Post by quietkaos74 on May 31, 2010 23:07:22 GMT -8
Proposed copyright bill aims to protect artists and consumers
By ALTHIA RAJ, PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU
Last Updated: May 31, 2010 3:40am
OTTAWA — The Conservative government is poised to introduce its long awaited copyright bill within days, Industry Minister Tony Clement told QMI Agency Sunday.
The new bill tries to reach a balance between consumers’ ability to use and manipulate products they legally obtain and the rights of those who create content, such as the movie and gaming industries, Clement said.
“Hopefully, we’ve found the right balance, but that will be obviously a matter of discussion and debate,” he said. Clement said many Canadians, himself included, engage in behaviour everyday that is illegal under the current legislation, such as recording television shows on PVRs and uploading songs from CDs purchased to MP3 players.
“We are aware that these are issues that people care about and what we want is a common sense approach,” Clement said. “At the same time, we want to create some barriers because we want to make sure that artists and creators don’t have the value of their product systematically destroyed by technology.”
Without barriers in place, there would be no incentive for artists and businesses to create or innovate in Canada, he said.
“Nowadays. it is possible to rip something off — a movie or a song — and put it on the Internet and within seconds, millions of people have access to it without paying the creator or the copyright owner. That’s a major problem,” he said. “We want to go after those people and after the enablers.”
Clement said this bill would address digital locks and fair dealing exceptions and would include some similarities to Bill C-61, the Conservatives’ disastrous attempt to bring in tough anti-consumer provisions.
“I’m not saying this is going to be the absolute perfect bill. It is our attempt to be as perfect as possible,” Clement said, adding he’s open to some of opposition amendments.
Source:
By ALTHIA RAJ, PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU
Last Updated: May 31, 2010 3:40am
OTTAWA — The Conservative government is poised to introduce its long awaited copyright bill within days, Industry Minister Tony Clement told QMI Agency Sunday.
The new bill tries to reach a balance between consumers’ ability to use and manipulate products they legally obtain and the rights of those who create content, such as the movie and gaming industries, Clement said.
“Hopefully, we’ve found the right balance, but that will be obviously a matter of discussion and debate,” he said. Clement said many Canadians, himself included, engage in behaviour everyday that is illegal under the current legislation, such as recording television shows on PVRs and uploading songs from CDs purchased to MP3 players.
“We are aware that these are issues that people care about and what we want is a common sense approach,” Clement said. “At the same time, we want to create some barriers because we want to make sure that artists and creators don’t have the value of their product systematically destroyed by technology.”
Without barriers in place, there would be no incentive for artists and businesses to create or innovate in Canada, he said.
“Nowadays. it is possible to rip something off — a movie or a song — and put it on the Internet and within seconds, millions of people have access to it without paying the creator or the copyright owner. That’s a major problem,” he said. “We want to go after those people and after the enablers.”
Clement said this bill would address digital locks and fair dealing exceptions and would include some similarities to Bill C-61, the Conservatives’ disastrous attempt to bring in tough anti-consumer provisions.
“I’m not saying this is going to be the absolute perfect bill. It is our attempt to be as perfect as possible,” Clement said, adding he’s open to some of opposition amendments.
Source:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/05/31/14196536.html