Colonialism, Computerized

The Canada Land Inventory and the Canada Geographic Information System at Library and Archives Canada

  • Melissa M. Castron

Abstract

This article argues for the incorporation of a transdisciplinary approach to cartographic materials in archives, especially in relation to archival description and preservation. Delving into the theoretical foundations and developments in the fields of archival studies and cartography, it explores the creation of cartographic materials and focuses on their processing by archives (i.e., their appraisal, arrangement, description, and preservation and the means of making them available to archival researchers). The lag between theoretical developments and practical applications is illustrated through the creation and management of the Canada Land Inventory (CLI) and Canada Geographic Information System (CGIS) materials held by Library and Archives Canada. An analysis of the creation and ongoing management of these materials highlights the role of cartography and archives in the formation of Canada as a modern colonial state and in the ongoing dispossession of Indigenous Peoples.

Author Biography

Melissa M. Castron

Melissa M. Castron holds a graduate degree in history (archival studies) from the University of Manitoba. She holds undergraduate degrees in art history and history from Concordia University. She was the 2021 recipient of the Archivaria Gordon Dodds student paper prize, and the Association for Manitoba Archives AMA Thesis of Distinction Award (Fall 2020 – Winter 2021). She currently resides in Montreal, Quebec, where she has worked as a research assistant in archives around the city.

Published
2022-05-23
How to Cite
Castron, Melissa M. 2022. “Colonialism, Computerized: The Canada Land Inventory and the Canada Geographic Information System at Library and Archives Canada”. Archivaria 93 (May), 136-61. https://www.archivaria.ca/index.php/archivaria/article/view/13841.
Section
Gordon Dodds Prize