CRM Policy and the Commemorative Integrity Statement
The concept of commemorative integrity and the commemorative integrity statement (CIS) are rooted in Parks Canada's Cultural Resource Management Policy . Commemorative integrity is an expression of the CRM Policy as applied to a specific national historic site.
The following questions have been derived from the CRM Policy and can be used in several ways.
- Answers to the questions in 2.1 and 2.3 can be used to describe the property and its resources, values and messages when preparing a CIS.
- Answers to the questions in 2.2 and 2.4 provide advice to managers to ensure that a state of commemorative integrity exists at the national historic site. These questions refer to actions or conditions implicit in the CIS objectives.
- Answers to the questions in 2.2 and 2.4 also contain guidance on monitoring, essential to ensuring commemorative integrity.
Describing CI |
Ensuring CI |
Monitoring CI | |
---|---|---|---|
The Site and its Resources | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
Messages | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
2.1 Describing Commemorative Integrity: The Site and its Resources
- Were all resources given initial consideration as potential cultural resources?
- Have resources been inventoried and evaluated?
- Are the cultural resources related to the reasons for designation accorded the highest value?
- Are the cultural resources valued in their context?
- Are the cultural resources whose historic value derives from their connection to different periods in history valued for that evolution and not just for their existence at a single moment in time?
- Are the cultural resources which derive their historic value from the interaction of nature and human activities valued for both their cultural and natural qualities?
- Are the associative or symbolic qualities of the cultural resources dealt with as well as the physical qualities?
- Have the natural resources of the site been treated in accordance with the CRM Policy principles?
- Does the CIS adequately address the whole (the site) as well as its parts?
2.2 Ensuring Commemorative Integrity: The Site and its Resources
- Is the historic value of the cultural resources respected in accordance with the CRM Policy principles and practice? Are cultural resources managed in accordance with the CRM Policy principles and practice?
- Do management decisions and practices adequately address the whole (the site) as well as the parts?
- Have the CRM Policy principles and practice been applied to contracts, leases, licenses, concessions or agreements that affect cultural resources?
- Are steps in place to ensure the continued survival of the cultural resources with minimum deterioration?
- Is there a program of conservation maintenance in place to mitigate wear and deterioration?
- Are records and inventories relating to cultural resources (including basic data, records of decisions and actions taken, heritage recording, & c.) up to date?
- Have modifications to the cultural resources been based on sound knowledge and respect for the historic value(s) of the resources?
- Does adequate research, recording, and investigation precede actions that affect cultural resources and their presentation?
- Have the potential consequences and cumulative impacts of proposed actions on the historic value of the cultural resources been considered?
- Has direct evidence been used instead of indirect evidence in conservation measures?
- Has the use of indirect evidence taken place in accordance with the CRM Policy principles and has the use of such evidence been clearly acknowledged?
- Have the least destructive and most reversible means been used to accomplish objectives?
- Have variances from the path of least intrusive action been justified and recorded?
- Are there uses or threats that reduce the potential for long-term conservation and future understanding and appreciation of the cultural resources? Have such uses or threats been discontinued or addressed?
- Is new work sensitive in form and scale (i.e., does not overwhelm) the site and its associated resources?
- Have research and the results of research been the basis for activities that have an impact on cultural resources and their presentation?
- Are monitoring and review systems in place to determine if conservation and presentation objectives are met effectively?
- Is the historic value/meaning of the site's cultural resources communicated?
- Is information about the cultural resources made available?
- Are the professional, technical and administrative activities, and the contributions of relevant disciplines effectively integrated into the site's management and operations? Does management place an emphasis on interdisciplinary teamwork?
- Is the site managed as a place of national historic significance to the whole nation, or it is managed primarily as an attraction?
- Do reconstructions or reproductions compromise the commemorative integrity of the site by overwhelming the reasons/resources integral to its designation of national significance?
- Have management planning activities been based on the commemorative objectives that led to the site's designation and acquisition?
- Has the historic value of the cultural resources been fully considered and integrated into the planning, conservation, presentation and operational programs?
- Have the planning activities flowed from policy objectives and adhered to policy principles?
- Do the CRM Policy principles form the basis for all public consultation?
- Do impact assessments consider and address the negative consequences of proposed actions on the historic value of cultural resources?
2.3 Describing Commemorative Integrity: Messages
- Are the messages consistent with the site's designation?
- Is the historic value of the historic site communicated?
- Is the historic value of cultural resources, which derive their importance from being part of a place or a site, communicated?
- Are statements about the past made without a basis in knowledge?
- Is respect for the historical evolution of cultural resources sacrificed for a moment-in-time interpretation?
- Is the continuum of meaning, ranging from national to local significance, communicated?
- Is the richness and diversity of the national historic sites system - including national historic sites administered by others - communicated?
- Are differing contemporary views, perspectives informed by traditional knowledge, and later interpretations presented?
- Is the past presented in a manner that accurately reflects the range and complexity of the human history commemorated or represented at the site?
- Does Parks Canada play the role of the arbiter of Canada's human history?
- Is a sense of shared responsibility for safeguarding these places of national historic significance passed on to the public?
- Does the site encourage research and study in Canadian history?
2.4 Ensuring Commemorative Integrity: Messages
- Is primary importance given to the reasons for designation?
- Are these messages overwhelmed by the communication of the site's other heritage messages?
- Does the public understand the reasons for the site's designation?
- Has direct evidence been used instead of indirect evidence in interpretation activities?
- Has the use of indirect evidence taken place in accordance with the CRM Policy principles? Has the use of such evidence been clearly acknowledged?
- Are the discrepancies in accuracy adequately acknowledged?
- Do depictions of the past without a basis in knowledge take place?
- Does presentation at the site focus on the whole as well as the parts that make up the whole?
- Do the means of presentation take into account the nature and interests of the public?
- Do the means of communication support or impede effective communication of the reasons for designation?
- Do the reconstructions or reproductions compromise the commemorative integrity of the site by overwhelming the reasons/resources integral to its designation of national significance?
- Are reproductions and reconstructions marked in such a way as not to be confused with the originals they are intended to represent?
- Is the past presented in a manner that accurately reflects the range and complexity of the human history commemorated at or represented at the site?
- Are differing contemporary views, perspectives informed by traditional knowledge, and later interpretations presented?
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