History

The idea of The Canadian Museum for Human Rights was first proposed in 2000 to the Federal Government of Canada as a project of Dr. Israel Asper, founder of CanWest Global Communications Corp. and President and Founder of The Asper Foundation - a Winnipeg-based private charitable foundation that undertakes and develops major initiatives in the areas of culture, education, community development and human rights locally, nationally and internationally.

The genesis of the creation of this Museum came from Mr. Asper’s long passion for human rights.  While serving as the leader of the Liberal Party of Manitoba from 1970 – 1975, he tabled the first Bill of Rights in the Manitoba Legislature. In 1983, he created The Asper Foundation to focus on one of his major philanthropic objectives – human rights education.