Law Commons^™

Twenty Years After Krieger V Law Society Of Alberta: Law Society Discipline Of Crown Prosecutors And Government Lawyers, Andrew Flavelle Martin

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Krieger v. Law Society of Alberta held that provincial and territorial law societies have disciplinary jurisdiction over Crown prosecutors for conduct outside of prosecutorial discretion. The reasoning in Krieger would also apply to government lawyers. The apparent consensus is that law societies rarely exercise that jurisdiction. But in those rare instances, what conduct do Canadian law societies discipline Crown prosecutors and government lawyers for? In this article, I canvass reported disciplinary decisions to demonstrate that, while law societies sometimes discipline Crown prosecutors for violations unique to those lawyers, they often do so for violations applicable to all lawyers — particularly …

Toward A Canadian Right To Repair: Opportunities And Challenges, Anthony D. Rosborough

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This Article draws a picture of the past, present, and future of the right to repair in Canada. It looks to early successes toward automotive right to repair, challenges faced in proposing consumer protection reforms in Ontario and Quebec, and the utility of a proposed copyright “Technological Protection Measure (TPM) exception” allowing circumvention for repair purposes. In light of right to repair priorities identified by Canada’s current federal government, the Article identifies a selection of reforms that could achieve these goals. Such reforms include creating regulations under the Copyright Act governing the use and implementation of TPMs, passing an exception …

Achieving A (Copy)Right To Repair For The Eu’S Green Economy, Anthony D. Rosborough, Leanne Wiseman, Taina Pihlajarinne

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

• The Right to Repair is a global movement in favour of rebalancing the relationship between manufacturers and end users of products and devices. As part of the European Union (EU) Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan, EU legislators have made the Right to Repair a key policy aim. To date, however, the EU’s Right to Repair policy focus has been predominantly consumer law–oriented.

• This article sheds light on another key dimension of the Right to Repair—IP (and principally copyright law). It canvasses the ways in which copyright can inhibit repair activities, including curtailing access to repair information and …

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Repair As Research: How Copyright Impedes Learning About Devices, Anthony D. Rosborough, Aaron Perzanowski

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Widespread computerization and ubiquitous smart devices have enabled software-based copyright governance to reach into new domains. Beyond their instrumental utility, these devices are also containers of vast amounts of information in the form of software and technical know-how. Through copyright and anti-circumvention rules, however, this information can be cordoned off and confined to exclusive distribution channels. This can have a significant impact on research. While copyright law traditionally conceives research as the use of expressive works within institutional settings, this paper proposes a broader conceptualization that includes device research, including informal inquiries and DIY activities. Whether for the purposes of …

Zen And The Art Of Repair Manuals: Enabling A Participatory Right To Repair Through An Autonomous Concept Of Eu Copyright Law, Anthony D. Rosborough

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Repair manuals are an essential resource for repairing today’s modern and computerised devices. And though these manuals may contain purely utilitarian and uncopyrightable facts, they often receive copyright protection in their entirety as literary works. This protection can impede community-based efforts toward fostering a culture of participatory repair throughout the EU, including repair cafés and tool libraries. Participatory repair activities provide numerous environmental, social, and economic benefits. This article explores whether directive 2001/29/EC’s exception for “uses in connection with the repair or demonstration of equipment” at Article 5(3)(l) (the “Repair Exception”) may offer an avenue for enabling such non-profit participatory …

Intangible Justice? Intellectual Property Disputes And Canadian Small Claims Courts, Anthony D. Rosborough, Reagan Seidler

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This article investigates the jurisdiction and institutional competence of Canadian small claims courts and tribunals with respect to complex claims, and in particular, intellectual property (IP) claims. Recent research points to an increase in these types of claims. A doctrinal analysis finds small claims bodies have wide jurisdiction over intellectual property infringement, contract, and licensing disputes. They can also rule on issues of validity, though they cannot affect registrations in the databases of the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Remedies including damages, accountings, and the recovery of infringing goods are available in many provinces. As to their capacity, the article assesses …

Copyright's Impact On Data Mining In Academic Research, Christian Handke, Lucie Guibault, Joan-Josep Vallbé

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

With the proliferation of digital data, data mining (DM)—in the sense of the discovery of valuable structures in large sets of data—is expected to increase the productivity of many types of research. This paper discusses how copyright affects DM by academic researchers. In some territories, academic DM is lawful if researchers have lawful access to input works. In other territories such as the European Union, lawful DM additionally requires specific consent by rights holders. Based on bibliometric data and quasi-experimental research designs, we show that where academic DM requires specific rights holder consent: (1) DM publications make up a significantly …

