Canada’s archaeologists are infuriated Ottawa is swindling an axe to their division.
The government says it will save $4 million a year by moving Parks Canada’s collection of 30 million artifacts out of six locations across the country – into one central building in Gatineau, Quebec.
“This is so extensive, it feels like an attack on what we’re doing, (rather) than just an attempt to streamline, to be efficient, to save some money,” retired Parks Canada archaeologist Rob Ferguson tells Global National‘s Ross Lord.
The consolidation will be detrimental to how Canada’s history is shared, archaeologists say.
“Just like it’s important for individuals to have memory, it’s important for societies to have memory. And when you reduce that capacity to remember, you reduce the capacity to think clearly, in the present and to understand the world today,” says Jonathan Fowler, an archaeology professor at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
“Is this worth the gutting of archaeology in Parks Canada? I don’t think so.”
Ferguson agrees. “I can see these things just ending up warehoused, inaccessible, and that’s it.”
But Parks Canada says that won’t happen. Larry Ostola, the organization’s vice-president of heritage conservation and commemoration, says, “Our commitment is to make sure that collection is cared for and managed well into the future.”
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“Traditionally, the collection has been accessible to researchers and institutions that have an interest in certain items, and that’s not gonna change.”
The cuts come after the federal government decided to spend $28 million on educating people on another part of history, the War of 1812.
“To spend $28 million on one year, the War of 1812 commemoration. It’s a lot of money. And that’s a one-time, limited event,” says Fowler. “At the same time, (the government is reducing) the investment of $4 million from something that is giving day in and day out to Canadians. It’s a very small price to pay for taxpayers when you consider we leverage that for across the country. Educational activity, research, public outreach. There’s a lot that’s being lost here.”
“And it looks a bit odd when you compare it to $28 million for the War of 1812.”
Questions have also been raised about whether shipping out the artifacts will save money, or just add to the deficit. The Halifax building, for example, has 17 years left on its lease – and breaking the agreement could cost millions.
Nova Scotia artist Cheryl Simon, who uses petroglyphs as the basis of her quillwork, sides with the archaeologists, saying the artifacts will soon be out of range. “It’s gonna make it much harder, as a Mikmaq artist, to share with the public what the rock carvings – and what that period of our culture – was all about.”
“In order to use this for my work, I have to get in there, I have to go back, cross-reference to see the castings. And there’s a limited amount of time and limited people to help me with it, and I’m really worried about it.”
Parks Canada employees are staying mum on the matter. They’ve been issued gag orders, warned not to speak out against the government – or they could be reprimanded.
Moving all the artifacts is expected to be a three-year process.
Follow Ross on Twitter: @rlordglobal
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