Canadian Federation of Students issues statement on copyright reform

    OTTAWA, April 28 /CNW Telbec/ - A balance between the rights of creators
and users has to be a cornerstone of a revised Copyright Act, according to a
statement released today from Canada's largest students' organisation. Among
other reforms, the Canadian Federation of Students is seeking an expanded
definition of fair dealing and a "made in Canada" copyright solution to
challenges presented by rapid advances in technology.
    "Students are creators, users, and owners of copyright. To facilitate
learning and future creative innovation, students and members of the Canadian
public deserve reasonable access to copyrighted works without exorbitant fees
or other barriers," said Ben Lewis, a spokesperson for the Canadian Federation
of Students.
    The Federation's statement on copyright reform calls for federal
revisions to the Copyright Act that reject the model of the U.S. Digital
Millennium Copyright Act being advanced by large commercial interests in
Canada. Instead, students are calling for amendments that balance the rights
of users to fair access to material while protecting creators from unjust
appropriation.
    Representatives of the Canadian Federation of Students will make a
presentation about copyright in post-secondary education at this week's
"CopyCamp" conference in Toronto.
    The statement on copyright reform can be downloaded from the Federation's
website at www.cfs-fcee.ca.

    The Canadian Federation of Students is Canada's largest national
students' organisation. It is composed of more than 80 university and college
students' associations with a combined membership of over one-half million
students.

For further information: Ben Lewis, Spokesperson, (416) 925-3825; Ian
Boyko, Government Relations Coordinator, (613) 232-7394 ext. 22