Good News For Museums

It appears to be good news for small museums here in Grey Bruce and right across Canada.

The three opposition parties in the commons have banded together to defeat a government proposal that would have seen a reduction of Museum Assistance Grants of almost four and a half million dollars.

Owen Sound City Manager Craig Curtis, who also is the AMO representative for the Municipal Cultural Planning Partnership, says this is good news for local museums that might apply to the MAP program.

Curtis says the vote in the commons of 146 in favor of rescinding the unexpected cuts to114 against shows that the Conservative government has to re-think some of these program cuts.

He says if the government is going to implement changes, then it has to be done gradually so the museum community or culture community can find a way to deal with these changes.

Following the vote earlier this week, the Canadian Museum Association says it will meet with Heritage Minister Bev Oda.

The Association wants to present preliminary recommendations for the long awaited museums policy and funding requirements.

The CMA hopes the Minister will make a commitment to bring in this new policy for the next federal budget expected in February.