It has come to my attention that Canada C-11 bill would improve some flaws in copyrights laws.
The C-11 bill (which is a copy of the 2010 C-32 bill which is a copy of the 2008 C-61 bill itself a copy of the 2005 C-60 bill) is the Canadian government’s fourth attempt to pass new copyrights laws.
The bill would require canadians to loose their right to use contents protected by digital locks, such as copying a DVD to your computer, copying music from a CD to your computer, printing an eBook, etc.
In addition, your ISP(Internet Service Provider) would then be required to notify the customer that he or she was violating the law. The violator's personal information might then be released to the copyright holder with a court order.
In short, the foundational principle of the new bill remains that anytime a digital lock is used - whether on books, movies, music, or electronic devices - the lock trumps virtually all other rights.
In result, you won't be able to use your Ipod to listen to your CD in case it is protected by a digital lock. If you still do, you can be sued and not a small sum too, about 5000$.
The Retail Council of Canada represents more than 43,000 store fronts of all retail formats across Canada, including department, specialty, discount, and independent stores, and online merchants.The RCC's comments on digital locks in Bill C-32: «There should be no prohibition of devices or services that have substantial non-infringing uses. Consumers should be free to do whatever they want with their hardware and software, as long as that use is for private purposes and is otherwise non-infringing. That is all that is required by the treaties and that is as far as Canada should go.»
The Canadian Association of University Teachers posted a short video, voicing support for Bill C-11's fair dealing reforms but urging members to speak out against the bill's digital lock rules.
Any Canadian using digitals media should be concerned about that bill since while it has been voted and failed, if we follow its history it might reapers as a new bill in a year or two.
If this new bill apears, I invite you to sent your government representant an email to inform him/her of your opinion. That way, the representant will be able to talk about it and hopefully do his own research on the subject to have a better opinion on the matter at hand.
Sources:
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/6026/125/
http://www.speakoutoncopyright.ca/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Act_of_Canada
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2010/06/02/copyright-bill-clement-montreal.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Charter_of_Rights_and_Freedoms
