Canada govt position at Oct 1998 OECD conference

["Krishna E. Bera" <kebera@Cyblings.ON.CA>]

In the 

   "Canadian Proposal to the OECD Steering Committee Revised May 28, 1998"
   http://www.ottawaoecdconference.com/english/blueprint.html

we find this paragraph, containing a debatable (if not dubious) assumption 
about the necessity of government sanctioned monopolies in promoting e-commerce:

   "
   2. ESTABLISHING GROUND RULES FOR THE DIGITAL MARKETPLACE

   [...]

   Key Issues:
       [...]

      Intellectual property - By guaranteeing commercial returns, intellectual
      property plays a key role in encouraging creativity, investment, and the
      availability of a critical mass of content necessary to enable electronic
      commerce. Suitable adaptation of the legislative framework for copyright
      and related rights, and liability is necessary to recognize the
      requirements of a digital economy.
   "

and immediately following, this indication that the WIPO treaty is going to be 
pushed:

   "
   Key roles:

      Governments and international organizations should work towards the
      completion of ratification and entry into force of December 1996 WIPO
      treaties, and resolve technological and legal uncertainties. 
   " 


--
Krishna E. Bera,    "Programmer on the loose"