2008 Annual General Meeting
The 63rd Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Library
Association/Association canadienne des bibliothèques took place May
24, 2008 in Vancouver. Highlights from the meeting are:
- A bylaw amendment was carried that allows members to choose
membership in one Interest Group at no additional fee;
- Four Resolutions on public policy issues were approved;
- Executive Director Don Butcher’s departure from CLA was
announced.
Bylaw amendment carried
A compromise bylaw amendment presented by CLA’s Executive Council
was approved by the membership, resolving a two-year debate on how
membership dues should be allocated.
In 2006, 17 members presented a bylaw amendment that would have
allowed members to support up to two Interest Groups instead of one
Division without paying additional dues. The amendment was deferred in
both 2006 and 2007.
Executive Council proposed that members be allowed to choose
membership in one Division and one Interest Group without paying
additional dues. This compromise was adopted by the membership.
The bylaw amendment will come into effect once it is approved by
Industry Canada.
Four Resolutions approved
The membership approved four Resolutions.
Resolution
2008-1 supported the use of open, interoperable and
vendor-neutral file format standards such as Open Document Format,
especially for government documents.
Resolution
2008-2 encouraged CLA to work with other organizations to
discourage the expansion of the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility
Agreements and the Agreement on Internal Trade until full consultations
are undertaken, and library and information services are made
exempt.
Resolution
2008-3 is related to two CanWest lawsuits, filed against seven
people who are accused of having produced a parody of a CanWest
publication in violation of copyright. The resolution affirms library
core values such as freedom of expression, and urges CanWest to drop the
suits.
Resolution
2008-4 encouraged CLA to support the principle of Net
Neutrality through favouring legislation clearly in favour of a neutral
Internet and by calling on the Canadian Radio-Television and
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to develop rules to protect Net
Neutrality.
Executive Director to leave CLA
The departure of Don Butcher from his role as CLA’s Executive
Director no later than this fall was announced. More details will be
made available later.
Resolution 1
CLA/ACB Resolution on Open File Format Standards
Whereas the preservation of and long-term access to government
information are vital in a democratic society;
And whereas in order for libraries to fulfill their role of
preserving and providing access to information, it is essential that
governments and other public bodies take steps to ensure that future
generations can access information created today;
And whereas open, interoperable, vendor-neutral file format standards
play a key role in ensuring preservation and future access;
And whereas the OpenDocument Format (ODF) is such a standard;
And whereas Office Open XML (OOXML), a competing standard promoted by
Microsoft, is not sufficiently open, interoperable, or
vendor-neutral;
And whereas in April 2008 the Standards Council of Canada rejected
the OOXML standard in its current form;
And whereas governments and public bodies in many countries have
already decided to adopt ODF, including Argentina, Australia, Belgium,
Brazil, Finland, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway and South Africa;
And whereas the Canadian Library Association/Association canadienne
des bibliothèques has adopted a position statement encouraging
libraries to support open access;
And whereas CLA has adopted a resolution that any new copyright
legislation
- Recognize that government documents and government data belongs to
all Canadians and that all Canadians should have liberal access to these
materials;
- Recognize that exceptions for print-disabled individuals must ensure
that these individuals have the same ability as others to access
content;
Be it resolved that CLA support the Standards Council of Canada's
opposition to OOXML and urge the federal government to mandate the use
of open, interoperable, and vendor-neutral standards such as
OpenDocument Format for government information wherever possible;
And be it further resolved that CLA encourage other library-related
organizations to do the same at all levels of government;
And be it further resolved that CLA encourage Library and Archives
Canada and the Librarian and Archivist of Canada to utilize the objects
and powers in the Library and Archives Act, 2004 in order to
encourage the use of open file format standards;
And be it further resolved that CLA encourage the government to have
a continuing open consultation about access to and preservation of
government information;
And be it further resolved that CLA encourage the staff and patrons
of libraries and library-related organizations to support and promote
the use of open file format standards.
(Librarian and Archivist of Canada Ian Wilson has responded to CLA's
resolution supporting open file format standards. Dr. Wilson's letter
states Library and Archives Canada is already encouraging the use of
open file format standards. His complete reply is available
here.)
