Digital Copyright Canada

Elections Canada Electoral district profile (Links to Map, Past Candidates, and Past Election Results)

Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre / Vancouver-Centre

Name: Hon. Hedy Fry
e-Mail: <Fry.H@parl.gc.ca>
Party: Liberal Party of Canada

• Gary Schellenberger (Perth—Wellington, Conservative, Chair) re-elected
  
• Maria Mourani (Ahuntsic, Bloc, co-chair) re-elected
  
• Andy Scott (Liberal, co-chair) did not run
  
• Jim Abbott (Kootenay—Columbia, Conservative) re-elected
  
• Michael D. Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills, Conservative) re-elected
  
• Dean Del Mastro (Peterborough, Conservative) re-elected
  
• Denis Coderre (Bourassa, Liberal) re-elected
  
• Ed Fast (Abbotsford, Consrvative) re-elected
  
• Hedy Fry (Vancouver Centre, Liberal) re-elected
  
• Luc Malo (Verchères—Les Patriotes, Bloc) re-elected
  
• Bill Siksay (Burnaby—Douglas, NDP) re-elected
  
• Francis Scarpaleggia (Lac-Saint-Louis, Liberal) re-elected
  

Here is a list of the top ridings I'll be watching this election night, and why. Click on the ridings to get more details, articles, etc.

Timmins--James Bay

Obvious place to start the list, with incumbent Charlie Angus of the New Democrats expected to keep his seat. He is the incumbent MP who best understands technology law issues, whether it be Copyright or Net Neutrality. He has also been very successful in educating and working within his caucus to enable the NDP to have some of the strongest candidates in this election.

Jon Newton over at p2pnet has decided to dedicate this week to the 2008 federal general election. He describes why in a feature posting. I have contributed a few articles including:

• It’s the candidates, not the parties
  
• When the political party matters!
  
• Copyright in Vancouver Center
  

P2pnet editor Jon Newton has decided to come out in support of a specific party, namely the NDP, as the party people should support if the issues we cover on p2pnet are important to you. While I agree with some of the specific candidates he mentions, such as Timmins–James Bay candidate and NDP digital spokesperson Charlie Angus, and Vancouver Centre candidate Michael Byers, I believe it’s the candidates we need to concentrate on, and not the parties.

Read full article on p2pnet.

A press release from NDP Digital Spokesman Charlie Angus discusses how digital issues could play a role in key ridings like Vancouver Centre (Michael Byers), Westmount (Anne Legacé Dowson), Guelph (Tom King) and Pardale High Park (Peggy Nash).

Bruno Godin (constituent in Vancouver Center) posted to the Vancouver Fair Copyright discussion list the text of an election mail out from incumbent Hedy Fry.

C-61: Copyright

Bill C-61, the Conservative government's Copyright Bill was recently tabled in Parliament.  In principle, this bill is necessary: Canada is signatory to World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) treaties, but lags behind other industrialised nations in domestic copyright protection laws.  However, as it stands, C-61 is seriously flawed.  Copyright legislation should balance creators' rights to fair reimbursement for intellectual property and consumer's need to have timely access to creative works.  In the digital age, this brings a new and complex challenge.

Michael Byers posted a link to the interview I did with him, and is continuing the conversation in comments on his blog. Noticing that Hon. Hedy Fry, the incumbent Liberal in that riding, has been going around doing consultations with Canadians I asked Mr. Byers his impressions of what she has been saying.

I wanted to quickly hilight Corey Grajkowski's blog. His "about me" says the following:

I am mostly concerned about where technology and law meet. I fear that those who make the laws will not understand the effects it will actually have. I leave other political issues to those who know more than me. I am the founder for the Fair Copyright for Canada - Edmonton Chapter and I support the CIPPIC.

Jeremy Costin writes on weblawg.net about recent statements made by Dr. Hedy Fry on copyright and C-61. It references an article by fellow constituent Chuck LeDuc Díaz which includes a reply letter from Dr. Fry.