The Sidney Museum & Archives is unveiling a new travelling exhibit that examines the times when the civil liberties of Canadians were suspended in the name of national security.
“Lost Liberties: The War Measures Act”will be on display from Monday, August 5-November 29.
During the 20th century, the War Measures Act was enacted three times by the Canadian Government, during World War I, World War II, and the 1970 October Crisis.
Lost Liberties focuses on minority groups who were targeted during these times, including the instances of internment of Canadians of European origin, the forced relocation of Japanese Canadians, and the arrest of people in Quebec.
An additional display of local connections has also been created by Museum staff.
Displacing Differences will present how these injustices happened right on the Saanich Peninsula by showcasing information on the D’Arcy Island lazaretto, the imprisonment of Doukhobors on Piers Island, Japanese Canadians who were forcibly uprooted from Sidney, and the forced displacement of WSÁNEC Peoples.
“Lost Liberties provides us with a unique opportunity to share historically under-represented narratives”- Michael Goodchild, Executive Director of the Sidney Museum.
The Sidney Museum is located in the lower level of the Old Post Office building.
The Museum is open seven days a week from 10am-4pm
Entrance is by donation.