Fair Copyright for Canada - Edmonton Round Table [2009.09.03] [mp3-64kbps]

Event:

Edmonton Citizens Copyright Round Table - Weren't They Going To Ask Us?

Humanities Centre Lecture Theatre University of Alberta

September 3rd, 2009 from 7:00PM to 9:00 PM MDT [GMT -7:00]



Attending:

Fair Copyright for Canada - Edmonton Chapter

Alberta Public Interest Research Group (APIRG)

Canadian Citizens



The federal government of Canada ran a copyright consultation process to promote transparency and open debate from July 20th to September 13th, 2009. This was done in regards to the anticipation of introducing new legislation to amend the Canadian copyright statutes. There had been attempts in the recent past to amend Canada's copyright laws. All potential legislation to date has been met stiff resistance from Canadians citizens thanks, in part, to the critical issues brought to light by grassroots coalitions such as Fair Copyright for Canada. Among the laws recently tabled were Bill C-60 and Bill C-61. Also of great concern is the adoption and ratification of internationally introduced and multilaterally binding Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and other secret World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties. ACTA is now being negotiated behind closed doors far away from public scrutiny and debate.



Unfortunately, there were only two events nation-wide in the meetings organized by the federal government of Canada that were open to public participation. One of which was identifiably stacked by industry and corporate interests. In other events guests were admitted by invitation only and were attended almost exclusively by special interests. The attendees included international corporations such as Google, CRIA (RIAA Canada) and Microsoft but were not open to the Canadian public.



The Edmonton chapter of Fair Copyright Canada and the Alberta Public Interest Research Group (APIRG) collaborated to host an event to give ordinary Canadian citizens the opportunity to voice their opinions on copyright in a public forum. Community members Idris Fashan, Karl Stevens and Colin Broughton discussed different aspects of copyright in a discussion moderated by David Ballantyne.



Topics discussed and debated included, but were not limited to, the following:

* The current definition of copyright in Canada

* The nature, purpose and effects of copyright

* The issues of crown copyright

* Fair dealing regarding the limitations and exceptions to copyright

* Digital Rights Management (DRM) and circumvention

* Copyright term and expiry

* Reverse engineering of software and technology

* The ratification of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties



The debate was then followed by participation from the attending audience in the form of comments and questions directed to the panel addressing their concerns.



We discussed the views and opinions of average Canadian citizens on the subject of copyright. As such, any legislator would be remiss to draft legislation without reviewing this record and instantiating these understandings. This audio recording is now a permanent record by which any future legislation can be judged on the basis of whether it conforms to the interests of Canadian citizens.



More Information:

Fair Copyright for Canada - Edmonton Chapter

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6875186988
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Fair Copyright for Canada

http://www.faircopyrightforcanada.ca/
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Alberta Public Interest Research Group (APIRG)

http://www.apirg.org/