Archive for June 8th, 2012

Globe on Big Pharma R&D Failure

The Globe has a terrific masthead editorial today that notes the failure of big pharmaceutical companies to live up to their research and development commitments. It notes that those same companies are now demanding further IP reforms as part of the Canada – EU Trade Agreement.

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June 8, 2012 3 comments News

Waterloo Latest University to Reject Access Copyright Model Licence

The University of Waterloo has become the latest university to announce that it will not sign the Access Copyright model licence. The announcement comes as Queen’s University holds a community consultation on whether to sign the licence.

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June 8, 2012 Comments are Disabled News

The IP Lobby’s Post-Bill C-11 Playbook: ACTA, SOPA, Warrantless Search and the Criminalization of IP

The Canadian intellectual property’s lead lobby group, the Canadian IP Council (itself a group within the Canadian Chamber of Commerce) released a new policy document yesterday that identifies its legislative priorities for the coming years. Anyone hoping that the SOPA protests, the European backlash against ACTA, and the imminent passage of Bill C-11 might moderate the lobby group demands will be sorely disappointed. Counterfeiting in the Canadian Market: How Do We Stop It? is the most extremist IP policy document ever released in Canada, calling for the implementation of ACTA, SOPA-style rules including website blocking and stopping search results from resolving, liability for advertisers and payment companies, massive surveillance at the border and through delivery channels including searching through individual packages without court oversight, and spending hundreds of millions of tax dollars on private enforcement.

This long post reviews the report, focusing on the case it makes for addressing counterfeiting concerns in Canada and on the resulting recommendations. The recommendations are divided into five main groups:

  1. Introduce a Canadian SOPA
  2. ACTA Implementation
  3. New Search Powers Without Court Oversight
  4. The Criminalization of Intellectual Property
  5. Massive Increase in Public Spending Creating an IP Enforcement Subsidy

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June 8, 2012 59 comments News