National Memorial to Victims of Communism - Canada, a Land of Refuge

News Release

Public invited to view final concepts

August 18, 2014 – Gatineau – Department of Canadian Heritage

The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, and the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism, invite the public to view the six final design concepts for the future National Memorial to Victims of Communism, which will be located in Ottawa.

The public viewing will take place on Thursday, August 21, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the National Capital Commission Headquarters at 40 Elgin Street (corner of Elgin and Queen Streets), 5^th floor, in Ottawa. The public is invited to come meet the design teams and share their comments on the designs.

Comments from the public will be shared with the jury prior to making their final recommendation to the Government of Canada. The jury is made up of design professionals, specialists and a representative from Tribute to Liberty, the charitable organization responsible for establishing the memorial.

This new landmark will recognize the role Canada has played in offering refuge to the millions who left behind the oppression of communist regimes for new beginnings in a free and democratic country. It will also serve to raise Canadian and international awareness of the ravages of communist regimes and remind all of the core Canadian values that unite us.

Quick Facts

In March 2014, teams of professional artists, architects, landscape architects and other design professionals were invited to submit their credentials and examples of prior work in the first stage of a two-phase design competition.
Six teams were chosen to move forward to develop monument concepts as part of the competition’s second phase.
The monument will be prominently located on Confederation Boulevard beside the Supreme Court of Canada with views toward the Peace Tower and other key federal institutions.
The unveiling of major monument elements is scheduled for late summer 2015.

Quotes

“In a few weeks, our Government will announce the winning design to create a moving and thought-provoking memorial in our nation’s capital to victims of communism. I invite the public to view and share their comments on the proposed designs. This monument will be a testament to the courage of all victims of communism who risked everything to reach our borders in the hope of finding freedom, regaining their dignity and building a new future.”

—The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

“The Government of Canada is committed to remembering the tens of millions of victims of communist violence over the past century. This monument will be a solemn place of collective memory for the millions of Canadians whose families were affected by these crimes. I am pleased that we have reached this next step in developing this national memorial and look forward to getting the public’s feedback on these unique designs.”

—The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism