**This is the text of the initial CSIA mailing that was sent out in December, 2005.**

Canada's open-source professionals and open-source advocates are coming together to make sure Canada's copyright law continues to support creativity and encourage innovation. Content industry lobbyists are calling for new controls that threaten important activities such as the right to reverse engineer, the right to create interoperable software and the right to conduct security research. These rights are crucial to software innovators and need to be guaranteed.

The government has fallen, but the draft copyright legislation has already been written, the process that created it is still in place, and the interest groups pushing for stronger copyright laws continue to demand more control. Bill C-60 proposed to grant copyright owners control over those who would circumvent technological protection measures (TPMs) for the purpose of infringing copyright. While there was much in Bill C-60 to oppose, Bill C-60 supported the rights of open source innovators by continuing to permit reverse engineering, inter-operability and security research. Opponents of Bill C-60 say that it did not do enough, and that Canada needs to import the American Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Open source innovators need to support Bill C-60's support of open source innovators. Open source professionals need to come together to speak with a stronger voice.

The Canadian Software Innovation Alliance has been started by Bob Young, co-founder of Red Hat, to help provide that voice. With your support, the CSIA can make sure that Canada remains fertile ground for open source development, that the Canadian open source community continues to thrive, that and Canada's computing and communications resources are as accessible and secure as possible.

If you think your company, institution or organization has an interest in making sure open source software remains a powerful and effective tool, get in touch with us to find out more or to join the CSIA. Joining is voluntary, does not cost any money, and does not require much of a time commitment, unless you choose to help with the activities of the organization.

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The CSIA is being formed to promote the interests of Canada's open-source community and to encourage innovation and competition. Bob Young from Red Hat is the lead spokesperson for the organization. The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Online Rights Canada (ORC) are working together to get the CSIA started and to help Canada's open-source community come together. Neither CIPPIC, EFF nor ORC will be a member of the CSIA, nor have any authority over the positions, statements or membership of the CSIA.

Sincerely,

Damien Fox
Copyright Outreach Coordinator, CIPPIC
ahdfox isat mac.com
416-707-2204

Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic
University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law
57 Louis Pasteur St.
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5
http://www.cippic.ca