Writers' Union of Canada

The Writers’ Union of Canada is our country’s national organization representing more than 2,000 professional authors of books. Celebrating 40 years in 2013, the Union is dedicated to fostering writing in Canada, and promoting the rights, freedoms, and economic well-being of all writers.

‘Fair dealing’ is not in the eye of the beholder

Apr 302013
 
 Media files
MerilynSimonds

The Writers' Union of Canada urges educators to respect copyright by paying their royalties.

from The Writers' Union of Canada

[Editor’s note: On April 8, Access Copyright filed a lawsuit against York University, citing several cases of copyright infringement.]

Since the summer, when the Copyright Modernization Act received Royal Assent and the Supreme Court of Canada issued decisions on two copyright cases on fair dealing, some voices in the media have given exaggerated, speculative advice to educational institutions as to the value and necessity of collective licenses. In question is the extent of fair dealing – reproduction of copyright material requiring no authorization or payment.

Some of these voices, whose antipathy towards payment for use of copyright material and collective licensing is well-known, have made broad proclamations asserting that educational institutions no longer need licenses from a collective society for the use of copyright material. Some of their sweeping assertions take the form of legal opinions, purporting to provide clear guidance to educators and administrators on what can be copied without a licence.

Our members – the creators – are being adversely affected by these sweeping assertions. It is important to set the record straight.
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