Listen, Learn, Act

• A National Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. The emotional and crisis referral services can be accessed by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
• The Indian Residential School Survivors Society offers a crisis line for grief, crisis, and trauma counselling: 1-800-721-0066

• Murray Sinclair, retired senator, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
• Chief Rosanne Casimir, Tk'emlups te Secwépemc First Nation
• Chief Stacey Laforme, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation

• Museum Perspectives on the Task Force on Museums & First Peoples and the Recommendations of the TRC (2017)
• An Introduction to Residential Schools in Ontario: Histories and Interpretation (2017)
• The Indigenous History of Ontario (2017)
• Reclaiming Shingwauk: Cross-Cultural Learning and Programming (2020)
• Keynote: Rick Hill - Sacred Trust between Museums and Indigenous Peoples (2019)

Please find more resources for Indigenous Culture and Reconciliation HERE.

• Making the time to listen, learn, understand
• Thinking about large decolonization and reconciliation frameworks; and taking small steps everyday
• Sharing information with colleagues, providing training when possible
• Recognizing the importance of language, traditional practices and policies; reflecting on how these are being accounted for in my institutional context
• Advocating for funding and striving to obtain the resources necessary to do the work
• Start communicating with Indigenous communities
• When asking for help, being considerate towards the time and priorities of Indigenous colleagues and community members

After 17 years in the navy, Graeme returned to his native Kingston and approached the Murney Tower Museum with a strong idea for an exhibit. He became Volunteer Director of the institution only a year later and has served the museum ever since. Although he had a full-time job, he dedicated countless hours to excel in his multiple responsibilities as Museum Director. He also made training a priority, and graduated with an OMA Certificate in Museum Studies.

Impressive? We thought so. Graeme received the Volunteer Service Award of Excellence in 2020.
Do you know a volunteer like Graeme? Do you share his dedication? Nominate your colleagues or yourself for an OMA Award of Excellence by June 18!

The Ontario government is investing more than $4.9 million through the Community Museum Operating Grant to support community museums across our province.  

Details were provided on June 1st by Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. Minister MacLeod was joined by Michael Parsa, MPP for Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill, who sponsored a private member’s bill that led to the creation of Ontario Day, which will be commemorated annually on June 1.

The grant provides operating funding to eligible community museums, which may be used to fund staff salaries and museum maintenance, or for building and preserving collections, exhibitions and educational programs. This year’s funding may also help community museums meet their financial obligations, protect jobs and renovate facilities as they manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more HERE.
Watch the Minister's announcement HERE. 

Note: This funding announcement in the CMOG program is the annual allocation for the CMOG program, not an additional public investment. 

As was previously announced, Ontario’s Stay-at-Home order will expire on June 2, 2021. When it does, all other public health and workplace measures will remain in place province-wide until Ontario enters Step One of the Roadmap to Reopen, at which point some restrictions will ease with an initial focus on outdoor settings.

However, all other existing measures will remain in place provincewide, including restrictions on gatherings, businesses, services and activities. 

A simple, easy-to-understand summary of restrictions can be found on the province’s “Reopening Ontario” webpage, which provides details on what public health measures are in place before the province enters Step One of the Roadmap to Reopen. 

Read more HERE.

The Ontario Nonprofit Network and l'Assemblée de la Francophonie de l’Ontario have released a new COVID-19 impact survey to evaluate the pandemic’s impact on the non-profit sector. The survey collects vital data on the financial, operational, and human resource impacts of the pandemic on your organization, barriers to supports, and rebuilding opportunities and challenges.

The survey is open to all non-profits in Ontario with a mission to serve a public benefit. Data collected will support a rebuilding strategy that meets the needs of the diverse communities across Ontario.

Survey closes June 4^th – complete the survey here!

If you are already an OMA member, please renew your membership when you receive an email reminder. If you are not a member, please consider joining, either as an institution or an individual. You can find information about member categories and benefits on our website.

Please also consider making a donation to the OMA on our website or through Canada Helps.

Your support of the OMA and your participation in events make us stronger as a sector, and we appreciate each and everyone one of you.

An OMA membership connects you with our network of over 1000 members, representing 700 museums, galleries, and heritage sites across the province. In addition, an OMA membership provides you with the latest news via the ONmuseums newsletter, eNews alerts, and COVID-19 resources to mitigate impact for Ontario museums, galleries and heritage sites.

The OMA has prepared a dedicated webpage of COVID-19 communications and resources, updated as new information and resources become available.
Read more HERE.

For all questions or inquiries please contact the OMA: community@museumsontario.ca or call 416-348-8672 / 1-866-662-8672.

Marie G. Lalonde
Executive Director
mlalonde@museumsontario.ca