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Garneau on Copyright

Hugh McGuire reports on a conversation with Marc Garneau, the astronaut and Liberal candidate in Westmount Ville-Marie.  Garneau confirms the likely Liberal position on C-61 – kill the bill (which will likely die this week when an election is called) and consult.  More interestingly, he notes that he received more […]

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September 1, 2008 Comments are Disabled News

Saunders on Copyright at the Ballot Box

Alec Saunders discusses why he won't be voting for the Conservatives in the upcoming election.

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September 1, 2008 Comments are Disabled News

61 Reforms to C-61, Day 50: Education Harms – Lessons Contain Limited Definition of Students

One of the great benefits of distance education and the Internet is the power to extend our traditional notions of a "student body."  MIT's Open Courseware Project provides a great example [from column here] Notwithstanding the possibilities, Bill C-61 adopts a very narrow definition of student.  Section 30.01(3)(a) states that […]

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August 29, 2008 7 comments News

The Battle Over Internet Filtering

Earlier this week I attended a seminar in Brussels on the "telecoms package" currently before the European Parliament [partial video].  One of the most controversial elements in the package are the prospect for mandated ISP filtering or blocking of allegedly copyright infringing materials.  Those requirements would build on other national and international developments including the still-secret Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and the "three strikes and you're out" policies ("graduated response") in some European countries.

The seminar was illuminating since all of the most vocal stakeholders were in attendance (either as part of the panel or in the audience) and most were pretty transparent about their interests in the issue.  I walked away with the following scorecard:

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August 29, 2008 14 comments News

RCMP and Canadian Border Officials Seize Millions in Luxury Goods

The CBC reports that the RCMP and Canadian border officials have seized millions in luxury counterfeit goods, demonstrating yet again that Canadian law is not as powerless as critics suggest when it comes to dealing counterfeit issues.

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August 29, 2008 4 comments News