Archive for May 4th, 2009

Europe Pushes For ICANN Reform

The European Union has put Internet governance back on the political agenda, as it is urging the U.S. government to make ICANN fully independent.

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May 4, 2009 Comments are Disabled News

Search Engine on the Special 301 Report

I appear on this week's CBC Search Engine podcast as we discuss the Special 301 report and the inclusion of Canada on the Priority Watch List.  The show addresses many of the issues I've writing about over the past few days including the absurdity of including Canada on the Priority […]

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May 4, 2009 1 comment News

U.S. List Unfairly Tarnishes Canada’s Digital Reputation

My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) focuses on the U.S. decision to elevate Canada to the Priority Watch list.  I note that the elevation will undoubtedly heighten pressure for reforms, it also points to the need for the Canadian government to reassess how it manages the Special 301 process and its bilateral relationship with the U.S. on this issue. In previous years, Canadian officials have done little more than express disappointment with the U.S. findings.  According to documents obtained under the Access to Information Act, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been repeatedly advised that "Canada does not recognize the Special 301 process due to its lacking of reliable and objective analysis, and we have raised this issue regularly with the U.S. in our bilateral discussions."

Raising the issue in bilateral discussions may have worked in the past, but this year's report sends a clear signal that more is needed.  This year's designation is so unsupportable that Industry Minister Tony Clement and Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore should not hesitate to challenge both the process and the substance of the findings.  

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May 4, 2009 4 comments Columns

U.S. List Unfairly Tarnishes Canada’s Digital Reputation

My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) focuses on the U.S. decision to elevate Canada to the Priority Watch list.  I note that the elevation will undoubtedly heighten pressure for reforms, it also points to the need for the Canadian government to reassess how it manages the Special 301 process and its bilateral relationship with the U.S. on this issue. In previous years, Canadian officials have done little more than express disappointment with the U.S. findings.  According to documents obtained under the Access to Information Act, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been repeatedly advised that "Canada does not recognize the Special 301 process due to its lacking of reliable and objective analysis, and we have raised this issue regularly with the U.S. in our bilateral discussions."

Raising the issue in bilateral discussions may have worked in the past, but this year's report sends a clear signal that more is needed.  This year's designation is so unsupportable that Industry Minister Tony Clement and Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore should not hesitate to challenge both the process and the substance of the findings.  

Read more ›

May 4, 2009 Comments are Disabled Stop CDMCA

U.S. List Unfairly Tarnishes Canada’s Digital Reputation

Appeared in the Toronto Star on May 4, 2009 as U.S. List Tarnishes Canada's Digital Reputation Each April, the U.S. releases the Special 301 Report, which examines the intellectual property laws of its main trading partners.  For the past fourteen years, Canada has been included on the list of countries […]

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May 4, 2009 Comments are Disabled Columns Archive