The MPAA's Secret Lobby Campaign on Bill C-11 and a Canadian SOPA

The Canadian government's decision to reject the near-universal criticism of the C-11 digital lock approach has long been linked to pressure from the U.S. government and U.S. lobby groups. With the MPAA secretly bringing Dodd to Ottawa to lobby some of Canada's highest ranking politicians within weeks of the introduction of the bill, the full scale of the lobbying pressure becomes increasingly apparent. Ministers were willing to meet with the top U.S. copyright lobby group, but not with Canadian creator, consumer, or education groups who offered a much different perspective on legislative reform.

* the government admitted at the C-32 legislative committee that the digital lock rules trump education rights

* the digital lock rules extend far beyond those required for compliance with the WIPO Internet treaties

* many of our trading partners, including New Zealand and Switzerland, have adopted more balanced digital lock rules

* Canada itself proposed a more balanced approach in Bill C-60, a prior copyright bill

* even the U.S. offers more flexibility than Canada, with an exception for DVD circumvention in some circumstances and a mandatory review of the digital lock rules every three years

* concerns over digital locks was the top issue raised during the 2009 national copyright consultation and in the submissions to the Bill C-32 legislative committee. As noted yesterday, a wide range of large stakeholders, including virtually every education group in Canada, consumer groups, and technology companies all support compromise language

* creator groups such as the Documentary Organization of Canada have called for compromise language on digital locks

* Canadian copyright collectives have expressed doubt about the benefits of digital lock rules. For example, CMRRA and SODRAC told the C-32 committee in their submission that "these measures would be unlikely to result in any substantial increase at all in legitimate online revenues for the music industry."

"Curtman" said

Digital locks can and do exist without legislation changes. There is no benefit for Canadians whatsoever in bringing this to law.