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Resolution
2
CLA/ACB Resolution on TILMA and AIT
Whereas without public consultation the governments of British
Columbia and Alberta signed the Trade, Investment, and Labour Mobility
Agreement (TILMA) which came into force on April 1, 2007, and the BCLA
passed resolutions at its 2007 and 2008 annual general meetings in
opposition to this trade agreement and to the Agreement on Internal
Trade (AIT), an agreement signed by Canada’s provinces in
1994;
And Whereas TILMA enables private investors to sue provincial
governments for up to $5 million if new or existing regulations
"restrict or impair investment" (Articles 3 and 5.3), or if regulations
are not "reconciled" between the provinces (Article 5.1);
And Whereas TILMA is a "Trade Enhancement Arrangement" under the
Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT);
And Whereas at their Council of the Federation meeting in January
2008 Canadian premiers endorsed a new plan for making AIT panel rulings
enforceable, with governments liable for monetary awards of up to $5
million per infraction;
And Whereas without a specific exemption from TILMA or the AIT,
provincial and municipal public sector services are government entities
subject to these agreements (which may include library boards and any
other bodies operating under provincial library legislation);
And Whereas both the AIT and TILMA have potentially profound
implications for our communities and our society, including the ability
of library boards and associations to meet the needs of their
communities;
And Whereas the TILMA website says that there will be "extensive
consultation ... with local governments and professional and
occupational associations," but to our knowledge no consultations with
the general public are planned;
Be It Resolved that the Canadian Library Association/Association
canadienne des bibliothèques, as a matter of urgency, work
cross-sectorally with other public service entities to discourage
expansion of TILMA to other provinces until full consultations with
local governments and professional and occupational associations are
undertaken and implications of the agreement on public services be made
apparent;
And Be It Further Resolved that CLA work with library associations
across Canada to ensure that provincial and territorial governments
fully exempt library and information services from TILMA and TILMA-like
agreements and the AIT;
And Be It Further Resolved that CLA work with library associations
and other interested parties to assess the potential impact on school,
public, and academic libraries of the premiers’ January 2008
proposal to make the AIT enforceable;
And Be It Further Resolved that CLA provide frequent updates to the
Canadian library community on developments concerning TILMA and the AIT
that are relevant to library and information services.
Respectfully submitted
Kirsti Nilsen, Convenor
International Trade Treaties Working Group
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Resolution
3
CLA/ACB Resolution to Affirm and Support
BCLA’s 2008 Resolution on CanWest and Free
Speech
Be it resolved thatthe Canadian Library Association
/ Association canadienne des bibliothèques:
- affirm and support the BCLA 2008 RESOLUTION ON CANWEST AND
FREE SPEECH;
- affirm intellectual freedom as a core value of Canadian
(and global) librarianship and its sister profession of journalism;
- affirm that the role of the media in a democracy is to
provide a forum for robust open discussion, dialogue, and debate, not to
suppress freedom of expression;
- object to CanWest’s seeking to use its corporate
resources and cultural capital to intimidate its dissenters and silence
those people and groups who hold opposing views;
- assert that satire and parody are important intellectual
traditions and “ways of knowing” that must be honoured in
democratic society; and,
- urge CanWest to drop its suit against Mordecai Briemberg
and the six Jane and John Does named in the writ.
RATIONALE: At its annual general meeting on
April 19, 2008, the British Columbia Library
Association (BCLA) passed a Resolution on CanWest and Free
Speech (see next page), calling for CanWest to withdraw its
legal suit against Mordecai Briemberg and the others charged with having
produced a parody of The Vancouver Sun in June 2007. The
Canadian Library Association/Association canadienne des
bibliothèques (CLA) is Canada’s largest national and
broad-based library association, representing the interests of public,
academic, school and special libraries, professional librarians and
library workers, and all those concerned about enhancing the quality of
life of Canadians through equitable access to information, lifelong
learning, and literacy. CLA is an advocate and public voice, educator
and network for the Canadian information professions. CLA believes that
libraries and the principles of intellectual freedom and free universal
access to information are key components of an open and democratic
society. Effective advocacy is based upon understanding the social,
cultural, political and historical contexts in which libraries and
information services function. Intellectual freedom is a core value of
Canadian (and global) librarianship and its sister profession of
journalism. The role of the media in a democracy is to provide a forum
for robust open discussion, dialogue, and debate, not to suppress
freedom of expression. CLA should challenge CanWest’s seeking to
use its corporate resources and cultural capital to intimidate its
dissenters and silence those people and groups who hold opposing views.
With this Resolution, CLA has the opportunity to strongly assert that
satire and parody are important intellectual traditions and “ways
of knowing” that must be honoured in democratic society.
Respectfully submitted by the Advisory Committee on
Intellectual Freedom
Background Information
Title of BCLA Resolution:
Resolution on CanWest and Free Speech
Rationale / Purpose for BLCA Resolution on CanWest and Free
Speech:
CanWest is suing local activist Mordecai Briemberg over a
parody of the Vancouver Sun, even though Briemberg had nothing to do
with creating the parody. Due to CanWest's dominance over Canadian
media, this has had a chilling effect on people's right to criticize the
media and speak freely on contentious issues.
Prior History of this BCLA Resolution (IF ANY):
BCLA passed resolutions on media democracy in 2003 and 2007,
and has a standing commitment to intellectual freedom.
