Canadian Museum for Human Rights officially open

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This article was published 19/09/2014 (4021 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is now a reality.

The museum at The Forks was the vision of the late philanthropist and media mogul, Israel Asper. His daughter, Gail Asper, was a driving force behind the project.

At the opening ceremonies this morning, she received a standing ovation after paying an emotional tribute to her late father and all those who made his vision of building a “beacon of hope” on a gravel parking lot by The Forks 14 years ago a reality today.

“It pains me my father and mother are not here to join us.”

Asper ran one of the biggest fundraising campaigns in Canadian history to get the museum built.

“I was privileged with the adventure of a lifetime,” she told the crowd.

“This is for all of you.”

Politicians of every stripe were seen at the opening, including Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Andrew Swan, Minister of Jobs and the Economy, Theresa Oswald, Manitoba PC leader, Brian Pallister, NDP MLA Rob Altemeyer, Tory MP Steven Fletcher, former Manitoba Liberal leader Jon Gerrard and Coun. John Orlikow.

Some groups protesting various elements of the museum have taken up places around the museum to air their views, too.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is not one of the attendees and rumours of a former U.S. president – Clinton or Carter? – taking in the festivities appear to be untrue as evidenced by the lack of Secret Service officers on site. Winnipeg police officers, however, are stationed on every corner around the museum.

Canada’s Aboriginal people helped open the museum this morning.

First Nations elders Clarence and Barbara Nepinak gave the museum their blessing in their mother tongue. A First Nation drummer and singer in traditional dress followed, as guests and dignitaries clutching unopened umbrellas at the ceremony sat in the bleachers under threatening skies.

Metis elder George Ducharme said a prayer asking for help so “we can walk in peace.”

Inuit elder Levinia Brown said a prayer in her language and blessed the building as those I’m attendance bowed their heads.

Governor General David Johnston said the museum is place that will inspire the promotion of human rights.

“It will help us in our continuous struggle for human rights and what still must be done.” It’s a place all schoolchildren should visit, said the grandfather of 11 who said children will be “enticed” by its digitized exhibits.

Canada’s heritage minister, Winnipeg MP Shelly Glover, was next to the podium.

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“We are bringing a dream to life,” said Glover, as the rain fell. Glover joked it was God’s way “of baptizing us”.

She saluted the late Izzy Asper, who championed the idea for the museum, and his children who saw it to fruition.

The museum will demonstrate “our values with both pride and conviction,” said Glover. Canada has had its “dark” moments but learned from its human rights mistakes, she said.

“We live in the greatest country on the world.”

Meanwhile, armed with a megaphone, Idle No More aboriginal protesters demonstrated next to the bleachers during the opening ceremonies.

Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter

Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.

Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.