Copyright low priority for smaller businesses
p2pnet news view | Politics:- Copyright concerns are a very high priority for Stephen Harper’s Conservative government.
But to most Canadians with small to medium-sized businesses, they’re matters of of little interest or importance, says a Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) study published earlier in the year.
“Intellectual property concerns are not top priorities for senior decision makers when thinking about the most important issues currently facing their companies,” says Canadian Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs): Baseline Awareness of Intellectual Property.
“In fact, the term ‘Intellectual Property’ is only ‘very’ or ’somewhat’ familiar (saying 4-10 on a scale from 0-10, with 10 being very familiar) to about two-thirds (57%) of those surveyed,” it says, continuing:
“The remainder (42%) rated themselves as not familiar (saying 0-3 on a scale from 0-10, with being not at all familiar) with the term IP.”
Some 78% of the people questioned didn’t have significant concerns —- so, “What does that say about the government’s decision to prioritize copyright reform?” – wonders Ottawa law professor Michael Geist (right).
And he has the answer, stating:
First, there will be no payoff from the broader Canadian business community, who is not particularly concerned with the issue.
Second, it highlights just how much this issue is being driven by a small group of lobbyists (led by the U.S. government) who have urged the government to move forward with reform.
If that is right, the political wager comes down to believing that Canadian business won’t care about copyright reform and that Canada will garner political capital with the United States for taking action. Yet that strategy neglects to consider the risks associated with how reforms will resonate with sectors such as education and with individual Canadians.
Those groups – along with the NDP and perhaps the Liberals – may be less impressed with an obvious piece of special interest legislation that does little to address the concerns of individual Canadians and the SMEs that power the Canadian economy.
During the recent throne speech, “With US Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins listening keenly, Canadian governor general Michaelle Jean said the Conservatives would, ‘improve the protection of cultural and intellectual property rights in
Canada, including copyright reform’.”
Stay tuned.
Also See:
Michael Geist – Copyright and Canada’s Small and Medium Sized Businesses, October 25, 2007
listening keenly – Canadian DMCA: on the way, October 17, 2007
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October 26th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Harper will show that Canada is a US whore – unfortunately, we won’t have elections soon as the throne speech passed :-\