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Halifax Copyright Roundtable Attendee List and Podcast Posted

By Michael Geist

The government has posted the attendees and the podcast from the Halifax copyright roundtable hosted on Monday.  The roundtable was by far the most one-sided of the consultation with no voices representing users, libraries, education, or consumer groups (Minister Clement described it as a "different mix").  Instead, AFM and SAC got their second invites of the series along with CMPDA, ACTRA, Microsoft, the CPCC, NRCC, and CRIA/CMPDA lobbyist Barry Sookman (the repeat invitations raises questions about why some groups get two opportunities but there was no space for groups like the CMCC or Appropriation Art along with experts like Howard Knopf).  Given the attendees, there was unsurprisingly much said about WIPO implementation, payment, the "dangers" and "confusion" of fair use and not much about balance.

The attendees were:

• Brad Keenan, Alliance of Canadian Cinema, television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) - implement WIPO, update private copying regime to new technologies
• Michael Hilliard, Microsoft Canada - implement WIPO, generally supportive of Bill C-61, protection of TPMs, statutory damages
• Don Quarles, Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) - legalize P2P
• Wendy Noss, Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association (CMPDA) - WIPO, anti-circumvention legislation, greater ISP role
• Marian Hebb, Lawyer - parody exception, collective model for other exceptions with ISP levy
• Annie Morin, Canadian private Copying Collective (CPCC) - expand private copying levy
• Paul Sharpe American Federation of Musicians - implement WIPO, expand private copying levy
• Ian McKay, NRCC - implement WIPO, commercial radio unfairly subsidized at the cost of artists
• Paul Taylor, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) - implement WIPO, protect TPMs, ISPs must play a role in halting copyright infringement, notice-and-notice is inadequate, favour notice-and-takedown
• Dan Soucoup, Nimbus Publishing - new business model, fair regime
• Barry Sookman, McCarthy Tetrault - WIPO, anti-circumvention legislation, graduated response, no broad fair dealing
• Marc Belliveau, Stewart Mckelvey - opposed to using language like 'thief' and 'pirate' that lowers the debate
• Jonathan Stevens, Music Nova Scotia - levies on ISPs for legal content

Two roundtables left - Quebec City and Toronto - later this month.

Full post as published by Michael Geist on August 11, 2009 (boomark / email).