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THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS CYBER CAMPAIGN, AND WHO ORGANIZED CAMPAIGNS IN SUPPORT OF THE PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES.
For Complete Coverage of this see:
Provincial Archives to get new Edmonton home
Provincial Archives Week October 4-October 10 1998.
On Tuesday September 8, the Edmonton Public School Board Trustees unanimously passed a motion opposing the governments plan to move the provincial archives out of Edmonton. The Board will be sending a letter to the Premier and Ministers experessing theri opposition to the proposed move.
The Government invited Albertans to tour and discuss the future of the Provincial Archives by attending open house and information sessions on August 31 and September 2.
On Monday, August 31, and Wednesday, September 2, a public open house and information session was held from to discuss and explore the viability of Westerra Building in Stony Plain
building as a potential new archival storage facility.Despite the governments refusal to look at any other site.
A private meeting between the government and groups it has decided are 'stakeholders' was held on September 1.
The Mayor of Edmonton met with Stan Woloshyn on August 31
and let him know he was opposed to the move. Woloshyn continues to tell the press that 'everyone is over reacting".
These open houses for the 'public' were held for three hours only, during the day when most people work thus limiting input from
concerned citizens.
As one concerned genealogist put it:"I read the provincial news
releases regularly and caught the public participation release last
week. Typical - extremely short notice. And, even more important than
the fact that the consultation is during the day (since about 1/2 of
genealogists are retired and tend to prefer daytime access), is that it
is seriously inaccessible geographically (and by virtue of short
notice)."
The governments Open House was not an 'information session' it's a "sales job' says
union, archivists, and geneaologists(see news story below).
On September 2 Councillor Michael Phair got the Edmonton City Council to pass a motion to forward a letter to the Minister of Community Development demanding
that the archives be kept in Edmonton (see news story below).
So far only the New Democrats have issued any press releases protesting the move. The 'Official Opposition' the Liberal Party has yet to issue any 'official' statement on the move!
On our Message Board below the Alberta Association of Archivists have left their position paper on the move. Check it out and leave a message of your own.
Albertans and Edmontonians opposing the move to Stony Plain should make every effort to let their voices be heard.
Letters, email, faxes and phone calls in opposition should be sent to provincial and city politicians.
At the bottom of this page is a background article on the controversial move as well as links to news stories and press releases.
FORUM AND DISCUSSION BOARD
THE ARCHIVES
THE GOVERNMENT
Hon. Stan Woloshyn
Hon. Ralph Klein
Premier
OPPOSITION PARTIES:
Dr. Raj Pannu New Democrat MLA - Edmonton Strathcona
Laurie Blakeman, Liberal MLA
Edmonton Centre
Howard Sapers, Liberal MLA
Edmonton Glenora
EDMONTON CITY COUNCIL
FORWARD A COPY OF YOUR COMMENTS/LETTER TO:
Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE)
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VICTORY! GOVERNMENT DECLARES THAT ARCHIVES WILL STAY IN EDMONTON! AUGUST 5, 1999
ON THE PROSPOSED MOVE OF THE PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES
Alberta: Celebration of a Century
The date of September 1, 2005 marks 100 years of Alberta as a full partner in Confederation.
In March of 1998 the Alberta Centenary Committee which is chaired by the Preimers wife; Colleen Klein, completed its
Alberta's 100th Anniversary Strategy Committee Report.
One of the recommendations was that: "A strategy for celebrating Alberta's 100th anniversary Historical/Heritage Tributes A number of historical and heritage preservation projects will be pursued. Primary among these is a recommendation that the provincial government establish a new home for the Provincial Archives of Alberta."
The Committee's Summary of Recommendations goes into further detail:
"Historical/Heritage Tributes
The Provincial Archives
I. That a new state-of-the-art home for the Provincial Archives of Alberta be pursued in recognition of the great importance of the documentary legacy of the province's first 100 years. This project should be commenced immediately so that the new archives can be ready for Albertans to use well before 2005 in order for them to undertake their heritage projects."
The
Provincial Archives are currently housed as part of the Provincial Museum in Edmonton.
Edmonton is the provincial Capital, many of the archival materials are government documents.
The capital city is the usual location for provincial or national archives.
Since its construction in 1968 the Archives has grown so large that archival material is now contained in two additional warehouses as well as the main facility in the Provincial Museum.
Following up on the reccomendations of the Centenary Committee Shirley McClellan the Minister of Community Development asked the Public Works Department to investigate and reccomend a new location for the archives.
The Department Public Works, Supply and Services has recommended moving the Archives out of Edmonton to Stony Plain a bedroom community outside of the Capital City.
Coincidently this is the riding of Stan Woloshyn the Minister of Public Works, Supply and Services. Woloshyn is meeting with Edmonton Mayor Bill Smith Aug. 31 to discuss issues including the proposed move. The final decision lies with Community Development Minister Shirley McClellan, and she probably won't make it until later this fall.
The whiff of pork barrel politics smells strong. There are other locations in the Capital City that could be used, or a new facility could be built. Unions, Archivists, volunteers, artists, community organizations, professional historians and thousands of other concerned citizens have been raising a hue and cry over the proposed move to Stony Plain
Both opposition parties; the Liberals and the New Democrats have opposed the move as has Emonton Mayor Bill Smith and members of Edmoton City Council.
Unions such as the Edmonton District Labour Council, the Alberta Federation of Labour, AUPE and various locals have their records, minutes, etc. stored in the provincial archives. As Stakeholders the government has not held any discussions with these important organizations.
A Backgrounder on the Archives from the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), the union which represents the archive staff, gives the history of the archives and why the move to Stony Plain is being opposed.
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ON THE PROPOSED MOVE OF THE PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES
ALBERTA GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASES
ALBERTA UNION OF PROVINCIAL EMPLOYEES (AUPE) PRESS RELEASES "The purpose of Open Houses such as this is typically to 'sell' an idea to the public," said MacLennan. "I'm really anxious to see how they finally decide to sell this one, when they know that absolutely nobody wants it."
OPPOSITION PARTIES (LIBERALS AND NEW DEMOCRATS) PRESS RELEASES New Democrats call for Open Process to Choose the Best Site opposing move of Archives to Stony Plain
NEWS COVERAGE OF PROPOSED ARCHIVES MOVE Government Open House is not an 'information session' it's a "sales job' says union, archivists, and geneaologists Government Open House is not an 'information session' it's a "sales job' says union, archivists, and geneaologists "The purpose of Open Houses such as this is typically to 'sell' an idea to the public," said MacLennan. "I'm really anxious to see how they finally decide to sell this one, when they know that absolutely nobody wants it." Woloshyn defends his plan to move archives
MUSEUMS & ARCHIVE ASSOCIATIONS IN ALBERTA
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