Experts Call for Indigenous Input as Court-Approved Sale of Risley’s Art Collection Includes Cultural Objects
Approximately 30 Indigenous cultural objects are among nearly 670 artworks and artifacts tied to seafood tycoon John Risley’s debt-laden company, CFFI Ventures. Following a Nova Scotia court’s approval to sell most assets to New Tide Capital, repatriation experts and Indigenous organizations are urging that communities be given the opportunity to identify and reclaim culturally significant items before the sale proceeds.
Approximately 30 items described as Indigenous "cultural objects" have been identified among nearly 670 artworks and artifacts linked to CFFI Ventures, the company of seafood tycoon John Risley. The discovery emerged during court proceedings after CFFI Ventures was placed under creditor protection in March, having collapsed under nearly US$1 billion in debt.
A Nova Scotia court approved the sale of most of CFFI’s assets to New Tide Capital, an affiliate of HPS Investment Partners LLC. Details of 669 items were released during the proceedings because ownership was disputed between Risley and the company. A lawyer for New Tide indicated that the firm would negotiate an out-of-court deal regarding these works.
The Indigenous cultural items in question include baskets, bone carvings, textiles, and moccasins. Some pieces are attributed to Inuit, Mi’kmaq, or Cree groups but lack known dates or artists. Repatriation experts argue that Indigenous communities should have a say in how these objects are handled during the asset sale, warning of the potential loss of cultural heritage if items are transferred without community input.
Risley stated via text message that he agrees with the principle of repatriation but believes his collection does not include pieces acquired before their cultural significance was understood. However, experts and Indigenous councils contend that vague labeling and historical acquisition methods make it difficult to verify such claims without an Indigenous-led assessment.
The Canadian Museum Association’s Indigenous Council responded that Indigenous people must be given the opportunity to identify culturally significant objects, noting that dealers and collectors are generally not equipped to recognize them. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami stated that works of Inuit cultural importance should be examined by Inuit and offered to help return historically significant pieces if parties demonstrate good will.
The situation highlights the lack of a national framework in Canada for guiding the return of Indigenous objects from private collections, as well as the financial complications Indigenous communities face when attempting to claim objects during bankruptcy proceedings. Public museums across Canada currently hold more than six million Indigenous belongings in their collections.