The Burnaby Broad of Trade (BBOT) is urging its members to send letters of support to their MPs for the federal government’s proposed reforms to copyright law in Canada.
The Copyright Modernization Act, which was tabled in the House of Commons on June 2 as Bill C-32, is an attempt by government to strengthen copyright protection in Canada by addressing the advancements in digital and Internet technologies made since existing copyright laws were made in 1997.
“Many companies, big and small, rely on the protection of intellectual property rights to thrive in Canada,” the BBOT said in a newsletter sent to members Monday morning.
The act outlines new rights and protections for rights holders to reach new markets, adapt business models and combat infringement in a digital environment.
BBOT said Burnaby is a knowledge-based economy with signature industries in IT, communications and wireless and that the city is, as a result, particularly affected by digital piracy and intellectual property infringement.
BBOT is providing a template letter for its members to use.
“The outdated Copyright Act makes it far too easy for our members’ labour and investments to be taken without compensation through rampant digital piracy,” BBOT states in the letter. “The Copyright Act must provide clear, predictable and fair rules to allow Canadians to derive benefits from their creations.”
Opponents of the proposed act argue it goes too far in protecting commercial interests and, as a result, tramples consumer rights.
One of the most polarizing parts of the act is proposed anti-circumvention provisions that allow companies to use digital locks to protect digitally distributed content.
Opponents say the provisions would, among other things, make it difficult to use digital media for legal purposes such as education.