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The Canadian Museum of History was established through the Museums Act on July 1, 1990, amended on December 12, 2013. The Museum is an autonomous Crown corporation, operating at arm’s length from the federal government in its daily operations, activities and programming. The corporation is responsible for two national museums: the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum.

Together, the Museums deliver on their mandate to:

Enhance Canadians’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of events, experiences, people and objects that reflect and have shaped Canada’s history and identity, and to enhance their awareness of world history and cultures.

The corporation also administers a national investment program, Digital Museums Canada, and a virtual museum site, the Virtual Museum of New France.

The corporation is governed by the Crown corporation control and accountability regime established under Part X of the Financial Administration Act, and its corporate By-law 1. In addition, the corporation complies with statutes that include the Federal Accountability Act, the Access to Information Act, the Privacy Act, the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, the Official Languages Act and Regulations, and the Canada Labour Code, while also aligning with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector through the corporation’s own Code of Conduct. The corporation reports to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Board of Trustees

The corporation is governed by an 11-member Board of Trustees, consisting of a Chair, a Vice-Chair, and up to nine other Trustees. Members of the Board are appointed by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, with the approval of the Governor in Council. Members are selected from across the country through an open, transparent and merit-based selection process, and are representative of Canada’s regions, official linguistic duality, and cultural diversity.

Trustees are nominated for a period not exceeding four years, and each is eligible to serve three consecutive terms (or, in the case of the Chair and Vice-Chair, two consecutive terms). If a Trustee has not been appointed by the time the term of an incumbent expires, the incumbent Trustee continues in office until a successor is appointed.

Through its Chair, the Board is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage. The Board functions independently of management and is responsible for setting broad strategic direction and oversight, and for evaluating the performance of the President and Chief Executive Officer on an annual basis.

Board of Trustees — Committees

The Board oversees the work of the Museum through three committees. Trustees are required to participate in at least one of these three committees.

The Finance, Audit & Risk Management Committee advises the Board on audit-related matters; ensures the maintenance of sound internal controls; and reviews internal audit plans, financial statements, and observations made by the Auditor General of Canada, in relation to the corporation. It also advises the Board on accountability and planning in relation to financial matters such as financial reporting, the corporation’s investment policy and contracts, and transactions over $500,000.

The Governance and Human Resources Committee advises and assures the Board that the Museum is upholding the highest standards in relation to governance, ethics, and human resources management. The committee helps the Board enhance its performance by assessing the Board’s effectiveness and making recommendations to the Board to facilitate continuous improvement of its governance framework.

The Canadian War Museum Committee provides advice on matters related to the War Museum, and includes members of the Board, as well as representatives from the military and from veterans’ organizations.

Board of Trustees – Members

Carole Beaulieu is an innovative leader with significant expertise in corporate governance, strategic management, marketing, design thinking, and public affairs. Through her work, she has acquired a profound understanding of the public, private, media and creative sectors, and their impact on Canada’s cultural industries.

From 2015 to 2021, Carole was Chair of the Board of Directors for Groupe Média TFO — a top-ranked Ontario agency and media company providing award-winning educational and cultural content on television and on digital platforms. In addition, she has been Vice-President of Advancement at OCAD University, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Culture and Francophone Affairs in Ontario, and Head of Marketing and Development at Canada’s National Ballet School.

Carole is a graduate of Laurentian University, les Hautes Études Commerciales, and the Rotman School of Management’s Directors Education Program. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum and the Institute of Corporate Directors and has an ICD.D designation.

Finance, Audit & Risk Management Committee member
Governance and Human Resources Committee member
Canadian War Museum Committee member

Narmin Ismail-Teja is a Principal at impact@work inc. Since 1992, she has provided advisory services, training and facilitation, bringing a high degree of skill, motivation, and commitment to the delivery of effective programs at the local, national and international levels. Her work encompasses strategic leadership, team development, staff engagement and more, often incorporating theatre techniques, simulations, and participatory learning to offer high-impact education that is both engaging and interactive.

She is also dedicated to her community, currently serving as Vice-Chair of the Board of the Calgary Foundation as Board Member with the Canadian Forces Liaison Council. In addition, she is a senator at the University of Calgary, where she chairs the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, and is an Organizational Culture Change Consultant with the University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan.

Narmin recently completed her term as Board Member and Chair of YMCA Calgary, and as Chair of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan. In the past, she has also worked with the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance in Switzerland, the Famous 5 Foundation, Vertigo Theatre, and various Calgary-based organizations. After serving as a trustee of the Canadian Museum of History since January 2019, she was appointed Vice-Chair of the Board in July 2021.