Action Proposed:
Whereas BCLA passed resolutions opposing media
concentration and supporting Media Democracy Day in both 2003 and
2007;
And Whereas CanWest is the largest media conglomerate in
Canada and owns The Vancouver Sun, The Vancouver Province, The Vancouver
Courier, The Victoria Times-Colonist, The National Post, Global
Television and many specialty channels and community newspapers;
And Whereas the greater the concentration of media
ownership, the narrower the range of opinions presented through those
media;
Whereas the 2007 BCLA resolution on "Libraries and Media
Concentration" stated that "freedom of the press and public access to
diverse media and information are prerequisite to a functioning
democracy" and affirmed that "libraries are the primary social
institution with responsibility to assure the broadest possible
availability of a wide range of ideas and information";
And Whereas CanWest has served Mordecai Briemberg and six
other Jane and John Does with a writ of summons charging them with
producing a four-page parody of The Vancouver Sun;
And Whereas it is clear this writ is directed mainly at
Briemberg's opposition to the continuing occupation of the West Bank and
Gaza by Israel and is intended as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public
Participation;
And Whereas political satire and parody both constitute
important elements of intellectual freedom, and so play an important
role in provoking democratic debate and free thought;
And Whereas CanWest has a pattern of launching Strategic
Lawsuits Against Public Participation and taking other actions to
undermine and curtail critical voices;
Be It Resolved that BCLA write an open letter to Canwest
calling on them to drop both of the aforementioned legal suits;
And Be It Further Resolvedthat BCLA broadly distribute this
letter in the library, media activist, and civil liberties communities
as well as seek publication in Canwest and other media;
And Be It Resolved that BCLA support the 2008 Media
Democracy Day and encourage libraries throughout the province to hold
events;
And Be It Resolved that the BCLA work with the Information
Policy Committee to develop a series of educational tools, possibly
including a travelling workshop, to educate the BCLA membership and the
general community on the impact of media concentration.
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Related Items:
Resolution
4
CLA/ACB Resolution on Network (“Net”)
Neutrality
Whereas the federal government, via the Telecommunications Act,
incorporates into Canadian telecommunications policy the value of
“common carriage” which requires the separation between the
network infrastructure and the content that moves over the network, so
that all content is treated equally; and
Whereas Network Neutrality (“Net Neutrality”) is the
principle that all information or service sent over broadband, or high
speed internet access, should be treated equally with no degradation or
prioritization or privileges based on content, source, ownership or
destination of information or service; and
Whereas the public Internet was founded upon principles of openness,
including Net Neutrality and equal treatment of content providers by
connectivity providers; and
Whereas New Media have not yet been adequately addressed by and
incorporated into Canadian telecommunications policy; and
Whereas cases of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) discriminating
among content and violating the principles of Net Neutrality in Canada
have already been documented; and
Whereas libraries and librarians have a vested interest in
maintaining Net Neutrality, both as content providers and as a portal to
content via the Internet; and
Whereas it is the position of the Canadian Library
Association/Association canadienne des bibliothèques that
“All persons in Canada have the fundamental right, as embodied in
the nation’s Bill of Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms, to have access to all expressions of knowledge, creativity and
intellectual activity, and to express their thoughts publicly,”
and “It is the responsibility of libraries to guarantee and
facilitate access to all expressions of knowledge and intellectual
activity” (CLA Statement on Intellectual Freedom); and
Whereas the IFLA/UNESCO Internet Manifesto Guidelines instruct that
“In the interests of keeping the Internet as a neutral mechanism
for the delivery of information and services, librarians should resist
any efforts to introduce a tiered pricing model or otherwise diminish
the neutral nature of the network”;
Therefore, be it resolved that CLA work with other interested parties
to urge the Canadian government to re-examine the Telecommunications
Act in order to clearly legislate in favour of a neutral Internet,
requiring ISPs to comply with common carriage provisions and conduct
business in a manner that is open, transparent, and accountable; and
Be it further resolved that CLA call for the Canadian
Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to develop
clear and enforceable rules to protect Net Neutrality; and
Be it further resolved that CLA educate the library community about
Net Neutrality and encourage the library community to act in support of
Net Neutrality.
Rationale / Purpose for Resolution:
Network (Net) Neutrality, the principle that online content
should be treated equally by network connectivity providers, is under
attack in Canada and in the U.S. Cases of Canadian Internet Service
Providers engaging in practices that effectively prioritize some and
censor other forms of information on their networks have already been
documented. Canadian telecommunications policy and regulatory
enforcement need to be updated in order for them to preserve the
democratic principles of the Internet. Public debate over this topic has
already begun and policy-making seems imminent. Library associations
should seize this opportunity to educate and advocate for net
neutrality.
Prior History of this Resolution:
This resolution was developed jointly by the British Columbia
Library Association (BCLA) Information Policy Committee and CLA’s
Information Policy Working Group. A similar resolution was adopted by
BCLA, with the intent of making a joint statement on net neutrality.
