Many bloggers have lamented Bill Patry's decision to put an end to his invaluable blog. The blog has been a daily read for many and will be sorely missed. Patry points to two reasons – the inability of some readers to separate his personal opinion from the views of his […]
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Canada’s Top 25 Political Blogs
With law and technology issues becoming increasing fodder for political discussion, this blog has just been ranked as Canada's top political blog for August 2008 in the Canada's Top 25 Political Blogs. The ranking is based on a criteria that includes Google page rank and Alexa traffic numbers.
Dhaliwal on the C-61 Town Hall
Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal has issued a press release on his recent "near capacity" town hall meeting on C-61. Dhaliwal notes that Bill C-61 ranks among the top three issues raised by his constituents.
Tapscott on C-61
Don Tapscott, the noted author of Wikinomics, weighs in on Bill C-61, describing it as "a massive step backward by the government."
61 Reforms to C-61, Day 30: TPMs – Anti-circumvention and Privacy
The inclusion of a privacy exception within Bill C-61's anti-circumvention provisions was not particularly surprising given that the U.S. DMCA includes one and there has been mounting concern about the privacy implications of DRM. The issue has captured the attention of the Canadian privacy community for the past few years. In 2006, a group of privacy and civil liberties organizations and experts sent a public letter to the responsible ministers calling for assurances that:
- any proposed copyright reforms will prioritize privacy protection by including a full privacy consultation and a full privacy impact assessment with the introduction of any copyright reform bill;
- any proposed anti-circumvention provisions will create no negative privacy impact; and
- any proposed copyright reforms will include pro-active privacy protections that, for example, enshrine the rights of Canadians to access and enjoy copyright works anonymously and in private.
The group (of which I am a member) sent a follow-up letter earlier this year as did Privacy Commissioner of Canada Jennifer Stoddart, who posted a public letter expressing concern that copyright reform could have a negative impact on privacy. Given those concerns, an exception to protect personal information is not unexpected. However, Section 41.14 fails to provide Canadians with full privacy protection and Bill C-61 unquestionably makes it more difficult for Canadians to effectively protect their privacy.
Recent Posts
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 239: The Rise and Fall of Canada’s Digital Services Tax 
Canada’s DST Debacle a Case Study of Digital Strategy Trouble 
Canadian Government Caves on Digital Services Tax After Years of Dismissing the Risks of Trade Retaliation 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 238: David Fraser on Why Bill C-2’s Lawful Access Powers May Put Canadians’ Digital Security At Risk 
Ignoring the Warning Signs: Why Did the Canadian Government Dismiss the Trade Risks of a Digital Services Tax?
