience working with both the public and private sectors including many Indigenous organizations and communities. He is the current co-chair of Carleton University’s Aboriginal Education Council and is the outgoing chair of the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association. Rodney’s PhD is in Indigenous/Canadian Studies through Carleton and Trent University with a concentration on economic development and traditional governance. He holds a Master’s degree in medical and corporate anthropology and two Bachelor degrees in psychology and anthropology. He is a certified Chartered Director from the Directors College at McMaster’s Degroote School of Business. He is also a Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator (CAPA) and a Professional Aboriginal Economic Developer (PAED). Rodney is active in the community as a scout leader, traditional teacher, fire keeper and was a professional musician for many years. He is Anishinabe and lives in Ottawa with his wife and two children.

Audit Committee member
Governance Committee member

Ms. Jennifer Pereira, Trustee
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

A partner at Robertson Stromberg LLP, Jennifer’s practice focuses on legal disputes that may ultimately end up in court. She has been recognized by Lexpert magazine as a leading Canadian Lawyer under 40 and by Best Lawyers in the area of Insurance Law. Jennifer is an active member of the Court of Queen’s Bench Bar Judicial Committee. She is Past President of both the Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association and the Saskatoon Bar Association and has sat as the Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s (Sask) Professional Image Committee. She has shared her knowledge of the law as a speaker with many organizations including the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan. Jennifer’s commitment to her profession is mirrored by her commitment to giving back to her community. She is presently the Vice Chair of the board of TCU Place and volunteer with the Children’s Discovery Museum and Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon. In 2014, Jennifer was recognized by the CBC as one of Saskatchewan’s Top 40 under 40 and the University of Saskatchewan has honoured her with an Alumni Achievement award.

Development Committee member
Audit Committee member

Mr. Claude Thibault, Trustee
Mont-Royal, Quebec

Claude Thibault is Chief Financial Officer of DCM Group, an engineering and industrial construction company with activities across Canada. Mr. Thibault is a seasoned finance executive with close to 20 years’ experience as Chief Financial Officer of publicly listed and private companies. He previously worked in investment banking and corporate finance as Vice-President at Midland Walwyn Capital and KPMG. Mr. Thibault has served on a number of boards of directors, including that of the Old Port of Montréal Corporation. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator, and holds an MBA from McGill University. Mr. Thibault recently obtained a certification at the Institute for governance of private and public organizations.

Audit Committee Chair
Finance Committee member

Mr. Robert C. Wilband, Trustee
Vancouver, British Columbia

Robert Wilband has over 40 years of experience in Canada and internationally as a business leader and board director, primarily in the technology sector. Until his retirement in 1999, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Prologic Corporation of Richmond, British Columbia, a global leader in providing banking software, with 350 corporate customers in 31 countries. Mr. Wilband, who has a master’s degree in Business Administration, is also a Certified General Accountant. His honours include the Canada Export Award and the CIBC National Job Creation Award. He is a lifetime member of the President’s Club at Simon Fraser University, where he served as an Executive in Residence and Adjunct Professor. Mr. Wilband continues to act as a mentor in the technology sector, drawing on his extensive expertise in corporate governance, finance, marketing and business strategy development.

Development Committee Chair
Audit Committee member
Finance Committee member

Dr. William Young, Trustee
Ottawa, Ontario

Bill Young completed a six-year term as Parliamentary Librarian of Canada in December 2011 with responsibility for research, information, public outreach and education for the Canadian Parliament. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of British Columbia (1978) and taught at York, Simon Fraser, and McGill universities. He assisted the Rt. Hon. Paul Martin, former Minister of External Affairs and Canadian High Commissioner to the UK, in preparing his autobiography. Bill authored or co-authored four books, conference papers, academic and popular articles. After joining the Library of Parliament in 1987, Bill conducted/directed research, and prepared reports for parliamentary committees dealing with social issues. He served as Director of the Library’s Political and Social Affairs Division and in 2004 was seconded to the public service as the senior policy adviser to the Minister of Social Development and Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Audit Committee member

Executive Management

The President and Chief Executive Officer, supported by an Executive Management team, is accountable for the day-to-day administration of the corporation’s performance, its long-term viability and the achievement of its objectives.

