The Canadian government is currently on the verge of passing Bill C-32, which would re-write much of the country’s laws on copyright, a vital if contentious pillar of cultural industries. Despite divergent points of view among experts, most everyone seems to agree that the current laws are simply too outdated.
For years, Canada has attempted to protect its cultural industries -- books, music, television, film -- from being overshadowed or consumed by those of larger nations, most notably the United States. There are myriad rules and regulations when it comes to everything from foreign takeovers of Canadian publishers to broadcasting a minimum amount of Canadian content.
But such rules were written long before the Internet transformed culture -- and how we access it.
So where should Canada stand? How do we protect and promote our culture in the digital age? And what part does copyright play in the whole debate.
Joining us for an hour to chat about these issues are Queens University media professor Sidneyeve Matrix and University of Ottawa law professor Jeremy deBeer.
Sidneyeve Matrix is an Assistant Professor of Media at Queen's University, where she teaches mass communications and social media courses.
Jeremy de Beer is a law professor at the University of Ottawa, specializing in intellectual property law and technology policy. He practiced law with the Department of Justice, as counsel to the Copyright Board, after clerking at Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal and working at the law firm of Macleod Dixon LLP.
