IPR: LETTER FROM CANADIAN HERITAGE MINISTER BEV

UNCLAS OTTAWA 003604 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAN AND EB/TPP/IPE (JENNIFER BOGER) DEPARTMENT PASS USTR FOR SULLIVAN AND MELLE USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/WHA/ARUDMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KIPR ETRD ECON USTR CA SUBJECT: IPR: LETTER FROM CANADIAN HERITAGE MINISTER BEV ODA ON COPYRIGHT REFORM NOT FOR THE INTERNET ¶1. (U) Ambassador Wilkins has received the attached letter from Canadian Heritage Minister Bev Oda on copyright reform in Canada, which responds to an October 13th letter sent by USTR Ambassador Schwab to Industry Minister Maxime Bernier. ¶2. (SBU) Begin text: Ministry of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women Ottawa, Canada K1A 0M5 December 11 2006 Dear Ambassador: Thank you for your correspondence of October 13, 2006, enclosing a copy of correspondence from Ambassador Susan C. Schwab, United States Trade Representative, to the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry, regarding copyright reform in Canada. I appreciate being advised of the views of the Government of the United States of America on the legal protection of intellectual property rights and have carefully noted Ambassador Schwab's comments with respect to this matter. The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry, and I are carefully considering how to best ensure that the rights of Canadian creators are adequately protected by law while balancing the ability of the public to access copyrighted works. Issues on copyright reform are complex and the input that the U.S. Government has provided will be helpful to this process. Please accept my best wishes. Yours sincerely, (signed) Bev Oda, P.C., M.P. cc: The Honourable Maxime Bernier, P.C., M.P. The Honourable David L. Emerson, P.C., M.P. End text. ¶3. (SBU) Embassy comment: As far as we know, there has been no response yet from Industry Minister Bernier to USTR Schwab's letter. It may be significant that Canadian Heritage Minister Oda makes no reference to the GoC's anticipated introduction of a new copyright reform bill, which had been the reason for Ambassador Schwab's letter. We had been told by GoC officials a number of times during the fall that such a bill might be introduced before Parliament's Christmas adjournment, but this did not happen. The Ambassador has an appointment to see Minister Bernier on December 19, and we will take this opportunity to seek clarification on the state of play on the copyright reform bill, especially in light of growing media speculation of a spring 2007 Federal election. End comment. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa WILKINS