The Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright welcomes the introduction of
the Copyright Modernization Act

OTTAWA, June 3 /CNW/ - A coalition of Canada's leading telecommunications, retail, Internet and technology companies and organizations is encouraged that the federal government has taken a common sense, balanced approach in the draft copyright legislation, the Copyright Modernization Act, tabled in Parliament yesterday.

The members of the Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright (BCBC) agree that the Copyright Act amendments in Bill C-32 are a positive step towards modernizing Canada's copyright laws to account for new technologies that have fundamentally changed how consumers obtain and use digital works, ranging from music to software.  The draft legislation tries to achieve a balance reflecting the interests of consumers and content users, creators and those who distribute and create the tools  - like computers - for consumers to use the content.

The legislation recognizes that consumers now regularly move content between platforms for legitimate use - such as moving a song from a computer to MP3 player - and allows for such 'format-shifting.'  It would also allow consumers to legally record or 'time-shift' television programs with a personal video recorder (PVR) for viewing at a more convenient time, and opens the door to the use of new technologies such as network PVRs.  At the same time, the bill makes clear that unauthorized sharing of movies, music and software over the Internet constitutes copyright infringement and remains illegal.  The bill recognizes the appropriate role of search engines and Internet service providers (ISPs) by clarifying that they are not responsible for copyright infringement committed by their customers and by limiting the extent of their obligations to assist rights-holders in the enforcement of online rights.  It also wisely does not extend the "private copying levy" to consumer electronics such as MP3 players and smartphones.

However, BCBC members agree that some parts of the legislation unfairly restrict consumer freedom and need to be revised before being passed by Parliament such as the inability to circumvent digital locks for private use.  BCBC members look forward to participating in a Parliamentary review process to address such issues.

The BCBC is a coalition of telecommunications, retail, Internet and technology companies and organizations interested in the ongoing development and modernization of Canada's Copyright Act.  Members of the BCBC include:

• Canadian Association of Internet Providers, a division of CATAalliance (CAIP)
• Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA)
• Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA)
• Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA)
• Bell Aliant
• Bell Canada
• Cogeco Cable
• Google
• MTS Allstream Inc.
• Retail Council of Canada
• Rogers Communications Inc.
• TELUS Communications Company
• Tucows

For further information:

For contact info for individual BCBC members, please address your inquiries to:
Gerald (Jay) Kerr-Wilson
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Tel. [phone]