Heritage, Parks Canada, and the Narrowing of Western Canadian History.

This article examines the role of national historic sites in western Canada in shaping historical narratives, focusing on how early commemorations—particularly of fur trade posts and sites related to the North-West Resistance of 1885—established a conventional, colonialist perspective that prioritized certain histories while marginalizing others. It traces the evolving role of Parks Canada, the federal agency managing these sites, highlighting a period when progressive historical research expanded interpretations to include Indigenous and Métis perspectives, followed by a conservative policy shift in the 1990s emphasizing original commemorations through the "Commemorative Intent" framework. The article critiques how this approach has narrowed historical interpretation, often sidelining Indigenous experiences and resistance, and discusses recent but limited efforts to update commemorations and incorporate more inclusive narratives. It concludes that national historic sites in western Canada continue to struggle with reconciling colonial legacies and calls for rethinking heritage designation to better reflect contested histories and support decolonized interpretations.