Hudsons Bay artifacts should be given to the public: Wab Kinew – Winnipeg [Video]

Manitoba’s premier says he wants Hudson’s Bay’s artifacts to be handed over to the public rather than put up for auction.

Wab Kinew says items held by Canada’s oldest company are part of Canadian and Indigenous history and don’t belong in private hands.

Hudson’s Bay is currently working toward an auction for its 1,700 art pieces, 2,700 artifacts and the 355-year-old royal charter that launched the company.

Archival institutions, governments and Indigenous groups, including the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, have all expressed concerns that public access to the items will be lost, if they are sold off to private groups.

Kinew says his province, which houses hundreds of thousands of Bay artifacts at the Manitoba Museum and Archives of Manitoba, shouldn’t have to intervene or pay money to rescue the items given the public interest in Hudson’s Bay’s artifacts.

He says it would be unfortunate if the province has to …