Archived - Sean

1. How do Canada's copyright laws affect you? How should existing laws be modernized?
Copyright law serves an important function in ensuring that creators of material are protected and can receive the benefit of that creation. The important modernization that needs to be changed is that we need to step away from the DRM cliff face and think about the use of copyright material in a digital age. When we live in a world of computers and iphones the consumer should not be financially punished when wanting to use this content on any device he/she might own.

Canadians should not have to pay for 4 copies of a music album so they can listen to the music on an ipod, iphone, computer, and their zune. The same is true for movies and video content. Also this needs to be corrected for Television content.

If we pay and are willing to watch commercials on our TV's that in part pay for content and pay for the delivery of that content to our homes why should we not be able to watch the same content on our computers or portable media devices? It seems to me that if I pay for the delivery of televised content to my home I should be able to watch it on any device in my home.

The law needs to be modernized to allow your average Canadian citizen to use content they have payed for on multiple devices without having to pay for it a second or third time.

2. Based on Canadian values and interests, how should copyright changes be made in order to withstand the test of time
The simplest way to say this is that the government should be focused on ease of use and access for Canadians not for large media corporations. We must always assume that the use of content is for personal use and not to bypass paying a copyright holder. We cannot allow or create an environment in which the viewing and commenting on content is limited.

3. What sorts of copyright changes do you believe would best foster innovation and creativity in Canada?
Canadian innovation is already being limited by the current collection of laws around the CRTC and Canadian Copyright Law. Why are we not able to get new and innovative devices such a the Kindle or the new Sony e-book readers in Canada? The answer is copyright. Why are we unable to use IP telephony on our mobile devices in Canada? Copyright. Again and again Canada is continually behind the technological curve because we as a country, as expressed by our laws, of protecting markets at the cost of the citizen.

4. What sorts of copyright changes do you believe would best foster competition and investment in Canada?
We must as a country change our laws so that is a straight forward and simple processes for new devices and ways to connect those devices to content are encouraged rather than discouraged in Canada. If we create this environment then innovation and content creation will flourish because we enable ease of connection between content and the means to view that content.

5. What kinds of changes would best position Canada as a leader in the global, digital economy?
Ease of access at a reasonable price to content. This issue is not only one of content and it's fair use but also one of competition amongst the providers that link us too that content.

We cannot have a competitive environment and foster innovation and healthy markets unless we rigorously allow the individual to not be locked to copyright for the sole benefit of large media and communications corporations. If we look at the communication and media companies in Canada there are not many of them. Rogers, Telus, Globe, Bell, dominate the Canadian media landscape. Why? because the Canadian legal environment makes it easier for these companies to lock the Canadian market to outside competitors. Why is a device such as the Kindle not available in Canada? Why if we pay for some of the most expensive cellular rates in the world but can't use these devices for IP telephony? Look to the Corporations listed above and the laws that seem to be created for their benefit and not the benefit of the Canadian citizen.

Sean