The Dominion Drama Festival was an organisation in Canada that sought to promote amateur theatre across the country. It lasted, in one form or another, from 1932 until 1978.
58-489: The Dominion Drama Festival (DDF) was devised in 1932 as a way to promote the theatre that was being created in Canada. It was an annual event held each spring in a different city across the country. It would begin with small competitions in various parts of Canada, whichever were chosen from these regional competitions, judged by a travelling adjudicator, would move on to compete in the national festival. To be as fair as possible,
116-670: A Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in the 1919 New Year Honours List. After the death of his father on 1 December 1920, he succeeded to the Irish earldom of Bessborough , requiring him to resign his seat in the House of Commons and enter the House of Lords . On 17 December, he applied to be Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern . The Earl had
174-649: A 23-page code of conduct for employees effective January 2013, which "spells out values, potential conflicts of interest and expected behaviours", has been criticized by the Association of Canadian Archivists and the Canadian Association of University Teachers among others. The code describes personal activities including teaching and speaking at or attending conferences as "high risk" activities "with regard to conflict of interest, conflict of duties and duty of loyalty" and participation in such activities
232-442: A bilingual mandate and fostering the writing of original plays and providing coast-to-coast training for hundreds of career-oriented actors, directors and technicians. However, it also fostered a conservative approach to theatre, favouring productions of foreign plays and discouraging the participation of politically or socially disruptive plays. But this also led to remarkable standards, and attracted loyal and fashionable audiences. By
290-457: A collaborative institution that works to stregnthen Canada's documentary heritage; a learning destsination; and an institution in government information management. LAC's modernization policy provides for transformation from an institution focused on the acquisition and preservation of analogue (non-digital) materials to one that excels in digital access and digital preservation . A Documentary Heritage Management Framework developed in 2009 seeks
348-631: A new facility to be built next to the existing one in Gatineau were starting, with an opening date in 2022. LAC's online collection is accessible via its website and LAC provides ongoing information online via its blog , podcasts , the Twitter and Facebook social networking services , the Flickr image-sharing site , and the YouTube video-sharing site . RSS feeds provide links to new content on
406-474: A particularly harmful decision. Bibliophile blogger Nigel Beale characterizes LAC as "Canada's national disgrace" in his blog Literary Tourist . Academic Ian Milligan describes LAC's "rhetoric of modernization" as a "smokescreen" for cutting services in light of the insignificance of and limited accessibility to LAC's online collections on the ActiveHistory.ca website. Historian Valerie Knowles outlines
464-501: A regional contest was held in 11 divisions to elect finalists to be part in the national final contest. The divisions were; Nova Scotia and PEI, New-Brunswick, Eastern Quebec, Western Quebec, Eastern Ontario, Western Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta and British-Columbia. Registration cost was $ 20 per company. Each regional finalist would also win a grant; $ 150 for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, $ 200 for Manitoba, $ 300 for Alberta, $ 350 for Saskatchewan, $ 400 for British-Columbia. After
522-421: A separate judge would preside over the festival at the national level. Prizes were awarded for the best performance of a full-length play in either English or French, for best director, visual presentation, best actor and best actress. Prizes were also awarded at the regional level, including best presentation of a play written by a Canadian. One of the founding members was Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough ,
580-568: A successful business career, holding directorships in several large commercial firms, including acting as head of both the São Paulo Railway and the Margarine Union , as well as deputy chairman of De Beers Consolidated Mines. On 8 April 1925 his ten-year old second son, D. N. Ponsonby, was thrown from a horse and killed while riding at Stansted Park. It was announced in early 1931 that King George V had, by commission under
638-447: Is available online , primarily books, Canadian theses, and census material—equating to around 5 thousand terabytes of information in electronic format. Many items have not been digitized and are only available in physical form. As of May 2013, only about 1% of the collection had been digitized, representing "about 25 million of the more popular and most fragile items." Since its inception, LAC has reported to Parliament through
