A Memorial to Victims of Totalitarian Communism Canada, A Land of Refuge

1. A Memorial to Victims of Totalitarian CommunismCanada, A Land of Refuge Tribute to Liberty Founding Partner: Open Book Group

2. Contents • A. Background • 1. NCC • 2. Proposal • B. Project Approval • 1. Concept • 2. Title • C. Next Steps • 1. Fundraising • 2. Political Engagement • 3. Advisory Council • 4. Land Allocation • 5. Design Competition • 6. Timeline • D. Project Proponents • 1. Tribute to Liberty • 2. The Open Book Group • 3. Honorary Chair • E. Conclusion

3. Background • NCC • Proposal

4. NCC • The National Capital Commission (NCC) is: • The government agency that oversees the development of land in Canada’s national capital region • Proposals for commemorations on national capital land must meet the criteria and follow the guidelines as laid out in the NCC’s • Comprehensive Commemoration Program and Policy • for Canada’s Capital • Commemorating the victims of totalitarian communism warrants a monument on national capital land because of the subject matter’s • National Symbolic Importance

5. Proposal • In January 2009 Tribute to Liberty submitted to the National Capital Commission (NCC) a proposal for: A Permanent Memorial Commemorating the Victims of the Crimes of Communism in the National Capital Region • The Open Book Group submitted a separate proposal to the NCC in January 2009 • Based on advice received from the NCC one proposal was resubmitted by Tribute to Liberty with Founding Partner The Open Book Group (hereinafter “project proponents”) in June 2009 for: A Permanent Memorial in Canada’s National Capital Region Commemorating the Victims of Totalitarian Communism

6. Project Approval • Concept • Title

7. Concept • On September 10, 2009 at a public board meeting the NCC Board of Directors made the following decision about the proposal: • “On a motion of Frieda Martselos, seconded by Richard Aubry, IT WAS AGREED that the general concept of a commemoration to the victims of totalitarian communism be approved. The Board, however, suggested that the title be modified, in consultation with the proponents, to be more inclusive of those who have suffered under oppressive regimes in general.” • The proponents entered into a series of discussions with the NCC about the title of the monument, where it was made clear that the project proponents: • “Would not agree to any change that would lessen the significance of the monument as a memorial to the victims of communism.”

8. Title • As a result of these discussions the NCC and project proponents came to an agreement on the title: • A Monument to Victims of Totalitarian Communism • Canada, A Land of Refuge • On September 23, 2009 Marie Lemay, CEO of the NCC, wrote in a letter addressed to our Honorary Chair: • “I am pleased to inform you that your proposal to name the future monument – Memorial to the Victims of Totalitarian Communism; Canada, a Land of Refuge – addresses the concerns recently identified by the NCC’s Board of Directors.”

9. Next Steps • Fundraising • Political Engagement • Advisory Council • Land Allocation • Design Competition • Timeline

10. Fundraising • The NCC Policy Guidelines state that: • “Prior to project implementation, fundraising to cover full project costs must be completed.” • The Memorial has been proposed as a Major Commemoration of an Order Two Site. According to the NCC Policy Guidelines: • “Order Two sites, located at key sites along corridors, intersections, bridges, vantage points and promontories along Confederation Boulevard, are reserved for commemorations to people, events and ideas. These sites are also suitable for commemorations requiring gatherings and ceremonies. As a general rule, Order Two sites would take one to three years to develop, and would cost between one million and five million dollars.”

11. Fundraising • Our goal: • 1.5 million • Our strategy: • Our approach is dual-layered, involving both a grassroots, web-based campaign for smaller donations, and a Major Gifts campaign for larger donations. • Grassroots/Web Site • Major Gifts

12. Political Engagement • Tribute to Liberty is actively and regularly engaging with: • Government of Canada (PMO, Minister Kenney and his staff, Minister Moore and his staff) • Liberal Party of Canada (Irwin Cotler, former Justice Minister, Bob Rae, Foreign Affairs critic, office of the Leader of the Opposition Michael Ignatieff) • New Democratic Party (MP Alex Atamanenko) • There is strong political support on all sides of the House of Commons for the project.

13. Advisory Council • In March 2009 Tribute to Liberty set up an Advisory Council for the project. The first meeting was held on February 28, 2009. • The purpose of the Advisory Council is: • To play an integral role in engaging Canadian communities that have been affected by totalitarian communism—in support of having a monument built to victims of totalitarian communism in Ottawa, and of the long term objective of educating Canadians about communism. • The Advisory Council’s membership consists of: • One or more representatives from each of the Canadian communities that trace their origins to a country that was affected by totalitarian communism.

