The Canadian government has announced six teams have been chosen as finalists in “in a national design competition to create concepts for the national Memorial to the Victims of Communism – Canada, a Land of Refuge.”
Heritage Minister Shelley Glover and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney released the names of the six teams Wednesday (June 18) after an initial call for submissions in March. A jury of design professionals, specialists, and a representative from Tribute to Liberty, the charitable organization responsible for establishing the memorial made the final choice of six teams.
“This new landmark in our nation’s capital will honour the lives lost under Communist regimes, recognize the experience of Canadians who emigrated from Communist countries, and celebrate their contribution to Canada,” said Minister Glover.
Minister Kenney also highlighted another purpose for the monument: “it will stand as a reminder of Canada’s continued commitment to welcome those fleeing such oppression, and it will stand through future generations as a testament to a disturbing period of human history that must never be forgotten.”
The monument has the support of a number of ethnic communities in Canada. But it has also been criticized.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May on Twitter noted in 2013 “No mention of monument to victims of capitalism.” To which Minister Kenney answered: “Perhaps that’s because no one was shot in the back while risking their lives to flee eastward over the Iron Curtain.”
According to the guidelines on commemorations of the National Capital Commission which is responsible for the planning and development of Canada’s Capital Region “The role of a national capital is to reflect the character, identity, symbols and values of its people. Commemorations play a key role in achieving these goals, as they express enduring values, connections to the past and aspirations for the future.”
Further in the commemoration guidelines the commission points out “the role of commemorations in achieving its mandate of building pride and unity among Canadians and promoting the Capital as a national symbol.”
More information:
Heritage Canada press release – Six Finalists to Develop Designs for the National Memorial to Victims of Communism – here
Ottawa Citizen – Canadian Heritage announces competition for memorial to communism’s victims – here
Tribute to Liberty website – www.tributetoliberty.ca
National Capital Commission – Comprehensive Commemoration Program and Policy June 2006 – here
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.