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 bill includes private-use exceptions that are not tied to a specific technology. It will ensure that businesses have the freedom to introduce innovative products and services, like the network PVR.
The bill includes clear exceptions that permit educational institutions and libraries to make better use of new digital technologies. For teachers and students, this includes an exception that will allow for the copying and communication, for educational purposes, of material publicly available on the Internet and not protected by a technological protection measure. It also includes an exception that will allow for the use of innovative technologies such as Smart Boards in classrooms, by extending the scope of current reproduction for instruction beyond specific media such as dry erase boards and flip charts.
Thirdly, at the same time, to ensure creators' ability to advance new digital business models, the bill provides copyright owners with remedies against those who circumvent technological protection measures or digital locks applied online or on CDs or DVDs to prevent unauthorized access to copying of their digital material.
Finally, the bill, as the ministers mentioned this morning, includes a requirement for a review of the Copyright Act by Parliament every five years to ensure it remains responsive to a changing environment.
This concludes our overview of Bill C-32.
Jean-Pierre, Colette, Barbara, and I would now like to answer your questions.