How Crown Copyright Hurts Canadians

[Jennifer Bell]

Hello,

Crown Copyright is a threat to citizen projects in Canada that re-use
and re-distribute government information. Other countries with Crown
Copyright, like New Zealand are taking steps to change their licensing
to foster re-use of public sector information to "stimulate
innovation, generate cultural creativity, social interaction and
dialogue, while also kick starting economic growth".

The current Canadian copyright consultations are a unique opportunity
for citizen activists interested in open data to pressure for changes
to the federal system that favour information re-use by default,
rather than by exception. We've prepared a draft submission to the
consultation process, modeled on Vancouver's Open Data/Open Source/
Open Standards motion, asking for the federal government to make
systemic changes to this effect:

http://visiblegovernment.ca/campaigns/crowncopyright/

You are free to modify the submission to express your own views. The
important thing is that you say something. Submissions to the
consultation process will be open until Sunday.

A blog post on how Crown Copyright harms Canadians is here:
http://visiblegovernment.ca/blog/2009/09/11/how-crown-copyright-hurts-canadians/

Comments welcome.

Jennifer Bell
http://visiblegovernment.ca

[Jennifer Bell]

So you know: the deadline for the copyright consulation has been
extended until Tuesday, midnight -- there's still time to submit your
opinion on crown copyright reform. It would be amazing if Canada were
to follow the lead of New Zealand, where the state has proposed
replacing crown copyright with CC-BY.

The more people who register an interest in seeing crown copyright
reformed to support the re-use of government information by default,
the likelier it is to be brought up for review. Tell your friends!

Again, a blog post on how Crown Copyright hurts Canadians (w/
reference links) is here:
http://visiblegovernment.ca/blog/2009/09/11/how-crown-copyright-hurts-canadians/

Jennifer

> A blog post on how Crown Copyright harms Canadians is here:http://visiblegovernment.ca/blog/2009/09/11/how-crown-copyright-hurts...
>
> Comments welcome.
>
> Jennifer Bellhttp://visiblegovernment.ca