Post Tagged with: "2008"

Wikileaks Cable Confirms Public Pressure Forced Delay of Canadian Copyright Bill in 2008

A new Wikileaks cable confirms that the Conservative government delayed introducing copyright legislation in early 2008 due to public opposition.  The delay – which followed the decision in December 2007 to hold off introducing a bill after it was placed on the order paper (and the Fair Copyright for Canada Facebook group took off) – lasted until June 2008.  The U.S. cable notes confirmation came directly from then-Industry Minister Jim Prentice, who told U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins that cabinet colleagues and Conservative MPs were worried about the electoral implications of copyright reform:

From December 2007 to mid-February, senior GOC officials and well-informed private sector contacts assured the Embassy that legislative calendar concerns were delaying the copyright bill’s introduction into Parliament.  Our contacts downplayed the small – but increasingly vocal – public opposition to copyright reform led by University of Ottawa law professor Dr. Michael Geist.  On February 25, however, Industry Minister Prentice (please protect) admitted to the Ambassador that some Cabinet members and Conservative Members of Parliament – including MPs who won their ridings by slim margins – opposed tabling the copyright bill now because it might be used against them in the next federal election.  Prentice said the copyright bill had become a “political” issue.  He also indicated that elevating Canada to the Special 301 Priority Watch List would make the issue more difficult and would not be received well.

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April 28, 2011 24 comments News

Eight Tech Law Issues To Watch in 2008

Predicting the future of Canadian technology law is challenging at the best of times, but with upcoming national elections in the United States and possibly Canada, prognostications for the next twelve months are admittedly likely to be about as accurate as a coin flip. With that caveat in mind, my weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) returns by offering up eight issues to watch in 2008.

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January 8, 2008 3 comments Columns

Eight Tech Law Issues To Watch in 2008

Predicting the future of Canadian technology law is challenging at the best of times, but with upcoming national elections in the United States and possibly Canada, prognostications for the next twelve months are admittedly likely to be about as accurate as a coin flip. With that caveat in mind, my weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) returns by offering up eight issues to watch in 2008.

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January 8, 2008 Comments are Disabled Neutrality

Eight Tech Law Issues To Watch in 2008

Appeared in the Toronto Star on January 7, 2008 as Tech Law Issues To Watch in 2008 Appeared in the Tyee on January 8, 2008 as Heads Up, Digital Wonks Predicting the future of Canadian technology law is challenging at the best of times, but with upcoming national elections in […]

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January 7, 2008 Comments are Disabled Columns Archive