Canadian Heritage

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage met to study the management of the Indigenous Art Collection by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC). Appearing were Deputy Minister Valerie Gideon, Associate Deputy Minister Rob Wright, and Chief Audit and Evaluation Executive Stephanie Barozzi, who discussed an internal audit of the collection and its findings.

Valerie Gideon explained that the collection of over 5,000 contemporary Indigenous artworks was originally created to purchase art for federal offices, not as a museum collection, and that the department has modernized storage, security, and inventory systems, including achieving Category A designation for the vault. She stated that the internal audit, part of a risk-based plan, confirmed strengths but also identified gaps in recordkeeping, deaccession processes, and long-term cost planning, and that all five recommendations are being implemented, with some actions completed and others expected by March 2026. She noted that 132 artworks are categorized as "unaccounted for" due to legacy documentation issues from the internal loan program, which was suspended in 2017, and that 12 have been located and 20 are reproductions, but she resisted calling them "missing" and said artists have not been notified because the pieces have not been formally deaccessioned. She also said the department is exploring potential transfer of the collection to an Indigenous-led institution, but no formal process has been launched, and she emphasized that no artists have contacted her with negative feedback.

Rob Wright added that the unaccounted-for artworks represent about $49,000 of the collection's $14.4 million value, or 0.34%, and that in the audit period from 2019 to 2024, no new items became unaccounted for. He described the modern external loan program as having proper chain of custody, insurance, and artist consent, and noted that over $250,000 annually goes directly to Indigenous artists through acquisitions and exhibition royalties. He also highlighted that Indigenous artists set their own prices and that an Indigenous jury advises on acquisitions.

Stephanie Barozzi confirmed she did not have a prepared statement and had not heard any negative feedback from artists about the audit.

Conservative members pressed on accountability, asking why no one had been fired or suspended for the missing pieces, and criticized the department for not notifying artists or setting a timeline for recovery. They also requested the department table a list of unaccounted works and loan contracts, with a legal opinion if refused. Bloc Québécois member Martin Champoux expressed frustration with the distinction between "lost" and "unaccounted for," arguing the artworks were effectively missing due to negligence, and questioned why artists had not been contacted or compensated. Liberal members focused on the historical context of the collection, the shift from a loan program to a formal collection, and the importance of Indigenous self-determination and reconciliation, with Fares Al Soud asking about trust-building and governance, and Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba inquiring about government support and partnerships with cultural institutions. Zoe Royer noted the challenges of old paper-based systems and asked about life-cycle funding and TRC calls to action.

The meeting included a brief procedural motion to ensure snacks, which was agreed to, and no other procedural debate, motions, or votes occurred.