Between the time Christ was born and then crucified, Jim Prentice responded to my messages

[thebookpile]

My e-mails and phone calls to Industry Minister Jim Prentice (sent before Christmas) were finally answered (after Easter). Well, he didn't answer anything, really. He just restated what I everyone following this issue already knows: that the government plans to amend the Copyright Act.

Thank you for your e-mail, regarding possible amendments to the Copyright Act. 

The Act must continue to be supportive of innovation and research while reflecting current technological and legal realities.  To this end, it must provide adequate protection for copyright holders while promoting access to copyrighted material. 

With this in mind, I am pleased to inform you that the federal government committed in the Speech from the Throne on October 16, 2007, to “improve the protection of cultural and intellectual property rights in Canada, including copyright reform.”  In this respect, I am working closely with my colleague, the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, with a view to introducing amendments to the Act.

Please be assured that your comments will be taken into account as we move forward. 

Sincerely,

The Honourable Jim Prentice, P.C., Q.C., M.P.

The only good news is that the tardiness of the reply hopefully indicates that lots of people sent in messages about this issue.

My question to Mr. Prentice would be: If it takes you and your staff an entire season to answer the e-mails, letters, and phone calls from citizens opposed to your proposed amendments, shouldn't that be taken as a sign to just drop your plans? Especially since the last public consultation on this issue also indicated widespread opposition to such an amendment, by a ratio of 13 to 1 (and the consultation process was not exactly promoted, either!).