“Embassy Ottawa remains frustrated by the Government of Canada’s continuing failure to introduce—let alone pass—major copyright reform legislation that would, inter alia, implement and ratify the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Internet treaties.” That’s the opening line of a United States embassy dispatch sent to Washington, DC in February of 2008, now published by Wikileaks.
“Given the continuing failure of the GOC [Government of Canada] to introduce a copyright bill into Parliament,” the missive continues. . . “Post reluctantly recommends that Canada be elevated to Special 301 Priority Watch List in 2008.”
Special 301 is the US Trade Representative’s “hall of shame” roster for countries that don’t toe the US line on copyright. Canada has repeatedly appeared on its priority list due to its allegedly “weak” implementation of intellectual property rights and border enforcement. “The United States encourages Canada to provide its border officials with the authority to seize suspected infringing materials without the need for a court order,” the trade rep added…
MatrixGazette 