2011-09-29, 10:18 AM
Quote:Consumers and creators alike have their ears perked for the reintroduction of the government's copyright bill, expected Thursday.
Industry Minister Christian Paradis and Heritage Minister James Moore are unveiling the details at a news conference on Thursday morning.
Moore indicated in early September that the government planned to reintroduce the copyright bill in exactly the same form as the legislation that died when the last session of Parliament ended in the spring, the former Bill C-32. At that time, Moore indicated that the government wants to pick up where it left off in the last session, and the legislative committee studying the bill will not be inviting groups that have already commented to appear before the committee again.
Liberal heritage critic Scott Simms said he's concerned with the proposed approach because there is a new industry minister involved and new members of the committee studying the bill.
"To assume the committee can just pick up where it left off is a little premature," he said.
Michael Geist, a University of Ottawa law professor who specializes in internet law and has a strong interest in copyright, said the government's approach "sends a strong message that the government thinks they struck the right balance" between consumers and creators in the way it was introduced before.
Shortened hearings expected
He believes the government will significantly shorten the hearings, especially since the Conservatives will now form the majority on the committee and opposition MPs will no longer be able to slow the process down.
However, he noted that there are groups that the government has yet to hear from and there has been widespread controversy over some parts of the bill. In particular, many groups are concerned about provisions dealing with digital locks or technical means of "copy protection." Bill C-32 would have made it illegal to break or circumvent digital locks for any reason, even to exercise other rights under the Copyright Act.
Geist and many other advocates believe it should be legal to circumvent digital locks for legal purposes.
"Whether the Conservatives are willing to go that far now, we don't know," he said.
Victoria Owen, chair of the copyright committee for the Canadian Library Association, said Bill C-32 was introduced following extensive public consultations and included some positive changes. She cited the inclusion of education, parody and satire under fair dealing provisions that allow people to freely use some copyrighted material under certain circumstances.
However, she is also concerned about the digital lock provisions. She said they would prevent people from legally using material under fair dealing and will also prevent libraries, archives and museums from making copies of copyrighted works such as movies for the purposes of preserving them in the public interest.
Critics optimistic
"I have confidence that when the government understands, we should be able to circumvent for non-infringing purposes," she said.
But in order to make sure the government does understand, she believes her group, which made a presentation to the previous legislative committee on copyright in March, needs to appear before the committee again something it appears will not happen.
Graham Henderson, president of Music Canada, a group that represents Canada's four largest record labels, said his group also perceived some flaws in the previous bill, but has confidence in the parliamentary process.
"We support the intent of government, we understand what they're trying to accomplish here," he said, "and in this case, we're confident that having heard testimony of countless witnesses and having had their attention directed to various technical amendments that are necessary to bring the bill into harmony with stated government policy, that they will make technical amendments."
In particular, Henderson is concerned about how the bill dealt with online music and video file-sharing services such as Bittorrent, Pirate Bay and Isohunt, which his organization believes are stealing revenues away from creators.
He added that while the government has said it will crack down on such services, the previous copyright legislation included some unintended loopholes.
"These are important issues, but the fixes themselves are minor and technical in nature," he said.
NDP technology critic Charlie Angus said the government knows there were problems with that previous bill.
"They've told me that many times," he said.
But he said it remains to be seen how they will be dealt with.
"Either they'll amend it in the amendments phase or they'll try and push it through. We shall have to see," Angus said. "I've told them from the beginning we can get copyright through and we need to get it through, but if we're going to get it through, we need to have a co-operative approach."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/20...-bill.html
Brb. Giving a pineapple.
