Appeared in the Toronto Star on December 14, 2015 as How to Defuse the Battle Over Uber The very public fight over ride sharing services such as Uber was in the spotlight again last week as taxi drivers took to the streets in Toronto to protest against the ongoing availability […]
Articles by: Michael Geist
Competition Tribunal Gives Go Ahead for Price Maintenance Claim Against Music Industry Giants
The Competition Tribunal has granted leave to Stargrove Entertainment, the Canadian music label that has published public domain recordings from the artists such as the Beatles, to pursue a Competition Tribunal complaint against some of the giants of the music industry. The complaint targets the Canadian Music Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA), Universal Music, Sony Music, and several music publishers. I wrote earlier about Stargrove’s complaint and noted the backroom lobbying campaign that succeeded in obtaining a copyright term extension in Canada for sound recordings.
Despite strong opposition from the music industry, the Tribunal granted leave to pursue a complaint of price maintenance in violation of the Competition Act. The Tribunal concluded:
Technology and the TPP: A Panel Discussion
Last month, the University of Ottawa hosted a standing room only panel on technology and the TPP featuring Burcu Kilic, Carolina Rossini, Jeremy deBeer, Tamir Israel and myself. The panel was moderated by Loris Mirella, the lead IP negotiator on the TPP for the Canadian government. A full video of the event is posted below.
Why the Government’s Commitment to “Open by Default” Must Be Bigger Than Open Data
This week, I was pleased to participate in a joint initiative between the University of Ottawa’s Public Law Group and iPolitics to examine the government’s Speech from the Throne from many policy perspectives. This includes contributions from Professors Mendes, Morales, Oliver, Pal, Dodek, Forcese, Chalifour, and Cairns Way. My piece (iPolitics version, homepage version) focuses on the government’s commitment to “open by default”, which appears in all ministerial mandate letters. I note that the emphasis on open and transparent government in the Speech from the Throne was both welcome and unsurprising. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on openness and transparency with impressive commitments to transform how Canadians access government information.
Set the Data Free, Mr. Trudeau
Appeared in iPolitics on December 8, 2015 as Set the Data Free, Mr. Trudeau The emphasis on open and transparent government in the Speech from the Throne was both welcome and unsurprising. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on openness and transparency with impressive commitments to transform how Canadians access government […]
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