Apparently the Government of Canada is going through some sort of copyright reform process. I haven’t read all of these pages through yet. But I’m sure there are some bits of it that will piss me off later, when I do. Because as I scan through it, I keep picking out little words like “prevent,” “prohibit.” I’m finding a lot of these words in sentences referring to the Internet and especially online file sharing. See, here’s a bit I don’t like: “Domestically, some copyright stakeholders have indicated that in the absence of a prohibition against the manufacture and traffic in circumvention devices, would-be infringers can legally access the means that enable infringement. [dot dot dot] The departments have considered the possibility of restricting or prohibiting the traffic in circumvention devices.” Though the same section (4.2 Legal Protection of Technological Measures) explains that this possibility is quite unrealistic, I still think they better make sure to leave it the hell alone (er, they make this point as well… (“There is concern that the Copyright Act may not be the proper instrument for protection measures that, prima facie, are extraneous to copyright principles.”)

The site also reminded me how pissed off I still am about the levy on blank audio recording media (Bill C-32) (BTW, why did I never hear that this was increased? Seems everyone has lost interest, but the Government keeps going…)

I also have issues with the possibility of an increased term of protection for copyright from life plus 50 years to life plus 70. The United States has done this already, thus allowing the copyright on Mickey Mouse to be extended 20 years from it’s old expiry date of 2004. As it stands, Mickey will become public domain in 2024 in the U.S., but I am reading, it may be legal to use Mickey in Canada within three years. The date will be extended, though, you can count on that. The corporations will see to it.

Okay, I’m totally lost in what I’m saying now… Let’s stop typing!