The World Intellectual Property Organization is meeting this week with considerable momentum toward work on a Treaty for the Blind that would establish important copyright limitations and exceptions to ensure broader access for the sight disabled. While the U.S. had emerged as a leader with a surprising shift in approach, attendees report that Canada has been missing in action and maintaining a very low profile. It's incredibly discouraging to see Canada – which fashions itself as a leading voice that can bridge the gap between delegations – doing so little on such an important issue.
WIPO Treaty for the Blind Gains Momentum, But Canada Missing in Action
December 18, 2009
Share this post
2 Comments

Law Bytes
Episode 270: Roundtable on the Bill C-22 Risks for Canadian Tech Companies Featuring VPN Services Tailscale and Windscribe
byMichael Geist

May 25, 2026
Michael Geist
May 11, 2026
Michael Geist
May 4, 2026
Michael Geist
April 27, 2026
Michael Geist
Search Results placeholder
Michael Geist on Substack
Recent Posts
AI for All, Details to Follow: Government Releases a Big-Spending AI Strategy That Is Still Short on the Specifics That Matter
New Privacy Rights in the Morning, Mandatory Metadata Retention in the Afternoon: How Bill C-22 Undercuts the AI Strategy Before It Launches
From Making Web Giants Pay to Making Taxpayers Pay: Government Announces Plan to Kill the CRTC’s Online Streaming Ruling
Digital Self-Sabotage: Why Canada’s AI Strategy Is Set to Fail Before it Even Launches
Why Mark Carney’s Antisemitism Speech Did Not Meet the Moment

Considering the events in Copenhagen, I’m not at all surprised by the inaction.
Am I the only one who assumed this would be the way the U.S. would want to handle any specific, high profile situations that exemplify the issues with their strategy? I think there are a few more of these coming.