February 23, 2021

Dear Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Minister Steven Guilbeault :

I write to you on behalf of the Association des archivistes du Québec, the Association of Canadian Archivists, and the Canadian Council of Archives, to protest the extremely short deadline for stakeholders to present comments to the “Consultation on how to implement an extended general term of copyright protection in Canada”. These three organizations represent the Canadian archival community through its institutions and the members of its English and French-language professional associations.

The issues involved in this consultation are complex and are of extremely high importance to the entire Canadian archival community. A deadline of less than four weeks for submission of comments is completely inadequate, given the complexity of the issues involved – including the implementation of term of protection extension, Orphan Works, and Crown Copyright. We must have enough time to seriously consider the options presented in the consultation document, to consider other possibilities, and to consult appropriately with our community.  There is also the added complication that we are presently in the midst of global pandemic when communication is more difficult. We question the urgency, given that final decisions are not required until 2022.

We urge you to immediately extend the deadline to something more realistic, that will also allow all stakeholders to proceed in a reasonable and transparent way towards the deadline for implementation of the CUSMA term extension.

Nancy Marrelli

Special Advisor-Copyright/Conseillère spéciale, Droit d’auteur Board of Directors/Comité de direction Canadian Council of Archives/Conseil canadien des archives

130 Albert Street, Suite 1912 Ottawa  ON  K1P 5G4

Tel: (613) 565-5445  Fax: (613) 565-5445  Cell: (514) 804-8118 http://www.archivescanada.ca/

Cc Erica Hernández-Read, President, Association of Canadian Archivists

Frédéric Giuliano, Président, Association des archivistes du Québec

Joanna Aiton-Kerr, Chairperson/Présidente, Canadian Council of Archives/Conseil canadien.des archives

copyright-consultation-droitdauteur@canada.ca

Submissions are now open for the Student Voices session at ACA 2021!

Are you an archives or information studies student with an idea that you want to share with the community? Have you written a paper or conducted research you would like to take to the next level? Do you want to build your skills in public speaking and improve your resume? The ACA 2021 Program Team wants to hear from you!

Three submissions from this call will be selected by the Program Team. Successful applicants will receive a monetary award and complimentary conference registration. Submissions not selected for the awarded session may be considered for the general program.

The deadline for submissions is February 8, 2021

Find the submission details and application form at the 2021 conference page, or take a look at this call as an infographic! 

Sincerely,

Grant Hurley on behalf of the ACA 2021 Program Team

In collaboration with its Canadian Advisory Committee for Memory of the World, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) is pleased to launch the fourth Call for Nominations for inscriptions on the Canada Memory of the World Register. This Register recognizes significant documentary heritage related to Canada and its peoples, and is one of the vehicles of the UNESCO Memory of the World Program which aims at preserving and providing access to documentary heritage as the embodiment of the memory of humanity.

In recognition of the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent 2015-2024, CCUNESCO extends a special call for documentary heritage related to Black Canadians with the goal of increasing awareness of this community’s diverse cultures, history, and contributions   to Canadian society.

CCUNESCO continues to extend a special call for proposals for documentary heritage related to Indigenous languages and cultures. Many are considered to be endangered, and their preservation, strengthening and revitalization are of crucial importance to Indigenous peoples and to Canadian society.

We invite all individuals, private or public institutions, organizations and communities to consult CCUNESCO’s website for more information on this process. The deadlines for declarations of interest are December 04, 2020 and March 1, 2021.

For those of you thinking about submitting to the ACA's 2021 virtual conference, there is good news: the gift of time! The call for submissions is now extended to November 30, 2020.

We hope this extension provides some space to bring your ideas (or busy colleagues) together, and we can’t wait to see your submission! Of course, we are happy to continue to receive proposals before the deadline – and many thanks to those of you who have sent one in already!

You can find all the details and the submission form here: https://archivists.ca/2021/

And as always, please reach out to program.team@archivists.ca if you have any questions.

Best,

Grant

Grant Hurley
Conference Program Team Chair, 2021

Earlier this year, the International Council of Archives adopted a position statement calling government, institutions, and industry to properly document their decisions during the Covid-19 pandemic. The statement is built on three principles: decisions must be documented, records and data should be secured and preserved in all sectors, and the security, preservation, and access to digital content should be facilitated during the shutdown.

The Covid-19 pandemic serves as a reminder that the duty to document is a central tenet of democracy: it was important before the pandemic, remains crucially important during the pandemic, and will continue when the situation resolves. As we enter the second wave of the pandemic here in Canada, decision-makers should be able to refer back to their decisions and policy documents from a few months back to inform decisions for today and tomorrow. Just like the records from the 1918 influenza pandemic are helping us deal with Covid-19 today, the records from the current pandemic will help society deal with future pandemics.