Corporate Officers

The Corporate Officers

From left to right:
Chrissie Unterhoffer, Corporate Secretary and Director of Strategic Planning; Mark O’Neill, President and Chief Executive Officer; and David Loye, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice-President

Mark O’Neill, President and Chief Executive Officer

David Loye, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice-President

Chrissie Unterhoffer, Corporate Secretary and Director of Strategic Planning

Executive Management Team

In addition to the Corporate Officers, the Executive Management cadre also includes, as of March 31, 2018:

Jean-Marc Blais, Director General, Canadian Museum of History and Vice-President of the Corporation

Caroline Dromaguet, Acting Director General, Canadian War Museum

Yasmine Mingay, Acting Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Development

Megan Richardson, Director, Virtual Museum of Canada

Julie Sylvestre, Vice-President, Human Resources

Governance Structure

Corporate Planning Group: Provides overall direction to the corporation’s planning; ensures performance measurement and risk-management frameworks are effective and integrated into the planning processes; monitors performance and makes course corrections as required; ensures that the Museums have effective practices in place for sound governance and workplace values and ethics.

Resource Planning Group: Ensures resources are aligned with corporate priorities and that effective stewardship practices are in place.

Human Resources Planning Group: Provides advice and assists in the management of the Museums’ human resources.

Research and Collections Planning Group: Provides advice and assists in the management of the Museums’ research and collections activities.

Exhibitions Planning Group: Provides advice and assists in the management of the Museums’ exhibitions, including special and travelling exhibitions.

Canadian History Hall Project Team: Provides overall coordination and direction to the development of the Canadian History Hall.

Together, these six groups — comprising a cross-selection of executives, directors and managers — provide a forum for strategic discussions of corporate planning and management, and for the alignment of resources with corporate priorities. These groups also provide a mechanism to further integrate risk management into all of the corporation’s planning, monitoring and decision-making activities.

To ensure flow of communication throughout the Management cadre, the governance structure also includes a Managers’ Forum. Including all executives, directors and managers in the corporation, the Managers’ Forum meets throughout the year for information-sharing purposes.

Human Resources Practices and Official Languages Policy

The corporation follows human resource management practices. It is committed to a learning culture that promotes continuous development and training, and provides the necessary tools for adaptation in an ever-changing environment. It works proactively with labour unions to address and resolve issues of concern, and to maintain a meaningful, professional and positive work environment.

In addition, the corporation actively promotes official languages through linguistic evaluation and appropriate second-language training, as well as ensuring high client-service standards to the general public in both official languages. The corporation continues to meet the high standards of client services to the general public in both official languages.

Employment Equity and Multiculturalism

The corporation is committed to a talent-management culture that recruits, engages and retains a talented workforce by promoting continuous development in an inclusive and engaging environment dedicated to museological excellence. The corporation provides a diverse and inclusive workplace committed to the principles of employment equity and multiculturalism that is complementary to our mandate of preserving, promoting and exploring Canada’s rich history and cultural diversity.

There has been significant activity with respect to employment equity at the Museum. The Museum reports annually on its employment equity requirements to Employment and Social Development Canada. These requirements are defined by the Employment Equity Act, which requires employers under federal control to engage in proactive employment practices to increase workplace representation of women, people with disabilities, Aboriginal people and visible minorities. The Canadian Human Rights Commission is responsible for conducting equity-compliance audits, and has selected the Museum for audit. The Museum recently approved a three-year Employment Equity Action Plan. A Diversity and Inclusion Consultation Group has been formed, with representatives from management and the Museum’s unions.

The Contribution of Volunteers

Volunteers make an important and valuable contribution, not only to the Museums but also to the hundreds of thousands of visitors each year that benefit directly from their knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment. In 2017–18, about 350 volunteers worked on variety of projects in the areas of research, archives, library services, special events, programs, mailing and administration.