By Barbara Brunzell
Despite a raft of political and funding problems, one of Ottawa’s celebrated architects says he will not abandon his vision for an Aboriginal centre on Victoria Island.
More than 20 years have passed since Douglas J. Cardinal, the architect of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, drew his first sketches of what is to become a cultural haven for Canada’s natives.
However, in recent interviews, members of the aboriginal community said the centre is still a long way from becoming a reality.
“Our priorities right now are things like housing and roads and to make sure our people are cared for,” says Jean LaRose, of the Assembly of First Nations, the main aboriginal group involved in the venture. “Something like this wouldn’t come cheap. It’s not even at the stage of being a priority.”
Cardinal says he understands that there are many issues facing Canada’s indigenous peoples, but having a place to organize and present their services is essential.
“I know it has to be the vision of the people, but I can’t help but continually dream about it and sketch on it … I even have a model of the whole site that I play with sometimes,” says Cardinal.
“It is a very important site. Aboriginal peoples should have a place in the nation’s capital just as they do in most countries.”
The spot in the Ottawa River, just west of the Parliament Buildings, is considered sacred Algonquin territory. However, the proposed development has had a bumpy history.
The inspiration to build the cultural centre surfaced in the early 1980s when an ad hoc group of representatives from Ottawa’s aboriginal community approached the National Capital Commission, (owners of the property), with the idea.
But a huge change in political leadership in all of the organizations involved caused the item to fall off the table.
The concept resurfaced in 1998 as part of the commission’s 50-year plan to develop the Hull and Ottawa downtown areas.
Since then, NCC chairman Marcel Beaudry has given three presentations on the island’s future to representatives of the Assembly of First Nations in an attempt to open dialogue on the issue.
“We have yet to receive any formal feedback,” says NCC spokesperson Diane Dupuis. “(But) as long as the interest is still there we will continue our efforts. We understand it will take time,”she says.
Dan Brant, chief executive officer of the Assembly of First Nations, says the problem is not lack of interest but lack of funding.
“There are about 30,000 aboriginal people who live and work in Ottawa, but we are not visible,” says Brant.
“A cultural centre shows the activity of indian people as a living thing. It’s not something you have to go to the museum to see.
“There are a lot of people that would like to see something like this happen, but how long it takes is a function of how much money there is…putting that in place is laborious, absolutely laborious work. It could take years.”
While the project sits in limbo, Dupuis says the commission wants to cultivate support from other aboriginal groups.
Invitations to discuss the development have been sent to members of the Metis National Council and the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada.