More than 18 months after legislation creating a do-not-call registry passed through the Parliamentary process, the CRTC today released the much-anticipated rules for the registry (rules here, CRTC release here, media coverage here). As I argued just last week, this process has taken far too long and even today's announcement […]
Archive for July 3rd, 2007
Canadian Cultural Policy Must Adapt to an Internet World
My weekly Law Bytes column (Ottawa Citizen version, homepage version) focuses on the need to adapt Canadian cultural policy to an Internet world. Given our easy access to Hollywood movies and U.S. television programming, it is unsurprising that Canadians have long placed great emphasis on cultural policies. To avoid marginalizing homegrown talent, Canada has set Canadian content as a key objective in the Broadcasting Act, established foreign ownership restrictions within the cultural industries, and safeguarded cultural policies in its international trade agreements.
As a result, Canadian television and radio broadcasters must be Canadian-owned and comply with Canadian content requirements, while funding programs at the federal and provincial level help the Canadian cultural sector compete on the global stage. These policies have enjoyed a measure of success – Canadian musicians and children's television programming are particularly noteworthy in this regard – however the emergence of the Internet and new media is rendering many current policies increasingly irrelevant.
I argue that two pillars of Canadian cultural policy need to be reconsidered.
The Tyee on Telus’ Notice and Takedown Demands
The Tyee has a good article on Telus' use of the U.S. notice and takedown system to demand the takedown of videos over which they do not hold copyright.
Does Film Piracy Help or Hurt the Box Office?
CNET focuses on the Internet release of Sicko and its performance at the box office.
LSAT Fingerprinting Finding Posted
CIPPIC has posted a copy of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada's preliminary finding on the requirement for LSAT test-takers to provide a fingerprint.