Canadian eview V olume 43, No. 1 “I draw from the source but never exhaust it” A Focus on Parliamentary Libraries 2 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/SUMMER 2019 Although I never knew him, every day under the very conservative Martin Isaac when I walk through the main hallway Wilkins. He must have held his mentor of Province House in Nova Scotia, I in high regard; not only did he change can greet my great-great-grandfather his political stripes, but he also married James McDonald. He served as the Wilkins’ stepdaughter. Moreover, he federal Minister of Justice and features disregarded highland Scot tradition prominently in a composite photograph and named his first-born son after his commemorating the 1878 installation father-in-law instead of his father. of the Marquis of Lorne as Governor James successfully stood for election in General of Canada. In another room, he’s 1863 as a Liberal Conservative and was featured with another of my great-great- appointed the Railway Commissioner grandfathers, Samuel Leonard Shannon. in Charles Tupper’s government. James fought for the government to build a James McDonald was born in Bridgeville, railway from Truro to Pictou; he did Pictou County, Nova Scotia in 1828 win that fight, but only after he became to a poor Scottish farming family. In the financial secretary in 1864 and beginning his legal career, James articled appropriated the necessary funds. 2 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/SUMMER 2019 Continuted on page 16 Francesco Bellomo The Canadian Parliamentary Review was founded in 1978 to inform Canadian legislators about activities of the federal, provincial and territorial branches of the Canadian Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and to promote the study of and interest in Canadian parliamentary institutions. Contributions from legislators, former members, staff and all other persons interested in the objectives of the Review are welcome. The Review is published for the Canadian Region, CPA. Any opinions expressed are those of individual contributors and should not be attributed to any Branch of the Canadian Region. Editor Will Stos Layout Frank Piekielko Production Team Albert Besteman Claudette Henry Tiffany Ribeiro Legislative and Parliamentary Libraries in Canada: Kim Dean Bryony Livingston Wendy Reynolds Two Hundred Years of Service, Support and Yasuko Enosawa Joanne McNair Information Vicki Whitmell and Sarah Goodyear.....................................3 Editorial Board Parliamentary Libraries, Trusted Allies in the Fight François Arsenault (Chair) Against Fake News Charles Robert (Deputy Chair) Carolyne Ménard ..................................................................8 Blair Armitage Tonia Grannum Heather Lank Controlling the language used to describe the topics Shannon Dean Kim Hammond Kate Ryan-Lloyd raised in the Parliament of Canada: A political and Neil Ferguson Linda Kolody Michel Patrice linguistic challenge Danielle Labonté Alexandre Fortier...............................................................13 Research Librarians at the Library of Parliament Subscriptions Michael Dewing and Meghan Laidlaw...............................17 Four (4) issues in English or French Canada $40.00 - International $75.00 Parliamentarians Discuss Parliamentary Libraries Four (4) issues in English and French Shane Getson, MLA, Liz Hanson, MLA, Nathan Neudorf, Canada International $75.00 - $125.00 MLA and Kevin O’Reilly, MLA .............................................22 Cheques should be made payable to: Canadian Parliamentary Review Legislative Libraries in a Consensus Government: Familiarity within the Distinct Contact Gerry Burla and Riel Gallant ..............................................27 Canadian Parliamentary Review c/o Ontario Legislative Library Specialized Resources for Parliamentary Libraries Queen’s Park Heather Close and Andrea Hyde ........................................30 Toronto, ON M7A 1A9 E-Mail: [email protected] Treasures of the Library of Parliament Web: http://www.revparlcan.ca (New) Lane Lamb, Janet Bennet, Josée Gagnon, and http://www.revparl.ca Dominique Parent ...............................................................32 Editor: (416) 325-0231 CPA Activities ....................................................................39 Fax: (416) 325-3505 E-Mail: [email protected] Parliamentary Bookshelf: Reviews............................42 Legal Deposit: New and Notable Titles ..................................................44 National Library of Canada ISSN 0229-2548 Legislative Reports ..........................................................46 Cette revue est aussi disponible en français Sarah Ramsland: Pioneer in Politics and Library Service Melissa K. Bennett ..............................................................72 