The (copy)rights and wrongs of electoral campaigning?

posted by fidelis

I notice that the war of words between Michael Geist and Member of Parliament Sam Bulte and her supporters is heating up. For those who have not followed the issue, it concerns different interpretations of how copyright should work in our society. In short, Ms Bulte's position, as a member of the governing Liberals and chair of a parliamentary committee urging stricter copyright regulation, has carried some weight. Professor Geist, on the other hand has argued for a more nuanced and balanced view of Digital Rights Management (DRM).

During the current election campaign, their disagreement has continued, but for a slightly different reason. Ms Bulte, MP for Parkdale-High Park in Toronto has been accused of attending a fundraiser (January 19th) sponsored by those who would benefit from her position on copyright. This in turn has attracted some negative publicity .

To help shed some light on events, Professor Geist in his blog provides a link to a podcast made of Ms Bulte's comments regarding the controversy. along with his rebuttal of her charges.

Now, to spice things up, it appears that Professor Geist has been attacked personally on the letters page of the Toronto Star by people who are supporters of Ms Bulte.

However, this spat may well not matter much come Monday. Even if Ms Bulte does retain her seat (and she is in a tight race ), the polls predict that the Conservative party will win the election. Consequently, those who are interested in the copyright question in Canada may be looking forward to new masters of the Heritage files. If this is the case, then It is time we start boning up.