When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gathered with the country’s provincial and territorial premiers at the Canadian Museum of Nature on Nov. 23, the conservation-minded institution was described as the perfect backdrop for their discussions about how the nation should tackle climate change and position itself globally on the issue at this month’s international summit on the issue in Paris.
But the century-old McLeod Street museum was doubly suitable as the venue for a landmark political gathering, having served for several years as the country’s Parliament after a 1916 fire destroyed the original Centre Block.
Justin Swettenham, the museum’s director of media relations, says he doesn’t know exactly why the museum was chosen as the venue, but he expects it’s because of the increased emphasis on scientific discussion.
“I think that’s part of our operation … we specialize in Arctic and biodiversity, those are both very important considerations in respect to climate change,” Swettenham says.
The former Conservative government introduced procedures in 2006 that restricted federal scientists from speaking to the media about their research.
Trudeau has taken the opposite approach, having promised scientists the freedom to speak openly about their research and findings. He also promised the government would take these findings into consideration in their decision-making.
After the 1916 fire, the museum hosted Parliament until 1920. During that time several significant bills were passed including the women’s right to vote.
David Dean, a history professor at Carleton University, says it’s possible Parliament became more aware of scientific issues during their time at the museum in 1916.
He says maybe the same thing will happen today — just being in the museum could inspire change.
Dean says the museum used to be the home of the Geological Survey of Canada – the origin of all of Ottawa’s current national museums.
These include the Canada Science and Technology Museum, the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian Museum of Nature.
The building – known at the time as the Victoria Memorial Museum — was also housing the National Gallery of Canada’s collections at the time.
“All of that was in one big box — it was like a big treasure house of Canada,” Dean says.
Dean says because the 1916 fire broke out during the First World War, there was some speculation about the cause.
“They thought this was the result of enemy action and that the Germans had somehow found a way of getting into the House of Commons, into the reading room of the House of Commons and had deliberately set fire to Parliament.”
Dean says the fire turned out to be accidental. The parliamentary library was the only area that was saved. Seven people died in the fire.
“The whole place went down because (the interior) was basically wood and so it went down really quickly,” he says.
In 1990, after the science museum, the National Gallery and the Canadian Museum of Civilization (later renamed Canadian Museum of History) had moved out of the McLeod Street building, it became the exclusive home of the Canadian Museum of Nature.
Dean says members of Parliament moved into the museum within a couple hours of the blaze.
Swettenham says the museum doesn’t have any plans yet to commemorate the day when the building was transformed into Canada’s seat of government, but it is likely they will issue a press release next year.
“It’s a cute story at the time, because in 1916 we were the biggest, most appropriate other building in the town,” Swettenham says.
“I mean, if you think about it, they moved the Senate into the dinosaur gallery — into the fossil gallery — so that’s kind of funny.”
Grant Vogl, collections and exhibitions manager at the Bytown Museum prepared a temporary exhibition for the 100th year anniversary of the event.
“The fire is the main focus — it’s probably two thirds of the exhibition — but we do touch on the use of Parliament Hill prior to the building of Parliament.”
Since Parliament is a major tourist destination, Vogl says it’s a great story to be able to tell.
“I mean we’re right below Parliament Hill so it ties in with our site, people can just walk out the door and they can see the flag flying on the Peace Tower from our museum.”
Vogl says the exhibition will open on the 29th of January and run until the end of October.