Given it is the 27th time we have been promised imminent release of Copyright Act revisions, we’ve been holding back on the breathless announcement. But maybe there really is one, and it will not be withdrawn next Tuesday. The hard work begins. Keep a raincoat handy — there is going to be a tropical storm of nonsense poured on this one.

Later update: And here is the Bill, C-61, and government documents on it.

*Government is not ratifying WIPO (!), but claims harmony with international standards;
*here comes PAM — special exemption for educational uses of “publicly available materials” on the internet;
*Digital interlibrary loan — libraries can now loan a digital copy of their holdings rather than a physical book;
*”Notice and notice” for copyright abuse on the internet, rather than “notice and takedown” and limited liability for ISPs;
*Confirmation of private right to copy materials between formats for one’s own private use, but no expansion of “fair dealing” definitions;
*Educational institutions with licences can make digital copies, subject to payments;
*”Making available right” confirmed;
*Protection for TPMs, and circumvention outlawed (with exceptions).

And more. Let’s take time to read and digest this.