The Government of Canada has introduced Bill C-61, An Act to Amend the Copyright Act. The proposed legislation is a made-in-Canada approach that balances the needs of Canadian consumers and copyright owners, promoting culture, innovation and competition in the digital age.
What does Bill C-61 mean to Canadians?
Specifically, it includes measures that would:
expressly allow you to record TV shows for later viewing; copy legally purchased music onto other devices, such as MP3 players or cell phones; make back-up copies of legally purchased books, newspapers, videocassettes and photographs onto devices you own; and limit the “statutory damages” a court could award for all private use copyright infringements;
implement new rights and protections for copyright holders, tailored to the Internet, to encourage participation in the online economy, as well as stronger legal remedies to address Internet piracy;
clarify the roles and responsibilities of Internet Service Providers related to the copyright content flowing over their network facilities; and
provide photographers with the same rights as other creators.
What Bill C-61 does not do:
it would not empower border agents to seize your iPod or laptop at border crossings, contrary to recent public speculation
What this Bill is not:
it is not a mirror image of U.S. copyright laws. Our Bill is made-in-Canada with different exceptions for educators, consumers and others and brings us into line with more than 60 countries including Japan, France, Germany and Australia
Bill C-61 was introduced in the Commons on June 12, 2008 by Industry Minister Jim Prentice and Heritage Minister Josée Verner.
For more information, please visit the Copyright Reform Process website at www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/crp-prda.nsf/en/home
Thank you for sharing your views on this important matter.
The Honourable Jim Prentice, P.C., Q.C., M.P.
Minister of Industry
The Honourable Josée Verner, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women
and Official Languages and Minister for
La Francophonie
This is pure propaganda. For a rational take on bill C-61, see this Techdirt article: http://techdirt.com/articles/20080612/1017381387.shtml and this article from Michael Geist’s blog: http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/3025/125/
I’ve been thinking about this steaming pile of legislation, and the more I think about it the more my response is a Bushian BRING IT ON. Why? Because it’s so bad, and it will criminalize so many young Canadians, and it will be so inconsistently applied by the courts, and there will be so many challenges. The Conservatives will be covered with rotten egg from their pedipalps to their shiny foreheads the first time somebody goes to jail for 50 years for copying something. We simply don’t have the jails for it. Anyway, this legislation will be a stake through the heart of the Conservatives and they’re too fracking stupid to realize it… ainsi soit-il.
Because of this idiotic legislation which puts corporate profits ahead of everything else, i will never vote conservative again. Given my feelings about the liberals, I sure hope that someone from the silly party or the rhinoceros party is running in the next election. Oh, for the ability to vote directly for none of the above.