Archive for December 12th, 2012

CMEC Releases New Version of Copyright Matters!

The third edition of Copyright Matters!, a copyright guideline document for the Canadian education community backed by government ministers of education, school boards, and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, has been released. This edition accounts for recent court and legislative changes, offering guidance that is far more consistent with the law […]

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December 12, 2012 3 comments News

KEI’s Summary of the 15th Round of TPP Talks

KEI has posted a helpful summary of the key developments at the most recent round of negotiations on the Trans Pacific Partnership.

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December 12, 2012 Comments are Disabled News

Secrecy the Standard as Canada Enters Trans Pacific Partnership Talks

Despite growing opposition in Canada, the Canadian government has begun formal participation in the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations, aimed at establishing one of the world’s most ambitious trade agreements. As nearly a dozen countries – including the United States, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Mexico and Vietnam – gathered in New Zealand last week for the 14th round of talks, skeptics here have already expressed doubts about the benefits of the proposed deal.

Canada has free-trade agreements with the United States, Mexico, Chile and Peru, leaving just six countries – currently representing less than 1 per cent of Canadian exports – as the net gain. Moreover, the price of entry may be high, since leaked documents suggest the deal might require a major overhaul of Canadian agriculture, investment, intellectual property and culture protection rules.

While the substance of the TPP is cause for concern, my weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) argues the more immediate issue is the lack of transparency associated with both the negotiations and Canada’s participation in them. The talks remain shrouded in secrecy, with a draft text that is confidential; public interest groups are largely banned from the venue where the negotiations are being held.

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December 12, 2012 8 comments Columns

Secrecy the Standard as Canada Enters Trans Pacific Partnership Talks

Appeared in the Toronto Star on December 9, 2012 as Secrecy the Standard as Canada Enters Trans Pacific Partnership Talks Despite growing opposition in Canada, the Canadian government has begun formal participation in the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations, aimed at establishing one of the world’s most ambitious trade agreements. As […]

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December 12, 2012 Comments are Disabled Columns Archive