The Songwriters Association of Canada proposal to fully legalize peer-to-peer file sharing by adding a $5 levy to the monthly Internet bill has generated considerable discussion over the past week. Much of that discussion has been negative with many Canadians arguing that they don't download music and should not be […]

Fair Dealing by Giulia Forsythe (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/dRkXwP
Copyright
ITWorldCanada on the BCBC
ITWorldCanada covers the emergence of the Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright as a key voice in the copyright debate.
Conservative Party Accused of Copyright Infringement
The Ottawa Citizen runs a front page story alleging that the Conservative Party is being accused of copyright infringement for using a song without permission in last week's video on Liberal spending proposals. The press conference was led by Industry Minister Jim Prentice. Warner/Chappell Music Canada has sent a letter […]
Corporate Giants Call for Copyright Compromise
My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, Vancouver Sun version, Ottawa Citizen version, homepage version) focuses on last week's big copyright reform development – the emergence of the Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright. I note that under most circumstances, Telus and Rogers Communications fiercely compete in the marketplace. The same can be said for Google and Yahoo!, the world’s two leading rival Internet search companies. Yet last week these companies joined forces with a who's who of the telecom, Internet, retail, and broadcast communities in a single cause – the call for fair and balanced copyright reform.
Following months of Industry Minister Jim Prentice citing business demands as a critical factor behind his commitment to copyright reform, a powerhouse group of companies and business associations formed the Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright (BCBC) to speak for themselves.
USTR Invites Submissions on ACTA
The U.S. Trade Representative has issued a public consultation on the negotiation of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. The consultation, which runs until March 21, 2008, notes that comments should focus on international cooperation, enforcement practices, or the development of new legal framworks. Australia has similarly consulted on its potential involvement […]