Steven Page of the Barenaked Ladies has responded to Canadian Heritage Minister Bev Oda's Communication Director Chishom Pothier, who cited a meeting with Page as evidence that the Oda is open to meeting with all stakeholder interests. Responds Page: We welcomed the opportunity to work with this current government on […]
Post Tagged with: "cmcc"
30 Days of DRM – Day 15: Artistic Access (Circumvention Rights)
The copyright lobby frequently characterizes the use of DRM and anti-circumvention legislation as benefiting creators. Contrary to the rhetoric, however, a growing number of creators actively oppose DRM and the prospect of anti-circumvention legislation. The Canadian Music Creators Coalition justifiably generated enormous attention last spring when dozens of Canada's leading musicians came together to form a new coalition opposed to suing fans, using DRM, or establishing anti-circumvention legislation. The Appropriation Art coalition, launched soon afterward, may have less noteriety but they combine to form a powerful voice. Consisting of more than 600 artists, curators, directors, educators, writers, associations and organizations from the art sector, the coalition features artists that have collectively won dozens of major awards including eight Governor General Awards in Visual and Media Arts.
Despite these credentials, the group incredibly received little more than a form letter from Bev Oda, the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Perhaps that is because the Appropriation Arts coalition tells a much different story from the copyright lobby.
Andrew Cash on the CMCC
Andrew Cash, one of the CMCC musicians who met with Ministers Bernier and Oda, has chronicled his experience along with his views on finding solutions that meet the needs of the industry, artists, and fans.
Canadian Privacy Community Speaks Out on Copyright Reform
On the heels of the recent emergence of the CMCC, Canada's privacy community is today speaking out on its concerns with the prospect of copyright reform that provides legal protections for digital rights management but fails to account for the impact on personal privacy. Dozens of groups and individuals, including civil liberties organizations, library and education associations, and prominent privacy leaders such as former Privacy Commissioner Bruce Phillips (I have also lent my name to the letter) have sent a public letter to Ministers Bernier and Oda calling on the government to ensure that privacy factors in the copyright reform process.
The letter, supported by a background paper on the privacy concerns raised by copyright reform, seeks 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.
Notably, several of Canada's privacy commissioners have lent their support to the open letter.
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