For Immediate Release
Canadian Library Association Disappointed with New Copyright
Legislation
(Ottawa, June 12, 2008) – Today, the Canadian
Library Association (CLA) expressed disappointment with the
government’s newly announced copyright legislation, Bill
C-61.
Bill C-61 is a missed opportunity and demonstrates that the
government did not consult adequately with the user community, and did
not listen to the concerns of Canadians. Overall, the Bill is
extremely complex and will need more detailed study, but there are many
glaring problems. Fundamentally, the Bill circumvents user
rights.
One example is the missed opportunity on perceptual disabilities,
where the Bill allows users to circumvent digital rights management
(DRM) software, but does not allow them to import the technology to do
so.
Another example is desktop delivery of interlibrary loan. Bill
C-61 ignores the fact that the 2004 CCH Supreme Court Judgment already
allows Canadian libraries to do desktop delivery of interlibrary
loan. The provisions in Bill C-61 require libraries to lock up
interlibrary loan with DRM, something that most libraries would not have
the resources to accomplish. This would force many libraries back
to delivering interlibrary loan via paper copies.
There is also a clear problem with criminalizing the circumvention of
DRM. For a teenager, the criminal risk involved in shoplifting a
CD would be safer rather than circumventing DRM on a CD they purchased
to put it on their IPod. “Bill C-61 attempts to provide
balance, but misses the boat for ordinary Canadians and over 21 million
library users,” stated Rob Tiessen, Chair of the CLA Copyright
Committee.
The Canadian Library Association (CLA) is Canada’s largest
national and broad-based library association, representing the interests
of public, academic, school and special libraries, professional
librarians and library workers, and all those concerned about enhancing
the quality of life of Canadians through information and
literacy.
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Interview requests for Rob Tiessen can be directed to (403)
220-6043.
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