Howard Knopf has a terrific post on how Canada could use IP and IP policy to address concerns with the economy.
Knopf on IP and the Economy
December 1, 2008
Share this post
One Comment

Law Bytes
Episode 278: Ben Waldman on Gander Social and the Challenges of Building a Sovereign Social Network
byMichael Geist

August 10, 2026
Michael Geist
Search Results placeholder
Michael Geist on Substack
Recent Posts
Named to Canadian Lawyer’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers
Be Careful What You Wish For: Why Asking Google Maps to Defy the U.S. on Lake Ontario Would Undermine Canadian Digital Sovereignty
Big Money, Bigger Design Changes: What the Meta Settlement Means for Canada, Bill C-34, and the Age Verification and Privacy Risks That Remain
Unleashing the Trolls: Ontario Court Opens the Door to Liability for Influencers Who Weaponize Their Audiences
Why Ottawa Will Likely Join the U.S. in Opposing the Quebec Online Streaming Law at the Centre of the Trade Battle

According to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is a federal public law passed by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama. Its legislative history had three versions, the first approved by the House of Representatives, a second version approved by the Senate. The final version, a conference version resulting from negotiations of House and Senate leadership was approved by both houses of Congress on February 13, 2009, and signed on February 17 by the President. Congressional negotiators announced on February 11, 2009, that they had completed the conference report of the bill. The 1,071 page Conference Report with final handwritten provisions was made available to the public late on February 13. On February 13, 2009, at 2:24 p.m., the Conference Report was voted on and passed as Roll Call Vote 70 by the House with 246 Yeas and 183 Nays. The vote was largely along party lines with all 246 Yea votes given by Democrats and the Nay vote consisting of 176 Republicans and seven Democrats. The payday loan for the nation’s economy is on its way. The Obama stimulus bill has been passed and signed. Plans are underway on how to deploy it, and the $787 billion in funds that it will disperse in order to stabilize markets, encourage lending, and create jobs. The government sized payday loan will also be used to improve broadband access, improve schools and universities, and invest in green technology, ushering in more green industry. Hopefully, it will also create more of the kinds of jobs where a payday loan isn’t really a worry.