Bill C-32: A Sampling of Commentary on Technological Protection Measures

Professor Giuseppina D’Agostino is the Founder and Director of IP Osgoode.

As the commentary on Bill C-32 continues to take shape, the one issue that is getting the most attention (and certainly not unlike the other legislative attempts in Bill C-60 and Bill C-61) is again the issue of technological protection measures or what is often referred to as “digital locks”. This is an important issue which comes with strongly held views on the interpretation and implications of these provisions for all, in Canada and internationally. 

Listed below you will find a sample of some of the diverse commentary that exists with respect to TPMs.  The most recent piece in the list below was written by Dr. Mihály Ficsor (who as former Assistant Director General of the WIPO, was involved in the preparation and negotiation of the WIPO Copyright Treaty).  There are no doubt many yet-to-be pronounced perspectives, and we welcome showcasing these in the coming days.

Craig, Carys – Digital Locks and the Fate of Fair Dealing in Canada: In Pursuit of ‘Prescriptive Parallelism’ (17 May 2010)

Crowne-Mohammed, Emir Aly and Rozenszajn, Yonatan – DRM Roll Please: Is Digital Rights Management Legislation Unconstitutional in Canada? (18 September 2009)

Ficsor, Mihály – Legends and reality about the 1996 WIPO Treaties in the light of certain comments on Bill C-32 (16 June 2010)

Gannon, James – Top 5 Myths About the New Copyright Bill and Digital Locks (3 June 2010)

Geist, Michael – Setting the Record Straight: 32 Questions and Answers on C-32’s Digital Lock Provisions (7 June 2010)

Reynolds, Graham – How Balanced is Bill C-32? (9 June 2010)

Sookman, Barry – Some thoughts on Bill-C-32: An Act to Modernize Canada’s copyright laws (3 June 2010)

Tarantino, Bob – Bill C-32: A Practical Solution on Digital Locks? (3 June 2010)