Blog

New CIHR Policy a Victory for Open Access

My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) focuses on last week's announcement of a new CIHR open access policy. The column touches on many of the issues I raised in my initial blog posting, including the implications for publishers and the mounting pressure on Canada's other granting […]

September 10, 2007 — Comments are Disabled — Columns

Vancouver Sun & Nettwerk Offer Free Music Downloads

The Vancouver Sun and Nettwerk Music Group have combined to offer a free album titled Seriously Westcoast, Vol. 1. The compilation includes two tracks from the Barenaked Ladies, a track from Sarah McLachlan, along with a dozen other artists. The deadline for download is midnight PST tonight (hat tip: Coolfer).

September 9, 2007 — 3 comments — News

CIRA Votes

Yesterday I attended an entertaining CIRA Annual General meeting which was also used as the kick-off for this year's board elections. This year's slate includes past and present board members such as Clyde Beattie, Paul Anderson, Rick Anderson, and Ron Kawchuk, as well as some impressive new candidates that could […]

September 7, 2007 — 1 comment — News

Caught in the Throttle

The Ottawa Business Journal has a front page article on traffic shaping this week that highlights yet again why the lack of transparency around Canadian Internet service is a significant problem. The story focuses on the Rogers' traffic shaping issues and includes references to three comments on the issue from […]

September 7, 2007 — 10 comments — News

“We Don’t Have Any Choice”

Last week, the Vancouver Sun ran a lengthy article on the music industry. It was a reasonable piece – comments from CRIA, CIRPA, and many artists presented some (though not all) perspectives. That said, CRIA's Graham Henderson provided comments that merit a response. According to Henderson:

We want laws that offer choice. Right now we don't have any choice and we want the ability to be able to try our business model in a digital environment and have at least the majority of people respect our wishes, recognizing all along that there are going to be people who take from us.

Leaving aside the fact that much of the copying that Henderson characterizes as "taking from us" is covered by the private copying levy that has now generated nearly $200 million since the CPCC began collecting the levy in 2000, CRIA is effectively saying that the only way the industry can offer digital music online is with DRM supported by anti-circumvention legislation. Anyone with even the slightest familiarity with digital music in Canada recognizes that this is utter nonsense.

September 5, 2007 — 5 comments — News