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WIPO supports development agenda for intellectual property reform

- 2004-10-04 -

In response to pressure from developing countries and public interest groups, the UN\'s World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has agreed to examine a proposal for intellectual property law reform that is aimed at achieving a better balance between the interests of copyright holders and the public. The new "development agenda" emphasizes the value of open source software, public domain goods, patent exceptions for access to medicine, control of anti-competitive practices, and other approaches that enhance access to information and promote creativity and technology transfer to the developing world. It also calls upon WIPO "to ensure the wide participation of civil society in WIPO\'s activities." - EFF news release - WIPO news release

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CIPPIC launches Canadian Creative Commons licence

- 2004-09-30 -

As part of an international movement to expand the public domain and to give creators more control over the uses to which their digital works may be put, CIPPIC has released a series of copyright licences for use by Canadian creators under the "Creative Commons" banner. Each licence enables the creator to reserve certain rights in their works (e.g., no commercial exploitation), but also, unlike the standard "All Rights Reserved" approach under copyright law, to permit certain uses (e.g., non-commercial sharing) that would otherwise constitute copyright infringement. See the CIPPIC webpage on Creative Commons for more information.

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CRTC stays telemarketing decision

- 2004-09-28 -

In response to an application by the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA), the CRTC has stayed its decision to impose new requirements on telemarketers. The CMA has appealed the CRTC decision, arguing that a number of the new requirements will be costly and ineffective, and that a preferable approach is the establishment of a national "Do Not Call" list. - CRTC decision to stay - CMA appeal

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Global movement for IP reform grows

- 2004-09-23 -

A growing number of groups and individuals worldwide, including CIPPIC, are calling on WIPO to adopt a "development agenda" that takes into account the needs of all nations and people. The Declaration on the Future of WIPO calls for "a moratorium on new treaties and harmonization of standards that expand and strengthen monopolies and further restrict access to knowledge. For generations WIPO has responded primarily to the narrow concerns of powerful publishers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, plant breeders and other commercial interests.... WIPO needs to enable its members to understand the real economic and social consequences of excessive intellectual property protections, and the importance of striking a balance between the public domain and competition on the one hand, and the realm of property rights on the other." See also: Prof. James Boyle\'s "A Manifesto on WIPO and the Future of Intellectual Property"

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Educational groups call for copyright law permitting use of Internet materials in classrooms

- 2004-09-22 -

A coalition of national education groups representing the K-12 and postsecondary sectors are calling on the federal government to reject a Heritage Committee proposal that would require teachers and students to pay a fee to use, for educational purposes, material freely available on the Internet. The groups are asking for an "educational exception" in the Copyright Act that would explicitly permit educational uses of publicly available online materials. - Media release - Background note - Statements by education organizations

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CIPPIC files written argument in file-sharing appeal

- 2004-08-10 -

Having been granted intervener status in the recording industry\'s appeal of a Federal Court decision denying their request for disclosure of ISP subscriber identities, CIPPIC filed its memorandum of fact and law today.

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CIPPIC comments on Industry Canada\'s Anti-Spam Action Plan

- 2004-08-06 -

In response to Industry Canada\'s call for comment on its Anti-Spam Action Plan, CIPPIC filed comments calling for specific anti-spam legislation that prohibits the sending of unsolicited commercial e-mail messages without the recipient\'s prior consent.

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Spam Task Force seeks input

- 2004-08-05 -

Having established a national Spam Task Force, Industry Canada is seeking feedback on its proposed Action Plan by August 30, 2004. In addition, the Task Force welcomes public input to its online forum. - Industry Canada Spam page - Task Force website and forum - Industry Canada Anti-Spam Action Plan - Notice requesting input on Action Plan - extending deadline to Aug.30th

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CIPPIC comments on the <cite>USA Patriot Act</cite> and its impact on Canadians\' privacy

- 2004-08-02 -

In response to a request for submissions by the B.C. Privacy Commissioner, CIPPIC filed a detailed submission concluding that the USA Patriot Act allows broad access to Canadians\' personal data held by US-linked companies, in violation of Canadian law.

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Supreme Court rules on ISP liability and copyright jurisdiction

- 2004-06-29 -

In a case over who should compensate copyright holders for music downloaded in Canada from foreign countries (the "Tariff 22" case), the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Canadian copyright law can apply to material hosted on foreign servers, as long as there is sufficient connection between the communication of that material and Canada; and that ISPs are not liable for copyright infringement unless they "give approval to, sanction, permit, favour or encourage" the infringing content. The court stated that "knowledge that someone might be using neutral technology to violate copyright ... is not necessarily sufficient to constitute authorization [of copyright infringement]", but that "notice of infringing content, and a failure to respond by "taking it down" may in some circumstances lead to a finding of "authorization".

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