Editorial Policy
Guiding Policies Editorial Advisory Committee Links Selection Culture.ca FeaturesGuiding Policies
Policy Objective
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines that will allow the presentation of balanced, diverse and relevant content to the Culture.ca audience in both official languages.Policy Scope
This policy applies to all content created by or for the Culture.ca site. Links held in the Culture.ca links collection are selected in accordance to our Links Selection Criteria. Guidelines were also developed for using links in any of Culture.ca’s features including Featured Sites, At a Glances, Showcases, Viewpoints, Polls and Blogs, Etc.Canada's Cultural Gateway
Culture.ca, Canada’s cultural gateway, is a Web initiative developed by the eServices Branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage in collaboration with partners from the public and private sectors. Its purpose is to provide free access to broadly based information on Canada’s culture and diversity that all Canadians, as well as Web surfers from around the world, can explore and share at their convenience. Culture.ca serves anyone who wants to discover new facets of Canadian culture; it seeks to foster the learning and sharing of information about cultural achievements and initiatives in Canada.Editorial Process
For both the creation of content and the selection of links for its database, Culture.ca uses a 'deferred publishing' approach. This means that content that is suggested to be included and/or created for the Culture.ca gateway is often vetted beforehand by trusted partners who have agreements with Culture.ca. For example, before a Web site link is included in the Culture.ca database it first must be evaluated by the experts at Library and Archives Canada, who review the site according to a series of criteria. In addition, many individual showcases have been created in tandem with trusted partners and subject matter experts who have supplied the content. Overall, the selection of resources and the creation of content for Culture.ca is, to the extent possible, based on fact, careful analysis, and the needs of the Culture.ca target audiences.Official Languages
As a matter of policy, all content created by Culture.ca must provide a balanced representation of content in both official languages. All features and site content available to one linguistic group must be made available in the other language. Featured sites and other Culture.ca content offerings such as “At a Glance” may not always be exactly similar in both official language, however, Culture.ca strives to provide a balanced representation of sites in both official languages, according to what content is available on the Internet (also see Important Notices).Information Accuracy and Reliability
Culture.ca is committed to correcting any errors of fact or interpretation that stem from decisions or actions of the editorial staff or contributing partners. Information provided by Culture.ca is believed to be reliable when posted. Culture.ca is not responsible for the quality, completeness and accuracy of content appearing on third party Web sites. Culture.ca assumes no obligation to update the information on further developments concerning topics mentioned on third party Web sites. Information provided may be changed without notice.Intellectual Property
Prior to be added to the Culture.ca database, every new Web resource/link must have been described according to the Dublin core standard. There are five mandatory elements to be included in those descriptions: 'Creator', 'Title', 'Language of resource', 'Date', and 'Subject'. Other standards will be researched and implemented as necessary. This challenge of coupling Internet technologies with sound human judgment, in a manner that is both open and professionally sound, is at the core of Culture.ca’s editorial process.Metadata Standards
Prior to be added to the Culture.ca database, every new Web resource/link must have been described according to the Dublin core standard. There are five mandatory elements to be included in those descriptions: 'Creator', 'Title', 'Language of resource', 'Date', and 'Subject'. Other standards will be researched and implemented as necessary. This challenge of coupling Internet technologies with sound human judgment, in a manner that is both open and professionally sound, is at the core of Culture.ca’s editorial process.Disclaimer
The views expressed in content appearing on Culture.ca (i.e. showcases, featured sites, suggested links, testimonials, and others) are entirely those of the originators, and should not be attributed in any manner to Culture.ca, eServices Branch, the Department of Canadian Heritage or Library and Archives Canada. At the same time, partners in the Culture.ca gateway recognize that divergent opinions and interpretations are legitimate and important components in presenting a country’s culture and heritage. Culture.ca cannot guarantee the accuracy or reliability of information drawn from third party Web sites, links or resource communities, and assumes no responsibility for the timeliness or validity of the information derived from them.Relevant Government of Canada Policy Reference Documents
Official Languages Act (esp. Part IV) Canadian Multiculturalism Act Communications Policy of the Government of Canada Treasury Board Common Look and Feel Guidelines for Collaborative ArrangementsEditorial Advisory Committee (EAC)
The Culture.ca Editorial Advisory Committee provides Culture.ca with advice and also makes recommendations on various questions and issues related to Culture.ca’s content management, site design and navigation, editorial policies, publication standards, and content partnership structuring. The Editorial Advisory Committee fully subscribes to the Canadian Culture Online Strategy that aims to:- Support the creation of content that is reflective of Canada’s diversity, including a balance of content in both official languages;
- Ensure that the content developed is consistent with commonly used standards associated with the Internet;
- Ensure that copyrights can be respected in the online environment, while facilitating the creation and use of content;
- Encourage the development of a strong, vibrant Canadian new media industry; and
- Foster applied research and development in the area of interactive digital cultural content.
The Editorial Advisory Committee is to contribute to the dissemination strategy and the development of content management, editorial policies, publication standards, and content partnership structuring by playing an active role in (but not limited to) the following:
- Examining and proposing ways to enhance participation to promote the highest possible quality of content;
- Ensuring that Culture.ca maintains editorial independence;
- Verifying that Culture.ca serves all Canadians in an open, transparent, timely, relevant, and effective manner;
- Contributing to the dissemination strategy and in the development of Culture.ca policies, selection guidelines, and services offered;
- Providing suggestions and advice on the selection of thematic showcases, featured sites, and individuals to be interviewed for the Viewpoints section of the Gateway; and
- Offering advice on the design and navigation features of the Gateway.
