CRIA gets in on G8 statement
p2p news / p2pnet: Yesterday, “You can expect to see an almost immediate increase in so-called crack-downs against p2p file sharers and companies such as AllofMP3.com, the small firm Russian firm with the temerity to offer music downloads at a fair and reasonable price," we posted.
“Because the US, France, Japan, Germany, Canada, Italy, the UK and Russia weren’t the only countries at the G8 conference in Russia. Also present were the major movie corporate studio, record label and software cartels who, thanks to their huge and ongoing propaganda and bribery campaigns, have successfully taken on the mantles of nationhood, frequently exercising as much power as any country.”
Now, the Canadian copyright lobby, including CAAST, CRIA, CMPDA, and several others, have issued a release, "congratulating the government on the G-8 statement on intellectual property issues,” points out Canadian copyright and Net expert professor Michael Geist.
The release says the associations support the statement and look forward to the Canadian government, "fulfilling these commitments as soon as possible in order to better protect intellectual property in the digital age. The introduction and passage of new federal copyright legislation will be a key step to fulfilling the commitments."
But, says Geist, a close look at the statement reveals a major disconnect between it and likely copyright legislation.
“The G-8 statement is primarily focused on counterfeiting and commercial piracy with emphasis on border enforcement, stronger IP trade enforcement, organized crime, and anti-counterfeiting measures (along with an unfortunate swipe at the WIPO Development Agenda),” he says, going on, “Seen in light of concerns surrounding Russian-based counterfeiting, the statement comes as no surprise (indeed the BPI wanted the UK to place allofmp3.com on the agenda).
“Those issues bear little relation to the short-term copyright reform issues in Canada such as anti-circumvention legislation, ISP liability, and an expanded fair dealing right. Those issues are not directly relevant here at all and merited no mention whatsoever in the statement.
“So let’s be clear – the government need not address the WIPO Internet Treaties issue in order to fulfill its latest so-called commitment from the G-8 summit and the introduction of new legislation has little to do with addressing the G-8’s stated concerns.
“While the copyright lobby might wish it otherwise, Canada does not have any new obligations or commitments to introduce copyright reform legislation.”
Here’s the full copyright lobby statement:
Software, Book Publishing and Entertainment Industries Congratulate Canadian Government For G8 Commitments on Intellectual Property Rights
Organizations representing a broad cross section of Canadian industries, including software, book publishing and entertainment, today congratulated the Canadian government for taking a strong stand on intellectual property rights protection as a party to the G8 statement, "Combating IPR Piracy and Counterfeiting."
The following statement was issued by the Canadian Alliance Against Software Theft (CAAST), Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN), Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA), Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association (CMPDA), Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA), Canadian Publishers Council (CPC), Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) and Music Industries Association of Canada (MIAC):
We congratulate the Government of Canada for its strong and unqualified support for intellectual property rights as expressed in the joint statement of the G8 countries in St. Petersburg, Russia. We fully support all of the commitments and actions outlined by Canada and the other G8 countries.
Furthermore, we look forward to the Canadian government fulfilling these commitments as soon as possible in order to better protect intellectual property in the digital age. The introduction and passage of new federal copyright legislation will be a key step to fulfilling the commitments.
Also See:
we posted – G8 piracy statement, July 18, 2006
Michael Geist – Canadian Copyright Lobby on G-8 IP Statement, July 18, 2006
BPI wanted – Kill AllofMP3.com, BPI tells Putin, July 14, 2006
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