Mr. PAUL MARTIN (Essex East) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 124, to amend the Copyright Act.
He said: The purpose of the amendment is to give the minister administering the Copyright Act power to protect the public against abuses of the exclusive rights conferred upon copyright owners by the act. It is merely an extension of the powers conferred now upon the minister by the compulsory licence section of the act. The section proposed to be amended is applicable only to Canadian citizens, and consequently the amendment will not in any way affect international conventions. It is intended by the amendment to incorporate in the act remedial provisions analogous to those already in the Patent Act, 1935, to give relief against abuses by patentees.
Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.