Archive for December, 2010

Manitoba Launches Consultation on Cell Phone Contracts

The Government of Manitoba’s Consumer Protection Office has launched a consultation on consumer cellphone contracts that includes questions on locked phones, early termination of service, and disclosure issues.

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December 16, 2010 1 comment News

IP on Pharma Could be Main CETA Stumbling Block

John Ivison of the National Post reports that Canada and the EU are moving closer to a trade agreement, but that EU demands to extend IP protection for pharmaceuticals – a move that would cost Canadians millions – is viewed as a major stumbling block.

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December 16, 2010 Comments are Disabled News

Apple iBookstore Granted Investment Canada Act Approval

The Government has announced that Apple Canada has been granted approval under the Investment Canada Act to establish iBookstore Canada. 

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December 16, 2010 2 comments News

Japan Moves Closer to Fair Use

Add Japan to the list of countries seemingly ready to move to a system that includes fair use.  Reports indicate that a government advisory panel has approved “a plan to tolerate the unlicensed use of copyrighted works unless the use unduly infringes on the interest of the copyright holder.”

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December 16, 2010 Comments are Disabled News

Clearing Up the Copyright Confusion: Fair Dealing and Bill C-32

Fair dealing has played a prominent role in the hearings on Bill C-32, with education and creator groups debating the merits and impact of the proposed reforms.  Unfortunately, much of the discussion has confused rather than clarified the issue with misleading claims about potential losses, inaccurate comments on copyright and Internet materials, and dubious arguments about the compliance of the reforms under international copyright law.

Given the recent discussion, this lengthy post [also available as a PDF] seeks to clear up the confusion with an opening basic introduction to fair dealing and the proposed reforms followed by answers to many of the questions that have been raised over the past few months (a similar review of the digital lock rules can be found here [PDF]).

Bill C-32 and Fair Dealing – The Basics

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December 15, 2010 26 comments News