Post Tagged with: "Counterfeit"

New Risks Emerge as Anti-Counterfeiting Bill Placed on the Legislative Fast Track

The government’s anti-counterfeiting legislation, which died over the summer when the Conservatives hit the parliamentary reset button, is now back on the legislative fast track. Industry Minister James Moore quickly re-introduced the bill last month and speedily sent it to the Industry Committee for review (I appeared before the committee last week).  

That review has revealed that the numerous new border measures envisioned by the bill, including seizure powers without court oversight, fall short of the demands of intellectual property lobby groups. Those groups intend to use the committee hearings to seek further expansion of border seizures and to shift more enforcement costs to the public.

My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) notes that since virtually everyone is opposed to harmful counterfeiting – particularly when fake goods create health and safety risks – it is unsurprising that the bill appears to enjoy all-party support. The focal point of the bill is that it grants customs officials broad new powers without court oversight. Officials will be required to assess whether goods entering or exiting the country infringe any copyright or trademark rights. Should a customs official determine that there is infringement, the goods may be seized and prevented from entering the country.

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November 12, 2013 5 comments Columns

New Risks Emerge as Anti-Counterfeiting Bill Placed on the Legislative Fast Track

Appeared in the Toronto Star on November 9, 2013 as New Risks Emerge as Anti-Counterfeiting Bill Placed on Legislative Fast Track The government’s anti-counterfeiting legislation, which died over the summer when the Conservatives hit the parliamentary reset button, is now back on the legislative fast track. Industry Minister James Moore […]

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November 12, 2013 Comments are Disabled Columns Archive

CRTC Ruling a Small Step Toward Broadcast Overhaul

Appeared in the Toronto Star on August 10, 2013 as CRTC Television Ruling a Small Step Toward Broadcast Overhaul Coverage of last week’s Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ruling on mandatory carriage of a couple of dozen channels may have focused on the future of the Sun News Network (no […]

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August 15, 2013 Comments are Disabled Columns Archive

Anti-Counterfeiting ACTA Bill Referred to Industry Committee

Bill C-56, the anti-counterfeiting bill that opens the door the Canadian implementation of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, has been referred to the Industry Committee for review. The government imposed time allocation on the bill to move it to committee. The debate on the bill yesterday suggested that all parties support […]

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June 13, 2013 3 comments News

Canadian ACTA Compliance Bill Inches Forward

Earlier this year, Industry Minister Christian Paradis introduced a bill aimed at ensuring that Canada complies with the discredited Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. The bill raises a host of concerns including granting border guards increased powers without court oversight or review. The bill had not been heard from since its introduction, […]

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May 31, 2013 7 comments News