The Rhetoric of Digitization and the Politicization of Canadian Heritage

Canadian heritage institutions are perceived as being used as political instruments of nation-branding to advance a government ideological agenda. Faced with budget reductions and increased federal government oversight, the national library and archives of Canada, titled Library and Archives Canada (LAC), has, in the eyes of stakeholders, abdicated its stewardship role and responsibility for all of the nation’s collections and records to focus on government priorities. Behind what has been described as a “smokescreen” of digitization, a “modernization” approach at LAC has resulted in the loss of expertise, a moratorium on acquisitions, and the elimination of national archival development and interlibrary loan programs. This paper examines the new strategic priorities of LAC with respect to digitization and resource allocation against a failed digital strategy, which has impacted its ability to fulfill its legislated responsibility for acquisition, preservation, and access; explores the ramifications and barriers created by the digital priorities and strategy of LAC for underserved populations, with a focus on Canada’s Indigenous peoples; and concludes with a discussion of the findings and recommendations of the 2014 Royal Society of Canada’s expert panel’s report, The Future Now: Canada’s Libraries, Archives, and Public Memory.