Writings of Writer Lucy Maud Montgomery Fall into the Public Domain

As previously reported in E-TIPSâ„¢, (Vol 2, No 2, July 3, 2003 and Vol 2, No 9, October 9, 2003), attempts were made through Bill C-36 to amend the Canadian Copyright Act to extend the term of copyright to December 31, 2017 over unpublished works of authors who died between 1930 and 1948. The heirs of Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of the Anne of Green Gables stories, were particularly interested in protecting the 10 volumes of diaries written by Ms. Montgomery, which remained unpublished until after she died in 1942. Late in 2003, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien prorogued Parliament and the Bill died with that Session. As a result, the unpublished diaries fell into the public domain on January 1, 2004. However, when Parliament reconvened in February, Bill C-36 reappeared as Bill C-8, including the provisions on the extension of copyright term for unpublished works. Recently, a Senate Committee considering the resurrected Bill has removed the "Lucy Maud Montgomery" provisions. The amended Bill will now be returned to the House of Commons for further review. For the Senate Committee Report, see: http://makeashorterlink.com/?V250120C7. For Bill C-8 in its B-36 form, see: http://makeashorterlink.com/?W160610C7. Summary by: Peter Wang