Often referred to as "NAFTA on steroids", the MAI is a similar type of treaty, but one that goes well beyond NAFTA in granting multinational corporations incredible powers, most notably by preventing governments from creating new laws, and enabling corporations to take governments to court for trying to enforce existing laws, should these laws (new or existing) conflict with the articles of the MAI.
Sound incredible? But it's true.
The MAI would affect countries all over the world, starting with the OECD member states, and working its way into the developing world. All sectors of society would be affected. Contrary to popular belief, a belief encouraged somewhat by mainstream media's reporting on the issue, the MAI is not dead. It is very much alive, just resting.
Because libraries receive subsidies from the government, and because subsidies fall within shooting range of the MAI, libraries could find themselves in jeopardy.
Consider the following scenario: A foreign "information services" company enters (in this case) Canada and sets up operation. The company defines its services as similar to those offered by libraries here in Canada. It then demands equal treatment with Canadian libraries under the articles of the MAI. Equal treatment would include government subsidies, and the government would then be faced with the following options in response to this demand:
Option #3 is the government's most probable choice, or, less likely, option #2. Libraries are already struggling under current funding levels. The worst case scenario could be a complete closure of public libraries due to lack of funds. Another possibility is that they would take the initiative and start their own fund-raising, including fee-for-service schemes, a trend that has already found roots in some library systems in Canada.
The end result would be reduced service to the public. Potentially, they could lose access through libraries and have to pay the information services companies for the information they need, or, should libraries survive, the public would be required to pay them for services that were once free. Libraries would be in competition with corporations and information would become a commodity in the marketplace.
At the moment, there is some assurance of equitable access to information for all citizens. If the above scenario were to play itself out, information access could be restricted to all but the richest in our society.
Education and health care have been pin-pointed as potential casualties under the MAI. Consider the possibility of privatized education - schools and post secondary institutions vying for paying "customers". How will academic libraries fare? We could see the day when academic libraries will serve only those who can prove they've paid the price of admission. How about cooperation between libraries? Will interlibrary loan become a thing of the past?
Another concern stems from the MAI's lack of performance requirements for multinational corporations. At the moment, Canadian libraries are required to use Canadian distributors to acquire their materials. Given the above scenario, where information services companies could be competing with libraries, the foreign corporations would not be required to use local distributors, buy local materials, or support local authors. Clearly, the collections in Canadian libraries could suffer, to say nothing of the book trade and the health of our literary communities. One dominant culture could emerge around the world.
The scenarios presented here could play themselves out the world over, differing in the details but having the same overall effect: a reduction in the quality of life of the general population and the health and vitality of the society, all in the name of the global corporation's right to make a profit.
BCLA Information Policy Committee
prepared by Fiona Hunt
June, 1998
Fiona Hunt, MLIS
fionah@unixg.ubc.ca