Hi Everybody,
As I’m sure most have you have heard, the Canadian Government is planning on pushing through some new copyright legislation to conform with the WIPO treaties that is going to be supposedly stricter than the DMCA. There are some really serious issues about this legislation that is likely to affect all of us as students, researchers, librarians and journalists, and as citizens in terms of fair use, circumvention, parody, downloading, digital rights management, and so on.
Three things bother me specifically about this. The first is the Government’s general refusal to answer questions clearly about what the legislation is going to entail, and its refusal to consult the public adequately.
The second involves the industry and trading partners push that is the supposed reason behind this sudden eagerness to table new copyright legislation. Intense lobbying by the Canadian Recording Industry Association which represents the “big four” record labels (sony, universal, emi, and warner) who make up 75% of the global music industry, US ambassador David Wilkins, are all supposedly the big players pushing for reform.
Third, the DMCA is strict enough, as are the WIPO provisions, yet the government is planning to implement a copyright act that goes well beyond the requirements set out by WIPO itself. Why is this? Canada has a pretty strict and fairly sensible copyright legislation already.
The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada is opposed to reform as it stands.
http://www.aucc.ca/_pdf/english/reports/2007/copyright_12_04_e.pdf
The Canadian Association of University Teachers is questioning whether or not this is the right way to go. Check out Excess Copyright as well:
http://excesscopyright.blogspot.com/2007/12/caut-copyright-position.html
Canadian musicians are opposed to this version of copyright:
http://www.musiccreators.ca/wp/
I believe quite strongly that when multinational corporations begin to make Canadian legislation there is something seriously wrong with how things are being done. I also believe that when the public is shut out of the process of law making by the government we are setting a dangerous precedent.
I urge you to take action and let the government know that this is not acceptable for copyright reform and not acceptable for good governance.
Links to sample and form letters, MP addresses, and other important government contacts can be found here:
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/letters
A really great breakdown at what is at stake by Wayne Macphail can be found here:
http://www.rabble.ca/news_full_story.shtml?x=65169
Michael Geist’s excellent blog that will keep you up to date on these issues like no other is here:
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/blogsection/0/126/
Canadian Library Associations page on Copyright (though I can’t seem to find a position on the proposed legislation. Let me know if you have it:
http://tinyurl.com/yrr2ln
Finally, if I haven’t convinced you, maybe Brian the Frog will:
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/14247
Feel free to forward this, create your own, and spread the word around as far and as wide as possible. Also forward any links you know of or articles and we will post them here.
_DJ_
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