The Globe on How C-32 Will Affect Canadian Culture
November 17, 2010
Share this post
2 Comments

Law Bytes
Episode 268: Sara Grimes on the Moral Panic Behind Banning Kids from Social Media and AI Chatbots
byMichael Geist

May 11, 2026
Michael Geist
May 4, 2026
Michael Geist
April 27, 2026
Michael Geist
Ep. 265 – Jason Millar on Claude Mythos, Project Glasswing, and the Governance Crisis in Frontier AI
April 20, 2026
Michael Geist
Search Results placeholder
Michael Geist on Substack
Recent Posts
Bill C-22’s Groundhog Day: Why the Government’s Dismissal of Signal, Apple and the U.S. Congress Concerns Runs Back the Disastrous Online News Act Playbook
Slick Videos Won’t Save Lawful Access: Why The Government’s Bill C-22 Defence Avoids the Charter, Privacy and Security Concerns Raised By Critics
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 268: Sara Grimes on the Moral Panic Behind Banning Kids from Social Media and AI Chatbots
U.S. Congressional Leaders Warn Canadian Lawful Access Plans Harm U.S. National Security and Economic Interests
Make It Make Sense: My Appearance Before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security on Bill C-22’s Lawful Access Plan

CanCon or Can’tCopyCon?
Gibson is absolutely right about the borderless Internet. If a government really wants to nurture Canadian arts, it will nurture Canadian artists and nurture the arts in Canada, i.e., where they will be immediately experienced by Canadians, some of whom might become Canadian artists. Attempting to nurture Canadian arts by means of copyright legislation might benefit the parasitic copyright-collective industry with its lawyers and staffers or the publishing industry with its lawyers and staffers, but it does little for Canadian arts, Canadian artists, or the arts in Canada. And while we are at it, open up Canadians’ digital access to the rest of the world and vice versa by enhancing our infrastructure. In short, sing locally and think globally.
…
I think that the greatest thing that the government can do (and it already does it quite well) is to help Canadian artists to become known to the public. Like in helping them with their first recordings, letting them some air time and interviews with CBC and so on.
I’ll give just one example: Ndidi Onukwulu. After a fabulous ameeeriiikaan career of singing in the streets and in open mic bars in New York, she had to come back home to get her first album out. And the government helped. And CBC aired her. And I heard it. And I bought that album.
So yes Canada is different than US. And pleease lets keep it this way.
Nap.