Archive for October 25th, 2010

Copyright the Canadian Way

This week’s Hill Times features an op-ed by Sara Bannerman that explores the Canadian history of fighting for independent copyright policies.  Bannerman notes that Bill C-32 “is more like a Canadian version of the American Digital Millennium Copyright Act than a made-in-Canada solution to copyright in the digital age.” Bannerman’s piece is adapted from her chapter in From “Radical Extremism” to “Balanced Copyright”: Canadian Copyright and the Digital Agenda and is one of several pieces that provide much-needed historical context to the current round of reforms.

Bannerman’s article notes that virtually from the moment of confederation, Canada has grappled with contentious copyright reform issues.  Reform efforts have invariably come as a response to international pressures, with the United Kingdom exerting significant influence over the early attempts to craft a genuine made-in-Canada copyright law.  Bannerman also places the spotlight on the challenges Canada has faced with international copyright treaties, with attitudes that have ranged from outright rejection to strong support.

Read more ›

October 25, 2010 7 comments News

Does the U.S. Believe ACTA Can Be Flexibly Implemented?

KEI reports on recent discussions with U.S. government officials which suggest that the USTR believes it can ignore the plain language of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement by relying on Article 1.2, which provides that “Each Party shall be free to determine the appropriate method of implementing the provisions of this […]

Read more ›

October 25, 2010 2 comments News

Music Rights Holders Send 25,000 Copyright Notices in France Daily

Billboard reports that French rights holders are sending 25,000 copyright infringement notices daily to HADOPI, the agency responsible for that country’s three-strikes-and-you’re-out system.

Read more ›

October 25, 2010 4 comments News

Broadcast Vertical Integration Facing Two Rounds of Studies

Concerns over broadcast vertical integration in Canada will be the subject of two proceedings.  The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has voted to conduct hearings later this year, while the CRTC will hold a public proceeding on the issue in May 2011.

Read more ›

October 25, 2010 Comments are Disabled News

The Vatican Speaks out on Intellectual Property

The Vatican has spoken out against unduly aggressive intellectual property protection. In a statement at the World Intellectual Property Organization, it noted “on the part of rich countries there is excessive zeal for protecting knowledge through an unduly rigid assertion of the right to intellectual property, especially in the field […]

Read more ›

October 25, 2010 7 comments News