C. Conclusion

Steps To Success

The Task Force has consolidated and prioritized the recommendations from the five research areas into a three-phased implementation strategy entitled "Steps to Success". The following three phases are intended to refine (e.g., further research, analysis, consultation), implement and promulgate the proposed recommendations.

PHASE I: BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION

This phase would expand on the work of the Task Force. It emphasizes the urgent need for continued momentum and visibility on digitization issues; puts in place the necessary steps for action; broadens interdepartmental communication and cooperation and provides for detailed costing and timelines for all Phase I through Phase III recommendations.

Determining Roles, Responsibilities and a Support Structure

To sustain the momentum created by the work of the Task Force and its contribution as a starting point of investigation into issues related to digitization, the Task Force recommends:

striking a small steering committee of senior federal officials, including some members from the Task Force, to oversee and guide the implementation of the Task Force recommendations. The steering committee should take immediate action to identify key players and establish a support structure to undertake the work required to implement the recommendations. While many options are possible for a support structure, the following might be considered:

• establish interdepartmental working groups comprising policy, technical or other appropriate experts that would be responsible for implementing the Task Force recommendations under the general direction of the steering committee;
• continue the secretariat function by retaining the existing Task Force Secretariat or reconstituting a similar body to support the work of the interdepartmental working groups; and
• maintain a permanent Web site for sharing of information on digitization issues and activities, and continuing the dialogue through electronic discussion lists.

Validation of Recommendations

The steering committee would, by appropriate means, undertake the validation of the Task Force’s recommendations with targeted non-governmental stakeholders who are users of government information.

Coordinated Implementation

Successful implementation of the Task Force’s recommendations will require the active participation of federal institutions recognized as having experience and expertise on policy and technical issues surrounding digitization. Particularly necessary would be the participation of the Treasury Board Secretariat, in its commitment to "getting government right," as well as chief information officers across all federal institutions.

Therefore, in close collaboration with the identified key federal institutions and their officials, the steering committee, or its assigned working groups, would:

• develop interim guidelines, particularly in the areas of intellectual property and standards and best practices, to avoid duplication of effort in the implementation of the recommendations, recognizing that digitization activities are occurring across government.

With respect to Accessibility of Digitized Content,

• identify those offices and persons within government that are best equipped to participate in the development of an implementation plan for the Federal Information Policy (Rec 1.1). The Policy would provide the basis to rationalize current legislation and disparate information policies into one comprehensive framework, ensuring that legislation and policy are technologically neutral, where possible, or strengthened to reflect the realities of the digital environment (Rec 1.1 a). Striking ad hoc groups of specialists to further research the 10 components recommended for consideration in the context of the Federal Information Policy will be required (Rec 1.1 a-j). For example, the most immediate component to be dealt with would be to:
  • initiate discussions across federal institutions on the "essential", "key" and "customized" information categories based on the proposed "Access and Remuneration Continuum" (Rec 1.1 b). These discussions would build on the proposed "public good" criteria proposed for the selection of materials for digitization (Rec 2.1).
• initiate studies to determine the needs of disadvantaged and special-needs segments of the Canadian population so that information technologies can be used to enhance access to federal digital information (Rec 1.3 a).
• begin studies to identify means to strengthen the technical infrastructure required by the National Library of Canada and the National Archives of Canada to ensure long-term access to federal digital information (Rec 1.5).

With respect to Selection of Materials for Digitization,

• disseminate to all federal institutions, through appropriate channels, "public good" criteria and other proposal criteria for the selection of materials for digitization. The criteria represent the current understanding of "public good" and can be applied immediately by federal institutions in their selection of materials for digitization (Rec 2.1, 2.3). The criteria would be the basis for accessing the central fund (Rec 5.9).
• initiate research into the costs and benefits of providing digital information to the general population and target user groups by choosing representative digitization projects for objective impact studies (Rec 2.2).

