Bill C-32 (40th Canadian Parliament, 3rd Session)
Encyclopedia
Bill C-32, An Act to amend the Copyright Act, was a bill tabled on June 2, 2010 during the third session of the 40th Canadian Parliament
by Minister of Industry Tony Clement
and by Minister of Canadian Heritage James Moore
.
This bill served as the successor of the previously proposed but short-lived Bill C-61
in 2008 as well as an earlier attempt in 2005, and sought to tighten Canadian copyright laws. In November 2010, it passed the second reading in the parliament In March 2011, the 40th Canadian Parliament was dissolved, with all the bills which did not pass by that point (including bill C-32) automatically becoming dead.
However, on September 29th 2011, Minister of Canadian Heritage James Moore
and Minister of Industry Christian Paradis
announced the reintroduction of the Government of Canada's Copyright Modernization Act under the new designation of Bill C-11.
software locks.
, criticised the bill's attempts to follow American-style copyright law. Artists and consumers both asked for further consultation on the bill, stating that it infringes on a private citizen's right to transfer something they own to another medium, and that the prohibition against circumventing corporate software designed to lock users out would hamper research. According to CBC News
, the bill would even criminalise "websites designed to encourage violation and piracy".
Heritage Minister James Moore
decried critics of the bill as being "radical extremists".
40th Canadian Parliament
The 40th Canadian Parliament was in session from November 18, 2008 to March 26, 2011, and was the last Parliament of the longest-running minority government in Canadian history that began with the previous Parliament. The membership of its House of Commons was determined by the results of the 2008...
by Minister of Industry Tony Clement
Tony Clement
Tony Peter Clement, PC, MP is a Canadian federal politician, President of the Treasury Board, Minister for the Federal Economic Initiative for Northern Ontario and member of the Conservative Party of Canada....
and by Minister of Canadian Heritage James Moore
James Moore (Canadian politician)
James Moore, PC, MP is the Canadian Member of Parliament for Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam. He is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada...
.
This bill served as the successor of the previously proposed but short-lived Bill C-61
Bill C-61 (39th Canadian Parliament, 2nd Session)
Bill C-61, An Act to amend the Copyright Act, was a bill tabled in 2008 during the second session of the 39th Canadian Parliament by Minister of Industry Jim Prentice. The bill died on the order paper when the 39th Parliament was dissolved prematurely and an election was called by the Governor...
in 2008 as well as an earlier attempt in 2005, and sought to tighten Canadian copyright laws. In November 2010, it passed the second reading in the parliament In March 2011, the 40th Canadian Parliament was dissolved, with all the bills which did not pass by that point (including bill C-32) automatically becoming dead.
However, on September 29th 2011, Minister of Canadian Heritage James Moore
James Moore (Canadian politician)
James Moore, PC, MP is the Canadian Member of Parliament for Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam. He is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada...
and Minister of Industry Christian Paradis
Christian Paradis
Christian Paradis, PC, MP is a Conservative Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons for Mégantic—L'Érable...
announced the reintroduction of the Government of Canada's Copyright Modernization Act under the new designation of Bill C-11.
Content
The bill would criminalize the act of circumventing, or making available to the public the ability to circumvent, digital rights managementDigital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
software locks.
Reactions
Many Canadians, including Michael GeistMichael Geist
Michael Allen Geist is a Canadian academic, and the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa. Geist was educated at the University of Western Ontario where he received his Bachelors of Laws before going on to get his Masters of Laws at both Osgoode Hall Law...
, criticised the bill's attempts to follow American-style copyright law. Artists and consumers both asked for further consultation on the bill, stating that it infringes on a private citizen's right to transfer something they own to another medium, and that the prohibition against circumventing corporate software designed to lock users out would hamper research. According to CBC News
CBC News
CBC News is the department within the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on CBC television, radio and online services...
, the bill would even criminalise "websites designed to encourage violation and piracy".
Heritage Minister James Moore
James Moore (Canadian politician)
James Moore, PC, MP is the Canadian Member of Parliament for Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam. He is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada...
decried critics of the bill as being "radical extremists".
See also
- Anti-Counterfeiting Trade AgreementAnti-Counterfeiting Trade AgreementThe Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement is a proposed plurilateral agreement for the purpose of establishing international standards on intellectual property rights enforcement...
(ACTA) - Bill C-60 (38th Canadian Parliament, 1st Session)
- Bill C-61 (39th Canadian Parliament, 2nd Session)Bill C-61 (39th Canadian Parliament, 2nd Session)Bill C-61, An Act to amend the Copyright Act, was a bill tabled in 2008 during the second session of the 39th Canadian Parliament by Minister of Industry Jim Prentice. The bill died on the order paper when the 39th Parliament was dissolved prematurely and an election was called by the Governor...
- Canadian Copyright Act
- DADVSIDADVSIDADVSI is the abbreviation of the French Loi sur le Droit d’Auteur et les Droits Voisins dans la Société de l’Information...
- Protection of Broadcasts and Broadcasting Organizations TreatyProtection of Broadcasts and Broadcasting Organizations TreatyThe WIPO Protection of Broadcasts and Broadcasting Organizations Treaty or the Broadcast Treaty is a treaty designed to afford broadcasters some control and copyright-like control over the content of their broadcasts...
External links
- Parliament Canada - Bill C-32 - Complete Bill Text
- Legislative Committee on Bill C-32 (CC32) - list of committee meetings with recordings and minutes
- Status of the bill
- Status of the new bill
- Michael Geist's Blog - The Canadian Copyright Bill: Flawed But Fixable
- Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic - Bill C-32 - FAQ - Analysis