VZCZCXRO1329
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #1639/01 2391949
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271949Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6432
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 001639
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAN AND EEB/TPP/MTA/IPC WALLACE AND BOGER
STATE PASS USTR FOR SULLIVAN AND MELLE
COMMERCE FOR GERI WORD AND SEBASTIAN WRIGHT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD KIPR
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF CANADA REPORTEDLY ON TRACK FOR NEW
COPYRIGHT LAWS IN THE FALL
REF: OTTAWA 01243
1. (SBU) Summary. Ailish Johnson (protect), an Analyst in
the Economic and Regional Development Policy Department of
the Privy Council Office (PCO) reaffirmed that the Government
of Canada intends to introduce a copyright bill "as soon as
possible" in the Fall. Johnson also said the Department of
Public Safety is leading the interagency process of creating
Government responses to the Parliamentary reports on
counterfeiting and piracy from the Public Safety and Industry
Committees. Johnson and other sources report that Jim
Prentice, the newly-appointed Minister of Industry and Josee
Verner, the newly-appointed Minister of Canadian Heritage
were asked by the Prime Minister to introduce a copyright
bill and implement the WIPO internet treaties before the end
of the calendar year. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce also
reports that Members of Parliament -- from both the
Government and the Opposition -- are receptive to the idea of
updating Canada,s copyright law. Although Harper,s
Government has claimed to have been working on a new
copyright bill ever since the government came to power 18
months ago, given the increased activity on this file within
the relevant government ministries, claims that a copyright
bill will be introduced in the fall seem credible -- for now.
End Summary.
View from the Privy Council Office
-------------------------------------------
2. (SBU) On August 22, 2007 Ailish Johnson, an Analyst in the
Economic and Regional Development Policy Department of the
PCO, told an Embassy Economic Officer that the Government is
still on track to introduce a new copyright bill to
parliament this fall. This timeline is identical to what
Johnson said two months ago in June (Reftel).
3. (SBU) She said that one of Prime Minister Harper,s goals
in shuffling his cabinet was to reenergize the economic
agenda. Widespread media reports agree with this assessment
and comment that Jim Prentice, the new Minister of Industry,
is one of the Prime Minister's closest advisors. Johnson
also revealed that the mandate letters from the Prime
Minister to the incoming Ministers of Industry and Canadian
Heritage charged both Ministers with introducing a copyright
reform bill before the end of the year.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce Activity
--------------------------------------------- -----
4. (SBU) Chris Grayn (protect), a policy analyst at the
Canadian Chamber of Commerce, separately said that the Prime
Minister is upset that Canada continues to be named as a
global laggard on anti-piracy laws and wants his ministers to
remedy this situation. Gray also said that the former
Minister of Industry, Maxime Bernier, recently discussed IPR
issues with the new Minister of Industry, Jim Prentice. Gray
indicated that the Canadian Chamber shares the Embassy,s
optimistic view that there is a high likelihood of the
Government introducing a new copyright bill this fall that
will bolster Canada,s protection of IPR.
5. (SBU) Gray also reported that the Chamber is very
encouraged by its interactions with Canadian Government
Officials and Members of Parliament (MPs). The Chamber
recently sent letters to the Ministers of Public Safety,
Finance, Industry, and International Trade calling for
stronger protection of IPR. Moreover, immediately after the
House of Parliament Committees on Industry and Public Safety
issued reports calling for stronger protection against
Qissued reports calling for stronger protection against
counterfeiting and piracy the Ottawa office of the Chamber
sent thank you letters to all of the MPs on the two
committees. These letters were so well received that the
Chamber is asking the regional offices to contact the MPs
local offices with the same message. Gray said that the
results so far are very encouraging and indicate that all
major parties -- conservative, liberal, and bloc -- support
strengthening IPR protection in Canada.
U.S. Embassy Activity
---------------------------
6. (SBU) Both Johnson and Gray said that U.S. Embassy
pressure has been helpful in moving this issue forward. They
both also indicated that it would be helpful for the Embassy
to continue to raise the issue with Canadian officials and
Members of Parliament, but said that public pressure from the
OTTAWA 00001639 002 OF 002
Emabssy could be counter productive at this point. Moving
forward, the Embassy plans to continue to work with relevant
Canadian officials and MPs to encourage stronger IPR
protection. Within the next few weeks we intend to either
pay courtesy calls on or send congratulatory letters to the
new Ministers of Industry and Canadian Heritage. We also
intend to reach out to MPs and their staffers in the fall,
when we hope a copyright bill will be the subject of
parliamentary hearings.
Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap
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