Canadian War Museum Committee Chair
Finance, Audit & Risk Management Committee member
Governance and Human Resources Committee member

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Alex MacBeath holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Prince Edward Island, as well as an MBA from Dalhousie University. He is a member of the Canadian, Ontario and Prince Edward Island Institutes of Chartered Accountants, and was named a Fellow in 2003. He holds his ICD.D designation through the Rotman School of Management and has completed Executive Education programs at Harvard Business School, the University of Oxford, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Alex was employed with Grant Thornton LLP for 35 years, 26 of them as Partner. He was CEO and Executive Partner from 2001 to 2008. From 2008 until his retirement in 2012, Alex was Global Leader, Markets and Regional Leader, Asia Pacific at Grant Thornton International. He has extensive experience in business strategy, risk management, national and international markets, and change management in large and complex organizations.

Alex is Founder and Managing Partner of Island Capital Partners, a seed venture capital fund, and CEO of AtholBarra Inc. He is Chair of Sentry Water Monitoring Inc., Regen Wastewater Technologies Inc., and the UPEI Pension Plan, and currently serves on the boards of Crosby Molasses Co. Ltd., the University of Prince Edward Island, the National Angel Capital Organization, MedicAlert Foundation Canada and Aurea Technologies Inc. Alex is Past-Chair of both the Wallace McCain Institute and Health PEI, and Past Vice-Chair of the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

Finance, Audit & Risk Management Committee Chair

Nicolas Marcotte is a Royal Canadian Navy officer with extensive business experience in inclusive leadership, diversity, equity, corporate social responsibility, and change management.

Mr. Marcotte is a leader known for his team spirit, creativity, and analytical skills. He is a results-oriented manager appreciated for his ability to listen and his talent for creating a shared vision with stakeholders. He is a creator of impactful events to promote awareness and brand, a strategist, and a risk manager to anticipate challenges and opportunities.

Mr. Marcotte has served on the boards of several for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, including those in the education and performing arts sectors, where he has used his skills in engineering, accounting, information technology, finance, risk management, financing, mergers and acquisitions, strategy, and governance. He has endorsed the cause of veterans, working with organizations such as the Last Post Fund and the National Field of Honour.

A 2015 recipient of the Canadian Board Diversity Council “Diversity 50” award, Mr. Marcotte is of Nipissing Métis descent.

Rodney Nelson is an advocate for sustainable economic development within Indigenous communities worldwide. He is a professor of International Business at Carleton University, where he teaches ethics, governance and international relations. He is also the current CEO and Principal of Governance for the Global Governance Group.

Rodney has a PhD in Indigenous/Canadian Studies through Carleton University and Trent University. He holds a master’s degree in Medical and Corporate Anthropology, and bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Anthropology. He has Chartered Director certification from the Directors College at McMaster’s Degroote School of Business and is a Professional Aboriginal Economic Developer (PAED) and Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator (CAPA).

Rodney is a corporate anthropologist with more than 30 years of experience working with both the public and private sectors. His interests include board governance, economic development, education, ethics, traditional knowledge, and Indigenous relations. He sits on the boards of Scouts Canada and Indigenous Culture and Media Innovations and is Past-Chair of the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association. He was also Chair of the Pandemic Preparedness Working Group for Canadian Businesses, and a member of the Deputy Minister of Health’s Private Sector Working Group on Pandemics.

Rodney has presented to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and has represented Canada at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum on national pandemic planning.

Governance and Human Resources Committee Chair
Canadian War Museum Committee member

Jennifer Pereira is a lawyer at Robertson Stromberg LLP, where her legal practice focuses on insurance coverage, defence, and commercial litigation. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers in the area of Insurance Law, and by the University of Saskatchewan Alumni Association for contributions to her profession.

Jennifer is Past-President of both the Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association and the Saskatoon Bar Association. She has served as Chair of the Professional Image Committee of the Canadian Bar Association (Saskatchewan), and as a member of the Court of Queen’s Bench Bar Judicial Committee. As a speaker, she has shared her knowledge of the law with many organizations, including the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan.

Jennifer’s commitment to her profession is mirrored by her commitment to the community. She is Past-Chair of the Board of TCU Place, a performing arts and convention centre in Saskatoon, and of Persephone Theatre, a regional theatre company that operates its own venue. In addition to her work for the Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum, Jennifer is a trustee for the Remai Modern Foundation.

Finance, Audit & Risk Management Committee member

Laurier Turgeon is a Professor of Ethnology and History at Laval University. He has held the Canada Research Chair in Cultural Heritage from 2003 to 2017, is currently director of the Institute for Cultural Heritage at Laval University and Chair of the NGO FORUM of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

He was a visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab in 2013-2014 and held the William Lyon Mackenzie King Chair in Canadian Studies at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University in 2006.

