Money in Politics, Conflicts for Copyright
With the fall of the 38th Parliament, Bill C-60, An Act to Amend the Copyright Act, died on the order table. However, the election has not sidelined the copyright debate – far from it. Copyright policy – and its unfortunate ties to campaign financing – has become a hot election issue. Read on for more info, or click here to take action.
The controversy started when Sarmite Bulte, the Liberal incumbent for the Toronto riding of Parkdale-High Park, announced a $250/plate fundraiser at the Drake Hotel for January 19, just four days before the election. Ms. Bulte is well-known as the force behind the "Bulte Report" of May, 2004, which advocated a decidedly imbalanced, pro-rightsholder revision of Canada's Copyright Act. Her report was too radical for the government, which left many of her handouts to the content industry on the cutting room floor when it created Bill C-60. Perhaps that explains why her fundraiser is sponsored by a who's who of Canada's big-copyright business lobbyists.
This is just one example of how coziness between MPs and the industries they regulate can create practical and ethical problems. Even if Bulte's aggressive stance on copyright didn't evolve because of the large campaign donations that she has received from copyright holders, that relationship compromises her independence. That's why OnlineRights.ca agrees with Professor Michael Geist's call for all politicians intent on participating in Canadian copyright policy deliberations - regardless of party - to take the "Copyright Pledge:"
"No Member of Parliament who has accepted financial contributions or other benefits from (i) a copyright lobby group, (ii) its corporate members, or (iii) senior executives as well as (iv) a copyright collective shall serve as Minister of Canadian Heritage or as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, nor sit on any legislative committee (parliamentary or standing committees conducting hearings or deliberations on copyright matters."
Here are some things *you* can do to help keep corporate money out of Canadian copyright policy:
- Sign our online petition calling on Canadian politicians to take the Copyright Pledge.
- Attend all candidates meetings in your riding, and ask each candidate whether her or she will take the Copyright Pledge.
- Attend the Parkdale-High Park all candidates meetings scheduled for the week of January 9, and ask each candidate to take the Copyright Pledge. This weeks’ meetings are scheduled for:
- Wednesday, January 11, 7:30 p.m., at Runnymede United Church, 432 Runnymede Road, Toronto (map)
- Thursday, January 12, 7:30 p.m., at Bishop Marrocco High School, 1515 Bloor Street West, Toronto (map)
- Tell your friends about this issue – especially those you know residing in Parkdale-High Park.
Big Copyright’s money has long played an unfortunate role in Canadian copyright policy. This is an important opportunity to address that problem.
Additional Info:
Who's attending the fundraiser?
- Doug Frith (president of Canadian Motion Pictures Distributors Association, which represents Hollywood in Canada)
- Danielle LaBoisserre (of the Entertainment Software Alliance, dominated by foreign video game-makers)
- Graham Henderson (president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, which represents the big four music labels in Canada),
- Stephen Stohn (a Canadian television executive, former law partner of Graham Henderson, and a former executive of the Canadian Private Copying Collective – the people who brought you the blank media levy), and
- Jackie Hushion (executive director of the Canadian Publishers Council, which represents many foreign book publishers in Canada).
News Coverage
News of Ms. Bulte’s fundraiser first broke shortly after the New Year on blogs that frequently deal with copyright issues:
- Michael Geist
- Jack Kapica (Jan. 2 entry)
- Boing Boing
Later in the week, the issue lit up the Canadian blogosphere:
Finally, the story went mainstream:
- The Canadian Press produced a piece that was picked up by a number of papers, including MacLean’s
- CBC: "Liberal MP takes flak for lobbyists' fundraiser"
- The Toronto Star: "Fundraiser a rare glimpse into party power politics"
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