Canadian Coalition for Electronic Rights
 

Defending Bill C-61 today during question period was a piece of 8 1/2 by 11 and Colin Carrie, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry. Carrie responded to NDP criticism that Bill C-61 was modeled after the flawed American DMCA by highlighting the made in Canada user rights included in the Bill. Reading from his script Carrie stated that the educational, format shifting, time shifting, private copying of music and ISP liability exemptions along with the statutory damages provision were made in Canada.

What Carrie failed to highlight is the fact that the core of Bill C-61, the anti-circumvention provisions were born in the United States and made worse in Canada. It is the anti-circumvention provisions that undermine each of the glossy exceptions and provisions the Conservative government is using to sell this legislation to Canadian consumers.

It’s official, the Canadian DMCA has made the jump for the Order Paper to its First Reading in the House of Commons. Prentice finally made good on his promises to countless US trade groups, corporations and lobbyists and presented this bill with no public consultation with the Canadian public. Now it’s the public’s turn to voice their displeasure with “Made in America” laws being introduced in the Canadian Legislature.

We will post the Bill in its entirety on this site in the next couple of hours. In addition we will also be updating our Letter Wizard to reflect the contents of this controversial Bill.

UPDATE: The complete text of Bill C-61 can be found here.

The minority Conservative government announced earlier this evening that tomorrow will be the day that Jim Prentice and Josée Verner will introduce the controversial copyright reform bill. Expect the government to spin this bill as “Made In Canada Copyright Reform”.

Embattled Canadian Minister of Industry Jim Prentice woes continue. Amid speculation of an imminent cabinet shuffle and the Wiki scrubbing controversy it appears that Prentice will no longer be speaking at the OECD’s Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy scheduled for next week.

Prentice’s name which appeared on the agenda as of May 6, 2008 has been replaced on the updated agenda as of June 6, 2008 by the Deputy Minister of Industry, Richard Dicerni (image with Prentice / without Prentice. This was to be a high-profile event for Prentice, even on his own website he lauded:

“This June, the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development will hold its Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul, Korea. I have been invited to be Vice-Chair for the meeting, which will provide an excellent opportunity to re-establish Canada’s position as a leader both in policy and market performance. We’re very serious about science and technology. We strongly believe that our S&T Strategy is the best framework for moving forward, and I’m pleased that ITAC has endorsed the strategy.”

The big question now is why has Prentice opted out of speaking at the OECD meeting next week. It would seem that he is still intent on tabling the Canadian DMCA prior to the OECD meeting next week and by not appearing at the meeting he can avoid having to answer critical questions relating to the controversial legislation in an international forum. This explanation is certainly supported by Peter Van Loan’s recent move to ensure that all contact between constituents furious Canadian consumers and Conservative MPs relating to copyright reform be forwarded to Jim Prentice’s office.

With only 8 sitting days remaining before the summer break it is essential that if you object to a restrictive, made in America copyright reform bill you send a letter to Prentice, Verner and Harper now!