Advocacy Update
Access Copyright Makes its Submission for the Copyright Act Review
Last month, Access Copyright made its official submission to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology for the Copyright Act review.
The submission details how creators and publishers have been severely impacted by the actions of the education sector following the passage of the Copyright Modernization Act in 2012 which included the addition of “education” as an allowable purpose under fair dealing.
Our submission makes two key recommendations to parliament.
1. Amend the fair dealing exception to distinguish between individual and institutional copying. We recommend amending the Copyright Act so that fair dealing for the purposes of research, private study and education would not apply to educational institutions in situations where works are “commercially available” by either a rightsholder or collective within a reasonable time and for a reasonable price and may be located with reasonable effort. This would help facilitate teachable moments without adverse consequences to rightsholders, while also bringing Canada in line with models in other countries such as the U.K. and Australia.
2. Take immediate action to harmonize the statutory damages available to collectives as part of the current efforts to reform the Copyright Board of Canada. Doing so will deter infringement, encourage settlement and, in line with one of the key goals of the reform to the Board, “will ensure creators to get paid properly and on line.”
Read our submission here.
Access Copyright congratulates the appointment of the Hon. Pablo Rodriguez as Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism
As the head of the Department of Canadian Heritage, Minister Rodriguez will be responsible for directing the federal government’s cultural priorities, including the ongoing Copyright Act review, modernizing the Copyright Board of Canada and implementing its renewed vision for Canada’s cultural policies.
Minister Rodriquez brings a well-honed perspective to the importance of ensuring Canadian creators and publishers are fairly paid for the use of their works. As a member of the legislative committee that reviewed Bill C-32, the precursor to the Copyright Modernization Act, he was attuned to the concerns of creators and publishers over the addition of education as an allowable purpose under fair dealing.
After the passage of the Act in 2012, creators and publishers have seen a dramatic decrease in the amount of royalties they receive for the copying of their works which represents a significant threat to their ability to continue to create Canadian content for classrooms.
“The Copyright Act review and the federal government’s commitment to transform the Copyright Board represent an important opportunity to ensure that Canadian creators and publishers will continue to have the chance to contribute to our cultural economy,” said Roanie Levy, Access Copyright’s President & CEO. “I look forward to working together with Minister Rodriguez to encourage implementation of initiatives that will provide for fair compensation to creators and publishers.”
Access Copyright also expresses our gratitude to The Hon. Mélanie Joly, who was appointed as Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, for her tireless efforts at Canadian Heritage and her conviction that supporting Canadian creators should be a primary focus of our cultural policies.
Other News
Update on K-12 Legal Action
On July 11, 2018, Access Copyright served and filed its Statement of Defence and Counterclaim in the action commenced by all school boards in Ontario and the Ministries of Education for all provinces and territories in Canada except Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec. Read more…
Copibec & Laval University reach a settlement agreement
Access Copyright applauds the settlement agreement reached in June by Copibec and Laval University that, once approved by the courts, will deliver an amicable conclusion to litigation between the two organizations.
“The settlement reached between Copibec and Laval demonstrates that we can effectively come together and mend our differences, while avoiding the burden of the cost, time and resources of the court system,“ said Roanie Levy, Access Copyright’s CEO & President. “We hope that this resolution will encourage the education sector to come to the table to collaborate with Canadian creators and publishers to mutually resolve the outstanding issues that exist between us.” Read more…
We’re moving to online distribution reporting
As part of our efforts to increase the efficiency of our operations, Access Copyright will be implementing online notifications and reporting of distributions for our creator and publisher affiliates as of our December distribution. More information on these efforts, including how to access distribution reports online, will be coming soon. As of our December distribution, paper notifications and reports will be provided on a by-request basis only.
Congratulations to Ashley Brekelmans – this year’s Masters in Publishers Recipient
Access Copyright is pleased to congratulate Ashley Brekelmans, who is this year’s recipient of the Access Copyright Graduate in Publishing Studies.
Ashley is enrolled in the Masters of Publishing program at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and strives to work in children’s publishing. She is currently serving an internship as a Marketing Assistant with Orca Publishers.
In a note to the organization, Ashley wrote, “thank you so much for how you have contributed to me pursuing my educational and professional goals. I am immensely grateful.”
For over 20 years, the Access Copyright Graduate Award in Publishing Studies has provided financial support to students enrolled in SFU’s Masters of Publishers program. To date, the Award has helped 25 students focus on getting their graduate degree and discovering their calling in the publishing world.
Professional Writers Association of Canada 2018 Conference – This September
The Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) will be holding its annual conference in Toronto between September 20 & 23 in partnership with Canadian Media Guild Freelance.
The theme for this year’s conference is LEVEL UP! and will include two full days of professional development on such topics as contracts, getting your first book published as well as opportunities for speed networking and mentoring.
Registration is open for both members and non-members of PWAC. Click to learn more.