I understand. I was a university student once as well, so I do understand that.
I'd like to follow up a little further on the digital locks. As you know, the bill actually provides a section that allows the minister to pass regulations that would allow digital locks to be circumvented in additional cases, more than just those set out in the act. That's to provide the kind of flexibility that is required to meet the needs of the digital age.
Undoubtedly there will be cases where it is justified to circumvent digital locks, but I wanted to put this to you. If there is a general right to circumvent for fair dealing purposes, I think you would agree with me that most consumers over time would acquire the technology to be able to circumvent, because all of us will eventually have some reason to access fair dealing content. Once everyone has that available, it renders digital locks meaningless, because everyone can avoid them.
Now that we've done what we've tried to resolve with this act, which is to bring clarity to this and recognize the realities of the digital age, yet at the same time restrict activities so that theft doesn't go on, so that stealing of copyrighted content doesn't go on, if you eliminate the digital locks by allowing circumvention on a general basis for fair dealing purposes, you've essentially opened up that door again. You will have consumers across the country who, essentially with the push of a button, can circumvent those locks and go after not only fair dealing content but also after copyrighted material that they shouldn't go after.
Now, I do believe that most Canadians are law-abiding citizens, but you and I both know that there are many among us who will rip off those who create content. So I'm wondering how you would justify to the creators of content that essentially what you're going to do is eliminate digital locks altogether by allowing the circumvention for fair dealing purposes.