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Re: Nuance Power pdf or Foxit

for

From: Farough, David (CFP/PSC)
Date: Feb 14, 2019 7:35AM

Hi Birkir:

The choice seems to be between Nuance and Foxit.

Shared services provides common services and applications to a large number of Canadian Government departments.
It is up to each department to create their documents and web pages according to WCAG 2.0 and other applicable standards.

This is the text I was referring to on the shared services link.
*snip*


Changes in PDF Application Provisioning



January 8, 2019









What:

As of May 2019, the Adobe Acrobat PDF application will no longer be available to SSC customers. Customer organizations currently using Adobe Acrobat will need to migrate to one of two alternate PDF applications.

When:

Before May 24, 2019

Who:

This change will impact all SSC customers using Adobe Acrobat.

How:

In the fall of 2018, SSC established standing offers with two alternate PDF application service providers, Nuance and Foxit.

To ensure SSC customers adopt these new tools, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) Office of the CIO of Canada (OCIO) is requesting that departments report on their current use of Adobe Acrobat application licences. Departments should complete the attached form and return it to the OCIO by January 25, 2019.

Should you require an exemption from migration, please contact SSC at <EMAIL REMOVED> to discuss your requirements.

SSC will host a CIO Roundtable in the new year to provide you with further information on this change in service. OCIO will also be available to answer your questions. The Client Executive team will share meeting details with you shortly.

Why:

The switch to alternate PDF application service providers will generate significant savings for the Government of Canada.

For further information, please contact your Client Executive.



Respectfully,

José Gendron
Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister
Shared Services Canada
*end of text*

It seems to me that the bean counters are winning.

I don't think they have considered what this change might mean in terms of our document accessibility.

Maybe they have forgotten that the inaccessibility of government PDF documents figured prominently in a law suit a few years ago.