Canada does
not belong on the so-called “Watch List” compiled by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to single out countries deemed weak in intellectual
property protection, Public Knowledge and Prof. Michael Geist said in a filing
with the agency.
PK
and Geist, a noted Canadian copyright authority, said in their comments in the
“Special 301” proceeding that Canadian laws are sometimes stronger
than those in the U.S. According
to the filing,
1. Canadian
laws provide strong rights to all copyright owners, including U.S. copyright
owners.
2. Canadian
copyright limitations and exceptions are similar to those in the U.S. and are
frequently narrower and less flexible than those in the U.S.
3. Canadian
laws provide effective enforcement mechanisms.
4. Canadian
authorities diligently enforce copyrights.
5. Proposed
law reform in Canada would not jeopardize the adequacy of protection
available to U.S. rights holders.
Putting Canada on the special Watch List “would only lead to undermining the
legitimacy of the Special 301 process,” PK and Geist said.
The
filing is available here. http://www.publicknowledge.org/2012-special-301-comments