Letter from Industry Minister Jim Prentice. Mind the spin.

[thebookpile]

I just received a letter from Industry Minister Jim Prentice explaining the "features" of today's copyright reform. I can't believe the blatantly dishonest statements included within it.

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; [thebookpile: This is only true if you don't break any "digital locks" in order to access the music for which you have already paid. Breaking a digital lock on a CD will result in a hefty fine.]
  

• 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 [thebookpile: No one was ever concerned about this being included in this bill. The problem is that these powers were included in a leaked version of ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement). What people should be worried about is the combination of Bill C-61 and ACTA.]
  

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

[thebookpile: How was this "made-in-Canada" when the previous public consultation, way back in 2001, resulted in a 13-to-1 ratio of ordinary Canadians coming out against such legislation. For a "made-in-Canada" bill, it sure sounds as if US interests have had a had a bigger influence than ordinary Canadians.]