Quote, unquote: Keeping copyright law simple and understandable

A serious flaw with Bill C-61 was its undue complexity. Parliament should avoid over-drafting technical rules with labyrinth exceptions and complex conditions and counter-exceptions. The law should be broadly understandable. As the roles of users and creators converge, Canadians will want to consistently engage in fair copyright practices. But respect for the law is eroded by the long cryptic passages that dwell on technical details and contain rules, exceptions, conditions and counter exceptions as in Bill C-61. It is encouraged by adopting understandable principles that can be applied in practice.

-- Sam Trosow, a professor of law and information and media studies at the University of Western Ontario, writing on his blog about Canada's proposed copyright and fair dealing law.  (Reported in Digital and Scholarly blog)