With respect to Common Issues of Intellectual Property,

• identify those offices and persons within government that are best equipped to participate in the development of an administrative policy and guidelines relating to copyright (Rec 3.1). A core component of the policy and guidelines would be a "single window" mechanism for facilitating rights clearance. This mechanism essentially integrates three broad elements reflected in the recommendations: a centralized licensing scheme, model licences to support the centralized licensing scheme (Rec 3.2), and a referral system. These three elements need to develop in tandem if the objectives of the recommendations are to be achieved by the conclusion of Phase III. Implementation of the "single window" would also require that:
  • research be conducted to assess current government practices with respect to copyright licensing.
  • federal institutions be informed of the potential benefits of the "single window" and consulted about their own needs.
  • links be established with knowledgeable parties within government in order to share information on criteria and standards relating to the use of encryption, identifiers and other forms of technological protection.
• monitor and support, throughout the proposed three implementation phases, the progress of ongoing federal initiatives designed to:
  • resolve, in consultation with stakeholders, outstanding copyright issues related to the Information Highway (Rec 3.3).
  • examine, in the context of Phase III of copyright reform, the question of whether the Copyright Act should be amended to set out sanctions against the unlawful tampering or bypassing of any kind of encryption, copyguard or copyright management information (Rec 3.4).
  • resolve, through current domestic and international discussions, the issue of whether some form of protection is desirable for information holdings, such as certain types of databases, that do not benefit from copyright protection (Rec 3.5).
  • further negotiations conducted in international forums concerning the challenges posed to copyright by the transnational character of the Information Highway (Rec 3.6).
  • strengthen and create new programs for raising copyright awareness, both within and outside the government (Rec 3.7).

With respect to Identification of Standards and Best Practices,

• identify an appropriate mechanism to facilitate government-industry sharing of technical and product information and emerging technologies that would encourage interoperability and interconnectivity. The mechanism would essentially be tasked with developing a government knowledge base about new technologies, evaluations, standards and best practices (Rec 4.1).
• once the appropriate mechanism is in place, and with a view to achieving interoperability across government and between federal institutions and the public as well as promoting government-wide economies and efficiencies in the technical infrastructure:
  • explore challenges with respect to document standards across government institutions and then produce a report that provides guidance, procedures, and standards and best practices for records creation in federal institutions (Rec 4.3).
  • initiate research and prepare a report on emerging standards and technologies in the areas of navigation and retrieval of networked information for the effective retrieval of federal digital information by both the government and the public (Rec 4.2).
  • initiate research on preservation practices for digital information in partnership with the National Archives, the National Library and the Department of Canadian Heritage (Rec 4.6).
  • disseminate information and research findings as prepared by the appropriate mechanism and encourage federal institutions to acquire and use standards-based digitization technologies wherever possible, so that acquisitions meet specific and well-defined user requirements (Rec 4.4).

With respect to Funding Strategies for Digital Conversion,

• research, compile and disseminate information on existing funding mechanisms and the Task Force’s recommended funding strategies, through the Web site and other channels deemed appropriate, so that all funding possibilities, including partnership with the private sector and within and between governments, can be effectively utilized by federal institutions (Rec 5.1 to 5.8).
• prepare a proposal for the establishment of a central fund dedicated to digitizing legacy collections (Rec 5.9), including digitization projects whose primary justification is the provision of the "public good" (Rec 2.1).

PHASE II: CREATING THE INFOSTRUCTURE

This phase represents the consolidation and implementation stage for Phase I activities. Building on the foundation and successes of the previous phase and in continued close collaboration with the identified key federal institutions and their officials, the steering committee, or its assigned working group(s), would:

• act on the priorities identified in the implementation plan for the Federal Information Policy (Rec 1.1).
• disseminate results on the studies determining the needs of disadvantaged and special-needs segments of the Canadian population across federal institutions. In addition, begin developing or strengthening existing guidelines for providing digital information that has been adapted for accessibility by disadvantaged and special-needs groups (Rec 1.3 a, b).
• support government-wide initiatives that would identify, locate and allow for a "single window" access to federal information holdings in a digital format (Rec 1.2). The implementation of a single-window approach to rights licensing for copyright (Rec 3.1) and the research into standards and best practices of information technology, particularly in the areas of navigation and retrieval (Rec 4.2), will be integral components of any single-window access initiative. This would also include:
  • initiating discussions for the development of a system of authentication for digital Canadian government information to ensure that users are accessing authentic information (Rec 1.4).

With respect to Selection of Materials for Digitization,

• disseminate throughout government the results of impact studies on the costs and benefits of the provision of digital information to assist in the future selection of materials to be digitized (Rec 2.2).
• based on the results of the impact studies (Rec 2.2), develop recommendations and/or guidelines for federal institutions to support and promote continued work in this area.

With respect to Common Issues of Intellectual Property,

• continue to coordinate implementation of the administrative policy and guidelines dealing with copyright in a digital environment.
• evaluate the progress of ongoing federal copyright initiatives in Canada and in the context of international activities.

