Copyright and the Modern Academic: Congress 2014 Debate Series
May 25-29, Brock University
St. Catharines, ON

Copyright law is a contentious issue for Canadian academics in their roles as teachers, researchers and creators. Issues such as what counts as “fair dealing,” the future and functioning of copyright collectives like Access Copyright, the “open access” movement and the future of academic journals and academic publishing will affect every facet of academic life in the coming years.

In a series of three debates from May 25-29 and as part of Congress 2014, Canada’s leading copyright experts and practitioners will be tackling these key issues, making these sometimes-complex topics understandable for anyone in academia.

Our debate participants:

Michael Geist, University of Ottawa
Roanie Levy, Access Copyright
Samuel Trosow, University of Western Ontario
Howard Knopf, Macera & Jarzyna LLP
Glenn Rollans, Partner, Brush Education Inc.
Blayne Haggart, Brock University

The debates are open to all Congress attendees and to the general public. If you’re not at Congress, or can’t make the debates, we have you covered. Two of the debates will be livestreamed at http://www.calj-acrs.ca/home.php, and recordings of all three will be available, also at http://www.calj-acrs.ca/home.php.

Event schedule

1. Fair dealing and Canadian academics: The “Copyright Pentalogy” and beyond

Sunday, May 25, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. PLEASE NOTE THE CORRECTED TIME
Sankey Chambers
This event will be recorded and livestreamed at http://www.calj-acrs.ca/home.php

This session focuses on the effects of recent court cases on academics’ ability to access and copy works, and considers the future direction of copyright reform.
The question: How will recent events around fair dealing affect Canadian academics?
In conversation: Samuel Trosow, University of Western Ontario; Blayne Haggart, Brock University
Main sponsor: Brock University Council for Research in the Social Sciences (CRISS); hosted by the Canadian Association of Learned Journals
AV sponsored by: Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education
Additional funding: Brock University Faculty of Education

2. Debating Open Access and the future of academic publishing

Wednesday, May 28, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
South Block Room 215
This event will be recorded and livestreamed at http://www.calj-acrs.ca/home.php

This debate focuses on the opportunities and challenges that the Open Access movement poses for Canadian academics and academic publishing.
The question: Should Open Access be the primary publishing model for Canadian academic and research publishing?
The debaters: Michael Geist, University of Ottawa; Glenn Rollans, Partner, Brush Education Inc.
Sponsoring association: Canadian Communication Association
AV sponsored by: Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education
Additional funding: Brock University Faculty of Education

3. Debating Access Copyright: Friend or foe?

Thursday, May 29, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
International Centre Room 119
This event will be recorded and made available at http://www.calj-acrs.ca/home.php

Today’s debate focuses on the future of the much-debated Access Copyright collecting society.
The question: Should Canadian universities opt out of Access Copyright and depend instead on the Copyright Act, including its fair dealing exemption?
The debaters: Roanie Levy, Access Copyright; Howard Knopf, Macera & Jarzyna LLP
Sponsoring association: Canadian Association for Information Science
AV sponsored by: Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education
Additional funding: Brock University Faculty of Education

For further information, please contact:
Blayne Haggart, Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science, Brock University
bhaggart at brocku dot ca