I’m still feeling kind of miserable (physically and existentially), so I decided to skip the all-candidates at UW this afternoon.
[Denver Gingerich](http://ossguy.com/) from the [Waterloo Students for the Information Commons](http://wsic.uwaterloo.ca/wiki/Main_Page) *was* there, and posted some [notes from the debate on their wiki](http://wsic.uwaterloo.ca/wiki/2008_Federal_Candidates_Debate_Summary):
Specifically, on the copyright reform bill, C-61:
**C-61 invoked a great deal of concern. Where would you stand on the issue of copyright reform? What steps would you take if a bill were tabled?**
**Jacobsen**
* very important bill
* need to be collaborative with creation of bill
* artists need to be in on it; it’s their creation
* concern: big business is using artists to make money for itself
* need to be encouragin innovation and allow artists to do their work
**Huntingdon**
* most offensive bill ever seen
* claims to be made in Canada, but isn’t
* bill can force Internet provider to rat on your activity
* C-61 is very dangerous
**Telegdi**
* one of the problems: stakeholders, general public wasn’t heard
* critical that we get the balance right
* need to have a climate where people can be heard
* need to keep in mind Conservative’s cut to the arts; hurts artists
**Braid**
* strong believer and supporter of the arts
* Prentice oversaw it; very capable
* not concerned about amount of consultation that was had
* felt we needed to update and modernize copyright
* that said, bill is not carved in stone; I’d be interested in suggestions for change
**MacLellan**
* was at McOrmond’s 2-hour copyright talk last night; learned a lot
* Green Party very interested in what’s going on in copyright
* bill is very complex; even PhD encryption students don’t know if they’d be breaking the law
* C-61 is built for another time, like the tax system that subsidizes polluters
* need to completely re-create copyright law
**Jacobsen (reply)**
* Conservatives say it’s about owners vs consumers
* need to get creators into the debate
* we’re forgetting the soul of Canadians