FAQ

The Diefenbaker Canada Centre collection started with a “closed” collection that was comprised entirely of the personal objects bequeathed by John G. Diefenbaker to the DCC. Under extraordinary circumstances, the DCC has occasionally acquired highly unique artefacts that are associated with John G. Diefenbaker and his family. 

The DCC generally does not accept archival material as the Diefenbaker Archival Collection is managed by the University of Saskatchewan Archives and Special Collections (UASC). Anyone with archival material related to Diefenbaker will be directed to connect with UASC. If UASC already has the material or declines, the DCC may accept it under extraordinary circumstances. 

Please contact the Curatorial, Collections, and Exhibits Manager (CCEM) to determine if the material meets the requirements for donation. Please do not drop off materials at the DCC unless you have been requested to do so by DCC staff. 

If the CCEM determines that it meets the requirements, they will begin the accession process according to our collections management strategy. 

Each donation is evaluated by the Curatorial, Collections, and Exhibits Manager to determine if it will be accepted into the collection. It is then presented to the leadership team for final review and donation agreement signatures. This process may take a few days or a few weeks depending on the project workload. 

Yes, the DCC will issue a tax receipt reflecting the fair market value of donated artefacts at the request of the donor. 

For a tax receipt to be issued, a qualified professional must complete an assessment of the fair market value. The donor is responsible for obtaining and paying for the appraisal and will not be covered by the DCC. 

The DCC does not purchase artefacts. 

The DCC appreciates all offers of objects related to John Diefenbaker, but we are unable to accept everything. If it already exists in the collection, is in too poor physical condition, or does not have known history, we will usually decline the donation.  

If the DCC staff knows of another museum/gallery that the objects would be better suited, they will direct you to them. 

We kindly ask that you do not bring any objects to the DCC unless asked to by DCC staff. You might arrive and find out the CCEM is not in, that the material does not meet the donation standards, or any other number of reasons that you may be asked to take it with you when you leave. 

No, any object dropped off or sent to the DCC without contact information included are considered abandoned property and are disposed of.  

All objects accessioned into the collection must have a clear connection to John Diefenbaker or his family. Whether an oral history or written documentation, the DCC team would love to hear about it! 

We please ask that you do not mail materials to the DCC without expressly asked to by staff. We would be happy to discuss over the phone or via email to determine if it meets the collections criteria. 

If there is contact information, someone from the DCC team will contact the individual and let them know that the package will be sent back at the original sender’s expense, even if it might meet the criteria for acquisition. If it is eligible for acquisition, the DCC team will help you through the process of an official donation. 

If there is no contact information, the material will be treated as abandoned property and will be disposed of.

No, legal ownership of the object(s) is transferred to the DCC when you donate it. As a registered charity, the DCC cannot returned deaccessioned artefacts to original donors in compliance with the Canadian Income Tax Act. 

When we accept objects into the permanent collection, it is with the intent they will be part of the collection for the foreseeable future. However, sometimes situations arise where object(s) are removed from the collection. This is called deaccessioning. 

We cannot guarantee when, and if, an artefact will go on display. With over 5000 artefacts in the collection and 1 permanent, 1 micro, and 1 temporary gallery space, there is only room for a fraction of the artefacts to be on display at any given time. Most artefacts remain in storage where they are preserved and cared for. 

The DCC is working to get all collections photographed with digital entries created on our database for the public to access. You can see what is currently available here.