Wanted: An Official Opposition

Posted on December 7, 2007. Filed under: Personal Blog |

The NDP on
Copyright Reform:

Speaking at a press conference with Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies), Andrew Cash (Cash Brothers) and Brendan Canning (Broken Social Scene), [NDP MP Charlie] Angus said the message from the bands is loud and clear – digital downloading will not be the death knell of Canadian music. In fact, it has created exciting opportunities for bands across the musical spectrum. “It’s important to have the coalition at the table when new legislation is drafted. New copyright legislation will have profound implications not just for music fans but for students, educators and software innovators. The music coalition is giving politicians a badly needed wake up call.”

The Liberals on Copyright Reform:

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The Tories on Copyright Reform:

The Conservative Party believes that the objectives of copyright legislation should be:
- to ensure that the rights of Canadian creators are adequately protected by law;
- that these rights are balanced with the opportunity for the public to use copyrighted works for teaching, researching and lifelong learning;
- to continue to allow an individual to make copies of sound recordings of musical works for that person’s personal and individual use; and
- that enforcement is applied fairly and in accordance with international standards.

The Liberals have been conspicuously silent on copyright reform. The above search of their web site turns up nothing, while the Conservative, NDP, and Green Party sites each include specific information about their party’s respective policy positions.

The Tories won the last election with their regular policy announcements. The Liberal strategy of not releasing a policy document for the better part of the campaign was roundly criticizied as having contributed to their defeat. So why are the Liberals repeating that failing strategy by not weighing in on key public policy debates, such as this one over copyright reform?

Perhaps the explanation is that the internal disarray of the Liberals has paralyzed their party. Perhaps the explanation is that, as the blog Digital Copyright documents, the Liberals are really wholeheartedly behind the Conservative bill. Whatever the explanation, the lack of (an official) opposition is hurting Canada.