Neves (En anglais seulement)

PROCESSUS DE RÉFORME DU DROIT D'AUTEUR

SUGGESTIONS REÇUES RELATIVEMENT AUX DOCUMENTS DE CONSULTATION

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Les documents reçus seront affichés dans la langue officielle dans laquelle ils auront été soumis. Toutes les suggestions sont affichées comme elles ont été reçues par les ministères; toutefois, toutes les informations sur les adresses ont été enlevées.

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Suggestion de Philip V. Neves reçue le 29 juillet 2001 15h18 par courriel

Objet : This legislation is a Big Mistake

The legislation that you are trying to pass is a big mistake. Canada already has very good copywrite laws. These laws were formed after great consultation with the technology industry. The only thing that reforming these laws will do is stifle innovation, and even create a recession situation in the country like the one that is happening in the United States.

The Digital Millennium Copywrite act in the United States has created large problems for technology companies in the US. It has never been used to prevent the piracy of Copywrit-ed materials. The only thing its been used for is to harass otherwise legitmate businesses. It prevents companies from doing reverse engineering and improving on concepts that have already been developed by others. It has also been used to stifle freedom of the press. A court case in the US has been going on for the last two years on this very matter. Organizations like the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) and the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) are usually the champions of this sort of legislation. Usually it isn't large players that are victimized by this legislation but small businesses that organizations like the MPAA and the RIAA go after first. I suggest that you look at the website http://www.2600.com if you want more information about this case.

I am a student at BCIT in Burnaby BC. The government of this country has invested a large amount of money to train me in Computer Science in both student loans and subsidized education. I must warn you that I could obtain a portugees citizenship in less then 3 years. If this law goes through I will leave the country and never come back. I am also a very good computer programmer. Most companies when I am finished school will be lucky to hire me. If this law goes through you will be denying companies in Canada this opportunity. I am not the only person who feels this way. When I talk to many of my friends and colleges they feel the same way.

I am not going to let this go very easily. I plan on talking to my MP Svend Robinson about this. I also plan on taking this matter to the press. I believe they will be very interested in hearing about how this legislation will censor them as this is what happened to http://www.2600.com.