Submission To Canadian Government Consultation On A Modern Copyright Framework For Ai And The Internet Of Things, Sean Flynn, Lucie Guibault, Christian Handke, Joan-Josep Vallbé, Michael Palmedo, Carys Craig, Michael Geist, Joao Pedro Quintais

Reports & Public Policy Documents

We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Canadian Government’s consultation on a modern copyright framework for AI and the Internet of Things. Below, we present some of our research findings relating to the importance of flexibility in copyright law to permit text and data mining (“TDM”). As the consultation paper recognizes, TDM is a critical element of artificial intelligence. Our research supports the adoption of a specific exception for uses of works in TDM to supplement Canada’s existing general fair dealing exception.

Empirical research shows that more publication of citable research takes place in countries with “open” …

A Modern Copyright Framework For The Internet Of Things (Iot): Intellectual Property Scholars' Joint Submission To The Canadian Government Consultation, Pascale Chapdelaine, Anthony D. Rosborough, Aaron Perzanowski, Bita Amani, Sara Bannerman, Carys Craig, Lucie Guibault, Cameron J. Hutchison, Ariel Katz, Alexandra Mogyoros, Graham Reynolds, Teresa Scassa, Myra Tawfik

Reports & Public Policy Documents

In response to the Canadian government consultation process on the modernization of the copyright framework launched in the summer 2021, we hereby present our analysis and recommendations concerning the interaction between copyright and the Internet of Things (IoT). The recommendations herein reflect the shared opinion of the intellectual property scholars who are signatories to this brief. They are informed by many combined decades of study, teaching, and practice in Canadian, US, and international intellectual property law.

In what follows, we explain:

•The importance of approaching the questions raised in the consultation with a firm commitment to maintaining the appropriate balance …

A Modern Copyright Framework For Artificial Intelligence: Ip Scholars' Joint Submission To The Canadian Government Consultation, Carys Craig, Bita Amani, Sara Bannerman, Céline Castets-Renard, Pascale Chapdelaine, Lucie Guibault, Gregory R. Hagen, Cameron J. Hutchison, Ariel Katz, Alexandra Mogyoros, Graham Reynolds, Anthony D. Rosborough, Teresa Scassa, Myra Tawfik

Reports & Public Policy Documents

In response to the Canadian government consultation process on the modernization of the copyright framework launched in the summer 2021, we hereby present our analysis and recommendations concerning the interaction between copyright and artificial intelligence (AI). The recommendations herein reflect the shared opinion of the intellectual property scholars who are signatories to this brief. They are informed by many combined decades of study, teaching, and practice in Canadian and international intellectual property law.

In what follows, we explain:
- The importance of approaching the questions raised in the consultation with a firm commitment to maintaining the appropriate balance of rights …

Consultation On How To Implement Canada's Cusma Commitment To Extend The General Term Of Copyright Protection, Carys Craig, Ariel Katz, Lucie Guibault, Graham Reynolds, Bita Amani, Sara Bannerman, Pascale Chapdelaine, Myra Tawfik, Samuel Trosow

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

As a group of Canadian Intellectual Property Law scholars, we write regarding the Ministers’ recently launched consultation on extending the term of copyright protection in order to meet Canada’s CUSMA commitments. With this letter, which we jointly submit in response to the call for comments, we wish to express our shared concerns about both the proposed term extension and, more immediately, the inappropriately curtailed nature of this consultation process.

Dispute Settlement Under The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement: A Preliminary Assessment, Olabisi D. Akinkugbe

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The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) will add a new dispute settlement system to the plethora of judicial mechanisms designed to resolve trade disputes in Africa. Against the discontent of Member States and limited impact the existing highly legalized trade dispute settlement mechanisms have had on regional economic integration in Africa, this paper undertakes a preliminary assessment of the AfCFTA Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM). In particular, the paper situates the AfCFTA-DSM in the overall discontent and unsupportive practices of African States with highly legalized dispute settlement systems and similar WTO-Styled DSMs among other shortcomings. Notwithstanding the transplantation of …

Editorial, Lucie Guibault

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

1 This issue marks the tenth month into the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 2020, we have learned to live with the more or less strict public health measures put in place to ‘flatten the curve’ of infection from the virus. Words like ‘social distancing’, ‘mask wearing’, and ‘lockdowns’ have taken an entirely new meaning. In spite of these measures, the human toll is huge, most clearly among frontline workers and vulnerable people. While the curve is far from flat in most countries, the pandemic has brought to light the long time unacknowledged persistence of systemic inequalities: figures show that poorer, …

Unscrewing The Future: The Right To Repair And The Circumvention Of Software Tpms In The Eu, Anthony D. Rosborough

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This analysis examines the impact of software technological protection measures (“TPMs”) in the European Union which inhibit the repair and maintenance of products. Using John Deere tractors as a case study, this analysis addresses the growing number of products which incorporate computerisation and TPMprotected software into their design and function. In utilising software integration and TPMs, many product designs now allow manufacturers to retain considerable control over the manner of repair and choice of technician. In response, consumers and lawmakers are calling for legal reforms to make self-repair and servicing easier. Both the competition law and moral implications of this …

Regime For Use Of Out-Of-Commerce Works, Lucie Guibault

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A presentation of the new provisions in European Directive 2019/790 on Copyright in the Digital Single Market on the licensing and use of out-of-commerce works by cultural heritage institutions.

Implementing User Rights For Research In The Field Of Artificial Intelligence: A Call For International Action, Sean Flynn, Christophe Geiger, Joao Pedro Quintais, Thomas Margoni, Matthew Sag, Lucie Guibault, Michael W. Carroll

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Last year, before the onset of a global pandemic highlighted the critical and urgent need for technology-enabled scientific research, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) launched an inquiry into issues at the intersection of intellectual property (IP) and artificial intelligence (AI). We contributed comments to that inquiry, with a focus on the application of copyright to the use of text and data mining (TDM) technology. This article describes some of the most salient points of our submission and concludes by stressing the need for international leadership on this important topic. WIPO could help fill the current gap on international leadership, …

From Discovery To Delivery: Public Sector Development Of The Rvsv-Zebov Ebola Vaccine, Matthew Herder, Janice Graham, Richard Gold

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The discovery and development of the Ebola rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine challenge the common assumption that the research and development for innovative therapeutic products and vaccines is best carried out by the private sector. Using internal government documents obtained through an access to information request, we analyze the development of rVSV-ZEBOV by researchers at Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory beyond its patenting and licensing to a biotech company in the United States in 2010. According to government documentation, the company failed to make any progress toward a phase 1 clinical trial until after the WHO Public Health Emergency of International Concern freed substantial …

Intellectual Property And Culture, Lucie Guibault

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This paper takes a critical look at the interaction between intellectual property law and culture using three examples, namely: 1) the need to preserve and disseminate culture, through the recognition of cultural heritage institutions' vital role in society; 2) the need to maintain culture from depreciation, through the safeguard of a strong public domain; and 3) the need to let culture evolve, through the protection of Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCE's). This brief study shows that, although IP rights can be said to afford useful protection to objects of culture – taken in the narrow sense of ‘culture’, they can also …

Owning The Right To Open Up Access To Scientific Publications, Lucie Guibault

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Whether the researchers themselves, rather than the institution they work for, are at all in a position to implement OA principles actually depends on the initial allocation of rights on their works. Whereas most European Union Member States have legislation that provides that the copyright owner is the natural person who created the work, the copyright laws of a number European countries, including those of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, establish a presumption, according to which the copyright of works made in the course of employment belongs initially to the employer, which in this case would be the university. …

Individual Licensing And Consumer Protection, Lucie Guibault

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Copyright law is not primarily directed at consumers. Their interests are therefore only marginally accounted for, as the copyright rules exempt specific uses of works from the right holder’s control. This chapter examines the impact of digital technology on the position of consumers of licensed copyrighted content. While ownership of the physical embodiment of a work does not entail the ownership of the rights in the work, how does copyright law deal with ‘disembodied’ works? Whereas digital content is now commonly distributed on the basis of individual licensing schemes, what does it mean for consumers? Do they have a claim …

The Theoretical Case Against Criminalized Copyright Infringement In Canada, Maria Dugas

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Criminalized copyright infringement has existed in Canada for close to a century. It has continued to expand in scope and severity since its first appeared in the Copyright Act, 1921. As Canada approaches 2017’s scheduled review of the Copyright Act, the time has come to ask whether the criminalization of copyright and its enforcement is theoretically justifiable. Yet, Canadian scholarship on criminalized copyright infringement is particularly scarce; there is a noteworthy gap in the existing literature wherein no one has systematically argued against criminalized copyright infringement from a theoretical perspective. This thesis aims to fill that gap, setting out a …

Remuneration Of Authors Of Books And Scientific Journals, Translators, Journalists And Visual Artists For The Use Of Their Works, Europe Economics, Lucie Guibault, Olivia Salamanca, Directorate-General For Communications Networks, Content And Technology (European Commission)

