Copyright Consultations Commence
July 23, 2009 by gduggan
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A Copyright Consultation process was initiated by the Conservative Government three days ago. The process is described as ‘nation-wide consultations’. The Conservative government say they want to ‘ensure that all perspectives are taken into account in an open and transparent process’. The Appropriation Art Coalition would like to encourage Artists and Cultural Sector workers to assist the government in being both open and transparent.
The consultations are being described as an effort to solicit Canadians’ opinions on the issue of copyright. Consultations run from July 20 – September 13. How much the results of this process will actually inform new legislation in the Fall we will wait to find out. Michael Geist writes that the most important element of the process will be the online forum and public comments. He has launched a new website (SpeakOutOnCopyright) in an effort to facilitate greater participation in the consultation process.
The consultation process has been split into various levels or hierarchies; ‘Round Tables’, ‘Town Halls’ and an online forum. The Appropriation Art Coalition, and others active in the fight for balanced copyright have been invited to Town Hall meetings. The Round Table discussions were closed prior to announcing the consultations. In a phone conversation with Conservative Headquarters it was not guaranteed that everyone in a Townhall meeting would be able to speak. Though labelled a nation-wide process there are only two Town-Hall venues, in Toronto and Montreal.
We hope this proves to be a meaningful and important consultation process. We would like to see changes to legislation that protect the rights of many artists and galleries. We encourage artists and cultural sector workers to make your voice heard. Freedom of expression is something that is a unique privilege in Canada and one which must be protected. Please contact us at contact@appropriationart.ca if you have any questions. Visit Michael’ Geist’s website to participate in his discussion on this process. And then speak out.
We’ll be posting our comment in the next day or two.
The Official Conservative Copyright Consultation Site
Speak Out On Copyright Site
The Ottawa Citizen: Industry Minister Tony Clement announced
Vito Pilieci, The Ottawa Citizen July 22, 2009
The Ottawa Citizen: Industry Minister Tony Clement announced in Vancouver on Monday the government would begin nationwide consultations with Canadians to get feedback on copyright laws.
The first discussion was to be held that evening, another was held Tuesday evening in Calgary, and while the last-minute nature of these consultations might seem suspicious, at least one of Canada’s copyright watchdog groups says the short notice ensures that the voice of every consumer is being heard.
“This kind of approach plays to the strengths of the consumer movement around copyright,” said David Fewer, acting director of the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa. “The copyright collectives have money and time and they can prepare glossy stuff and big studies and throw lawyers and lobbyists at this kind of stuff. But that takes time to prepare.”
Michael Geist: SpeakOutOnCopyright.ca Launches…
July 23, 2009 by gduggan
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Michael Geist: SpeakOutOnCopyright.ca Launches
To help facilitate greater participation throughout the consultation process, today I am launching SpeakOutOnCopyright.ca. The site features dozens of posts and videos on Canadian copyright law, the Twitter #copycon stream, information on Bill C-61, and a Take Action page that highlights the ways individual Canadians can speak out on copyright.