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#1732797604114696-444: Is subject to strict conditions. In a section on duty of loyalty, it also cautions employees about expressing personal opinions in social media forums. Only authorized LAC spokespersons may issue statements or make public comments about LAC's mandate and activities, which includes controversial changes related to modernization and budget cuts. Changes introduced under the management of Ian E. Wilson and Daniel J. Caron have been
754-581: Is the main physical location where the public may access the collection in person. The building was officially opened on June 20, 1967. With the de-emphasis on physical visits, in-person services have been curtailed—for example, since April 2012, reference services are by appointment only—and the role of this building is decreasing. There are also administrative offices in Gatineau, Quebec , and preservation and storage facilities throughout Canada for federal government records. The Preservation Centre in
812-708: The Canadian Library Association expressed concern about budget cuts to libraries, both in federal departments and at LAC. In August 2012, the Bibliographical Society of Canada wrote to every Member of Parliament urging them to ensure budget cuts do not compromise LAC's legislated mandate. In a follow-up letter to Heritage Minister James Moore in November 2012, the Society singled out the termination of interlibrary loans as
870-521: The Governor General of Canada , who announced its creation at a ceremony at Rideau Hall . Other notable founding members included the heiress Martha Allan , along with playwright Herman Voaden , Vincent Massey , and Rupert Harvey , a British actor-director who became the Festival’s first adjudicator. Adjudicators were required to be bilingual, and from either Britain or France until after
928-560: The House of Lords . In 1931 he was appointed as Governor-General by King George V , on the recommendation of British prime minister Ramsay MacDonald , to replace The Earl of Willingdon as viceroy . He occupied the post until succeeded by the Lord Tweedsmuir in 1935. Lord Bessborough is remembered for promoting new communication technologies as well as giving support to Canadians during the Great Depression . After
986-488: The Minister of Canadian Heritage . LAC's stated mandate is: LAC is expected to maintain "effective recordkeeping practices that ensure transparency and accountability". The Librarian and Archivist of Canada has the same seniority level as a deputy minister of a federal department. On May 27, 2019, Leslie Weir was appointed Librarian and Archivist of Canada for a four-year term commencing August 30, 2019. Weir
1044-708: The National Archives of Canada in 1987. In 2004, the National Archives of Canada and the National Library of Canada were merged to form Library and Archives Canada. The Dominion Archives was founded in 1872 as a division within the Department of Agriculture tasked with acquiring and transcribing documents related to Canadian history . In 1912, the division was transformed into an autonomous organization, Public Archives of Canada, with
1102-628: The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada named it one of the top 500 buildings constructed in Canada during the last millennium. A Nitrate Film Preservation Facility on the Communications Research Centre campus in Shirleys Bay , on the outskirts of Ottawa, houses Canada's cellulose nitrate film collection. The collection contains 5,575 film reels dating back to 1912, including some of
1160-667: The Second World War . The first DDF was naturally held in Ottawa in April 1933 on Shakespeare ’s birthday, with companies from eight provinces presenting one-act plays and excerpts from full-length plays. The first 5 festivals (Apr 1933-37) were held in Ottawa, after which they rotated among different cities. The DDF played a role in the construction of a national identity and a national theatre, through its insistence on retaining
1218-1000: The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Joinet-Orentlicher principles, as related to Aboriginal peoples ' inalienable right to know the truth about what happened and why, with regard to human rights violations committed against them in the residential schools ; ensure that its record holding related to residential schools are accessible to the public; [and] commit more resources to its public education materials and programming on residential schools. Library and Archives Canada has begun to address these concerns by dedicating funding to hire Indigenous archivists, build relationships with Indigenous communities, and support digitization efforts. However, Indigenous-led organizations have drawn attention to
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#17327976041141276-497: The Welland Canal the same year. The Governor General welcomed many foreign dignitaries, including Prince Takamatsu and his wife, Princess Takamatsu ; King Rama VII of Siam and his consort, Queen Ramphaiphanni ; and Winston Churchill , then a British Member of Parliament. Several technological firsts took place during Bessborough's tenure: his installation ceremony was the first to be broadcast by radio; in 1932, from
1334-667: The documentary heritage of Canada . The national archive and library is the 16th largest library in the world . The LAC reports to the Parliament of Canada through the Minister of Canadian Heritage . LAC traces its origins to the Dominion Archives , formed in 1872, and the National Library of Canada , formed in 1953. The former was later renamed as the Public Archives of Canada in 1912, and
