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Copyright Reform Process
SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED REGARDING THE CONSULTATION PAPERS
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Submission from Matt White received on September 8, 2001 12:03 PM via e-mail
Subject: Canadian Copyright Reform
To Industry Canada, the Department of Canadian Heritage the Intellectual Property Policy Directorate and other concerned agencies:
I've just become aware of a grave threat to personal freedom in Canada. The Consultation Paper on Digital Copyright Issues (CDCPI) contains measures that would effectively destroy the concept of Fair Use under existing copyright laws, and would severely restrict scientific research by
The concept of Intellectual Property (IP) is important, but the CDCPI would make the IP holders in Canada far too powerful. Already, in the USA, a similiar law (the Digital Millenium Copyright Act) has resulted in the numerous violations of civil rights by law enforcement authorities at the prodding of overly-powerful corporate IP holders.
One famous example is the case of Dimitri Skylarov, who is currently fighting a criminal trial because he presented a paper on encryption techniques at a computer security conference. He was immediately arrested by the FBI, at the request of the Adobe Corporation. Adobe's actions are technically legal under the DMCA, but have placed researchers in the computer science field at risk. Any research that interferes with IP holder's profits are considered illegal in the United States. As a result, many top scientists have left the United States for countries that place a higher value on individual rights than corporate profits.
Please, I beg you. Don't let the same thing happen to Canada. Don't turn our country into a corporate police state. Let the concept of Intellectual Propert remain as it is. Let the principles of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, your own morals, and your own concern for Canada's well-being guide your thoughts in this matter.
Sincerely,
Matt White
[Address and e-mail address removed]
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