Canadian Historic Sites and Monuments Board

Canadian Historic Sites and Monuments Board
Name	Canadian Historic Sites and Monuments Board
Native name	Commission des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada
Formed	1919
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Agency type	Advisory body
Parent agency	Parks Canada
Jurisdiction	Canada

Canadian Historic Sites and Monuments Board is a federal advisory body established to evaluate and recommend places, persons, and events for national commemoration in Canada. It advises Parks Canada and the Minister of the Environment on designations under the Historic Sites and Monuments Act and contributes to interpretive policy affecting sites such as L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, Rideau Canal, and Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada. The Board's work intersects with institutions including the National Capital Commission, the Canadian Museum of History, and the Library and Archives Canada.

History

The Board was created in the immediate aftermath of World War I to formalize recognition practices that had previously involved figures like John A. Macdonald and institutions including the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada precursors. Early decisions recognized sites tied to the War of 1812, Fur trade locations such as Fort William, and sites associated with explorers like Samuel de Champlain and Vasco da Gama (through indirect maritime heritage). During the interwar period the Board designated landmarks associated with Confederation and leaders such as George-Étienne Cartier and Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Post-World War II expansion of heritage policy saw coordination with the National Historic Sites of Canada program and engagement with heritage conservation movements represented by organizations like the National Trust for Canada and the Historic Sites Association. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, pressures from Indigenous leadership including Assembly of First Nations and legal developments such as decisions influenced recognition of figures tied to Louis Riel and sites connected to Indian residential schools.

Mandate and Functions

The Board operates under the Historic Sites and Monuments Act to recommend subjects for designation as National Historic Sites, National Historic Persons, and National Historic Events. It evaluates nominations against criteria that reference associations with figures such as Tecumseh, Sir John A. Macdonald, Emily Carr, and events like the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and the October Crisis. The Board prepares statements of significance used by Parks Canada and agencies including the Canadian Heritage portfolio and the Governor General of Canada when issuing proclamations or unveiling plaques. Its advisory role extends to the conservation principles promoted by bodies such as the International Council on Monuments and Sites and to collaboration with provincial counterparts like Ontario Heritage Trust and Quebec Cultural Heritage Directory.

Structure and Membership

The Board is constituted of appointed members drawn from disciplines represented by institutions such as the Royal Society of Canada, Canadian Historical Association, and the Canadian Archaeological Association. Membership often includes historians specializing in figures like Pierre Trudeau and Lester B. Pearson, archaeologists with experience at sites such as Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, and representatives familiar with Indigenous heritage from organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Métis National Council. The chair reports to the Minister of the Environment while working closely with senior officials at Parks Canada and liaising with provincial ministers such as the Minister of Canadian Heritage (provincial equivalents). Advisory committees may include specialists in architectural history connected to works by Thomas Fuller and conservationists versed in cases like Citadel of Quebec restoration.

Designations and Commemoration Programs

Designations recommended by the Board encompass a wide array of subjects: explorers such as Alexander Mackenzie, political leaders like William Lyon Mackenzie King, artists including Group of Seven, and events like Klondike Gold Rush. The Board's plaque program results in physical markers at sites such as Twelve Mile Lake and urban places like Old Montreal. It also influences interpretive installations at national parks like Gros Morne National Park and sites administered by organizations like the Hudson's Bay Company. Programs address maritime history exemplified by Empress of Ireland and industrial heritage such as the Lachine Canal. Collaborative initiatives have linked the Board's designations with exhibitions at the Canadian Museum of Nature, publishing projects with the Champlain Society, and digital outreach coordinated with Library and Archives Canada.

Controversies and Revisions

The Board's choices have provoked debate over commemorating contentious figures such as Sir John A. Macdonald and events like the enforcement of the Indian Act policies that produced controversies comparable to discussions around Residential schools. Critics from groups including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission advocates and scholars in the Canadian Historical Association have called for reevaluation of plaques and reinterpretation at sites associated with colonial violence. Responses have included multi-stakeholder reviews with participation from the Canadian Human Rights Commission, provincial heritage agencies, and Indigenous governance bodies like Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated. Revisions have led to new designations recognizing activists such as Viola Desmond and broader thematic plaques addressing Women’s suffrage in Canada and LGBT history in Canada.

Impact and Public Engagement

The Board's designations shape public memory through markers that appear in municipalities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Halifax, and at national destinations including Banff National Park and Gros Morne National Park. Educational programs developed in partnership with the Canadian Teachers' Federation and the National Film Board of Canada draw on Board statements to produce curricula and documentaries about subjects like The Group of Seven and Canadian Pacific Railway. Tourism agencies such as Destination Canada and local historical societies promote routes linking sites like Fort York and Lunenburg, leveraging designations for cultural heritage tourism. Ongoing consultations with entities including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada legacy bodies, Parks Canada Agency, and Indigenous organizations aim to increase inclusive representation and public participation in commemoration processes.

Category:Heritage organizations of Canada