With respect to Identification of Standards and Best Practices,

• initiate research, through the mechanism established in Phase I, on licensing of proprietary technologies on reasonable terms so as to promote widespread government interoperability in strategic areas (Rec 4.5).

With respect to Funding Strategies for Digital Conversion,

• have established a central fund dedicated to digitizing legacy collections and digitization projects contributing to the public good. Funding proposals, based on specific criteria, would be accepted for consideration (Rec 5.9).

PHASE III: REALIZING THE DIGITAL CONTRIBUTION

At this stage, the process for implementing digitization initiatives would be well established and augmented by effective horizontal integration, communication and interdepartmental coordination. Phase III represents the platform for effective partnership arrangements, long-term funding, awareness campaigns and mechanisms for ongoing monitoring and evaluation. The following achievements are anticipated, recognizing that work in many of these areas will continue:

Accessibility of Digitized Content

Anticipated Achievements:

• promulgation of the Federal Information Policy.
• adoption of a system of authentication for digitized Canadian government information.
• implementation of means to strengthen the technical infrastructure required by the National Library of Canada and National Archives of Canada for preservation and long-term access to digital information.

Ongoing Work:

• continuing to promote and act on government-wide initiatives that would identify, locate and allow for a single-window access to federal information holdings in a digital format.

Common Issues of Intellectual Property

Anticipated Achievements:

• implementation of the federal administrative policy and guidelines dealing with copyright in a digital environment and, in particular, the single window for streamlining rights licensing.

Identification of Standards and Best Practices

Anticipated Achievements:

• interoperability across government and between federal institutions and the public as a direct result of the increase in the knowledge base of standards and best practices shared throughout the government and the private sector in the areas of document standards, navigation and retrieval, licensing of proprietary technologies, and preservation practices.

Ongoing Work:

• continuing to investigate current problems in information technology to provide guidance on standards and best current practices to achieve interoperability.

Funding Strategies for Digital Conversion

Anticipated Achievements:

• a significant increase in the stock of digital information available to user groups due to increased availability of funding.

Ongoing Work:

• monitoring and evaluating, using existing auditing processes, the funding mechanisms for digital conversion, including the use of the central fund, and improving and adapting the design of these mechanisms if necessary.

Realizing The Potential Of The Digital Contribution

Digitization offers a powerful opportunity to strengthen Canada’s presence on the Information Highway. The digitization of government holdings of information, art, artifacts and scientific collections not only affords Canadians greater access but also provides government with innovative ways to stimulate job creation and economic growth. In a few short years, the Internet has become central to the Information Highway’s evolution and will continue to provide unimagined scope, adaptability and opportunity for future generations. The growth in Internet access continues, estimated at a rate of approximately 50 percent annually (Canadian Internet Survey, Spring 1997, ACNielsen). The benefits of digitization are broad based—increasing young people’s knowledge of Canada’s achievements, offsetting the effect of distance for rural communities, empowering educational programs, promoting health care, and providing new market opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses. Strategic investments in programs such as SchoolNet Digital Collections have already provided many young people with an opportunity to develop the skills and experience necessary to make a smooth and productive entry into the job market.

The transition to the digital environment cannot be ignored. But at the same time, it remains important for the federal government to continue providing information in conventional formats for those Canadians who do not have the technology or skills to access digital content. The application of information and communication technologies must not contribute to widening the gap between the information "haves" and "have nots". For the foreseeable future, the transition to a digital environment must be tempered to ensure the best possible access to government information for all Canadians.

The recommendations in this report are an important starting point in the area of digitization and provide government with a three-phased strategic framework for action. While federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations are increasing their use of information technology (see Annex 1) as a means to disseminate their information holdings, a great deal still remains to be done to ensure that Canada is positioned to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of the digital age. The recommendations clearly outline the steps necessary to realize the full potential of government digitization activities and overcome the obstacles to an enabling environment.

From an international perspective, governments are aggressively making digital information available and accessible on-line. The French government already has a program to digitize heritage information to ensure "cultural democracy". In the United States, the National Information Infrastructure is being designed to provide easier access to government information and improve government procurement, while the Commonwealth Secretariat is actively considering the development of on-line information sharing and mutual assistance among Commonwealth countries.

The members of the Task Force urge the government to maintain its momentum and profile on digitization initiatives to ensure Canada’s successful transition to a knowledge-based economy that also reinforces Canada’s cultural and social values. The time to act is now.