Canadian Federation of Library Associations Brief to Parliament on Copyright Review

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA) recently submitted a brief to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Trade of the Canadian Parliament, a committee that is reviewing the Copyright Act.

The document outlines the CFLA's positions on issues such as fair dealing, contract override, technological protection measures (TPMs), Crown copyright and indigenous knowledge.

Among the recommendations made by the CFLA are:

"That Parliament amend the Copyright Act to make it clear where the Act provides that an activity is not an infringement of copyright no contract can override the Act, using the Irish legislation as a model."

"That Parliament amend the Copyright Act to make it clear that the Act is technologically neutral and that circumvention of TPMs is permitted for non-infringing, digital and analog uses (...)"  

"That Parliament eliminate Crown copyright on all publicly accessible government works or make those works openly licensed by default and examine section 12 to clarify the need for Crown copyright in other government works."

"That the Copyright Act respect, affirm and recognize Indigenous peoples’ ownership of their traditional and living respective Indigenous knowledge."