Carleton University Prof. Rodney Nelson has been appointed to the Canadian Museum of History’s Board of Trustees, an 11-member body that oversees operations of the national history museum in Gatineau, Que., and its sister institution on the other side of the Ottawa River, the Canadian War Museum.
Nelson is a faculty member with Carleton’s Centre for Initiatives in Education and co-chair of the university’s Indigenous Education Council.
A traditional knowledge, Indigenous governance, ethics and economic development specialist, he is also the CEO of the Global Governance Group and the former chair of the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association.
“One of the reasons I’m looking forward to working with the museums is because they’re doing a lot on Indigenous representation,” says Nelson. “It will be good to be part of that, to liaise with Indigenous communities and be part of that conversation.
“The museums have been great at reaching out to communities and having community members come in to help create exhibits — their exhibitions are not just collections-based these days but more community-based.”
In the wake of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a new spirit of dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians, museums have an important role to play.
“They’re an element of continued representation and education, and this has to be done in the right way and in a good way,” says Nelson, whose role on the board will entail fiscal oversight and governance — areas in which he has extensive experience — and ensuring that the museums establish long-term strategic plans.
His four-year term on the museum’s board was announced by Minister of Canadian Heritage Mélanie Joly on March 21 along with three other new trustees: Jennifer Pereira, Amanda Kingsley Malo and William Young
“We welcome the appointments of these new trustees to our board,” Canadian Museum of History President and CEO, Mark O’Neill, said in a release, “and we look forward to continuing the important work of Canada’s two national museums of history under the leadership of such a talented, diverse and experienced group of Canadians.”
Monday, March 26, 2018 in News Releases
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