Launch of Construction of the New Canadian War Museum
Ottawa, Ontario, November 5, 2002 - As Canada marks the beginning of Veterans Week across the country, the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada, the Honourable Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Dr. Victor Rabinovitch, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC), and Mr. Joe Geurts, Director and CEO of the Canadian War Museum, today presided over a ceremony to launch the construction of the new Canadian War Museum on LeBreton Flats in Ottawa.
"The new Canadian War Museum will pay tribute to all the Canadians who have participated in different conflicts and peace missions at the cost of enormous sacrifices," said Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. "This museum will enable younger generations to learn not only about war and our fallen heroes, but also to learn the lessons of war."
"The Canadian War Museum's collections include some of the most important military artifacts in the world. The new Museum will preserve more than 13,000 works of art and will offer a controlled environment ideally suited to the conservation of Canadian military heritage, which will benefit future generations," added Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps.
Destined to become an important addition to Ottawa's national institutions, the new Canadian War Museum will ensure that future generations understand and appreciate the important role that military history has played in the evolution of this country. It will also recount the history of Canada and its people, paying homage to the many Canadians who have been touched by conflict around the world.
"The Museum that rises from this site will offer services and programmes that fulfill its mandate to remember, preserve and educate," stated Dr. Rabinovitch. "The Museum will meet this challenge by focusing its presentations on the human and personal dimensions of war."
"Today marks an important step in the National Capital Commission's project to redevelop LeBreton Flats - arguably the most important expanse of undeveloped land in Canada's Capital. With the cleanup of this once busy industrial site well underway, the NCC is pleased to assist the Canadian War Museum in making this their new home," said Marcel Beaudry, Chairman of the National Capital Commission.
The total cost of the project will be $105.75 million. The federal government is contributing $83.75 million, and $7 million has been allocated from the internal resources of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. A further $15 million is being raised by the Passing the Torch fundraising campaign, which is administered by the Friends of the Canadian War Museum under the direction of General (Ret'd) Paul Manson, O.C. To date, Passing the Torch has raised almost $13 million, and its activities will continue over the next few months until the $15-million goal is achieved.
Construction of the new Canadian War Museum - which has been designed by Moriyama & Teshima of Toronto and Griffiths Rankin Cook of Ottawa - will begin within the next few weeks. The opening of the new Museum is slated for 2005, the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the 125th anniversary of the Canadian War Museum.
Information (media) :
Senior Communications Officer
Canadian War Museum
Phone: (819) 776-8607
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