Bill C-32 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session) committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Pierre and I would like to present a short overview deck on Bill C-32, and I'd like to begin with three messages. The first is one of thanks to you, the members of the special committee that's been established to review the bill. We know you've made a sig

Bill C-32 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session) committee  Okay. My apologies. On education...emphasize that a skilled and educated workforce will be a vital part of the economy of tomorrow, and that all countries are investing in education and competing, using it as a tool for economic development. This bill introduced new measures aim

Bill C-32 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session) committee  Turning to page 7, one theme that frequently emerged during the copyright consultations was technological neutrality. The bill includes provisions that are technologically neutral and reflect the reality of an ever-evolving media and technological landscape. For consumers, the b

Bill C-32 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session) committee  Perhaps I could answer that question. First, fair dealing currently is an essential part of copyright law in Canada, and this is very much recognized by the Supreme Court. There are specific purposes right now in the Copyright Act for which fair dealing exists, and it includes,

Bill C-32 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session) committee  I think in this case the bill does propose new exceptions that directly and significantly support the sharing of knowledge. It does allow for technology-enhanced distance learning, even incorporating allowable uses of the copyright materials. It allows for the digital delivery of

Bill C-32 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session) committee  I think, principally, the bill would implement the rights and protections set out in the WIPO Internet treaties, which is an international consensus that was agreed to some time ago on the standard of copyright and protection needed to respond to the challenges and opportunities

Bill C-32 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session) committee  Perhaps I could address the matter of the studies that have been carried out and then underline the public service's work on this bill. I would say that it has been extensive. There's been extensive analysis and advice provided to ministers.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  Yes, of course. It is very important. I think there are different models for entities to contribute to the economic growth and prosperity of Canada, and cooperatives are one of those. Others would include for-profit enterprises, non-profits, and cooperatives themselves, and for

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  That is a question for the cooperatives themselves and the particular needs that are in the communities. As I said earlier, I think a variety of particular interests are served by co-ops. They are found in all sectors, so they range from agriculture to financial services to re

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  Yes.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  Industry Canada has a key role, really, in ensuring that there's economic growth and innovation throughout the country in respect of all business models, so I think we have particular programming that would be available for businesses and cooperatives alike. It includes such prog

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  The answer is the same.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  The sole exception is the Canada Cooperatives Act itself, and the legislation and framework that is there. We'll maintain that legislation but no programs per se for co-ops.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  Yes, there are. I think we are driven by assessments of where there are marketplace gaps. So when you say, “Do we support profitable enterprises?”, we'll carry out assessments and analyses pointing to areas where businesses may face weaknesses or there are structural gaps that pr

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  Yes. The sole comment I would make in response to that is that we do have programs for which co-ops are eligible. For example under the CSBF pre-program we've lent about $9 million to co-ops since 2004.