We, the board members of the Association of Canadian Archivists and the Association des archivistes du Québec, call on government, institutions, and industry in Canada to use their positions of leadership to properly document decisions, to secure and preserve those decisions and the data on which they are based, and to ensure their long-term preservation and access for the future members of our society.

COVID-19 : Bien documenter : un devoir plus que jamais essentiel en période de crise

Plus tôt cette année, le Conseil international des archives a adopté une déclaration appelant les États, les institutions et les entreprises à bien documenter leurs décisions pendant la pandémie de Covid-19. La déclaration repose sur trois principes : les décisions doivent être documentées, les dossiers et les données doivent être sécurisés et préservés dans tous les secteurs et la sécurité, la conservation et l’accès au contenu numérique doivent être facilités pendant le confinement.

La pandémie de Covid-19 permet de rappeler que le devoir de documenter est un pilier de la démocratie : ce pilier était important avant la pandémie, il demeure extrêmement important pendant la pandémie et continuera de l’être lorsque la situation se résorbera. Alors que nous entrons dans la deuxième vague de la pandémie ici au Canada, les personnes en position de décision devraient pouvoir se référer à leurs décisions et aux documents de politiques d’il y a quelques mois pour éclairer leurs décisions d’aujourd’hui et de demain. Tous comme les dossiers de la pandémie d’influenza de 1918 permettent maintenant de gérer la pandémie de Covid-19, les dossiers liés à la situation actuelle aideront la société à gérer les pandémies à venir.

Nous, les membres des conseils d’administration de l’Association canadienne des archivistes et de l’Association des archivistes du Québec, appelons les gouvernements, les institutions et les entreprises au Canada à exercer leur rôle de leader en documentant leurs décisions, en sécurisant et en préservant ces décisions et les données qui les sous-tendent et en assurant leur préservation et leur accès à long terme pour les membres de la société de demain.

Royal Society of Canada - The Working Group on Archiving Research

In late September 2020, the Royal Society of Canada formed a working group that is focused on archiving research related to COVID-19.  This group will release a policy brief in late 2020. On October 6, 2020, the Globe and Mail published an initial OpEd that outlines the concerns of historians and archivists with regard to collecting, managing, preserving and accessing records related to COVID-19. Their work will consider federal funding programs and identified limitations to preserving records created and collected to provide insight into this pandemic building on expertise from the 1918-1919 flu pandemic, SARS and H1N1 among many other health crises Canadians have faced.

To that end, the Steering Committee on Canada's Archives is seeking your input with regard to COVID-19 records and projects.  Information collected will be used to inform the policy brief which will be disseminated widely to decision makers in Canada.

For more information about the Working Group, see here<https://rsc-src.ca/en/working-group-archiving-research>.

For a link to the first OpEd published by members of the Working Group, see here<https://rsc-src.ca/en/voices/will-covid-19-become-21st-century%E2%80%99s-forgotten-pandemic>.

To complete the short survey, see here<https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RSC-SRC>.

The survey will be open until November 2, 2020.

 

Thank you,

Joanna Aiton Kerr

Chair, SCCA

 

**********

Société royale du Canada - Le groupe de travail sur la recherche en matière d'archivage

Vers la fin septembre 2020, la Société royale du Canada a formé un groupe de travail qui se concentre sur la recherche en matière d'archivage liée à la COVID-19. Ce groupe publiera une note de breffage à la fin de l'année 2020. Le 6 octobre 2020, le Globe and Mail a publié un premier article d'opinion qui présente les préoccupations des historiens et des archivistes en ce qui concerne la collecte, la gestion, la préservation et l'accès aux documents liés à la COVID-19. Leurs travaux porteront sur les programmes de financement fédéraux et sur les limites de la préservation des documents créés et recueillis afin de donner un aperçu de cette pandémie en s'appuyant sur l'expertise acquise lors de la pandémie de grippe de 1918-1919, du SRAS et du H1N1, parmi les nombreuses autres crises sanitaires auxquelles les Canadiens ont été confrontés.

À cette fin, le Comité directeur sur les archives canadiennes sollicite votre contribution en ce qui concerne les dossiers et les projets relatifs à la COVID-19.  Les informations recueillies seront utilisées pour alimenter la note de breffage qui sera largement diffusée auprès des décideurs au Canada.

Pour plus d'informations sur le groupe de travail, voir ici<https://rsc-src.ca/fr/le-groupe-de-travail-sur-la-recherche-en-matiere-darchivage>.

Pour un lien vers le premier article d'opinion publié par les membres du groupe de travail, voir ici<https://rsc-src.ca/fr/node/4848> (disponible en anglais seulement).

Pour remplir le court sondage, voir ici<https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RSC-SRC>.

