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Save the RAM – then set it free

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The poor Royal Alberta Museum. Each time staff there think they’re getting closer to seeing a wonderful new facility, worthy of its regal name, they get another kick in the crotch.

Wildrose leader Danielle Smith

Danielle Smith is just the latest in a series of politicians to kick the RAM in the crotch. It's time to rescue our provincial museum from the clutches of politicians and put it under the direction of its own board.

Last week, it came from Danielle Smith, the Wildrose leader, who pledged to shut down the project if she were elected premier.

I was on leave last week, which left my colleague David Staples to explain in his column why such a move would be a bad idea for Edmonton.

But the March edition of Alberta Views carried a much longer feature story, by yours truly, outlining the whole sad history of Alberta’s ignored and abused provincial museum. You can read my story on the RAM and its travails right here. The bottom line? We don’t just need a new museum. We need a museum freed from the shackles of politicians and bureaucrats, a museum with an arms-length board, a museum with the capacity to do its own fundraising, a museum with the freedom of act in its own best interests, without constantly tugging its forelock in deference to the political leaders of the day, or the ideological flavour of the month.

I hope you’ll take a moment to read my Alberta Views story. It may give you a whole new perspective on why our museum matters, not just for downtown Edmonton, but for all Albertans.



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