It would be Canada's first national museum outside the Ottawa area.

The province's auto insurer, the publicly owned utility and the agencies in charge of alcohol and lotteries have each planned to donate about $1 million for the construction of the museum.

Premier Gary Doer said Monday he "encouraged" various Crown boards to donate to the museum. The province has already pledged $40 million to the museum.

"Crown corporations make investments in our community in all the time. If you go to a Bomber game, you'll see ads and other promotions (from Crown agencies) for the support of the football club," said Doer.

But Tory Leader Hugh McFadyen sees it differently. He said the New Democrats basically directed the Crown agencies to put money into the project.

"There's no difference between encouraging and directing when it comes to the premier and a Crown corporation" McFadyen said.

"Generally speaking, when the boss encourages you to do something, you don't take it as an optional thing."

Brian Smiley, a spokesman for Manitoba Public Insurance, said he's "not sure" if they were approached by Doer about funding for the museum, but confirmed the board has approved $500,000 over two years for the facility.

The money for that donation comes out of a fund for large fleet trucks, which unlike car insurance, can be bought from other companies, said Smiley.

"This will have zero impact on our Autopac customers," he said.

The chairwoman for the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission said the board decided to make the donation after their president saw a presentation from Gail Asper, who is spearheading the museum on behalf of her late father Izzy Asper, founder of CanWest Global Communications Corp.

"We felt this was a project well worth investing in. It's such an international project," said Carmen Neufeld.

"As a good corporate citizen, we wanted to be part of that."

The museum expects about 250,000 visitors a year, which will be good for business, Neufeld said.

"That translates into more hotel rooms, that translates into more people going into restaurants and bars and purchasing out products," she said.

Critics, however, question the independence behind the Crown's decisions to donate.

"The notion of the Premier "suggesting" to the Crowns is laughable, considering he appoints the boards that makes these decisions," said Adrienne Batra, Manitoba director of the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation.

The museum is expected to cost $265 million to build, and $22 million a year to operate. Organizers hope to have it open sometime in 2010.

The federal government has promised to pay $100 million for construction, as well as operating costs.