Laurier has held fellowships and visiting professorships from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris, the Université Paris 1-Sorbonne, the Newberry Library in Chicago, the Beinecke Library at Yale University, and the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University. He has authored 10 books, some 40 peer-reviewed articles and approximately 40 contributions to book chapters and collections of essays. His most recent book is Une histoire de la Nouvelle-France: Français et Amérindiens au XVIe siècle (2019).

He received the Luc-Lacourcière Medal for his book Patrimoines métissés (2003) and a Summit International Award for the mobile application “Discover Quebec” (2014). He was given the Office québécois de la langue française award (2011) for the Encyclopedia of the Cultural Heritage of French North America, the Marius Barbeau Medal (2016), and an Excellence in Teaching Prize from Université Laval (2017). In 2018, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Governance and Human Resources Committee Vice-Chair
Canadian War Museum Committee member

Mahalia Verna has been within the creative industries for more than 20 years, at organizations including the NFB and the CBC. Most recently, she was Chief Strategy Officer at Tripura Breath, a Montréal-based tech start-up. She led their Human Resources and Communications departments, developed and implemented company strategies, policies and procedures, and represented the company at industry events and in strategic business relationships. In addition, as Senior Producer, she led the production of immersive experiences and brand activations, oversaw co-productions, and served as a liaison with distributors and launch partners.

Passionate about equity, inclusion and nurturing next-generation talent, Mahalia contributes to these causes through her various community commitments. Since 2018, she has served as the Board President of Digital Moment, a Canadian charity that encourages digital literacy, with a focus on girls and youth from historically under-served communities. In 2021, she joined the Philanthropic Development Committee of the Foundation of Greater Montréal (FGM). She is also a member of the Women’s Impact Montréal Collective Fund at the FGM, which provides financial support to local nonprofits that help women and girls improve their life circumstances.

In 2022, in her role as Board President of Digital Moment, Mahalia won the inaugural Chair of the Board Award at the Women’s Executive Network’s (WXN) Canadian Equity Diversity and Inclusion (CEDI) Awards. She is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) and holds an ICD.D designation.

Governance and Human Resources Committee member

Bill Young is a former parliamentary officer and academic. In December 2011, he completed a six-year term as Parliamentary Librarian of Canada, overseeing parliamentary research, information, public outreach and education. He presided over the rehabilitation, conservation and upgrade of the iconic Library building, and initiated and implemented a process of organizational renewal that refocused the Library’s services.

Bill joined the Library of Parliament in 1987, later serving as Director of the Library’s Political and Social Affairs Division. In 2004, he was seconded to the Public Service as Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of Social Development and Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Bill is a founding Board member of the Samara Centre for Democracy and was Director of both the Canadian Association of Research Libraries and the Association of Parliamentary Librarians in Canada. In addition, he has served on the Board of ESSA (now the Canadian Association of Professional Employees [CAPE]) and the Conservation Review Board of Ontario. He has received several academic scholarships and an award from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and was made an Honorary Member of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians and Honorary Director of the Churchill Society.

Bill has a PhD in History from the University of British Columbia, and has taught at York, Simon Fraser and McGill universities. He is a By-Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge, and has authored or co-authored four books, in addition to parliamentary publications, conference papers, and academic and popular articles.

Governance and Human Resources Committee member
Canadian War Museum Committee member

Board profile of the Canadian Museum of History

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) is responsible for overseeing the management of the corporation with a view to both the best interests of the Museums and the long-term interests of government. It provides broad strategic direction and oversight with the assistance of three committees: an Audit and Finance Committee, a Governance and Human Resources Committee, and a Canadian War Museum Committee. It is responsible for the overall governance and financial sustainability of the Museums, which includes:

Establishing the strategic direction of the Museums;
Setting and monitoring corporate objectives and performance measures;
Ensuring financial performance and approving major financial decisions;
Appointing the CEO, with the approval of the Governor in Council;
Setting objectives for the CEO and evaluating the CEO’s performance against those objectives on an annual basis;
Planning for the succession of the CEO;
Overseeing the management of risk and internal controls;
Ensuring that stakeholder relations are managed appropriately;
Ensuring a healthy, respectful and inclusive workplace, free of employment barriers, harassment, and discrimination;

Safeguarding the reputation of the Museums;
Ensuring ethical behaviour and compliance with laws and regulations;
Assessing the Board’s own performance and effectiveness;
Planning for Board succession;
Practising effective corporate governance;
Maintaining Board independence from management;
Providing for orientation and continuous professional development of Board members; and
Ensuring proper information management and timely communication.

To fulfill its role and responsibilities, the Board should possess a broad range of skills, experience, and knowledge.

