On July 9, 2008, the Quebec Superior Court issued a permanent injunction shutting down , a file-sharing site specializing in Quebec content. The action was brought by ADISQ and APFTQ, organizations representing the Quebec recording and film industries, as well as other interested national media organizations, including the Canadian Recording Industry Association.
Quebec Torrent was a BitTorrent tracker that did not host any of the content, but facilitated links. At first, the plaintiffs had sought a preliminary injunction to suspend the activity of the web site or freeze the Torrent files used to access protected works, but a Quebec Court had rejected that claim in November 2007. The primary damages claim was for $200,000 in punitive damages.
The week before the scheduled hearing on the action itself, the operator of Quebec Torrent, Sébastien Brulotte, agreed not to contest the order in return for the plaintiffs not pursuing the damages claim. The permanent injunction granted by Justice Tessier required Brulotte to cease operating and any other web site of a similar nature, and to cease assisting and distributing files protected by copyright through the specified site or via any other site or technology.
For a copy of the injunction order in Déja Musique Inc v Brulotte (Case No 500-17-039771-079) in both French and English, see:
http://www.cirpa.ca/Storage/27/1932_QuebecTorrent_order_9July08.pdf
For a copy of ADISQ's press release (in French) see:
http://www.adisq.com/doc/press-communiques-105.html
Summary by: Lea Epstein
E-TIPS® ISSUE
08 07 30
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