The Wire Report has an excellent article on submissions received by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada on PIPEDA reform. Based on information obtained via access to information, the report notes that associations and businesses such as the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association and Microsoft warn against further PIPEDA reform.
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Fair Copyright for Canada Page Launches
With a new copyright bill that may look much like Bill C-61 likely within a matter of weeks, I've launched a new Fair Copyright for Canada Facebook page (distinct from the group) that can be used to keep current and learn more about what can be done as events unfold. […]
Industry Canada: Copyright Consultation a “Tremendous Success”
The Wire Report reports on the government's reaction to last summer's copyright consultation. An Industry Canada spokesperson says: "given the unprecedented level of participation, and the many important views and opinions received, the copyright consultations are considered a tremendous success. As Industry Canada considers future consultation processes, we will draw […]
Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore: The iPadLock Minister?
Since his appointment as Canadian Heritage minister in 2008, James Moore has carefully crafted an image as "Canada's iPod Minister." Young, bilingual, and tech-savvy, Moore has expressed regular support for the benefits of the Internet and is always ready with a quick "tweet" for his many followers. Yet as my op-ed in the Hill Times notes (HT version (sub required), homepage version), according to the scuttlebutt throughout the copyright community, Moore may be less iPod and more iPadlock. As the government readies its much-anticipated copyright package, Moore is said to be pressing for a virtual repeat of Bill C-61, the most anti-consumer copyright proposal in Canadian history.
Moore's about-face on copyright will come as a surprise to those who have heard his enthusiasm for new technology and the Internet. In June 2009, Moore told Industry Minister Tony Clement's Digital Economy conference that "the old way of doing things is over. These things are all now one. And it's great. And it's never been better. And we need to be enthusiastic and embrace this things."
Those comments were quickly followed by the national copyright consultation that generated thousands of responses, the majority of which called on the government to abandon the C-61 approach in favour of copyright rules that struck a better balance between the interests of creators and consumers.
Kenya Constitutional Court Blocks Anti-Counterfeiting Law
The Constitutional Court of Kenya has blocked the government from implementing that country's Anti-Counterfeiting Act as it applies to generic medicines. The law has been challenged as unconstitutional on the grounds that it endangers lives by arbitrarily denying access to affordable generic medications.
Recent Posts
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 232: What Will Canadian Digital Policy Look Like Under the New Liberal Carney Government? 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 231: Sara Bannerman on How Canadian Political Parties Maximize Voter Data Collection and Minimize Privacy Safeguards 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 230: Aengus Bridgman on the 2025 Federal Election, Social Media Platforms, and Misinformation 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 229: My Digital Access Day Keynote – Assessing the Canadian Digital Policy Record 
Queen’s University Trustees Reject Divestment Efforts Emphasizing the Importance of Institutional Neutrality