1392-475: The royal sign-manual and signet , appointed Lord Bessborough as his representative. The appointment was made on the recommendation of British prime minister Ramsay MacDonald , with input from Prime Minister of Canada Richard Bennett . It came as somewhat of a surprise, as Bessborough was the only businessman to have ever been appointed Governor General. After being admitted into the Privy Council of
1450-478: The 1950s, the social aspects of the annual competition had almost eclipsed the plays, with balls and receptions, and dinner parties in formal attire. The DDF was suspended during the Second World War and once it was resumed following the war, the development of professional theatres began to challenge the primacy of the DDF in the theatre culture of Canada. Professional actors no longer worked in amateur productions, and
1508-622: The Governor General's study at Rideau Hall , he inaugurated the first trans-Canada telephone line by calling each of the lieutenant governors ; and, as Governor-in-Council , he created the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (the CBC). Lord Bessborough was also the first Canadian viceroy to fly the new standard dedicated to that office , created in 1931. Bessborough's time as Governor General coincided with
1566-694: The King's Silver Jubilee celebrations in May 1935. During the celebrations, he launched the King's Jubilee Cancer Fund with a radio broadcast from Rideau Hall. Also, he initiated a campaign to increase the membership of the Scouts . However, the most prominent mark that Bessborough left in Canada was the Dominion Drama Festival . He developed the festival with the assistance of future Governor-General Vincent Massey and Henry C. Osborne . The festival
1624-456: The LAC website and news about LAC services and resources. A new modernized website is being developed and is scheduled for completion in 2013, with both new and old websites accessible during the transition period. The Library and Archives of Canada's holdings include: Notable items in the collection include: LAC also houses more than a petabyte of digital content . Some of this content
1682-825: The MP for Dover . When the First World War broke out and, while retaining his parliamentary seat, Lord Duncannon joined the army . He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry . On 11 November 1914, he transferred to the Suffolk Hussars (both units were part of the Territorial Force and were sent into action overseas), where he was later appointed captain and promoted to acting major . He served at Gallipoli in 1915 and, from 1916 to 1918, on
1740-535: The National Archival Development Program abruptly terminated by LAC following the 2012 federal funding cut. Following Caron's resignation in May 2013, a stakeholder coalition issued a joint statement on the qualities of a successful Librarian and Archivist of Canada for official consideration in what they consider a "matter of great national significance": A broad coalition of Canadian stakeholder organizations has developed
1798-515: The United Kingdom on 20 March 1931, Lord Bessborough travelled to Canada and was sworn in as Governor General on 4 April, amid the Great Depression . In his travels around Canada, Bessborough witnessed the struggles of Canadians during the depression. He praised their tenacity. In Shawbridge, Quebec , he stated in a speech: "There is nothing more encouraging and cheering than the calm steady way Canadians have pursued their daily tasks during
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1856-517: The United Kingdom. In 1956, the Earl returned once more to Canada, staying at Rideau Hall as a guest of the then-Governor General, Vincent Massey . He died the following year at the country house he purchased in 1924, Stansted House . Library and Archives Canada Library and Archives Canada ( LAC ; French : Bibliothèque et Archives Canada ) is the federal institution tasked with acquiring, preserving, and providing accessibility to
1914-439: The city centre of Gatineau, about 10 kilometres away from the Ottawa headquarters, was designed to provide a safe environment for the long-term storage and preservation of Canada's valuable collections. It was built at a cost of CDN$ 107 million, and the official opening took place on June 4, 1997. It is a unique building containing 48 climate-controlled preservation vaults and state-of-the-art preservation laboratories. In 2000,
1972-886: The collapse of Theatre Canada, Canada's amateur theatre was represented, both in Canada and internationally, by the National Multicultural Theatre Association (1975–1987). 1. Herbert Whittaker, The Oxford Companion to Canadian Theatre. Toronto: Oxford, 1989. 2. Betty Lee. Love and Whiskey: The Story of the Dominion Drama Festival. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1973. The Dominion Drama Festival - Theatre Canada fonds (R5415) at Library and Archives Canada Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough , GCMG , KStJ , PC (27 October 1880 – 10 March 1956),
