The Canadian government has introduced two pieces of legislation in recent years, which would have drastically altered copyright law in this country. While neither piece of legislation made it into law, it's widely expected that a similar bill will be introduced in the future.
Critics have labeled these bills the Canadian DMCA, as they would have favored the economic interests of content publishers over the freedoms of consumers. Michael Geist explains why such a bill would be a betrayal:
Because in a country whose Supreme Court of Canada has emphasized the
importance of balance between creators rights and user rights, the
Canadian DMCA eviscerates user rights in the digital environment by
virtually eliminating fair dealing. Under this bill, the right to copy
for the purposes of research, private study, criticism, and news
reporting virtually disappears if the underlying content is digitally
locked.
Because in a country that rightly promotes the importance of education,
the Canadian DMCA erects new barriers for teachers, students, and
schools at every level who now face the prospect of infringement claims
if they want to teach using digital media.
Because in a
country that prioritizes privacy, the Canadian DMCA will render it
virtually impossible to protect against the invasion of privacy by
digital media companies. The bill includes an exemption for those that
circumvent digital locks to protect their privacy, yet renders the
tools needed to circumvent illegal. In other words, the bill gives
Canadians the right to protect their privacy but prohibits the tools
needed to do so.
Because in a country that values consumer
rights, the Canadian DMCA means that consumers no longer control their
own personal property. That CD or DVD or e-book or cellphone you just
bought? The bill says you now have the right to engage in "private use
copying" but not if it contains digital locks.