Culture.ca provides secretariat support to the EAC.
Audience evaluation
The EAC explores ways to ensure Culture.ca has a clear understanding of the particular needs of various segments of the Canadian population, including youth and aboriginal communities. Careful analysis of Culture.ca user statistics, feedback messages sent to Culture.ca, survey results, and other consultations with end-users help to ensure content is selected or developed with the user in mind..
Composition
Culture.ca appoints EAC members. As much as possible, the Editorial Advisory Committee is composed of individuals from across Canada who are representative of both of Canada's linguistic communities, users (e.g., youth, teachers, researchers), content providers (e.g., public institutions, private sector, non-governmental agencies) and communities (e.g., Aboriginal people) and who have specialized knowledge or expertise in the fields of culture and are aware of the possibilities offered by new technologies.
Note: From time to time, the EAC and the Culture.ca Content Team may also seek additional advice from Canadian and international experts in online content development.
Culture.ca Links Selection Criteria
Anyone from members of the general public to trusted partners can submit link and Web site suggestions to Culture.ca. Link suggestions are then subject to prior review by the experts of Library and Archives Canada who assess if the site meets the established selection criteria and determines if the site should be included in the Culture.ca link database. Please note: Culture.ca is under no obligation to link to any site, or to accept the contribution of any individual or organization. Links and resources are periodically checked for suitability. The selection of resources for inclusion in the Culture.ca links collection is necessarily a subjective one.Broadly, in selecting links for the Gateway, selectors are encouraged to seek out sites that are:
- Canadian: preferably unique, distinctive, interesting, and relating to Canadian cultural life in the broadest sense, and if possible, having a national scope or significance;
- Authoritative: sites created by an organization or an individual that is clearly identified and that provides sufficient confidence of qualification for publishing information about the topic(s) covered by the site;
- Informational and educational;
- Are well-maintained and demonstrate a certain level of quality (i.e. complete, valid, accurate, comprehensive), and
- Are considered useful for Culture.ca’s intended audience.
To be specifically excluded:
- Links by Canadians and/or originating in Canada, but not about Canada (e.g. a Web site created and maintained by Canadians, in Canada, but presenting a non- Canadian subject);
- Sites that will become quickly outdated, for example, event or conference sites. An exception would be if there would be a reasonable expectation that substantive content will be maintained or made available on the site after the date of the event had passed, if this event is recurrent (i.e. annual or biannual), and this information is of an on-going educational use (i.e., conference papers);
- Sites that are advertisements for a product, service, etc. unless the site includes a substantial amount of educational content;
- Sites that contain offending or defamatory statements (i.e. harmful information that is false or discredits or would have the effect of lowering esteem or respect for individuals or moral persons in the minds of members of the public);
- Sites that include statements that contain profanity, are inflammatory in nature, are not relevant to the subject of that section of the site, or are otherwise inappropriate;
- Sites prohibited under the Criminal Code including those that promote hate, racism, violence, pornography, etc.
Culture.ca Features
Showcase
Showcases are elaborate, thematic, interactive stand-alone products that provide unique overviews of interesting Canadian cultural topics in both official languages. They also serve to highlight portions of Culture.ca’s links collection and may be produced by external partners. Chosen themes for showcases are:- Based on a diverse range of topics and available to both French and English audiences;
- Broadly relevant to one or more of the various topic sections of Culture.ca;
- Based on a Canadian place, personality, group, event, policy, activity or theme or any combination of these; and can be
- Associated with a current Canadian event or activity.
- Present the broadest possible range of Canadian places, personalities, groups, events, policies, activities or themes that demonstrate Canadian diversity (multicultural, etc.),
- Can be recommended by Culture.ca readers and partners, and
- Must conform to current Culture.ca accessibility standards.
Viewpoint
Viewpoints are interviews with and portraits of prominent Canadian personalities and subject matter experts on various cultural topics. The individual views expressed in the Viewpoint section are entirely those of the originators, and should not be attributed in any manner to Culture.ca, e-Services Branch or the Department of Canadian Heritage.All interviews produced for Culture.ca are transcribed in one official language and translated into the other regardless of the testimonial language of origin.
Featured Sites: Our Pick
Our Pick links are designed to promote quality, Canadian cultural Web sites in both official languages. They are chosen by the Culture.ca content team, but may also be supplied by partners and are often chosen according to top-of-mind, current Canadian cultural topics.Featured Sites: Most Clicked
Most Clicked links are Web sites or pages that have been frequently accessed by visitors to Culture.ca according to visitor patterns in Culture.ca’s links collection. Generally, the Most Clicked links will indicate the most visited sites for a particular section of Culture.ca but they can also indicate most popular pages or sites related to a cultural topic that is indicated in the title of the feature.At a Glance
At a Glance’s are succinct content pieces that summarize Canadian cultural topics. They keep Culture.ca visitors aware of timely issues while providing suggested links to external sites or in other areas within Culture.ca. At a Glance’s:- Should be relevant to one or more of the various topic sections of Culture.ca,
- Are developed in both official languages;
- Provide links to quality Canadian cultural sites both within and outside of the Culture.ca links collection; and
- May be produced by external partners.
Culture.ca collaborates with many partners who are recognized leaders in Canadian culture, including:
