With the dissolution of Parliament resulting from the September 7, 2008 election call in Canada, Bill C-61, An Act to Amend the Copyright Act, died on the Government Order Paper. The proposed legislation included numerous provisions designed to balance the interests of rights holders who create content with those of Canadian consumers who use digital technology to view and reproduce content.
With the re-election of the Conservative Party, it is expected that the Bill will be reintroduced after Parliament resumes in late November 2008. However, the exact timing remains uncertain. This is because a Cabinet shuffle following the election resulted in the appointment of a new Minister of Industry, Tony Clement. The Minister's responsibility includes Canadian Intellectual Property Office legislation including copyright. It is possible that the new Minister will take the opportunity to consider making changes to the legislation before the law is reintroduced.