The Ottawa Citizen reports that the U.S. public affairs network C-SPAN has said that it will not sue the Conservatives over the use of its footage in the recent ads targeting Michael Ignatieff.
C-SPAN Says It Won’t Sue Conservatives Over Ignatieff Footage
May 29, 2009
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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
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And if they were sued, I presume that you would defend the Conservatives in this case
Not a Leader’s Image for Copyright
Just like the Dion Shrug image was lifted from Parliament – anything for an attack ad!
Great example for the country!
So the laws on copyright only apply to the citizens. Quite sad when I admire my legal threat from Videotron…
They shouldn’t have done it, however…
The article indicates the General Council of C-SPAN as believing it falls under the “fair-use” provisions in the copyright law. However, they should have gotten permission in the first place.
You hit the nail on the head, Frank
No matter weather it be civil or criminal law, it only applies to civilian citizens. Not any politician’s, corporations, etc.
(It should be noted that our point of view is heavily censored by CBC and CTV on their boards)