Anderson, Maxwell

Canada should shorten the copyright period to the same period used for patents.

This would stimulate the creation of derivative works and protect the public interest, although requiring a renegotiation or withdrawal from current international copyright agreements.

This would create a better balance of public and private interests. Copyright is a modern invention, a tool to encourage creativity and business, but it is not an absolute right. The inherent right of ownership in any new work is always shared between the individual creator and the public, because everything authored is in large part derived from earlier human achievements.

The excessive length of copyright now in force in our neighbour to the south suffocates the creation of derivative works. We need a balance that gives authors, artists and musicians a reasonable length of time in which to be remunerated, without depriving the public of its public domain interest for generations.

Canada should take the lead in putting the public interest ahead of corporate greed.

Maxwell Anderson
Vancouver, BC