[d at DCC] Our letter writing campaign...

[Russell McOrmond]

   Frédéric Bastien took the letter at 
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/edid/letter2 , translated it to French, 
and updated it to form a letter to their MP endorsing the Petition for 
Users Rights.

   That endorsement is now on the English petition page 
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/

"The Association des Étudiants et Étudiantes aux Études Supérieures du 
DIRO, University of Montréal gradate students in computer science, 
endorsed the petition at their general assembly on September 13, 2006."


   They received a reply from the office of M. Lapierre.  It was largely 
a generic answer to acknowledge the reception and tell us they will take 
it into account.   It also included a note to inform us that Bill C-60 
is dead.

   I updated the English letter to make it clear that we recognize that 
Bill C-60 is dead, but that we expect a future bill to similarly concern us.

   I am looking for feedback on the letter text.  I am also hoping that 
people will send letters to their MPs so that they are aware of the 
interest in this area of policy, and will be in touch with us once a 
bill is tabled.


   New proposed text for first two paragraphs:

---cut---
Copyright law, and the changes proposed in Bill C-60 from the last 
parliament, are of concern to me.  While Bill C-60 died on the order 
paper when the election was called, we are worried that similar 
provisions will be contained in a future bill. While copyright is most 
often described as a balance between the interests of creators and the 
interests of the general public, the debate has been dominated by 
special interest industry lobby groups representing intermediaries 
(people who are neither creators nor the general public).

Bill C-60 may have been supported by these industry intermediaries, ...

---cut---


Full text of original letter:

---cut---

Dear Mr. David McGuinty
Member for Ottawa South

Copyright law, and the changes proposed in Bill C-60 from the last 
parliament, are of concern to me. While copyright is most often 
described as a balance between the interests of creators and the 
interests of the general public, the debate has been dominated by 
special interest industry lobby groups representing intermediaries 
(people who are neither creators nor the general public).

Bill C-60 may be supported by these industry intermediaries, but is 
highly controversial with creators, and not supported by users. Industry 
lobby groups such as the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) 
can no more legitimately claim to politically represent the interests of 
creators than the owners of the major banks can claim to politically 
represent the interests of people who have bank accounts.

One of the many controversial aspects involved the legal protection of 
technical measures used by copyright holders.  It may be appropriate to 
protect technical measures applied by copyright holders to their own 
content.  What cannot be allowed is the legal protection of technical 
measures that affect devices that they do not own (e.g. my home computer).

The Sony-BMG case, which infected hundreds of thousands of networks of 
computers with a "RootKit" and "SpyWare", resulted in many lawsuits 
against Sony-BMG.  Speaking to a group of copyright holders about this 
issue, Stewart Baker, Department of Homeland Security's assistant 
secretary for policy, said, "It's very important to remember that it's 
your intellectual property -- it's not your computer. And in the pursuit 
of protection of intellectual property, it's important not to defeat or 
undermine the security measures that people need to adopt in these days."

Not only should we not be protecting this abuse of technical measures, 
but we should be passing laws which clearly make it illegal to apply a 
technical measure to something without the informed consent of the owner.

Thousands of Canadians, including hundreds of people who are in creative 
or innovation industries, have signed the "Petition for Users' Rights" 
which articulates a more balanced vision. Creators support this balance 
as they realize that creativity builds on the past, and that the 
protection of Creators' Rights includes the protection of Users' Rights. 
  In order for there to be a future generation of creators we must limit 
the control of past creator or non-creator copyright holders.

English Petition text 
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/petition_en.pdf

French Petition text 
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/petition_fr.pdf

More information on the petition http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/

Do you support this balanced vision?

Would you be willing to meet with me and/or members of our community to 
discuss these issues?

Sincerely,

Russell McOrmond
...

Constituent of Ottawa South
http://digital-copyright.ca/edid/35064


-- 
  Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
  Please help us tell the Canadian Parliament to protect our property
  rights as owners of Information Technology. Sign the petition!
  http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/ict/

  "The government, lobbied by legacy copyright holders and hardware
   manufacturers, can pry my camcorder, computer, home theatre, or
   portable media player from my cold dead hands!"