QUESTION PERIOD — Canadian Heritage
National Gallery of Canada
April 18, 2023
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Senator Gold, members of the Canadian Museums Association are in Ottawa over the next two days as part of their 2023 Hill Day to speak with parliamentarians and others. The association includes many representatives from my city of Toronto, which is the home of fabulous galleries and museums.
However, people I know in the museum community are greatly concerned about the continuing turmoil at the National Gallery of Canada. As the search for a new, permanent director continues, my question to you today builds on the question posed to you by Senator Bovey last December, and that question is: Can you confirm that the new, permanent director will have two essential qualifications — an advanced degree in art history or in contemporary expression, and a career in directing and running a major gallery or museum? Thank you.
Thank you for your question and for underlining the importance of museums, the artists who are exhibited and those who curate and manage our institutions.
In Ottawa — I won’t compete with Toronto, being a Montrealer — with the wonderful art museums we have here — and, indeed, around this country — we have a jewel and that is the National Gallery of Canada.
With regard to your question and the turmoil surrounding this, I have every confidence in the process that has been put in place and those who are going to be leading the process. I look forward to learning who will take on the important role at the gallery to serve both the artistic community and all Canadians. The process is going to be an open, transparent and fair one with the aim of finding the best and most qualified person to serve our institution and the interests of the National Gallery, as I said, and the communities that it serves.
With regard to the specific criteria, I leave that in the good hands of the search committee and that process in which I have the utmost confidence.
Given that the new, permanent director was expected to be announced by March 30, are you able to confirm today the date on which the announcement of this person will be made? Thank you.
Unfortunately, I am not.
Honourable senators can be assured that the process is a serious and ongoing one. It is being treated with dispatch, and I look forward to the announcement at the time that it is made.
