From: Sean Andrews <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:56:39 -0500

Michael Geist calls the agreement just minted by the Associated
Universities and Colleges Canada and the Access Copyright collective
license "The most expensive copyright insurance policy in Canadian
history."

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1165965--geist-the-most-expensive-copyright-insurance-policy-in-canadian-history

Can Heather or any of the other Canadians on the list give any insight
into this policy and what it means?  If Geist is correct, it appears
to be a boondoggle for the copyright lobby with little upside for the
institutions paying the fees.  At $26 per student it sounded like a
good deal, but the agreement evidently doesn't replace the other
subscriptions they already pay for - it just provides, as he puts it,
some insurance against getting sued.  To make matters worse, it seems
like many of the practices it licenses would be fair use under current
laws and several others would be covered under the new laws.  What
would be the rationale for agreeing to these terms? Is this as unusual
as Geist seems to think?

Thanks,
Sean Andrews