Fwd: Please Stand Against the New Copyright Bill

[Colin McGregor]

FYI:

Here is the e-mail I received from my MP re: Bill 61. Sigh... not
exactly against the bill, but not exactly for it either...

Colin McGregor

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Bennett, Carolyn - M.P." <Bennett.C-o8LxKXBI9Raw5LPnMra/2Q at public.gmane.org>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:11:36 -0400
Subject: RE: Please Stand Against the New Copyright Bill
To: Colin McGregor <colin.mc151-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>

Dear Colin,

Thank you for your correspondence regarding Bill C-61.  I always
appreciate having the benefit of your comments. In your email, you
express your concerns regarding Bill C-61.

My Liberal colleagues and I understand your concerns and we believe
that the bill must strike the right balance between consumers and
creators.
Certainly, I believe that updating the Copyright Act to address rapid
changes in technology is important. However, this is a highly
technical bill and I intend to study it carefully.  I am very
concerned about how this bill treats technological protection
measures; these provisions should not take rights away from Canadians.
At the same time, my Liberal colleagues and I want to ensure that the
final bill both fosters innovation and fairly compensates creators.
We need wide consultation with everyone - including consumers, artists
and the business community - to ensure that we properly understand all
of the impacts the bill will have. The Conservatives have failed to
properly consult Canadians.

Please be assured that I will continue to be vigilant in the study of
this issue and I will keep your concerns in mind.
Once again, I thank you for taking the time to express your views on
this significant subject.  Your input is always welcome.

Sincerely,


Hon. Carolyn Bennett, P.C., M.P., M.D.
Member of Parliament for St. Paul's

-----Original Message-----
From: Colin McGregor [mailto:colin.mc151-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org]
Sent: August 18, 2008 8:28 AM
To: Bennett, Carolyn - M.P.
Cc: Minister.Industry-3JS968At9U0 at public.gmane.org; Verner, Josée - Députée
Subject: Please Stand Against the New Copyright Bill


August 18, 2008

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Dear Madam,

I'm a constituent who has been following recent developments in
Canadian copyright law. I'm concerned that the Copyright bill (C-61)
presented by the government on June 12th goes too far in outlawing
the lawful use of copyrighted material, and does not take into
account the needs of consumers and Canada's creative community who
are exploiting the potential of digital technology.  I'm disappointed
that this bill adopts an American approach to digital copyright laws,
instead of crafting a Canadian approach.

Canada's copyright laws need to advance Canada's interests.  This
means copyright laws that respect ordinary consumer practices, such
as unlocking cell phones and copying the contents of purchased DVDs
for use in video iPods.  The current bill outlaws these practices.
This means copyright that facilitates the work of Canadian creators,
such as documentary filmmakers, who instead find that this bill
outlaws the use of DVDs as source materials for their films.  This
means we find made-in-Canada solutions to the challenges of
file-sharing, such as consideration of the P2P proposal of the
Songwriters Association of Canada.  Instead, this bill paves the road
to importing the consumer file-sharing lawsuit strategy that has
failed so spectacularly in the United States.  Canada deserves
better.

Please ensure that C-61 really is made for Canadians by allowing all
Canadian stakeholders a say in its final contents. That means
meaningful consultation in the coming months, and opening up Canada's
copyright policy to more than just the special interests that lobbied
behind the scenes for this law. As my MP, I urge you to represent my
interests in the copyright debate.

Sincerely,

Colin McGregor
151 Roehampton Ave.
Toronto, ON M4P 1P9
Canada
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