Toronto | CMEC | September 29, 2010
Education ministers apply for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada
Ministers of education across Canada are seeking leave to take their legal argument regarding fair-dealing rights for students in Canadian schools to the Supreme Court of Canada.
The Copyright Consortium of the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), is appealing the July decision of the Federal Court of Appeal upholding the Copyright Board of Canada &s photocopying tariff for K-12 educational institutions. This decision establishes a narrow interpretation of fair dealing in the federal Copyright Act as it pertains to making copies of learning materials for distribution to students.
Education ministers are disappointed with the Federal Court of Appeal &s decision in its judicial review of the K-12 photocopying tariff, said Nova Scotia Minister of Education Marilyn More, chair of the CMEC Copyright Consortium. We look forward to receiving permission to argue our case before the Supreme Court of Canada. This important matter reaches the very core of how our teachers can provide effective learning materials in the classroom.
Minister More added, Education ministers are most concerned about the impact of this decision on our country &s schools, teachers, and students. We believe that teachers and students in Canadian schools should be afforded the same rights enjoyed by teachers and students in other countries, where they have the ability to copy and use materials for educational purposes without having to pay additional fees to copyright collectives.
For more see: http://www.cmec.ca/Press/2010/Pages/2010-09-29.aspx