An imminent renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) raises big concerns in the Canadian digital rights sphere, including the undermining of our stronger privacy, net neutrality and intellectual property policies.

"Knee-jerk policy proposals that tax everything digital to subsidize struggling industries are not the way forward."

What are the implications of the TPP on Canadian intellectual property? Professor Michael Geist has some answers and emphasizes the need for a consultation.

Over the past few weeks Michael Geist has released a series of blogs detailing the definitive case against the TPP. Here are the top highlights. What do you think?

The internet we love is based on creators being able to freely, cheaply, and easily share their work! ‪#‎SaveTheLink‬ Article by Michael Geist Earlier this year, I wrote about the secret campaign by major record labels and publishers to stop the release of public domain recordings, most notably Beatles records that outsold the offerings from major label records at retail giant Wal-Mart. The campaign included extensive lobbying for an extension in the term of copyright for sound recordings. 

CRTC's recent ruling on high-speed fibre networks ensures a significant step forward for Canadians’ ability to access affordable Internet options independent of Canada’s large telecom providers. You got us here by speaking out, and believing that we could build a better Internet for Canada. And decision-makers at the CRTC listened! Article by Michael Geist for the Toronto Star

The TPP threatens Canada's privacy, copyright and patent laws. Speak out now at StoptheSecrecy.net Article by Michael Geist for the Toronto Star The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a proposed trade agreement that encompasses nearly 40 per cent of world GDP, heads to Hawaii later this month for ministerial-level negotiations. 

The TPP would criminalize your online activity, invade your privacy, and cost you money. Speak out now at Stopthesecrecy.net Article by Michael Geist Canada’s business community has mobilized in recent weeks to call on the government to adopt a more aggressive, engaged approach with respect to the biggest trade negotiations on the planet – the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. The TPP involves 12 countries including the United States, Australia, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Vietnam, Brunei, Japan, Peru, and Chile.

Canadians will bear the costs of the new copyright extension, with less choice and higher prices.  Article by Michael Geist for the Toronto Star The Conservative government’s budget this week included benefits for some families, assistance for seniors and future tax reductions for small businesses.  While those measures were widely anticipated, more surprising was the multimillion-dollar gift to foreign record companies, who were overjoyed at the decision to extend the term of copyright and keep some sound recordings out of the public domain for decades. The government unexpectedly announced that it was extending the term of copyright for sound recordings and performances from the current 50 years of protection to 70 years. 

It looks like the video we created with your support about the online spying bill C-13 has really been turning heads. Check out this piece about how Peter MacKay's bill would grant immunity to telecoms who hand over your private information without a warrant. Article by Dan Tencer for the Huffington Post Telecom companies would be granted immunity for handing over information on their customers without a warrant under a law meant to target cyberbullying, civil liberties groups say.

This hard-hitting piece by Professor Michael Geist argues for a full, independent investigation into CSEC's spying activities. As Parliament is set to resume shortly, the time has come for MPs to take a far greater interest in what our security services are doing in our name. Will 2014 be the year when our out-of-control spy agency is finally reined in? Call for an end to all illegal spying on Canadians at https://OpenMedia.ca/CSEC Article by Michael Geist for the Toronto Star Months of surveillance-related leaks from U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden have fuelled an international debate over privacy, spying, and Internet surveillance. The Canadian-related leaks — including disclosures regarding spying on the Brazilian government and the facilitation of spying at the G8 and G20 meetings hosted in Toronto in 2010 — have certainly inspired some domestic discussion. Ironically, the most important surveillance development did not involve Snowden at all.