On June 2nd the government of Canada presented Canadians with "The Copyright Modernization Act", ushering in a new era of copyright reform.
The introduction of a new Copyright Act has been anticipated for quite some time, as the current Act does not address the needs of a modern economy. Unfortunately, creators and publishers will suffer as a result of a long list of new exceptions that undermine the market for works and significantly reduce the income from secondary uses of works.
We continue to analyze Bill C-32. One thing is clear - unless amended, Bill C-32 will cause inevitable hardships to the creator and publisher community.
New and expanded exceptions will result in revenue losses to Canadian creators and publishers in the millions of dollars from lost sales and loss of revenue from secondary uses. Bill C-32 must be amended so that, without hardship to consumers, Canada's creators and publishers suffer no hardship either.
It is paramount that creators and publishers alike make their voices heard. If you would like to add your voice to those that are speaking out against the use of their works without compensation, we would like to hear from you. We have resources that can help you get your message to the right people. Please email us at billc32@accesscopyright.ca.
We also encourage you to join the Canadian Writers and Readers for Copyright Justice Group on Facebook.
The Access Copyright Foundation is proud to announce a significant increase in its commitment to Canadian culture with the launch of a new Event Grants program.