Ten Years and Counting
Monday, November 19th, 2007 by Patrick Ross
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That's how long it's been since Canada signed two key World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties addressing piracy in a digital age. Why does that matter? Because the Canadian government still hasn't passed enacting laws. The US did so right away with the DMCA.
Now the Canadian government has committed to moving forward with implementation, and the music industry there is particularly hopeful. The US has been formally pressing for stronger IP protection in Canada, and the nation to our north again made the US State Department's Special 301 watch list with nations such as Brazil, Turkmenistan and Vietnam. (In fairness to Canada, they did not make the priority watch list led by Russia and China.)
It will be interesting to see what steps Canada takes to make its laws more hospitable with creators' rights and with the treaties it signed ten years ago.
November 22nd, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Signing the WIPO is like a getting engaged. Enacting laws to support the WIPO is like getting married. Let’s hope Canada calls off this bad engagement before it’s too late.
As a Canadian who has a strong commitment to BALANCED copyright laws, I see the watch list as badge of honour. Those countries who have not made this list have instead abandon fair copyright laws.