Dear supporter, On June 26, 2015, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Heritage Ottawa, and architects Barry Padolsky and Shirley Blumberg filed an application in the Federal Court. They are challenging the National Capital Commission’s decision to break ground for the Memorial to the Victims of Communism on a site in Ottawa’s Judicial Precinct, just southwest of the Supreme Court of Canada. The Government's approved Long Term Vision and Plan includes the vision of completing a harmonious "triad" within the judicial precinct by erecting a new Federal Court building on the site—not a Memorial to the Victims of Communism. The lawsuit alleges that the National Capital Commission violated its procedures for public consultation and acted against the National Capital Act in its hasty decision to prepare the site, despite not having finalized the design for the memorial. The law requires meaningful public consultation and prohibits breaking ground on a project before its design is approved. The Applicants do not oppose the commemorative intent of the memorial and believe that other appropriate sites exist. Donations are being accepted in support of this legal action. To send donations by Paypal, please use the following link: http://bit.ly/1KldP3u. Cheques can be sent to Champ & Associates, 43 Florence Street, Ottawa, Ontario K2P 0W6, made out to “Champlaw, In Trust” with “Move the Memorial” in the memorandum line or in an accompanying letter. Donations can also be sent directly by electronic bank transfer to pchamp@champlaw.ca, with an explanation in the message that it is for Move the Memorial. We are encouraging supporters to sign the Change.org petition: https://www.change.org/p/government-of-canada-move-the-memorial-to-the-victims-of-communism-to-a-different-location-or-terminate-the-project-entirely You can also follow news coverage and join the discussion at: https://www.facebook.com/movethememorial We are pleased to include you among the national coalition of groups and individuals asking the government to move the Memorial to the Victims of Communism to a more appropriate site. Please circulate this appeal to others in your network—and thank you again for your support. Best, Elsa Lam Kayla Carman Dylan Phillips Elizabeth Seibel #movethememorial