Geist: Copyright bill "What ifs?"

As the final House of Commons vote on controversial copyright bill C-11 approaches, law professor Michael Geist asks some questions to highlight what the new law could have been if government had been more committed to a strong, citizen-centric digital future.

We take issue with the title of Geist's piece though— End of Copyright Debate Sparks Many 'What Ifs?'—: We're still far from the end of the copyright debate—Canadian voices can still be heard, and it's all the more important that they are. We need to ensure the government knows we're paying attention, and that we'll be thinking of digital issues like this when it next comes time to cast our votes. What's more, with restrictive trade agreements like ACTA and the TPP on the table, we need to keep up the charge and ensure that the worst of the Internet lockdown—including website blocking and individuals' Internet termination—stay off the agenda in Canada.

Article by Michael Geist for The Tyee:

The decade-long Canadian copyright reform debate is nearing a conclusion as the government is slated to hold the third and final reading for Bill C-11 this week. With a majority in both the House of Commons and Senate, the Conservatives are likely to pass the bill before Parliament takes a break for the summer.

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