GOVERNMENT OF CANADA REPORTEDLY ON TRACK FOR NEW

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 BREESE