2030-516: The commission in a timely and comprehensive manner and was ordered by an Ontario Superior Court judge to do so. Ultimately, LAC did provide the records, but many were not in digitized and searchable formats as required by the commission. The Calls to Action of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission explicitly referenced Library and Archives Canada as follows: We call upon Library and Archives Canada to: fully adopt and implement
2088-522: The decline in LAC services since 2004 has been compiled by the Ex Libris Association. Following the announcement in the 2012 federal budget of a CDN$ 9.6 million funding cut over the three years commencing in 2012–13, more than 400 LAC employees received notices which indicated their jobs may be affected and the department announced a 20% reduction of its workforce of about 1,100 over the following three years. The "harsh" wording of
2146-653: The demands of providing increased public access to the irreplaceable treasures of Canadian documentary heritage. In June 2013 the Heritage Minister said speeding up the digitization of records will be a priority for the new Librarian and Archivist of Canada. Moore also said he will ask the person appointed to revisit the termination of the National Archival Development Program. During the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission , Library and Archives Canada initially failed to produce records requested by
2204-545: The difficult period with a supreme faith in the destiny of their country". As a sign of his sympathy with the majority of the populace, he gave up 10% of his salary. Despite the economic situation, Canada was gaining international stature, and Lord Bessborough acted as host to the leaders who, in July 1932, converged on Ottawa for the Imperial Economic Conference . He also presided over the opening of
2262-696: The end of his viceregal tenure, he returned to London, where he continued in business and worked with the Dominions Office and the Foreign Office before his death in March 1956. The 9th Lord Bessborough was the last Earl of Bessborough to own Bessborough House , the Ponsonby family's ancestral seat near the village of Piltown in the south of County Kilkenny in Ireland. The country house
2320-585: The fact that Indigenous communities have been conducting this type of work for decades. LAC also holds and provides access to archival copies of the websites of organizations related to the TRC, in collaboration with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation , the University of Winnipeg Library, and University of Manitoba Libraries. The building at 395 Wellington Street in downtown Ottawa
2378-492: The finals as well. There was a massive success with the All Canadian Festival during centennial year, but this didn't help with the DDF's growing debt. In 1970 the DDF was renamed Theatre Canada, showcasing amateur productions without the element of competition, but, these fringe-like innovations were cancelled in 1973 for financial reasons. By 1978 the Ottawa office had closed, and with it the DDF. As of 1937,
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2436-414: The first Canadian motion pictures and photographic negatives. The film material is highly sensitive and requires precise temperatures for its preservation. The state-of-the-art facility, which was officially opened on June 21, 2011, is an eco-designed building featuring an environmentally friendly roof that provides better insulation and minimizes energy expenditures. A planned key activity for 2013–14
2494-503: The following list of qualities we believe the Librarian and Archivist of Canada should have in order to be successful in this critical position of public trust and responsibility. We believe it is essential that the person appointed to this position at this time possess the necessary qualities to meet the tremendous challenges of dealing with the complex issues of the digital environment in an era of limited financial and human resources and
2552-497: The functions of the National Archives of Canada and the National Library of Canada were combined to form Library and Archives Canada. LAC was established per the Library and Archives of Canada Act (Bill C-8), proclaimed on April 22, 2004, with a subsequent Order-in-Council on May 21, which formally united the collections, services, and personnel of the National Archives of Canada and the National Library of Canada. Wilson assumed
2610-428: The impact of government cutbacks at LAC and federal government libraries in her article "Closing doors on Canada's history" on the iPolitics website. On May 31, 2012, the Association of Canadian Archivists announced its withdrawal from forums of LAC's Pan-Canadian Documentary Heritage Network, stating that it does not believe the network can meet the needs and interests of archives across Canada previously met by
2668-818: The military staff in France. During his wartime service, he was mentioned in dispatches , awarded the Croix de chevalier of the French Legion of Honour , and appointed to the Italian Order of St Maurice and St Lazarus , the Belgian Order of Leopold II , Greece's Order of the Redeemer , as well as a Third Class Member of the Russian Order of St Anna . After the war, Lord Duncannon was appointed
2726-448: The new responsibility of managing government documents on all types of media . The organization would be renamed in 1987 as the National Archives of Canada. With the efforts of people like Freda Farrell Waldon , the first president of the Canadian Library Association , the National Library of Canada was founded in 1953. In 2004, under the initiative of former National Librarian Roch Carrier and National Archivist Ian E. Wilson ,
