Olivier Charbonneau, a Quebec-based librarian, has an op-ed in Le Devoir calling for fair copyright reform including expanding fair dealing.
Olivier Charbonneau on Fair Copyright Reform
August 7, 2009
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Charbonneau Makes Good Points
I think Charbonneau is right on target when he calls for a balanced approach to copyright. He is absolutely correct to note the effect on analysis or instruction, for example, if a creator could veto the use of the work for such things.
His example that the US use of “fair use” is better than the Canadian use of “fair dealing” – for example that people are entitled to satirize a work or teachers to show an illustrative movie to a class are not infringing copyright is well taken.
The only ting I’d disagree with him on is the length of the present term of copyright, which I think should be lowered to 20 years, like patents.