Welcome to the blog of the Copyright Office at UVic
The “notice-and- notice policy for ISPs goes went into effect on January 2, 2015. Canadian internet providers will be required to forward copyright infringement notices to their subscribers. Providers who do not comply face up to $10,000 in damages.The law caps damages, for internet users, at $5,000 on non-commercial infringements.
See Michael Geist blog of a discussion on this issue: http://www.michaelgeist.ca/2014/12/notice-difference-new-canadian-internet-copyright-rules-isps-set-launch/
Graduate Students at UVic
Are you considering incorporating images, photos, maps, diagrams, etc. not created by you in your thesis/dissertation? Have you thought about copyright implications associated with your use of this content?
The Copyright Office is offering workshops for grad students who are working on their thesis or dissertation. Please talk to your department’s graduate supervisor to organize a session to discuss these issues or come to our drop-in office hours in McPherson Library – Room 135e on Tuesdays between 12:30-1:30pm.
The UVic Copyright Office is offering new drop-in office hours for faculty, staff and students who have questions about copyright. You can find us on the main floor, room 135e – in the Academic Commons – between 12:30 and 1:30 pm on Tuesdays.
CBC New | March 20, 2014
“The B.C.-based copyright infringement lawsuit against James Cameron and the creators of the 2009 blockbuster movie Avatar was dismissed in Canada’s Federal Court Thursday.
In a news release sent Thursday morning, 20th Century Fox Film said that after the first day of hearings, the complainant, Emil Malak, approached Cameron’s counsel and said he no longer wanted to pursue his lawsuit.”
For more on the story see: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/emil-malak-s-avatar-screenplay-copyright-lawsuit-dismissed-1.2580748
EARLY BIRD registration has been extended to April 22!http://conferences.uvic.ca/index.php/abccopyright/abccopyright2014/schedConf/registration
Theme for the conference: Jumping off the (Leg)islation. The spirit behind this theme is moving forward in our new Canadian copyright environment – methods, issues and ideas.
Our keynote speakers are:
Kimberley Christen Withey, Associate Professor and Associate Director of the Digital Technology and Culture program, Department of English, Washington State University
Topic: Copyright and Traditional Knowledge
____________________________
Paul Stacy, Associate Director of Global Learning for Creative Commons
Topic: The ABC’s of CC – Using Creative Commons (CC) to generate a global public commons of knowledge and culture
The conference program is available at: http://conferences.uvic.ca/public/conferences/37/schedConfs/58/program-en_US.pdf
Location: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC Canada.
We &d love to see you at the conference!
Gillian Shaw | Vancouver Sun | February 29, 2014
“Canadians who illegally download music, movies and other copyright material may no longer be able to hide from potential lawsuits.
In a groundbreaking decision released Thursday by Canada &s Federal Court, the Internet service provider TekSavvy Solutions was ordered to release to Voltage Pictures LLC the names and addresses of more than 2,000 Internet users suspected of pirating movies…”
For more on the story see: http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/personal-tech/Illegal+downloaders+federal+court+crosshairs/9533007/story.html
John Cotter | Canadian Press | November 15, 2013
The Supreme Court of Canada on Friday struck down Alberta &s privacy law as unconstitutional in a case where a union photographed and videotaped people crossing a picket line during a long strike…
The union posted signs near the picket line saying images of people crossing the line might be posted on a website.
Several people cited Alberta &s Personal Information Protection Act in their complaints to the provincial information and privacy commissioner.
The commissioner appointed an adjudicator, who ruled that the union had violated the act.
But a court found that the ruling violated the union &s rights and the Alberta Court of Appeal granted the union a constitutional exemption from the act.
The Supreme Court, in a 9-0 ruling, essentially agreed, but also threw out the whole law. It has given the province a year to make appropriate changes.
For more on the story see: http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/11/15/alberta-privacy-law-ruled-unconstitutional-after-dispute-over-union-photos-of-people-crossing-picket-line/
Terry O’Brien, Education and Outreach Manager for SOCAN, will be at UVic on November 21st to talk to students, creators and mucisians on campus about music creation, how music creators are paid, music industry business practices and the overall role of SOCAN in the rights management landscape, as well as a brief overview on other rights and collectives for context.
If you are a creator, or are interested in music business and new media, please consider attending one of the free drop in sessions hosted at the McPherson Library in Room 210 at 10 AM and 2 PM. Students, faculty, staff and community members welcome.
Please contact blairw@uvic.ca or copyrite@uvic.ca for more information.
ABOUT:
Terry O’Brien, Education and Outreach Manager
“Based in Vancouver, BC, Terry O &Brien is SOCAN &s Education & Outreach Manager for the West Coast Division. Terry has over 30 years’ experience in the music industry as a music publisher, composer, musician and recording artist, producer, DJ, consultant and teacher, as well as wholesale and retail music sales. Prior to joining SOCAN in 2000, Terry held the position of Vice President & General Manager of BMG Music Publishing Canada Inc. During his time at BMG, Terry was also a Director of the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA), BMG Ricordi Canada and sat as an Executive Board Member of the Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA). He has served twice as a Juno Awards judge, a FACTOR Super Jury member and has appeared on numerous panels for SOCAN, Canadian Music Week, New Music West, North by Northeast, New Forms Festival, Western Canadian Music Week, Winter Music Conference and Canadian Country Music Week, among others. In 2002 Terry returned again to his creative roots and has since released three independent CDs of … soundscapes on his own micro label, Disappearing Music.” (from http://www.socan.ca/creators/copyright )
SOCAN
“SOCAN (the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) is a not-for-profit organization that represents the Canadian performing rights of millions of Canadian and international music creators and publishers. SOCAN is proud to play a leading role in supporting the long-term success of its more than 100,000 Canadian members, as well as the Canadian music industry.
Through licences, SOCAN gives businesses that use music the freedom to use any music they want, legally and ethically. SOCAN licenses more than 125,000 businesses coast to coast and distributes royalties to its members and peer organizations around the world. SOCAN also distributes royalties to its members for the use of Canadian music around the world in collaboration with its peer societies.
In addition, SOCAN plays a leadership role in mentoring emerging creators on various aspects of the craft and business of music. We also advocate on behalf of our members to ensure that copyright is respected and that creators are appropriately remunerated for the use of their work.” (from http://www.socan.ca/about)
October 25, 2013 | Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC)
The ACCC recently announceed its withdrawal as an official objector in the judicial proceeding at the Copyright Board of Canada on Post-Secondary Education Tariff, filed by Access Copyright. The ACCC cited several factors influencing its decisions, including revised copyright legislation and Supreme Court of Canada’s interpretation on fair dealing in an education context.
For news release see: http://www.accc.ca/xp/index.php/en/comm/news-releases/769-nr-oct25-2013copyright
…no-one’s entirely sure how it will all end up, but the multinational Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) currently being negotiated could have significant ramifications for Canadian Copyright. Canada, the US, Australia, are among the countries participating in this deal.
For example, Japan is considering extending its copyright period to 70 years (from 50) which would bring it on par with the United States copyright period. In Canada, we only wait 50 years after the author’s demise for a work to enter the public domain. Will our country be urged to follow suit?
Many are nervous about the lack of transparency surrounding these negotiations. Given that we are busily implementing the updated Canadian Copyright Act, more change is not necessarily a welcome thing.