2 Comments

1. Dwight Williams says:

   September 2, 2009 at 7:20 pm

   I wish them the best of luck in holding a helpful discussion!
2. Jason Prescott says:

   December 11, 2009 at 12:40 am

   Edmonton Citizen Round Table Discussion MP3
   Download via bittorrent:
   http://creativecommons.hexagon.cc/torrents/47730-Fair_Copyright_for_Canada_-_Edmonton_Round_Table_2009_09_03_mp3_64kbps

   Encoder: FastTadpole
   Name: Edmonton Citizens Copyright Round Table: Weren’t They Going To Ask Us?
   Source: 128Kbps Audio (with audible background noise)
   Release: 2009
   Files: 60.6 MB (63,558,912 bytes) in 2 Files
   Duration: 2:12:23
   Type: MP3, 1 audio stream
   Quality: 15 %, Audacity 1.2.6
   Audio: 64 Kbps, 24000 Hz, 2 channels, 0x55=Mpeg-1 audio Layer 3 (MP3)
   Country: Canada

   Summary:

   Event:
   Edmonton Citizens Copyright Round Table – Weren’t They Going To Ask Us?
   Humanities Centre Lecture Theatre University of Alberta
   September 3rd, 2009 from 7:00PM to 9:00 PM MDT [GMT -7:00]

   Attending:
   Fair Copyright for Canada – Edmonton Chapter
   Alberta Public Interest Research Group (APIRG)
   Canadian Citizens

   The federal government of Canada ran a copyright consultation process
   to promote transparency and open debate from July 20th to September 13th,
   2009. This was done in regards to the anticipation of introducing new
   legislation to amend the Canadian copyright statutes. There had been
   attempts in the recent past to amend Canada’s copyright laws. All
   potential legislation to date has been met stiff resistance from Canadians
   citizens thanks, in part, to the critical issues brought to light by
   grassroots coalitions such as Fair Copyright for Canada. Among the laws
   recently tabled were Bill C-60 and Bill C-61. Also of great concern is
   the adoption and ratification of internationally introduced and
   multilaterally binding Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and
   other secret World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties.
   ACTA is now being negotiated behind closed doors far away from public
   scrutiny and debate.

   Unfortunately, there were only two events nation-wide in the meetings
   organized by the federal government of Canada that were open to public
   participation. One of which was identifiably stacked by industry and
   corporate interests. In other events guests were admitted by invitation
   only and were attended almost exclusively by special interests. The
   attendees included international corporations such as Google, CRIA
   (RIAA Canada) and Microsoft but were not open to the Canadian public.

   The Edmonton chapter of Fair Copyright Canada and the Alberta Public
   Interest Research Group (APIRG) collaborated to host an event to give
   ordinary Canadian citizens the opportunity to voice their opinions on
   copyright in a public forum. Community members Idris Fashan, Karl
   Stevens and Colin Broughton discussed different aspects of copyright
   in a discussion moderated by David Ballantyne.

   Topics discussed and debated included, but were not limited to, the
   following:
   * The current definition of copyright in Canada
   * The nature, purpose and effects of copyright
   * The issues of crown copyright
   * Fair dealing regarding the limitations and exceptions to copyright
   * Digital Rights Management (DRM) and circumvention
   * Copyright term and expiry
   * Reverse engineering of software and technology
   * The ratification of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
   treaties

   The debate was then followed by participation from the attending audience
   in the form of comments and questions directed to the panel addressing
   their concerns.

   We discussed the views and opinions of average Canadian citizens on the
   subject of copyright. As such, any legislator would be remiss to draft
   legislation without reviewing this record and instantiating these
   understandings. This audio recording is now a permanent record by which
   any future legislation can be judged on the basis of whether it conforms
   to the interests of Canadian citizens.

   More Information:
   Fair Copyright for Canada – Edmonton Chapter
   http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6875186988
   Fair Copyright for Canada
   http://www.faircopyrightforcanada.ca/
   Alberta Public Interest Research Group (APIRG)
   http://www.apirg.org/