Environmental benefits of biofuel technology ‘not as clear cut’ as originally thought, says Manitoba energy minister
The environmental benefits of clean-burning biofuel technology are “not as clear cut” as originally thought, a minister with the Manitoba provincial party responsible for bringing in Canada’s first requirements for ethanol in gasoline told The Hill Times. The federal Conservatives have long-touted the greenhouse gas emission reductions that would result from investing government money in […]
Health policy experts pushing for change in feds’ funding for research and development
Health policy experts are pushing for changes to the federal government’s system of funding the research and development of new pharmaceuticals in the hopes of making drugs that are necessary to patients’ health more affordable. Federal and provincial governments currently give pharmaceutical companies tax breaks and subsidies to encourage them to devote more of their […]
Time to ‘get it right’ with copyright and digital locks
Updating Canada’s copyright regime must be a central plank in Canada’s innovation agenda. The Conservatives have a golden opportunity to “get it right” when it comes to copyright. However, if Bill C-32 is going to get through the legislative process the government will need to show some badly needed political maturity. This bill will survive […]
Liberals’ copyright position may provide roadmap to C-32 compromise
The last week of Parliamentary activity in 2010 struck many as a new low point for Bill C-32, the Copyright Reform Bill. The legislative committee examining the bill met only once, maintaining the lethargic meeting schedule that at the current rate could run into the fall if all stakeholders are given their moment in the […]
The A2K problem: copyright, accessibility and the future of copyright in Canada
Remember Y2K? It was the year 2000 that kicked off the new millennium—an age that could potentially become a new era of access to knowledge (A2K)—an age of wider, broader and more universal access to many types of knowledge than ever thought possible. Yet, there are many obstacles to a broad and egalitarian access to […]
It’s time to find a balance between new media and copyright
Thanks to a decade of hard-hitting anti-piracy campaigning, Canadians are all too familiar with the destructive potential of new media. The copyright lobby in Canada encourages the view that “digital piracy” will end careers, topple industries, lead to mass “theft” of intellectual property and undermine Canadian culture. Although updated and Canadianized, copyright owners have been […]
Copyright needs to be amended to do justice to artists, copyright holders, says Bloc MP Lavallée
The following is an edited excerpt from Bloc Québécois MP Carole Lavallée’s speech in the House on Nov. 2 at second reading of Bill C-32, the Modernization Copyright Act. P ARLIAMENT HILL—The Bloc Québécois believes that Bill C-32, whose goal is apparently—I repeat, “apparently”—to update the Copyright Act, does not achieve that objective. The Bloc […]
Canada must modernize its copyright legislation, now
The following is an edited excerpt from Liberal MP Marc Garneau’s speech on second reading of Bill C-32, the Modernization Copyright Bill, in the House on Nov. 2. P ARLIAMENT HILL—No other proposed legislation [Canada’s proposed new copyright law, Bill C-32] has occupied my time as the industry critic for my party as much as […]
Newspapers in midst of critical experimentation, innovation as digital news changes landscape
The Canadian newspaper business is in the midst of a critical time of experimentation and innovation to adapt to challenges sparked by an increasingly digital world, say industry players and observers. By the end of this era, there may no longer be a standard way of publishing a newspaper, and only the strongest players will […]
Canada risks becoming a pirate nation, says Clement
Canada risks becoming a “pirate nation” if it does not modernize its copyright laws to reflect the 21st century, says federal Industry Minister Tony Clement. “The fact is that our copyright law, as it currently exists, was written at a time of VHS, prior to iPods and tablets and all the things that are able […]
