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Re: Canadian meteorites

FYI, I just received this from Kathryn Zedde who is a senior officer
from the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Ron Baalke
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To export a meteorite from Canada, a cultural property export permit is
required.  The first thing you should know is that these permits are only
issued to residents of Canada, so you would probably need to contact a
friend or colleague in Canada to apply for a permit on your behalf.  Forms
are available at designated Customs offices in most Canadian cities, or
directly from our office.  Once completed, they are submitted to a
designated Customs office for processing.

If the meteorite is being exported temporarily for a period of no more than
five years, ie. for exhibition or for non-destructive analysis, the permit
is issued without delay, but we monitor each case and require notification
and proof of import when the item returns to Canada.

If the meteorite is exported permanently (this includes situations
involving destructive analysis), the permit application is forwarded to
relevant scientific experts, who make a recommendation on whether the
meteorite is (as noted in the Cultural Property export and Import Act) of
"outstanding significance by reason of its close association with Canadian
history or national life, its aesthetic qualities, or its value to the
study of arts or sciences" and whether it is of "such a degree of national
importance that its loss to Canada would significantly diminish the
national heritage" - the criteria are the same regardless of the type of
cultural property.  The Expert Examiner recommends either approval or
refusal of the permit.  If the permit is refused, the permit applicant can
appeal this decision within 30 days to the Canadian Cultural Property
Export Review Board.  The Board either grants the appeal, and the permit is
issued, or upholds refusal of the permit.  If refusal is upheld, the Board
creates a "delay period" of between 2 and 6 months during which time the
permit is not issued.  During the delay period Canadian institutions have
the opportunity to purchase the item in question.  If it isn't purchased by
the end of the delay period, the permit is issued upon request.

So, in summary, Canadian legislation does not provide for prohibiting
export of meteorites or other cultural property.  At most, export permits
are delayed to give Canadian public institutions the opportunity to
purchase significant cultural property, to allow it to remain in Canada.

Kathryn Zedde
A/Senior Officer
Movable Cultural Property
Department of Canadian Heritage