Post Tagged with: "cdmca"

CBC Business Network on Canadian DMCA

I appeared on the CBC's Business Network this morning to discuss Bill C-61.

Read more ›

June 13, 2008 5 comments News

Catching Up on the Canadian DMCA Coverage

The amount of coverage and discussion about the Canadian DMCA has simply been overwhelming.  You can view the actual introduction of the bill, local TV coverage, and national TV coverage.  You can read mainstream media coverage (Globe, National Post, Toronto Star, Ottawa Citizen, Vancouver Sun, CBC), wire services coverage (UPI, […]

Read more ›

June 13, 2008 6 comments News

Copyright Bill’s Fine Print Makes For a Disturbing Read

This morning I run a special column (Toronto Star version, Vancouver Sun version, Ottawa Citizen version, homepage version) on Bill C-61.  Based largely on my initial post, I note that in 2004, the Supreme Court of Canada issued a landmark copyright decision in a battle between the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario legal bar association, and CCH Canadian, a leading legal publisher.  The court was faced with a dispute over an old technology – photocopying in a law library – and in a unanimous decision it ruled that the underlying purpose of copyright law is to serve the public interest.  That interest, reasoned Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin, is best served by balancing both user rights and creator rights.

Yesterday Industry Minister Jim Prentice and Canadian Heritage Minister Josee Verner delivered what amounts to a stinging rebuke to the Supreme Court's copyright vision of public interest and balance.  After months of internal discussions (though precious little public consultation), the government unveiled its much-anticipated copyright reform bill.  Casting aside the concerns of major business, education, and consumer groups, the bill seeks to dramatically tilt Canadian law toward greater enforcement and restrictions on the use of digital content, leading Liberal Industry critic Scott Brison to warn that it could result in a "police state."

Read more ›

June 13, 2008 13 comments Columns

Report Says Canadian DMCA To Include $500 Fine Per Download

The National Post reports that the Canadian DMCA, which may be introduced tomorrow, will include a "personal use download" fine of $500.  The front page story indicates that the fine (presumably a new form of statutory damage award) could be awarded on a per infringement basis, leading the possibility of […]

Read more ›

June 3, 2008 65 comments News

Report Says Canadian DMCA To Include $500 Fine Per Download

The National Post reports that the Canadian DMCA, which may be introduced tomorrow, will include a "personal use download" fine of $500.  The front page story indicates that the fine (presumably a new form of statutory damage award) could be awarded on a per infringement basis, leading the possibility of […]

Read more ›

June 3, 2008 Comments are Disabled Stop CDMCA