DEBATE WIPO AGREEMENT BEFORE INTRODUCING NEW COPYRIGHT BILL

Charlie Angus (Timmins James Bay) says Industry Minister Jim Prentice must bring the WIPO treaty to Parliament for debate before any moves are made to ratify the treaty or bring in new copyright legislation. The Conservative government has announced that all international treaties will be brought to Parliament before they are ratified.

Angus says Prentice needs to engage Parliament on the implications of the WIPO treaty.

“Rubber-stamping WIPO won’t make Canada more competitive or respectful of intellectual property. WIPO was negotiated when the fax machine was considered cutting-edge technology. We need copyright legislation that will work for the 21^st century. Instead we have a government that appears stuck in the 20^th century.”

Just before Christmas the government appeared set to introduce a restrictive copyright bill modelled on the U.S. DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act). Minister Prentice claimed the restrictive legislation was needed in order to ratify the WIPO treaty. He quickly backtracked in the face of a groundswell of opposition.

“Its clear Mr. Prentice was stung by the massive consumer backlash to his DMCA Canada bill. Canadians want to have a say in new copyright legislation and they want to know how the WIPO treaty will affect them if it is ratified.”

The WIPO treaty was negotiated in 1996 and has yet to be ratified by many of Canada’s trading partners. Angus points out that the government’s push for restrictive copyright appears to be driven by corporate lobbyists with no input from education institutions, consumer groups, artists or software innovators.

“We need to spend less time worrying about the sword clanging of lobbyists and more time looking for a 21^st century solution to the 21^st century issues of digital innovation and culture. This government has made a commitment to debating treaties. Clearly Mr. Prentice is bound to bring this treaty to the House for a fair and open debate.”

Angus says Prentice needs to engage Canadians in a discussion about how to balance artist’s rights and digital development in the 21^st century.