The Hill Times runs a special op-ed (HT version, homepage version) in which I note that while the influence of the U.S. government in crafting a Canadian version of the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act has been a recurring theme, what has gone largely unnoticed is the role that some Canadian lobby groups have played in quietly encouraging the U.S. to step up the pressure. Indeed, according to documents recently obtained under the Access to Information Act, last spring Canadian Recording Industry Association President Graham Henderson met with Wilkins' counterpart – Canada's Ambassador to the United States Michael Wilson – to encourage him to pressure both governments to prioritize U.S. style copyright reforms.
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The Conservative Copyright MPs – An Update
My recent Copyright MPs posting generated a considerable amount of attention along with a number of suggestions of how it could be improved. These included adding ridings with large colleges (who often offer many technology-focused programs), more clearly identifying those ridings where the incumbent does not plan to seek re-election, and focusing more intently on the Conservative MPs, given that they will be the most directly affected by a Canadian DMCA.
While I will focus on the other parties – particularly if/when a new bill is introduced – for the moment it is the Conservatives that are on the hot seat on copyright given Industry Minister Jim Prentice's plans for a Canadian DMCA. With that in mind (and with the additional caveat that I think all MPs will hear from their constituents on copyright), the updated list of Conservative Copyright MPs from West to East is posted below. To qualify as a Copyright MP, the MP needs to have won the riding in the 2006 election by 10 percent or less and have a university or college in the riding. Only colleges with over 5,000 students are included.
Yau on CMEC Copyright Proposal
Julianna Yau identifies precisely why the CMEC's copyright education exemption proposal is so damaging – it actively encourages the use of DRM to lock out education.
Why The Conservative Treaty Policy Issue Won’t Go Away
I've posted a couple of times this week on the Government's new policy that commits to a House of Commons review of international treaties before introducing implementing or ratifying legislation. This policy mandates that the Conservatives bring the WIPO Internet treaties for review before tabling their copyright bill. The policy, […]
Two More Opponents of Prentice’s Canadian DMCA
The list of opponents to Industry Minister Jim Prentice's Canadian DMCA continues to grow. I've already noted that the bill is likely to be opposed by thousands of Canadians, librarians, teachers, universities, musicians, artists, film makers, consumers, digital security companies, major retailers, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, and the Canadian […]
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