Post Tagged with: "copyright"

Comparing the Political Parties on Arts Policy

The Canadian Conference of the Arts has posted an excellent summary of political party views on arts and culture issues, including copyright. The CCA received responses from all parties other than the Conservatives. It confirms that the NDP support new culture contributions payments from over-the-top services such as Netflix and […]

April 20, 2011 — 2 comments — News

Liberals on C-32’s Digital Lock Rules

Liberal Marc Garneau, who served on the C-32 committee and as the party’s Industry critic, issued a tweet last night that provided the clearest statement yet on the Liberal support for reform to the digital lock rules. Garneau stated: “Liberals believe Copyright Bill C-32 must be amended to allow digital […]

April 20, 2011 — 2 comments — News

Why the Conservatives Copyright Plans Create a Hidden Cost for RIM’s PlayBook

Appeared in the Ottawa Citizen on April 19, 2011 as ‘Playbook’ Tax Means Apple Wins Research in Motion, Canada’s technology giant, releases its much-anticipated PlayBook this week. The PlayBook, a tablet computer competitor to the Apple iPad, is enormously important not only to the company, but given RIM’s role as […]

April 19, 2011 — Comments are Disabled — Columns Archive

The PlayBook Tax: Why the Conservative’s Copyright Plans Create a Hidden Cost for RIM’s PlayBook

Research in Motion, Canada’s technology giant, releases its much-anticipated PlayBook this week. The PlayBook, a tablet competitor to the Apple iPad, is enormously important to the company and some commentators have cited its importance to the country as well. This weekend, the Globe noted “there is a lot on the line for Canada, too, of course – not because it needs the PlayBook but because the country’s technology sector has come to rest heavily on RIM’s success.”

Given its importance, one would think that Canada’s political parties would ensure that their policies do not create unnecessary roadblocks or barriers to its success. Yet the Conservative plan for copyright reform (as found in Bill C-32) establishes a significant barrier that could force many consumers to pay hundreds in additional costs in order to switch their content from existing devices to the PlayBook.

The PlayBook may be competitively priced with the iPad, but the hidden cost of transferring content to the new device – effectively a PlayBook tax – may mean that many Canadian consumers take a pass.

April 18, 2011 — 51 comments — News