Dear ACA Members,

We would like to provide an update on the status of the ACA’s strategic plan and, in particular, report on progress toward the development of a Diversity & Inclusion Action plan. 

To provide some context, the strategic plan identifies diversity and inclusion as a key strategic priority based on input from more than 200 members. The term diversity and inclusion (D&I) has been used since the mid-2000s to express a desire for more racial and ethnic representation. It has expanded over time to include LGBTQ2+ representation. Diversity can be quantified with demographic identifiers, such as race, ethnicity, citizenship status, gender, sexuality, ability, religious and spiritual values, age, and education. Inclusion cannot be quantified; it is a sense of belonging that is developed over time.

The ACA is actively exploring strategies for growing diversity and creating a more inclusive association. To this end, the ACA is committed to:

1. Developing a rolling four-year D&I Action Plan that reinforces ACA’s commitment to developing a more diverse and inclusive association; 
2. Discussing frameworks, strategies, initiatives, programs, and actions that ACA could proactively implement to address issues of inclusion, access, diversity, multiculturalism, and regional, national, global and intercultural engagement; 
3. Creating avenues for member and non-member input, feedback, and dialogue on the implementation of the action plan; and 
4. Remaining attuned to national trends, local and community dynamics, uncertain professional futures, broad assessment measures, and reasonable timelines for implementation. 

We have developed a vision statement for the D&I Action Plan:

“The Association of Canadian Archivists is committed to delivering creative, vital, comprehensive and engaging programming for archives and records professionals at all stages of their careers. We promote civility and respect for the dignity and potential of each member. We seek to advance the understanding of diverse perspectives. We value and promote collegial relationships and mutual respect among all members regardless of backgrounds and viewpoints. We acknowledge and seek to address the needs of underrepresented members, particularly Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) and LGBTQ2+, even as we strive to provide access and opportunities for all members in ways that are culturally relevant and responsible.”

In addition, we will be actively seeking members to participate in a standing committee on Diversity and Inclusion this Fall. Please stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

Considering this work, we are also developing a new strategic communication plan that will look at how best ACA can communicate with members and non-members. Presently, members receive communication through direct email, including occasional Bulletins. We are also active on Twitter and Facebook. In addition, the ACA frequently communicates with non-members on this Arcan-L and other archives and records listservs. The strategic plan will consider the appropriateness of these channels to ensure that they align with our own Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

Thank you for your patience with the development of the ACA D&I Action Plan. We remain committed to this important initiative and recognize that real change requires labour, thoughtful discussion, financial investment, and time. 

On behalf of the ACA,

Loryl MacDonald, President

Rebecka Sheffield, Vice President

Jonathan Dorey, Treasurer

Jane Morrison, Secretary

Jennifer Mohan, Director at Large

Luciana Duranti, Director at Large

The ACA Office will be closed from Wednesday August 7th and will open again on the 19th of August. 

The Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) fully supports the Calls for Justice issued by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) in the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released June 3, 2019.

These 231 legal imperatives call upon all governments (federal, provincial, territorial, municipal and Indigenous), institutions, and individuals to acknowledge and maintain a permanent commitment to upholding all human and Indigenous rights instruments to end and redress the identified cycle of genocide and to ensure the rights of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people to culture, health, safety, and justice.

The ACA is committed to working collaboratively with Indigenous heritage organizations to lobby all governments for the resources and permanent funding required to protect and promote the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples to their cultures and languages as protected by Section 35 of the Constitution of Canada.

Furthermore, recognizing the power of archival records, and the responsibility of archivists to ensure no-barrier access for victims to records about themselves as created by state, military, intelligence, and police services, the ACA calls upon all archivists to identify and work to dismantle existing colonial-based archival structures and processes in order to both heed these Calls to Justice and to incorporate the Calls to Action as identified in the Summary of the Final Report of Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. 

Dear Colleagues,

This message is a last-minute reminder to archival educators to submit student papers for consideration for the Dodds Prize.

The Dodds Prize recognizes superior research and writing on an archival topic by a student enrolled in a Master's level archival studies program at a Canadian university.

To be considered, a faculty member or instructor associated with the program must submit the student paper to verify that it was written within the context of an archival studies program between May 1, 2018 and April 30, 2019. Submissions must be received by June 30, 2019.

The submission form and procedures are available at:

https://archivaria.ca/index.php/archivaria/pages/view/archivaria-awards#Dodds-submission<https://archivaria.ca/index.php/archivaria/pages/view/archivaria-awards#Dodds-submission>

Submissions will be judged by the Dodds Prize Adjudication Committee on the quality of their scholarship, creativity and clarity of writing. The Adjudication Committee comprises the General Editor of Archivaria (or delegate), the ACA Board Liaison to Archivaria (or delegate) and two additional ACA members chosen annually by the General Editor. Delegates will be used in cases where a conflict of interest exists.

Winners will receive a certificate, a cash prize, publication of the winning entry in Archivaria and a listing on the ACA website.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact me.

All the best,

Shyla Seller

Managing Editor, Archivaria

The results of our online vote to confirm this year's slate of Board candidates and to consider, Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies, have been submitted to the ACA by HypverVote.

The results are as follows:

Rebecka Sheffield, Vice President: confirmed

Jane Morrison, Secretary: confirmed

Jeremy Heil, Director-at-Large: confirmed

Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies: confirmed

The voter turn-out for this online ballot was 40% of the voting membership. Thank you again for your participation. 

If you have any questions or feedback, please do not hesitate to contact me at the office as we are continuing to work to improve the system and communications.

Sincerely,

Jo McCutcheon, ACA Executive Director