News

Hill Times on Copyright Bill Timing

This week's Hill Times reports that intense lobbying may be delaying the introduction of a new copyright bill. The article says that a bill is unlikely to be introduced before the spring budget. It also suggests that a "fair use" provision is under consideration.

January 30, 2007 — Comments are Disabled — News

Digitization Initiatives

The UK's Joint Information Systems Committee commits £12m for national digitization efforts, while the Canadian Council of Archives launches a new round of funding worth slightly more than C$1 million.

January 28, 2007 — Comments are Disabled — News

BNL Get It

Steven Page and Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies appeared on CBC's The Hour tonight, emphasizing the need to reject DRM, provide fans with the freedom to use their music as they like, and the value of incorporating an environmentally-friendly approach to touring.

January 25, 2007 — 2 comments — News

von Finckenstein Named CRTC Chair

Mark Goldberg notes that Konrad von Finckenstein, a federal court judge and former head of the Competition Bureau, has been named chair of the CRTC. Notwithstanding the government's bio, many online observers best remember von Finckenstein for his decision [PDF] to block CRIA's attempt to unmask 29 alleged file sharers […]

January 25, 2007 — Comments are Disabled — News

The Case for Fair Use in Canada

Last week I delivered an invited talk to Canadian Heritage's Copyright Policy Branch on fair use. The talk, which is apparently one of several they have planned on the issue, was in response to the increasing attention being paid to the limitations of fair dealing and the benefits of expanding fair dealing or adopting a U.S. style fair use provision.

There is no podcast version of the talk, though you can view it below.

The talk opens by speculating on why fair use has emerged as a "hot issue." I point to several factors including the emphasis on balance within copyright, the consequences of digitization, and the growing class of creators focused on access. I also note that the emphasis on DRM and anti-circumvention legislation may also play a role since they exacerbate interoperability concerns that some hope can be solved by fair use.

After a brief legal backgrounder and an acknowledgement that fair use is not a panacea, I proceeded to identify seven reasons why Canada should expand the fair dealing provision. My seven are:

January 25, 2007 — 1 comment — News