Episode 92: A Conversation with Senator Paula Simons on Copyright, the Internet and the Future of Media in Canada

Earlier this year, Senator Claude Carignan introduced Bill S-225, a bill that purports to address concerns about the viability of the Canadian media sector by amending the Copyright Act. The Senate has been studying the bill in recent weeks with Senator Paula Simons serving as the bill critic and one of the leads on the issue. Senator Simons was a longtime journalist before being appointed to the Senate and while an ardent supporter of local journalism, she has been critical of the proposed legislation. She joins the Law Bytes podcast to discuss the state of journalism in Canada, why she doesn’t think the social media companies “stole” stories from the media, and what Canada should be doing to encourage innovation in the media sector.

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Show Notes:

Bill S-225
Senator Simons Speech on Bill S-225, May 25, 2021
Geist, The Copyright Bill That Does Nothing: Senate Bill Proposes Copyright Reform to Support Media Organizations

Credits:

TRCM: Conservative Sen. Claude Carignan appears at committee for Bill S-225, June 2, 2021