"Access to knowledge is a crucial stage in the life cycle of new creativity and innovation."
Overview
In extremely broad terms, Canadian copyright law has a two-fold purpose: to protect the rights of the creators and owners of works and to permit public access to these works. The legislation is structured around the areas of:
- types of rights (e.g. economic, moral, exclusive, remuneration);
- limitations (e.g. fair dealing, compulsory licence);
- exceptions (e.g. for non-profit institutions, broadcasters, persons with perceptual disabilities);
- remedies (e.g. summary proceedings, statutory damages).
In November 2007, the Federation Board adopted a position on copyright policy, which outlines the principles guiding its activities relating to this matter
Copyright Act Reform
In summer 2009, the Government of Canada launched nation-wide consultations to solicit opinions on the issue of copyright reform. These consultations paved the way for changes to the existing Copyright Act—changes that may have significant impact on university research and learning in Canada. Bill C-32: An Act to Amend the Copyright Act was tabled in June 2010, and is currently under consideration by a House of Commons Committee.
- Notes for a presentation to the House of Commons Legislative Committee on Bill C-32
- Responding to Bill C-32: An Act to Amend the Copyright Act - November 2010
- Copyright Reform: Country-wide consultation - Submission by the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences - September 9, 2009 (PDF 56KB)
- Copyright Toolkit (PDF 103KB) August 2009
- Call for Action on Current Copyright Consultation (PDF 230KB) August 2009
Briefs Submitted by Federation Members
- Association des Professeur.e.s de Français des Universités et Collèges Canadiens, September 2009 (français seulement)
- Canadian Historical Association, September 2009
- York University, September 2009
Federation’s Copyright Committee
Comprised of experts and representatives from the scholarly community, the Copyright Committee develops positions and provides advice to the federation’s Executive Committee. Their contribution is essential to help the Federation take position on the issue of copyright reform, and to represent the interests of the social sciences and humanities research and learning community.
Members of the Working Group on Copyright
- Professor Jay Rahn, York University
- Elizabeth Judge, University of Ottawa
- Michael Owen, University of Ontario Institutre of Technology
- Monica Fazekas, University of Western Ontario
