Canadian Museum of History, War Museum to cut 67 positions

The Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of History will be cutting 67 jobs as part of ongoing federal layoffs. CTV’s Katie Griffin reports.

The Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum will cut 67 positions over the next three years as part of the federal government’s comprehensive expenditure review and to address its own “structural deficit.”

Spokesperson Avra Gibbs-Lemay confirms to CTV News Ottawa the museums’ permanent workforce will be reduced from 371 to 304 employees.

“The staffing reductions follow a careful review of operations across the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of History and reflects more modern and efficient ways of working, while continuing to deliver on the Museums’ national mandate and position the Museums for the future,” Gibbs-Lemay said in a statement Monday morning.

“We remain firmly focused on our national mandate, and we will continue to advance research, develop world-class exhibitions and public experiences, and present new and innovative ways for Canadians to engage with their history.”

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The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) says the job cuts will not only affect employees but also the visitor experience.

“Visitors come to hear from experts, to ask questions, to connect with the past in a meaningful way,” said Ruth Lau MacDonald, PSAC regional executive vice-president for the National Capital Region. “These cuts erase the human storytelling, and once that knowledge is gone, it cannot be replaced.”

Gibbs-Lemay told CTV News Ottawa on Sunday the number of front-line staff at the museums “has not been reduced.”

“The Museum of History remains committed to providing a world-class visitor experience with world-class exhibitions, dynamic programs and events for visitors to engage with their history,” Gibbs-Lemay said.

“As part of this restructuring, we are modernizing our service model to ensure we continue to deliver high-quality, engaging visitor experiences, with an increase in the number of current staff able to present content such as guided tours, school programs, interactive experiences and activities.”

The federal budget directed the Canadian Museum of History to find $17.7 million in savings over the next four years, along with $5.1 million in ongoing savings.

The museums of history and war are the only federal museums in the national capital region that have confirmed they will need to cut positions as part of the comprehensive expenditure review.

The Canadian Museum of Nature will not be required to cut staff.

“The Canadian Museum of Nature did take part in the federal government’s expenditure review process,” Dan Smythe, spokesperson at the Canadian Museum of History, told CTV News Ottawa on Jan. 19.

“The museum was excluded from budgetary reductions, and as a result there will be no layoffs as part of the review.”

A spokesperson for Ingenium said there are no planned job cuts at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and Canada Science and Technology Museum.

According to a spokesperson, the National Arts Centre was exempted from the comprehensive expenditure review.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Katie Griffin