Background
The Heritage Advisory Committee provides long-term guidance on the stewardship of Canada’s overseas First World War memorials. It supports decisions related to their conservation while ensuring the original commemorative intent is respected and preserved.
The committee was established following recommendations from a 2024 Condition Assessment conducted by Public Services and Procurement Canada. It is an independent and multidisciplinary body built upon the model used during the 2006 restoration of the Vimy monument.
Scope and mandate
The Heritage Advisory Committee provides strategic advice to inform decisions that protect the commemorative integrity, safeguard the heritage character and support the long-term restoration and conservation of:
- the Canadian National Vimy Memorial,
- the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, and
- the St. Julien Canadian Memorial.
These three memorials are part of the 2023 UNESCO designated Funerary and memory sites of the First World War.
Members
- John Desrosiers (Co-chair), Senior Director of International Operations, Veterans Affairs Canada
- Julian Smith (Co-chair), Senior Conservation Architect (Canada)
- Caroline Guay (Committee Secretary), Senior Conservation Technologist, Public Service and Procurement Canada
- Daniel Lefèvre, Former Architecte en Chef (France)
- Dr. Christina Cameron, Writer, Expert on Canadian architecture & world heritage
- Sean Graham, Historian, Department of National Defence (DND) – Directorate of History and Heritage
- Ocel Dauphinais-Matheson, National Program Manager, International Operations, Veterans Affairs Canada
Other Temporary/Invited members may participate by invitation from the committee co-chairs. Please refer to the records of discussion for more information.