News

  • CIPPIC granted leave to intervene in Crookes v. Newton
    - 2010-09-20 -

    Today, the Supreme Court of Canada granted CIPPIC leave to intervene in Crookes v. Newton.  The case, on appeal from the B.C. Court of Appeal, has raised the issue of whether and under what circumstances posting a hyperlink to online content that contains defamatory statements can amount to publication of that content.  The plaintiff, Crookes, argues that posting a hyperlink draws the reader's attention to any defamatory statements contained in the linked article and this is sufficient to impose liability on the poster of the link.  He argues further that, by nature and convention, by posting a hyperlink the author of an article intends to incorporate the linked content into the original article.

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  • CIPPIC tells CRTC they can act to ensure universal internet access
    - 2010-09-01 -

    As part of TNC CRTC 2010-43, a process examining the obligation of internet service providers to ensure universal affordable access to broadband Internet, CIPPIC, acting for OpenMedia.ca, argued in its submission that the CRTC is tasked with putting in place a comprehensive telecommunications framework, and that this mandate includes the obligation to ensure a minimal level of affordable access to telecommunications services for all Canadians.  CIPPIC explained that the CRTC has broad and varied tools at its disposal that it may use to ensure all Canadians have access to broadband Internet.

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  • CIPPIC Seeks Leave to Intervene in Crookes v. Newton
    - 2010-08-17 -

    CIPPIC has sought leave from the Supreme Court of Canada to intervene in Crookes v. Newton.  The case, on appeal from the B.C. Court of Appeal, has raised the issue of whether and under what circumstances posting a hyperlink to online content that contains defamatory statements can amount to publication of that content.  The plaintiff, Crookes, argues that posting a hyperlink draws the reader's attention to any defamatory statements contained in the linked article and this is sufficient to impose liability on the poster of the link.  He argues further that, by nature and convention, by posting a hyperlink the author of an article intends to incorporate the linked content into the original article.

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  • CIPPIC Represents CAUT, CFS in Filing Objection to Access Copyright Tariff
    - 2010-08-12 -
    The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) and the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) have filed a joint objection to Access Copyright's proposed Post-Secondary Educational Institution Tariff.  CIPPIC acted as legal counsel of record to CAUT and CFS in this objection.  The objection raises a number of procedural and substantive concerns about the tariff, including the lack of due notice and time for response, the need for a distinct hearing on the legal issues raised, and substantive objections to the sweeping breadth of the tariff, which claims compensation for activity not protected by copyright, such as fair dealing and the exchange of hyperlinks in e-mails.
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  • e-Books
    - 2010-07-29 -

    e-books have become the new substitute for books.

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  • CIPPIC participates in Canada's Digital Economy Consultations
    - 2010-07-14 -
    As part of its intention to help Canada regain its leadership position in the global digital economy, the government recently concluded a public consultation process which sought submissions from all sectors of the public on who to achieve this objective.  In its submission, CIPPIC calls on the government to encourage the creation of a digital environment that will be better for all Canadians and will serve as a model for other jurisdictions.  CIPPIC offers recommendations on issues such as privacy, online file-sharing, and on quality and access to communications that will help the government achieve this objective.
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  • CIPPIC Participates in Industry Canada Digital Economy Consultation
    - 2010-07-14 -

    As part of its intention to help Canada regain its leadership position in the global digital economy, the government recently concluded a public consultation process which sought submissions from all sectors of the public on who to achieve this objective.

    CIPPIC provided two input streams into the Government's consultaiton process. First, we helped develop and endorsed a consensus subimssion convened by Andrew Clement and Karen Louise Smith of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information. In addition, CIPPIC's 2010 summer interns put together a comprehensive submission that set out 36 recommendations. In this submission, CIPPIC calls on the government to encourage the creation of a digital environment that will be better for all Canadians and will serve as a model for other jurisdictions. CIPPIC offers recommendations on issues such as privacy, online file-sharing, and on quality and access to communications that will help the government achieve this objective.

    For more info see: https://cippic.ca/Digital_Economy_Consultation_Canada

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  • Media Awareness Network Calls on Government to Update Digital Literacy
    - 2010-07-07 -
    The Media Awareness Network today called on the federal government to take steps to ensure Canada does not fall further behind in preparing Canadians for the digital economy.  MNet warns the government that without a comprehensive digital literacy strategy, Canadian innovation and digital productivity will continue to stagnate.  In addition to other steps, MNet outlines immediate steps the government must be taken to achieve this goal, such as the creation of a digital literacy taskforce, provision of support for national research on digital skills and Canadian youths, and the organization of a summit among key stakeholders.
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  • CRTC applies Net Neutrality rules to wireless Internet services
    - 2010-06-30 -
    In response to the growing role mobile Internet is playing in Canadian society as well to broad stakeholder consensus, the CRTC today issued Telecom Decision CRTC 2010-445, taking back the Commission's powers to act against unjust discrimination and undue preference by mobile data service providers.  In response to requests by CIPPIC (acting on behalf of OpenMeida.ca), the Commission additionally applied its Internet traffic management rules, intended to protect Net Neutrality, to mobile Internet.  Under these rules, service providers will only be permitted to discriminate by throttling particular  mobile data services where there is a problem that cannot be addressed by without throttling, and where the chosen method of throttling is narrowly tailored to the problem and minimally intrusive of user experiences.
     
  • CIPPIC Signs Urgent ACTA Communique
    - 2010-06-22 -

    CIPPIC has joined dozens of public interest organizations, academics, practitioners and individuals to declare our concern with the increasingly apparent conflict between the ACTA

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