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Or sign-in if you have an account.The Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. Photo by Richard White for PostmediaInternal emails obtained by National Post show that senior officials at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) had a discussion with the Palestinian representative to Canada, in which she attempted to get involved in, and was updated on, the progress of its upcoming “Nakba” exhibit, raising fresh questions about the political agendas behind the highly controversial exhibit at the publicly funded museum.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. 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Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorIn an email dated Dec. 5, 2024, Ramsey Zeid, the president of the Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba (CPAM) who has been a member of the Palestinian Content Advisory Network (PCAN) for the exhibit, wrote to Matthew Cutler, the CMHR’s vice-president of exhibitions, and Isha Khan, the museum’s CEO.The National Post newsletter that doesn’t hold back, giving readers the unvarnished truth on media, politics and culture.By signing up, you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Right? will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againZeid said that Mona Abuamara, who was serving as the representative of the Palestinian Delegation in Canada, would be visiting the museum on Dec. 11 for a tour and requested a meeting with staff “to discuss the Nakba exhibit.” CPAM promoted her visit on Instagram and hosted a talk by her on Dec. 10. Internal emails obtained by National Post show that senior officials at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) had a discussion with the Palestinian representative to Canada, in which she attempted to get involved in, and was updated on, the progress of its upcoming “Nakba” exhibit, raising fresh questions about the political agendas behind the highly controversial exhibit at the publicly funded museum.In his email, Zeid said that Abuamara was “keen to receive an update on the progress of the project, understand where we currently stand and explore how she might be able to assist if necessary.”Cutler responded the next morning, writing: “Thanks for this invitation — we’re always glad to have the ambassador visit, and I know many of our team will be at the event on the 11th.” He then told Zeid that he would connect with a colleague to “ensure that one of us is able to speak with Mona during her visit about our work around sharing Palestinian human rights stories through the museum, including the exhibit.”The Palestinian General Delegation confirmed to the Post that the meeting took place, but would not disclose what was discussed. The Palestinian General Delegation has represented the Palestinian Authority’s interests in Canada since 1995. The meeting took place nearly a year before Canada recognized a Palestinian state.The apparent co-ordination between the museum and the Palestinian representative occurred amid repeated complaints from Jewish organizations about inadequate consultation and a lack of historical balance. And they have good reason for concern.When the Post reached out to the CMHR back in November about Jewish groups’ concerns, its spokesperson, Amanda Gaudes, said the “exhibit is neither a historical retrospective nor an examination of the founding of the State of Israel or current Israel-Palestine relations. It is a multimedia exhibit that will use art, first-person reflections and personal artifacts to share the lived experiences of Palestinian-Canadians — these are their stories.”Gaudes was asked for a list of people involved in its content advisory committee and was not forthcoming. Yet in March, the Post acquired a list of PCAN members from 2023, which was composed of hardened anti-Israel activists, including Zeid.Zeid is a controversial Palestinian-Canadian activist who has made a number of alarming public statements. After the October 7 massacre in Israel, for example, he wrote that Zionism “is a disease that must be destroyed.”Neil Oberman, a Montreal lawyer who has taken on numerous cases involving allegations of antisemitism and anti-Israel actions, said that there is a serious question as to whether the CMHR has violated its own mandate under the Museums Act, which explicitly states that its purpose is to “explore the subject of human rights, with special but not exclusive reference to Canada, in order to enhance the public’s understanding of human rights, to promote respect for others and to encourage reflection and dialogue.”Citing Canada’s Foreign Interference and Security of Information Act, he noted that, “A foreign mission engaging openly with a Canadian institution is not, without more, unlawful. The offences target conduct that is covert, deceptive or coercive. That is why the issue turns on transparency: was this an open, disclosed exchange, or was a foreign government quietly given a hand in shaping how a national museum presents history?”While this may not rise to the level of foreign interference, co-ordinating with a foreign government’s representative on content for a taxpayer-funded exhibit designed by a Crown corporation raises numerous ethical questions.The exhibit would also appear to violate ethics guidelines from the Canadian Museums Association, which emphasizes that multiple perspectives should be presented fairly and impartially, and that any biases should be made clear to the public.Emails suggesting Abuamara’s keen interest in “progress” and “assistance” would seem to go beyond a simple courtesy visit and imply an effort to shape Canadian public memory and education by a foreign government.At this point, the museum needs to reveal what was discussed with the representative regarding the exhibit. The CMHR is a national museum established under the Museums Act and receives the majority of its operating budget from the Department of Canadian Heritage, which is under the purview of Culture Minister Marc Miller, who was recently appointed chair of the council tasked with combating antisemitism. This is ironic, given that this exhibit will likely have the opposite effect and inflame hatreds toward the Jewish community.National Post Get the latest from Terry Newman straight to your inbox Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.