In the aftermath of the “No iPod Tax” event earlier this week, the Liberals have come forward this morning with specific positions on Bill C-32. The announcement is welcome since it helps clarify where the party stands and specifically where compromise is needed if the bill is to be passed. […]
Post Tagged with: "copyright"
C-32 Committee Hearings on Hold Until At Least Late January
Despite initial plans for a Bill C-32 hearing yesterday, the Legislative Committee postponed its scheduled hearing. The next hearing is unlikely to occur at least until January 31, 2011.
Japan Moves Closer to Fair Use
Add Japan to the list of countries seemingly ready to move to a system that includes fair use. Reports indicate that a government advisory panel has approved “a plan to tolerate the unlicensed use of copyrighted works unless the use unduly infringes on the interest of the copyright holder.”
Clearing Up the Copyright Confusion: Fair Dealing and Bill C-32
Given the recent discussion, this lengthy post [also available as a PDF] seeks to clear up the confusion with an opening basic introduction to fair dealing and the proposed reforms followed by answers to many of the questions that have been raised over the past few months (a similar review of the digital lock rules can be found here [PDF]).
Bill C-32 and Fair Dealing – The Basics
The No iPod Tax Press Conference: An Alternative Script
Earlier today I walked a few blocks from my office to Ottawa’s Rideau Centre to attend a press conference with Industry Minister Tony Clement and Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore, who promised an important announcement. The two ministers stood in front of an HMV and a group of students wearing t-shirts with No iPod tax logos on the back to declare that they were firmly set against a massive new tax on technology for all the holiday shoppers in the mall. The Ministers claimed that all three opposition parties supported a tax of up to $75, which (reminiscent of the Dion “tax on everything” campaign) would apply to all technology devices and even cars.
The press conference suggests that opposition to extending the private copying levy may be the key positioning point for the government in support of Bill C-32. Rather than focusing on the bill’s actual provisions, the government will argue that the bill deserves support from the public because of what isn’t there – the levy extension. However, an alternate press conference might have featured the following script (the actual script is here):
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