Bill C-61 includes two exceptions relevant for researchers: an exception at Section 41.13 limited to encryption research (unlike the U.S. DMCA, encryption research is not defined) and security testing at Section 41.15, which could be construed to include security research on computer or network vulnerabilities. The impact of the anti-circumvention […]
Archive for July 25th, 2008
Poilievre’s C-61 Response
I've posted responses to C-61 letters from MPs representing the major parties (Conservative, Liberal, NDP, Bloc) in the past, but several people forwarded the latest letter from Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre. Poilievre, an Ottawa-area MP, is best known for being the primary responder in the House of Commons to the election funding issue as well as for having had to apologize for remarks tied to the native school apology. Most of Poilievre's response simply repeats the usual Conservative lines on C-61, some of which are misleading (ie. he says "our reform will also permit consumers to copy music onto devices such as MP3 players, and copy books, newspapers, videos and photos into different formats. All of this is illegal under the current copyright legislation." It is inaccurate to state that all of this is illegal today since fair dealing may cover some of this copying and the video copying must be VHS, not DVD).
More problematic is the final paragraph that makes the case for C-61 to his constituents:
Poilievre’s C-61 Response
I've posted responses to C-61 letters from MPs representing the major parties (Conservative, Liberal, NDP, Bloc) in the past, but several people forwarded the latest letter from Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre. Poilievre, an Ottawa-area MP, is best known for being the primary responder in the House of Commons to the election funding issue as well as for having had to apologize for remarks tied to the native school apology. Most of Poilievre's response simply repeats the usual Conservative lines on C-61, some of which are misleading (ie. he says "our reform will also permit consumers to copy music onto devices such as MP3 players, and copy books, newspapers, videos and photos into different formats. All of this is illegal under the current copyright legislation." It is inaccurate to state that all of this is illegal today since fair dealing may cover some of this copying and the video copying must be VHS, not DVD).
More problematic is the final paragraph that makes the case for C-61 to his constituents:
Toronto Fair Copyright Meeting
The Toronto chapter of Fair Copyright for Canada put on a remarkable event last night at the Edward Day Gallery. Alongside about 100 attendees, were several NDP and Liberal MPs including Charlie Angus, Peggy Nash, Guelph candidate Tom King, and Borys Wrzesnewskyj. More than half of the ridings in the […]
Yahoo’s Music Store Closing, Locking Consumers Out Of Their Music
Yahoo has announced plans to close its music store effective September 30, 2008. After that date, consumers that switch computers will lose their music since the DRM license key server will move offline. Yet another example of how the combination of DRM and Bill C-61 represents a huge loss for […]
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