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/SPRING 2020 1 Letter from the Editor A Focus on Parliamentary Libraries In an age when information is at your finger tips, Remaining in the North, Gerry Burla and Riel when answers to a query are a quick Google search Gallant offer an explanation of how the two territories, away, and when the number of print publications and that use a consensus form of government, use their the need for physical copies of books is in decline, small legislative libraries and reading rooms. should we be asking the question: whither the library? Heather Close and Andrea Hyde detail some In this theme issue on parliamentary libraries, of the specialized resources available in Alberta the Canadian Parliamentary Review provides some and Newfoundland and Labrador’s parliamentary answers, and finds that while their role has shifted over libraries, respectively. the years, parliamentary libraries remain an important resource for the people and institutions they serve. And, Lane Lamb, Janet Bennett, Josée Gagnon, and Dominique Parent share some of the treasures held by In their historical review, Vicki Whitmell and Sarah the Library of Parliament. Goodyear trace the development of parliamentary libraries from often humble beginnings to their present Finally, two of our regular features (Parliamentary state. They note how the Association of Parliamentary Relatives and the Sketches column) highlight subjects Libraries in Canada (APLIC) has permitted the with connections to parliamentary libraries. country’s parliamentary libraries to work together to identify and share best practices, and monitor I would like to thank APLIC, and especially CPR emerging technology and trends. editorial board member Kim Hammond, for their work and co-operation in developing such a robust Carolyne Ménard explains that, as stewards of theme issue. objectivity and truth for their clients, parliamentary libraries have been combatting fake news long before Will Stos, Editor that term hit the headlines. She defines the concept and outlines current steps to help clients assess the quality and reliability of sources. Noting the political and linguistic challenges of navigating bilingualism in the federal parliament, Alexandre Fortier outlines the Library of Parliament Subject Taxonomy. He discusses two challenges related to its development: language neutrality and the interlinguistic equivalence of concepts between English and French. Michael Dewing and Meghan Laidlaw explore how the role of research librarians has expanded to allow them to become subject matter experts who help clients requiring context and analysis in specialized areas. In a modified roundtable, we ask some parliamentarians why and how they use their legislative libraries – or, in the case of one of Yukon’s MLAs, what she does in the absence of one. 2 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/SPRING 2020 Feature Legislative and Parliamentary Libraries in Canada: Two Hundred Years of Service, Support and Information Legislative and parliamentary libraries have come a long way from their humble (and sometimes informal) beginnings. In this article, the authors trace their history, outline their roles and functions, discuss some challenges they face, and look to future development. While each legislative and parliamentary library is unique, reflecting local needs and histories, they also share common responsibilities to parliamentarians and legislative staff as they do the work of parliamentary democracy. The authors note how the founding of the Association of Parliamentary Libraries in Canada/L’Association des bibliothécaires parlementaires du Canada (APLIC/ABPAC) has permitted the country’s parliamentary libraries to work together to identify and share best practices. They conclude by suggesting that these libraries will continue to monitor trends, evolve and adapt to new technology as they look to the future. Vicki Whitmell and Sarah Goodyear Background and History serve the US Congress. Today in Canada all provinces and territories (except Yukon) have a legislative The early growth of legislative and parliamentary library and the federal parliament has the Library libraries1 in Canada from the late 1700s to the early of Parliament. As our timeline shows, each library’s 1900s mirrors the development of legislative libraries individual history parallels the political maturation of in other western-style democracies. Designed to their jurisdiction and their entry into Confederation. support and inform Members as they make policy, debate, pass legislation, oversee the government, It seems fitting that the first legislative library in and serve their constituents; these libraries continue Canada was in Prince Edward Island, the location of to provide specialized and innovative