[d@DCC] Cabinet Shuffle..

From: Russell McOrmond <russell _-at-_ flora.ca>
To: General Copyright Discussions <discuss (at) list.digital-copyright.ca>
Date: Thu, 04 Jan 2007 09:23:14 -0500

   The media is reporting that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper 
will announce changes to his cabinet at 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT) on Thursday.

   While much of the talk is about Ambrose, I have also read references 
to some in the media thinking that Heritage Minister Bev Oda and 
Industry Minister Maxime Bernier.

   The question for us would be who could replace them.


   What if the current Chairs of the relevant committees became the 
Minister?

Gary Schellenberger (Perth—Wellington, Ontario) is the chair of the 
Heritage Committee.  I've seen him quotes as saying he believes he has 
spoken to all the constituencies on Copyright already, but to my 
knowledge that is only the legacy constituencies of the 1980's.  Our 
community, and all the various creator and user groups who have broken 
away from the incumbent "creator side" and "user side" intermediary 
associations have not yet been adequately heard by Heritage Committee or 
its chair.   He seems to want action on copyright, and believes that 
what is good for the intermediaries is good for Canada -- Whether he 
remains chair of committee or is moved forward, we have to put some 
focus on trying to reach him.

Perth - Wellington
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/edid/35070

James Rajotte (Edmonton—Leduc, Alberta) is the chair of the Industry 
Committee.  While I haven't sat down with him one-on-one yet, I have met 
him in committee and shared email messages.  I have been impressed with 
what I have heard, and believe that he understands that we are in an 
economic transition and need to protect innovators from excessive 
control by incumbents.   This is an unlikely pick, however, as he is an 
Alberta MP and the Cabinet needs to be seen as representing a wider 
diversity of regional interests as well.   It's too bad, as I think Mr. 
Rajottee would make for a very modern thinking Industry Minister.

Edmonton - Leduc
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/edid/48014


  Is there other speculation?  The portfolio that Ms. Oda currently has 
is a controversial one, and there may be some credibility to the 
suggestion she may be shuffled as she isn't the most aggressive of 
speakers.  I don't consider being aggressive a feature, but I also 
didn't think Ambrose was doing a bad job in her portfolio (I consider 
the problems to be party related and not related to her) and believe she 
was booted out because of not being aggressive enough.

-- 
  Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
  Please help us tell the Canadian Parliament to protect our property
  rights as owners of Information Technology. Sign the petition!
  http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/ict/

  "The government, lobbied by legacy copyright holders and hardware
   manufacturers, can pry my camcorder, computer, home theatre, or
   portable media player from my cold dead hands!"
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