Archive for September 1st, 2008

61 Reforms to C-61, Day 51: Education Internet Exception Is Unnecessary

One of the most controversial aspects of Bill C-61 is the inclusion of special educational exception.  The provision has split the education community, generating support from some education groups and opposition from others. The product of years of lobbying by provincial education ministers and the AUCC, the exemption at Section 30.04 (1) provides that:

Subject to subsections (2) to (5), it is not an infringement of copyright for an educational institution, or a person acting under the authority of one, to do any of the following acts for educational or training purposes in respect of a work or other subject-matter that is available through the Internet:

(a) reproduce it;
(b) communicate it to the public by telecommunication, if that public primarily consists of students of the educational institution or other persons acting under its authority;
(c) perform it in public, if that public primarily consists of students of the educational institution or other persons acting under its authority; or
(d) do any other act that is necessary for the purpose of the acts referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c).

I will discuss why the conditions render this exception virtually useless in a later post.  For the moment, I want to reiterate that I do not believe that the exception is either necessary or equitable.

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September 1, 2008 3 comments News

Garneau on Copyright

Hugh McGuire reports on a conversation with Marc Garneau, the astronaut and Liberal candidate in Westmount Ville-Marie.  Garneau confirms the likely Liberal position on C-61 – kill the bill (which will likely die this week when an election is called) and consult.  More interestingly, he notes that he received more […]

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September 1, 2008 Comments are Disabled News

Saunders on Copyright at the Ballot Box

Alec Saunders discusses why he won't be voting for the Conservatives in the upcoming election.

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September 1, 2008 Comments are Disabled News

PickupPal Controversy Highlights Power of Networked Economy

Appeared in the Toronto Star on September 1, 2008 as Network Economy Changes the Rules PickupPal, a ride sharing service that operates around the world, recently attracted considerable attention after Trentway-Wagar, a Peterborough-based bus company, raised questions about the legality of the service in Ontario. PickupPal has about 100,000 registered […]

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September 1, 2008 Comments are Disabled Columns Archive