Canadian government trying to launder secret copyright treaties into law

Michael Geist sez, "The Canadian Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology released its report on the Intellectual Property Regime in Canada yesterday. While most the recommendations are fairly innocuous, the report involves a classic case of policy laundering as the government has fabricated support for the Canada – EU Trade Agreement and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) provisions that were not even raised at committee. The report recommends ratifying four intellectual

property treaties, despite the fact the treaties weren't discussed before committee.

"Why? Leaked versions of CETA and TPP both include requirements to ratify them.

Should Canada reach agreement on CETA or the TPP, the committee report will presumably be used by the government to short-circuit further review on those treaties or to simply claim support for ratification on the basis on a committee recommendation that was secretly fabricated behind closed doors without any witness raising the issue during the public hearings."



Industry Committee Report on Intellectual Property: A Case of Policy Laundering for CETA and TPP