14. Advisory Council • We encourage all communities to participate in the Advisory Council by working with Tribute to Liberty to invite the appropriate individual to represent your community on the Council: • The Advisory Council is the vehicle for communities to participate in the process of building the monument to victims of totalitarian communism, and of the task of educating the public about the communism.

15. Land Allocation • Tribute to Liberty will now work with the NCC to secure a site for the memorial. The NCC Policy Guidelines on site allocation are: • “The NCC will identify appropriate sites based on Canada’s Capital Commemorations Potential Site Inventory, in consultation with the proponent.” • “Once a potential commemoration site is identified, the earmarked site will be set aside for a predetermined period of time, not to exceed three years, to allow the proponent to develop the project and carry out fundraising.”

16. Design Competition • Major Commemorations require national design competitions. The NCC Policy Guidelines state: • “A national design competition would normally be required in the case of large-scale commemorations to ensure quality and excellence of design in keeping with the significance of the Capital. A design competition also provides unique opportunities for the Canadian artistic community to participate in the development of national commemorations.” • “The proponent initiates a national design competition for major commemorative projects, which will be organized and conducted by experts in the field, in collaboration with the NCC.”

17. Timeline • The NCC has recommended the following timeline for the project: Site Selection Process Fall 2009/Winter 2010 Public Announcement November 9, 2009 Development of Project Approach Fall 2009/Winter 2010 Fundraising Campaign Ongoing National Design Competition Spring/Summer 2010 Design Development/Fabrication of Monument Fall 2010/Winter 2011 Construction/Landscaping on Site Summer/Fall 2011 Unveiling November 2011

18. Project Proponents • Tribute to Liberty • Open Book Group • Honorary Chair

19. Tribute to Liberty • Tribute to Liberty is a Canadian organization intended to serve lovers of freedom across Canada and around the world. Tribute to Liberty’s • mission is: • to establish a memorial to the victims of totalitarian communism in Canada’s National Capital Region, and to educate the public about communism’s crimes. • Tribute to Liberty is overseen by a three-member Board of Directors: • Alide Forstmanis, Chair & TreasurerReet Marten Sehr, SecretaryGerry Kokodyniak

20. Open Book Group • Tribute to Liberty’s Founding Partner, The Open Book Group, is: • a grassroots outreach, non-partisan initiative. It is comprised of a partnership of three groups: Hearts Open Toronto, Sokol Canada, and Dare Theatre. • In May of 2009 representatives of Tribute to Liberty and The Open Book Group met to discuss how to engage in order to move the project ahead. • It was decided at this meeting that Tribute to Liberty would be the vehicle for moving the project forward, and that the proposal to the NCC would be resubmitted under the name Tribute to Liberty, with Founding Partner The Open Book Group.

21. Honorary Chair • Tribute to Liberty’s Honorary Chair is Charles Coffey, O.C. • Mr. Coffey’s commitment to serve as Honorary Board Chair demonstrates the national profile of this project and its significance to all Canadians. Mr. Coffey’s involvement in private, public and not-for-profit sectors has resulted in special honours such as the Order of Canada, the Award of Distinction from the Public Affairs Association of Canada, and the Humanitarian Award for Community Service from Yorktown Family Services. He has served for 3 years as Chair of the National Advisory Council for the Museum of Human Rights. Currently he sits on the Board of the Aga Khan Foundation, and serves as Chair of the Canadian Centre for Diversity, among other worthy causes.

22. Conclusion • Tribute to Liberty would like to thank all the communities who offered their support over the past year as we fought to seek approval from the NCC for the memorial to be built in Ottawa on federal land. We look forward to working with you on the next steps of this important project. Albanian Canadian League Belarusian Canadian Alliance Canadian Hungarian Heritage Association Canadian Polish Congress Council for Human Rights In North Korea Cuban Canadian Foundation Estonian Central Council in Canada Falun Dafa Human Rights Association (Toronto) Latvian National Federation in Canada League of Ukrainian Canadians League of Ukrainian Canadian Women Masaryk Memorial Institute Pagini Romanesti Ukrainian Canadian Congress Vietnamese Canadian Federation Vietnamese Human Rights Association (ON)