Le sondage sera disponible jusqu'au 2 novembre 2020.

Merci,

Joanna Aiton Kerr

Présidente du CDAC

The ACA Communications Committee is pleased to announce the latest blog has been published and is available online here:  https://www.archivists.ca/Blog/9305323, written by Claire Williams and Jasmine Charette. Their post discusses the contribution of social media in academic and professional conferences, and on the particular activities of the different social media platforms during the ACA 2020 conference.

François Dansereau

ACA In the Field Editor

Archiviste principal / Senior Archivist

Archives des jésuites au Canada / The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada 25, rue Jarry ouest Montréal (Québec) Canada H2P 1S6 http://archivesjesuites.ca<http://archivesjesuites.ca/>

Je reconnais que cet endroit où je vis et je travaille est situé en territoire autochtone, lequel n'a jamais été cédé. Je reconnais la nation Kanien'kehá: ka comme gardienne de ces terres et de ces eaux. Tiohtiá: ke / Montréal est historiquement connu comme un lieu de rassemblement pour de nombreuses Premières Nations, et aujourd'hui, une population autochtone diversifiée, ainsi que d'autres peuples, y résident. Je suis reconnaissant de pouvoir travailler dans cette communauté, sur ce territoire.

I acknowledge with respect that the place where I live and work is located on unceded Indigenous lands. The Kanien'kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of these lands and waters. Tiohtiá:ke/Montreal is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. I am grateful to work in this community, on this territory.

A dynamic and responsive professional association changes everything.

Join our community of volunteers to help the ACA deliver on its commitments to build a professional community through creative, comprehensive, and engaging programs and services.

The ACA is looking for a Virtual Host who will build a team of 4-6 volunteers to support the delivery of the 2021 annual conference. This is a key position that requires a volunteer who is comfortable with videoconferencing and other digital platforms. The 2020 team created capacity and best practices; the new chair will work closely with ACA staff and board to build on this good work to deliver a successful conference experience for our 2021 participants.

We are also looking for volunteers to serve on the following ACA standing committees:

Communications is looking for volunteers to assist with the ACA’s social media, blog, website, and newsletter. This is a great opportunity for new and seasoned professionals with strong written communications skills to work with the ACA on a variety of services and initiatives.

Education is looking for volunteers with a keen interest in continuing education for the archives and recordkeeping profession. The committee is in the process of developing a professional development strategy that will include the roll out of online programming to serve professionals at all stages of their careers. This is a great opportunity for mid-career professionals who have a good understanding of the changing profession and/or an interest in online course development and delivery.

Governance is embarking on a major project to review and refresh all ACA policies to align with the new association bylaw (passed in 2020). This is a good opportunity for volunteers with non-profit management experience and/or an interest in equity, governance, and ethics.

Membership is looking for volunteers to help with three main projects: (1) a review and refresh of member benefits; (2) the planned expansion of the mentorship program; and (3) strengthening the student chapter program. This is a perfect committee for those who are interested in working with new members and/or student members.

The ACA believes that a professional and intellectual community is enriched and enhanced by diversity along a number of dimensions, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity and national origins, gender and gender identity, sexuality, class and religion. We are especially committed to increasing committee participation by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) professionals. We encourage applications from ACA members at any stage of their careers and from all backgrounds.

ACA volunteers must be members in good standing and typically commit to a 2-year term. All volunteers agree to abide by the ACA Volunteer Code of Conduct. Volunteers are supported from start to finish by the ACA Board of Directors and Staff.

To apply for any of these positions, please submit your expression of interest by filling out our online form here: https://archivists_ca.formstack.com/forms/aca_volunteer_form

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask either myself or Jo McCutcheon by email to executive.director at archivists.ca.

Rebecka Sheffield

Vice-President, ACA 2018-2021

Home improvement: Building archives through change

The keepers of memory have many homes. Whether your role is as an archivist, community organizer, records manager, researcher, storykeeper, or data curator, we live in many layered places at once. There are the institutional homes where we work as stewards and preservers, where we teach and learn, and where we provide services and consult and collaborate with our communities. We have professional homes embodied by associations, academic programs, collaborative networks, and informal meetups. And this year, much of our work is taking place in our physical homes at kitchen tables, in home offices, and backyards. 

Homes require maintenance if they are to last and continue to meet the needs of those who live in them. They need more than a welcome mat if they are to be truly open to new members. And the idea of home itself needs flexibility when home is not a safe or stable place for everyone. Since this year’s ACA conference will take place virtually from wherever your home may be in June 2021, we ask you to reflect on the improvements we must make to our many homes.

Please review our Call for Submissions infographic for more details.

Deadline: November 16, 2020

Full call, submission details and form: https://archivists.ca/2021 

Questions or concerns? Contact Program.Team@archivists.ca