Canada risks losing its history
Canada's historical records face significant challenges due to inadequate digital management and preservation. The current archival system lacks the necessary resources to handle the growing volume of electronic records, raising concerns about the completeness and accessibility of these documents. Without proper oversight, the risk of losing vital aspects of Canadian history increases.
- ▪The Saskatchewan Archives Board was established in 1945 to preserve official records after a significant document purge by the Liberal government.
- ▪Today, Canada faces critical archival challenges as government departments produce vast amounts of digital information without guarantees of future accessibility.
- ▪Library and Archives Canada is proposing staff cuts that will lead to longer wait times for access requests, further complicating transparency and accountability.
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Open this photo in gallery:Boxes of documents at Library and Archives Canada's consultation room in Ottawa in June, 2025.Justin Tang/The Globe and MailShareSave for laterPlease log in to bookmark this story.Log InCreate Free AccountBill Waiser is a Saskatoon-based historian. There were bonfires behind the Saskatchewan Legislature on the night of June 15, 1944. Earlier that day, the upstart Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Party had stormed to victory in the provincial election, and the defeated Liberal government responded by destroying papers and files in burning barrels.
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