Skills and experience

The following items serve as the basis for the “skills and experience” matrix used to assess composite Board expertise:

Strategic and corporate planning: Experience in strategic corporate planning for the public sector, private sector, and not-for-profit boards, with a demonstrated ability to focus on long-term goals and strategic outcomes.
Financial literacy and accounting: Understanding of financial statements and supporting schedules that present a breadth and level of complexity of accounting issues generally comparable to those expected to be raised by the organization.
Governance: Experience in corporate governance in the public sector, and in overseeing the activities of an organization to ensure it meets its mandate.
Risk assessment: Experience in the process of identifying principal corporate risks and in ensuring that management has implemented the appropriate systems to manage risks, including potential risks associated with the inappropriate treatment of employees.
Information technology: Experience with digital technology environments including digitalization and digital engagement, cyber technology, and IT infrastructure.
Government relations: Expertise in strategic government relations and strong connections with at least one, if not several, levels of government.
Government relations: Expertise in strategic government relations and strong connections with at least one, if not several, levels of government.
Human resources: Understanding of the human resource considerations and issues for executive recruitment, compensation structures, performance reviews, and a unionized environment.
Law: Expertise in the broad field of legal and regulatory matters, including a demonstrated ability to identify and consider issues, opinions, and risks and to understand complex contractual arrangements.
Fundraising: Experience in fundraising at all levels and with diverse private donors.
Communications: Experience in developing communication strategies, including crisis management and public relations programs.
Boards of Directors: Experience in serving public sector, private sector, and not-for-profit organization boards.

Knowledge

The following items serve as the basis for the “knowledge” matrix used to assess composite Board expertise:

History: Knowledge of general world history, Canadian prehistory, colonial history, and pre-confederation to contemporary history, as well as knowledge of critical research theories and methods in history, including oral history.
Anthropology and/or Archaeology: Knowledge of theoretical approaches and research methods in anthropology and archaeology, ethnographic and archaeological collections, material culture studies, and intangible cultural heritage.
Military history: Knowledge of Canadian military history, military celebrations and rituals, curatorship of collections, military museum education and public programming, and contemporary issues regarding the military.
Indigenous relations: Knowledge of the histories, cultures and contemporary issues of Indigenous Peoples across Canada, and an understanding of the relationship between museums and Indigenous communities, including the impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Museums: Knowledge of professional museum practices and trends, including the areas of collections, curatorship, digital heritage, tourism and the cultural sector, museum education and programming, museum studies, museology, and museum management.
Education and learning: Experience in teaching, research and pedagogy; experience working in the field of education; and knowledge of learning theories and styles, including their adaptations to engage diverse audiences and demographics.
Leadership: Experience in leading a business or organization.

The composition of the Board mirrors Canadian society in general and the clientele and communities it serves. The Board recognizes the importance of diversity and inclusion and believes that a culture of inclusion and diversity must be cultivated through a clear tone from the top, with the Board and senior management championing diversity and inclusion in support of the Museums’ values. As part of Board succession planning, it is important to strive for balance including gender, language, diversity of backgrounds, and geographical representation.

Trustees are appointed by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, with the approval of the Governor-in-Council, for terms not to exceed four years, with a maximum of three terms. Terms for the Chair and Vice-Chair are limited to two terms of up to four years each. There are nine trustees in addition to the Chair and Vice-Chair.

The Board usually meets in person a minimum of two times a year at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, and at the Canadian War Museum, in Ottawa, Ontario. Trustees are also called upon to meet virtually several times throughout the year based on the Board’s needs, initiatives, and priorities. Trustees are also requested to participate as members of one or more committees of the Board. They may also represent the Museums at events such as exhibition openings. The average annual time commitment is approximately 21 days for Board meetings and teleconferences, including preparatory meetings and representation at events. Board meetings are conducted in both official languages according to the preference of the person speaking. Board members receive an annual retainer paid on a quarterly basis and a per diem for each day on which they attend a meeting. In addition, Board members are reimbursed for travel and accommodation expenses.

Annual Public Meeting

Thank you to all those who took part in the 2022–2023 Annual Public Meeting on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.

The date for our 2023–2024Meeting will be shared here once it is confirmed. We hope you will join us then.

Highlights of 2022–2023

Watch the video highlighting some of the Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum exhibition openings, events and acquisitions in 2022–2023.

Highlights of 2022–2023

Watch the video highlighting some of the Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum exhibition openings, events and acquisitions in 2022–2023.

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Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees — Committees

Board of Trustees – Members

Board profile of the Canadian Museum of History

Annual Public Meeting

Highlights of 2022–2023

Highlights of 2022–2023

Highlights of 2022–2023

Corporate reports