Canwest News Service
Thursday, June 12, 2008
OTTAWA - The federal government unveiled its controversial copyright legislation Wednesday, positioning it as a made-in-Canada solution to stamp out online piracy.
Industry Minister Jim Prentice and Heritage Minister Josee Verner introduced the bill in the House of Commons, six months after they pulled an earlier version at the last minute amid concerns the Canadian legislation too closely resembled the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act, recognized as the toughest copyright legislation in the world.
Canada's Copyright Act has not been amended since 1997 and the Conservative government says the law needs to be updated to keep up with changing consumer practices in the digital age. Internet file sharing and downloading are now typical, especially among young people.
But consumer groups have complained they haven't been consulted, and worry proposed changes will turn average Canadians into lawbreakers. Currently, for examples, consumers are technically not permitted by law to copy legally purchased material, including music and movies, onto their MP3 players for personal use.
The contentious legislation will only become law if the Conservatives can pick up support from some opposition members of Parliament. It could also die on the order paper if an election is held before it's fully debated.
The last attempt to amend the copyright law, by the previous Liberal government in 2005, failed after it generated too much criticism.
