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

[Frédéric Bastien]

Hi,

I find that the modification to the letter is well done and make the 
needed clarification.

thanks

Frédéric Bastien

Russell McOrmond wrote:
>    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
> 
>