I received this response to my “Canadian DMCA” letter from my local MP today:
Dear Mr. McLaren:
Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns about the new copyright legislation introduced by the Conservative government yesterday in the House of Commons. I certainly share many of your concerns and assure you they will be raised during discussions in caucus about this bill.
While my Liberal colleagues and I recognize and understand the importance of updating the Copyright Act as technology continues to advance at rapid rates, we want to take the time to fully examine this highly technical piece of legislation.
We also believe that there needs to be a full and meaningful discussion of this proposed legislation with all Canadians, something that did not happen before it was tabled by the Conservatives. We need wide consultation with everyone, including consumers, artists and the business community.
It is important that Bill C-61 strike a balance between consumers and creators. I am very concerned about how the bill treats technological protection measures. Some critics have already raises concerns that anyone caught hacking digital locks could face damages of up to $20,000. As always, penalties should be appropriate and not excessive.
There are also privacy issues with internet service providers that need to be addressed. And of course, there is the question of who will police the digital frontier.
Ultimately, I want to ensure the final bill, fosters innovation and fairly compensates creators.
Once again, thank you for taking the time to write, I appreciate your quick feedback.
Yours truly,
Geoff Regan
