London Book Fair 2019: In Canada, a Busy Year for Copyright
- 2019-03-21
- Publishers Weekly
Ever since Canada’s 2012 Copyright Modernization Act, it’s been an intense time for copyright in Canada, and 2018 was no exception. Looking ahead, 2019 will also be a busy year.
The long-awaited Statutory Review of the Copyright Act began in April 2018 and continued through much of the year. Led by the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, the review heard testimony from more than 200 witnesses and accepted briefs from almost as many stakeholders. Its eventual report will include the findings of a parallel inquiry by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, focused on remuneration models for artists and creative industries.
With a federal election on the horizon, legislative or regulatory change may still be years away. However, parliamentarians of all political stripes have an opportunity to play a leadership role in reversing the problems resulting from the education sector’s interpretation of the Copyright Modernization Act’s provision on fair dealing.