By separating the Art and Artifact collection, it basically ends chances of on-going sale of the company. They really did kill he Hudson's Ban Company on purpose. I think the name should be given for free to Northern Stores (the origihal stores from Hudson's Bay). (1987 is when Hudson,s Bay sold off its original stores, to keep only he "Morgans" urban department stores it bought in he 1970s).

https://www.northwest.ca/about-us/history

Heffel Gallery Limited, apparently based on Vacouver wll contuct the art auction.

http://www.heffel.ca/

It is not know if it will be bid for each individual pieces, or bid for the lot. If the acution is split into individual pieces it ensures the history is lost, spread apart and never in a museum as a complete lot.

This should not be auctioned off, it should be donated to a national museum i my opinion as it contains a serious part of Canada's early days.

There have been efforts to preserve the Hudson's Bay hostory:

1- Canada Advisory Committee for Memory of the World
2- Department of Heritage Canada
3- Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs

On the last 6 stores:
17. At the time of the commencement of the SISP, the Company had excluded six stores from liquidation sale in the hopes of attracting a going concern bid for the Company’s business to be operated out of at least those six locations (the “Six Store Model”).

18. As at the time of swearing this affidavit, Reflect, in consultation with the Company and the Monitor, has concluded that it is unlikely to receive a viable going concern bid based on the proposed Six Store Model.

"I write today in my capacity as the Chair of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO Canada Memory of the World Advisory Committee.

Memory of the World is an international commemorative designation guided by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which has issued internationally recognized guidance for the preservation of documentary heritage.

(cont)

(cont of Unesco letter on Hudson's Bay)

I am writing to seek your support for the continued protection and stewardship of the Hudson’s Bay Company Royal Proclamation Charter (1670) in light of the forthcoming restructuring of the company."

(cont of Unesco letter)
On behalf of the Canada Memory of the World Advisory Committee, I would like to reiterate the justifications for recognizing the international value of these records, as “a continuous record of one of the oldest chartered trading companies in the world spanning more than three centuries.”

(cont)

(cont of Unesco letter)

The Royal Proclamation Charter is inherently associated with the value ascribed to the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, and I hope you will agree that ensuring the document remains in safe custody is of paramount importance.

The gist of Canadian Heritage letter:

We have been made aware through media reports that historical artifacts from the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) may be considered assets as part of the HBC’s liquidation process.

While the Department of Canadian Heritage has no role respecting the transfer of cultural property within Canada, the export of controlled cultural property from Canada requires a cultural property export permit.