Viewing cable 07OTTAWA1639, GOVERNMENT OF CANADA REPORTEDLY ON TRACK FOR NEW

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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 
 
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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