Reports & Public Policy Documents

Europe Economics and the Institute for Information Law at the University of Amsterdam were commissioned by DG Connect to undertake a study on the remuneration of authors of books and scientific journals, translators, journalists and visual artists (all groups are hereafter referred to as “authors”) for the use of their freelance works. The overarching objectives of this study are to analyse the current situation regarding the level of remuneration paid to authors in order to compare the existing national systems of remuneration for authors and identify the relative advantages and disadvantages of those systems for them. We also aim to …

Memorandum Re: Health Canada's 'Draft Guidance' On Section 21.1(3)(C) Of The Food And Drugs Act, Matthew Herder, Trudo Lemmens

Reports & Public Policy Documents

In 2014 Parliament enacted a number of amendments to the Food and Drugs Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-27 [hereinafter the “F&D Act”]. Known as “Vanessa’s Law,” these amendments were intended to enhance the regulation of pharmaceutical drugs and thereby protect Canadians from harm by giving the regulator, Health Canada, new powers to, inter alia, recall drugs, require active post-market surveillance, and improve the transparency of information around pharmaceutical drugs. Vanessa’s Law explicitly recognized that “new measures are required to further protect Canadians from the risks related to drugs and medical devices.” (emphasis added) (Bill C-17, An Act to Amend the …

La Publication En Libre Accès Au Cœur De La Demande Européenne. État Des Lieux Et Enjeux Juridiques En Matière De Diffusion De La Recherche, Lucie Guibault

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No abstract provided.

La Publication En Libre Accès Au Cœur De La Demande Européenne. État Des Lieux Et Enjeux Juridiques En Matière De Diffusion De La Recherche, Lucie Guibault

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Impulsées par le numérique, de nouvelles méthodes de travail scientifique se sont développées, favorisant la diffusion et le partage des résultats et des données de la recherche dans un objectif d’intérêt public. Dans ce nouveau contexte, les acteurs de la recherche s’appuient de plus en plus sur des programmes européens afin de financer leurs projets scientifiques. Or, les pays de l’Union européenne ne sont pas dotés d’une législation harmonisée en matière de droit d’auteur. Ces nouveaux modes de diffusion bouleversent les systèmes de pensée, les modèles économiques mais aussi les usages. Une journée d'étude permettra d'aborder ces questions.

Individual Licensing Models And Consumer Protection, Lucie Guibault

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Copyright law is not primarily directed at consumers. Their interests are therefore only marginally accounted for, as the copyright rules exempt specific uses of works from the right holder’s control. This chapter examines the impact of digital technology on the position of consumers of licensed copyrighted content. While ownership of the physical embodiment of a work does not entail the ownership of the rights in the work, how does copyright law deal with ‘disembodied’ works? Whereas digital content is now commonly distributed on the basis of individual licensing schemes, what does it mean for consumers? Do they have a claim …

Making Private Copies In The Cloud: Yes, No, Maybe?, Lucie Guibault

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

No abstract provided.

Remuneration Of Authors And Performers For The Use Of Their Works And The Fixations Of Their Performances, Europe Economics, Lucie Guibault, Olivia Salamanca, Directorate-General For Communications Networks, Content And Technology (European Commission)

Reports & Public Policy Documents

This study analyses the current situation regarding the level of remuneration paid to authors and performers in the music and audio-visual sectors. We compare, from both a legal and economic perspective, the existing national systems of remuneration for authors and performers and identify the relative advantages and disadvantages of those systems for them. We also explore the need to harmonise mechanisms affecting the remuneration of authors and performers, and to identify which ones are the best suited to achieve this. Their potential impact on distribution models and on the functioning of the Internal Market is also examined. Finally, the study …

Study On Copyright Limitations And Exceptions For Museums, Lucie Guibault, Jean-François Canat, Elizabeth Logeais

Reports & Public Policy Documents

This study investigates the issue of limitations and exceptions to copyright for the benefit of museums, with a view to strengthening the international understanding of the need to have adequate limitations, exploring existing and proposed models of protection, and moving towards agreement regarding specific exceptions or limitations.

Cultural Heritage Online? Settle It In The Country Of Origin Of The Work, Lucie Guibault

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This article examines the conditions under which a system of extended collective licensing (ECL) for the use of works contained in the collections of cultural heritage institutions (CHIs) participating in Europeana could function within a cross-border basis. ECL is understood as a form of collective rights management whereby the application of freely negotiated copyright licensing agreements between a user and a collective management organisation (“CMO”), is extended by law to non-members of the organisation. ECL regimes have already been put in place in a few Member States and so far, all have the ability to apply only on a national …