PWAC ED declares the copyright wars over; readers can download his book, free

We're not sure what magazine writer, reviewer, poet and novelist John Degen might have expected from writing an opinion article in the Globe and Mail on copyright, but he must surely have expected a reaction. In fact he has courted one by saying in the article (and reinforcing it by putting out a press release) that the controversy over writers' rights have become arid and pointless and announcing that he is posting a pdf of his novel The Uninvited Guest on his own website for free dowload. With some finality he adds: "The war, if there ever was one, is over."

That's a pretty dramatic statement from a man who is the executive director of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC).

As far back as 2006, Degen referred to himself in the debate over creators' rights and new digital age business models as an "almost terminally confused but deeply interested writer".

Since then, he seems to have cleared up his confusion and knows where he stands: readers are invited to go to his website, download the book and, if they like it, go to a bookstore and buy a copy or make a donation to him through PayPal. It will be interesting to see if other writers follow suit.