The IFPI is out today with its annual digital music sales report. Canada ranked as the seventh largest digital music market in the world last year. The IFPI's focus, however, is on ISPs and the push for content blocking, a trend that has begun to emerge in Canada.
Archive for January, 2008
The Legal Status of E-Petitions
The Canadian Press features an interesting piece on the legal validity of electronic petitions. The article notes the need for government to adjust the rules to accommodate online advocacy.
2008 Final Exam
2008finalexam.pdf
The Copyright MPs
Industry Minister Jim Prentice has understandably been the focal point of the Canadian DMCA given that it is his bill and his call as to whether the government will proceed with anti-education, anti-consumer, and anti-business copyright legislation. While every MP should be paying close attention to copyright – anecdotal evidence suggests that the majority of MPs from all parties have heard from constituents about the issue – there is a subset that should be particularly concerned.
The Copyright MPs are a group of 27 MPs (nine percent of all MPs) who share two key attributes – they won their riding by 10 percent or less in the last election and their riding is home to a university. The combination is important since it is these MPs – not the very safe Jim Prentice – who will face the consequences of the Prentice bill that will harm a generation well versed in digital technologies, social networks, and the Internet. In some ridings, less than 1,000 votes – roughly the size of some large first year courses – is needed to swing the entire riding. In all, there are 10 Conservatives, 11 Liberals, 4 NDP, and 2 Bloc. Who are the Copyright MPs?
The ten Conservative Copyright MPs who will be on the hotseat are:
MP | Riding | University | Winning Percentage | Runner Up Party |
Rahim Jaffer (C) | Edmonton-Strathcona | U of Alberta | 9.2 percent | NDP |
Dean Del Mastro (C) | Peterborough | Trent | 3.6 percent | Liberal |
James Lunney (C) | Nanaimo-Alberni | Malaspina | 9.1 percent | NDP |
Rod Bruinooge (C) | Winnipeg South | U of Manitoba | 0.2 percent | Liberal |
David Sweet (C) | Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough | McMaster | 4.6 percent | Liberal |
Norman Doyle (C) | St. John's East | Memorial | 10.5 percent | Liberal |
Peter MacKay (C) | Central Nova | St. FX | 7.8 percent | NDP |
Colin Carrie (C) | Oshawa | UOIT | 5.2 percent | NDP |
Betty Hinton (C) | Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo | Thompson Rivers | 8.5 percent | NDP |
Joe Comuzzi (L) | Thunder Bay-Superior North | Lakehead | 1.0 percent | NDP |
The Copyright MPs
Industry Minister Jim Prentice has understandably been the focal point of the Canadian DMCA given that it is his bill and his call as to whether the government will proceed with anti-education, anti-consumer, and anti-business copyright legislation. While every MP should be paying close attention to copyright – anecdotal evidence suggests that the majority of MPs from all parties have heard from constituents about the issue – there is a subset that should be particularly concerned.
The Copyright MPs are a group of 27 MPs (nine percent of all MPs) who share two key attributes – they won their riding by 10 percent or less in the last election and their riding is home to a university. The combination is important since it is these MPs – not the very safe Jim Prentice – who will face the consequences of the Prentice bill that will harm a generation well versed in digital technologies, social networks, and the Internet. In some ridings, less than 1,000 votes – roughly the size of some large first year courses – is needed to swing the entire riding. In all, there are 10 Conservatives, 11 Liberals, 4 NDP, and 2 Bloc. Who are the Copyright MPs?
The ten Conservative Copyright MPs who will be on the hotseat are:
MP | Riding | University | Winning Percentage | Runner Up Party |
Rahim Jaffer (C) | Edmonton-Strathcona | U of Alberta | 9.2 percent | NDP |
Dean Del Mastro (C) | Peterborough | Trent | 3.6 percent | Liberal |
James Lunney (C) | Nanaimo-Alberni | Malaspina | 9.1 percent | NDP |
Rod Bruinooge (C) | Winnipeg South | U of Manitoba | 0.2 percent | Liberal |
David Sweet (C) | Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough | McMaster | 4.6 percent | Liberal |
Norman Doyle (C) | St. John's East | Memorial | 10.5 percent | Liberal |
Peter MacKay (C) | Central Nova | St. FX | 7.8 percent | NDP |
Colin Carrie (C) | Oshawa | UOIT | 5.2 percent | NDP |
Betty Hinton (C) | Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo | Thompson Rivers | 8.5 percent | NDP |
Joe Comuzzi (L) | Thunder Bay-Superior North | Lakehead | 1.0 percent | NDP |