Canada's Bill C-32 -- Rush to Judgment?

October 8, 1996

To: CNI & CYBERIA-L lists

Re: Canadian Copyright Reform -- Bill C-32

RUSH TO JUDGMENT? The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage is moving rapidly. Witnesses are being scheduled and hearings have already begun. Approximately 34 of the 93 parties who wanted to give oral testimony are being denied the opportunity to present oral testimony as witnesses. The short list of witnesses is understood to have been drafted by the Committee's specially appointed expert counsel. The selection of the witnesses took place "in camera". Check with the Clerk's office (613-996-0506) or contact me to see whether a particular organization is on the list or not.

Hearings of witnesses will conclude by approximately November 7, 1996. Thereafter, the hearings will adjourn for a week to give the Members an opportunity to consider the testimony. "Clause by clause" proceedings will be the week of November 17, 1996. The Committee Report back to the House of Commons is scheduled for the week of November 24, 1996. All of this could change. Parties are being allocated 45 minutes of hearing time, including questions from Members, irrespective of the number or nature of their issues of primary concern.  

This schedule raises the question of whether it is even possible for the Committee to consider significant policy changes in the Bill. Many interested parties might be prepared to support the Bill, with suitable changes. However, there is very little time to effect such changes, given the intricacy and length of the Bill and the interdependence of many of its key provisions and policies.

Check our Web page (http://www.perlaw.ca) for updates on Web available briefs and other information. Let me know if you want a brief posted or linked. Postings from word processor format will be done ASAP but are subject to conversion or HTML formatting glitches for which we can assume no responsibility.

Finally, our Web site is set up to enable Direct faxing through E-Mail to the Committee Members (in most cases) and to the responsible Ministers. Just aim, click, and mail!

I should disclose that we have been retained by some parties with an interest in these hearings. However, comments in this message or on our Web site do not necessarily reflect the views of any of our clients.

-- 
Howard Knopf
Perley-Robertson, Panet, Hill & McDougall
Phone: 613-566-2820 or
       1-800-2-OTTAWA
Fax:   613-238-8775

E-Mail: knopfh[_at_]perlaw.ca

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