2784-494: The newly formed Canada Council , which was started in 1957, funded only professional involvement. Recurring financial problems necessitated the controversial patronage of Calvert's Distillers (1952–60) and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (1961–65), which in turn allowed an Ottawa office and the hiring of a permanent director. From 1960 Canadians were engaged to adjudicate preliminary runoffs and, after 1965,
2842-469: The position as the first Librarian and Archivist of Canada in July that year. In June 2004, LAC issued a discussion paper titled Creating a New Kind of Knowledge Institution ; after consultation in June 2006, it issued LAC Directions for Change , a document setting out five key directions to define the new institution, including being a new kind of knowledge institution; becoming a truly national institution,
2900-526: The right balance between resources dedicated to analogue and digital materials and is based on: Eight pilot research projects were initiated to validate the framework, including projects on military documentary heritage, aboriginal documentary heritage, and stewardship of newspapers in a digital age. In March 2010 LAC issued its final report on Canadian Digital Information Strategy stakeholder consultations initiated in accordance with its mandate to facilitate co-operation among Canadian knowledge communities. In
2958-578: The same month it issued Shaping Our Continuing Memory Collectively: A Representative Documentary Heritage , a document which outlines how it plans to achieve its modernization objectives. Despite LAC's stated objectives of continuing to fulfill its mandate by adapting to changes in the information environment and collaboration with others, the actual experience since 2004 has been a reduction in both services and collaboration. Federal funding cuts since 2004 have also impacted on LAC services and acquisitions. A detailed timeline of relevant developments and
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#17327976041143016-479: The subject of controversy and public criticism. Caron asserted that radical change is needed to cope with the influx and demand for digital material and they are subject to federal budget constraints. Several individuals and organizations voiced concerns about these changes. In 2011, the Canadian Association of University Teachers launched the Save Library & Archives Canada campaign. On May 2, 2012,
3074-707: The young Viscount Duncannon (as he then was) entered politics, being elected to a seat on the London County Council . He remained at that post until running in the January 1910 general election and winning a seat in the British House of Commons as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cheltenham . He lost that seat in the election of 19 December that same year , but re-entered the Commons in 1913 as
3132-524: Was a great-uncle of Sir Winston Churchill . Ponsonby attended Harrow School before going up to Trinity College, Cambridge , in 1898, graduating three years later with a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1903, he began a career in law, being called to the Bar at the Inner Temple . After his father succeeded as Earl of Bessborough in 1906, Ponsonby used the courtesy title of Viscount Duncannon . In 1907,
3190-680: Was an Anglo-Irish businessman and politician who served as Governor General of Canada , the fourteenth since Canadian Confederation . Born and educated in England into ' the Ascendancy ', the Anglo-Irish aristocracy, he graduated with a law degree from Cambridge University . In 1910 he became a member of the London County Council as a member of the British House of Commons . Upon the death of his grandfather ten years later, Ponsonby succeeded as Earl of Bessborough and took his seat in
3248-399: Was first held in April 1933 and awarded the Bessborough Trophy to the best amateur theatrical company in the country. After life in Canada, Lord Bessborough returned to London and his businesses. His activities were not all business related. During the Second World War , Bessborough helped establish a department in the British Foreign Office dedicated to the welfare of French refugees in
3306-494: Was primarily built in the 1740s for the 1st Earl . It was gutted by fire during the Irish Civil War in February 1923. The 9th Lord Bessborough had the house rebuilt in the late 1920s. However, he sold the house in the late 1930s as he primarily lived in Britain . The house now forms the central part of Kildalton Agricultural College. Ponsonby was born in London, the first son and third child of Edward, 8th Earl of Bessborough , and his wife, Blanche. Her father, Sir Josiah Guest ,
3364-445: Was to rehouse analogue (non-digital) information resources in a new state-of-the-art high-density storage facility in Gatineau, where the national newspaper collection and records of Second World War veterans will be stored. The facility will feature a high bay metal shelving system with a suitable environment to better protect Canada's published heritage. In January 2019, Library and Archives Canada announced that negotiations for
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