Archive for December 2nd, 2009

Clement on ACTA: Check Out MichaelGeist.ca To Learn More

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement made it to the floor of the House of Commons yesterday as NDP MP Charlie Angus raised concerns about the agreement, the lack of transparency, and questions about whether the recent copyright consultation was little more than theatre given the prospect that ACTA will decide what Canadian copyright law ultimately looks like. 

Industry Minister Tony Clement responded by arguing that the ACTA is not law in Canada, stating that it is "subservient" to domestic law. While that is true for the moment, once it is completed the pressure to implement – much like the WIPO Internet treaties – will be enormous.  Clement also stated that people interested in the treaty could check out my website to learn more.  While I appreciate the shout-out, it should be obvious to everyone that this website is not a replacement for full and frank disclosure on ACTA and the Canadian government's position on the treaty.  A full Hansard transcript of the exchange, along with the YouTube version, follows below:

And the transcript:

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December 2, 2009 16 comments News

Oxfam: ACTA Could Hurt Poor Countries

Oxfam has expressed concern about the impact of ACTA on poor countries and people. It rightly fears that the treaty could make it more difficult for the poor to access generic medicines.

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December 2, 2009 1 comment News

PIAC Releases Major Report on Net Neutrality

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre has released a major new report on net neutrality. Staying Neutral: Canadian Consumers and the Fight for Net Neutrality, canvasses recent decisions and makes recommendations for future actions.  It arises from six focus groups conducted in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.

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December 2, 2009 Comments are Disabled News

Rogers Sues Bell Over Ad Claims

Facing an advertising lawsuit of its own, Rogers has filed suit against Bell over its wireless advertising claims.  Rogers notes that Bell has virtually no customers on its new network and cannot substantiate reliability claims.

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December 2, 2009 2 comments News

Global ACTA Coverage Picks Up Again

The global coverage of ACTA picked up again this week with the leak of the European analysis of the Internet chapter.  New coverage includes: CBC (Canada) – Canadian copyright law to trump ACTA, Clement says Spiegel Online (Germany) Heise Online (Germany) Netties.be (Belgium) Punto Informatico (Italy) Numerama (France) ZDNet.co.uk (UK)

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December 2, 2009 6 comments News