A Bit of My Life » Response from Conservatives and the Liberals on new Copyright Law

Response from Conservatives and the Liberals on new Copyright Law

In case you’ve been hiding under a rock, here is the news story about the new copyright legislation that Jim Prentice tabled yesterday. Read it first.

Next, I recommend reading Michael Geist’s website for an intelligent rebuttal to the Copyright Act.

Here below find my responses from the Conservatives and Liberals on e-mails regarding the Copyright Act. Feel free to comment away. I haven’t gotten an answer from the NDP yet, but I expect it soon.

Conservative - this is actually my MP, David Sweet

Dear Ms. West:

Thank you very much for your letter regarding the new Copyright Bill, C-61.

With technology literally changing by the day this reform is much needed and long overdue. It has been ten years since the last major reform of this important legislation. In that time, we have seen nothing short of an Internet revolution and major advancements in technology. This is a balanced, made-in-Canada approach to copyright reform that will help ensure fair access by Canadian consumers to copyright material and protection of the rights of Canadians who create material that is copyrighted.

Our Government is the first to specifically allow Canadians to record their TV and radio shows to enjoy at different times-without infringing copyright. Our reform will also permit consumers to copy music onto devices such as MP3 players, and copy books, newspapers, videos and photos into different formats. Last but certainly not least, our bill limits at $500 the amount of statutory damages that individuals may be liable to pay if they infringed copyright for private use, provided the material is not protected by a digital lock. (Currently, statutory damages could be as high as $20,000 for a single infringement).

With this bill, we have introduced important measures to support industries whose success depends on copyright like software companies, musicians, photographers, and film makers. We are providing stronger protection of digital locks online so that companies that choose to use them in their business models will have the support of the law. We have also introduced stronger provisions to address Internet piracy.

We believe this copyright reform promotes innovation and competition in a digital, knowledge-based economy. Our role as Government is to set the stage for business to succeed and the economy to flourish. In short, to create the right environment for Canada to prosper by setting the right policies and this copyright bill accomplishes this.

I appreciate you writing to me on this legislation. I have noted your concerns and assure you that we will continue to be diligent in our study on this issue while keeping the views of Canadians in mind.

Sincerely,

David Sweet, M.P.,
Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough

-Westdale.

Liberal - From letter sent to Party website asking for Party position

Dear Angela,

Thank you for your note on the Conservative government’s new Copyright Act Bill C-61. While we agree that the Copyright Act must be updated in consideration of new technologies, we also believe that the Act must balance the needs of consumers and creators. In particular, we are concerned about the Bill’s treatment of copyright protection measures as we believe that these provisions should not take away rights from Canadians. Due to the technical nature of the bill, we will need to consult with consumers, artists, and the business community before we determine how we will proceed. We want to ensure that the final bill fosters innovation and fairly compensates creators, while ensuring equitable access to the users of the copyrighted material. I hope that this email answers your question. Please do not hesitate to contact us again in the future if you have any other questions or comments.

Sincerely,

Scott Blurton

Electronic Communications Officer

Liberal Party of Canada

My Own Comments

I asked both parties to clarify the 500.00 per infraction rule. The Tories seem to be holding it out as an olive branch, saying that it will only cost $500.00 if you are caught in violation of the rule. I have asked them if this is per computer or per infraction, and I suspect that it is per infraction. This means that a person with 1000 songs on their computer will be responsible for half a million dollars in fines.

While Sweet promises that his party will consult with everyone on the issue, the proof will be in the pudding. Jim Prentice has repeatedly declined to show up on the popular CBC show, Search Engine, to answer for the legislation and to consult with the Canadian public. Search Engine extracted a promise from him to show up when the legislation was tabled; lets see if that happens. I’m not a betting woman but I’ll bet Vegas wouldn’t hold out for odds on that one.

On the Liberal commentary - while I believe that the Liberals will be more sincere in their efforts to consult with the public, I believe we need to see a more targeted and less vague response from them on the issue, quickly. The more time that goes by, the more I will suspect them of being on the same receiving end of Hollywood’s deep pocketbooks as I believe the Conservatives to be. Trudeau is probably spinning in his grave - I hope we can count on the current Party leadership to stop the rotation.

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Response from Conservatives and the Liberals on new Copyright Law

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