Defense Minister Peter MacKay used his monthly column in The News to discuss Bill C-61. MacKay notes that copyright was a topic of discussion over the Canada Day weekend and then proceeds to offer the standard Conservative talking points on the bill.
MacKay Hears About Copyright
July 3, 2008
Share this post
4 Comments

Law Bytes
Episode 254: Looking Back at the Year in Canadian Digital Law and Policy
byMichael Geist

December 22, 2025
Michael Geist
December 8, 2025
Michael Geist
December 1, 2025
Michael Geist
November 24, 2025
Michael Geist
November 17, 2025
Michael Geist
Search Results placeholder
Recent Posts
The Year in Review: Top Ten Michael Geist Substacks
The Year in Review: Top Ten Law Bytes Podcast Episodes
The Year in Review: Top Ten Posts
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 254: Looking Back at the Year in Canadian Digital Law and Policy
Confronting Antisemitism in Canada: If Leaders Won’t Call It Out Without Qualifiers, They Can’t Address It

MacKay’s comments
First, he is mistaken or misleading about webcasts. The bill specifically excludes anything transmitted over the internet, unless it is simultaneously communicated via television or radio.
Second, again we hear the $500 limit being trotted out, without mentioning of the now lawsuit-friendly $20,000 statutory damages for circumvention of TMs.
When Conservative MPs bring out these talking points, are they lying, or have they just not read the bill?
They are just not telling all the truth which I guess is a form of lie.
Fines != Damages
As usual we get the “it’s good for us” without even addressing any of the concerns about the bill – wow, it might actually take a brain to think critically and not parrot Prentice.
What I don’t get is how he uses the word “fines” when Prentice keeps harping “statutory damages” – can’t the Conservative Party get their own propaganda right?
Bill C-61 and Calgary SW riding
It’s sad to see that few discussions are carried outside the blogs (like in main stream media), and nothing is discussed in places like Calgary SW (Harper’s riding!) – I know, I live here, I talk with friends and neighbors.
I wonder, how would be that Harper loose his seat over this? Hmm… If his electors only knew about C-61 bads.