Archive for June 3rd, 2008

Bloc Private Members Bill Calls for Public Register of Access Requests

Bloc MP Carole Lavalee has introduced a private members bill that would require every government institution to maintain a public register of every record disclosed in response to an Access to Information Act request.

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June 3, 2008 Comments are Disabled News

Report Says Canadian DMCA To Include $500 Fine Per Download

The National Post reports that the Canadian DMCA, which may be introduced tomorrow, will include a "personal use download" fine of $500.  The front page story indicates that the fine (presumably a new form of statutory damage award) could be awarded on a per infringement basis, leading the possibility of […]

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June 3, 2008 65 comments News

Report Says Canadian DMCA To Include $500 Fine Per Download

The National Post reports that the Canadian DMCA, which may be introduced tomorrow, will include a "personal use download" fine of $500.  The front page story indicates that the fine (presumably a new form of statutory damage award) could be awarded on a per infringement basis, leading the possibility of […]

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June 3, 2008 Comments are Disabled Stop CDMCA

McGuinty Introduces Telecom Transparency Private Members Bill

Liberal MP David McGuinty has introduced the Telecommunications Clarity and Fairness Act, a private members bill that will come as welcome news to every Canadian consumer.  The bill would outlaw the much-hated system access fee and require the CRTC to study issues such as how stop providers from locking devices, […]

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June 3, 2008 4 comments News

Digital Advocacy Comes to Parliament Hill

Last week, hundreds of Canadians descended on Parliament Hill in Ottawa for a public rally in support of net neutrality, a contentious issue that focuses on the need for Internet service providers (ISPs) to treat all content and applications in an equal, non-discriminatory manner.  The event succeeded in attracting politicians from two major political parties, labour leaders, independent ISPs, and individuals concerned with the Internet in Canada.  My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, Ottawa Citizen version, Vancouver Sun version, homepage version) notes that while it is tempting to view the rally as an anomaly, it is more accurately seen as just the latest in a series of advocacy actions around the world that illustrate both how digital issues are rapidly moving into the policy mainstream and how the Internet can be used to mobilize offline advocacy.

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June 3, 2008 4 comments Columns