Tour d'horizon de la Revue du Barreau canadien

Dans le plus récent volume de la Revue du Barreau canadien:

Que faire du carburant en l’absence d’un génie?

La création d'œuvres par des logiciels d'IA et la brevetabilité des inventions qu’elle génère générées est le sujet d’un article de Danoé Tanguay de l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Tanguay examine les théories justificatives de la propriété intellectuelle, et les défis posés par l'arrivée de l'IA en relation avec le droit positif, en particulier en ce qui concerne les notions d'inventeur et de non-évidence. Il mène également une réflexion sur l'adéquation entre les théories justificatives de la propriété intellectuelle et la réalité de la recherche scientifique, où l'IA s'immisce rapidement. « Considérant que les avancées récentes en IA transforment la recherche scientifique, il devient nécessaire de s’interroger sur la pertinence de ce moyen, mais aussi de réfléchir à ses fins », affirme-t-il.

Profilage en ligne et protection des renseignements personnels

La digitalisation des interactions sociales a permis le développement de technologies et de techniques de ciblage et de profilage basées sur la collecte de renseignements personnels à des fins commerciales, écrit Ledy Rivas Zannou de l’Université de Montréal. Cependant, la législation actuelle encadrant ces pratiques est inadaptée, car elle repose sur le consentement libre et éclairé, qui peut être problématique en pratique. Face à ces problèmes et aux abus potentiels, l’auteur propose de remettre en question le concept du consentement protecteur en matière de profilage en ligne et d'envisager les conditions d'une nouvelle approche.

Regulating AI in Canada

"'Agile' is an ideology that embraces fundamental organizational change," writes Teresa Scassa of the University of Ottawa. "Perhaps unsurprisingly, a concept that has generated so much hype in the software development and business context has migrated to the law and policy context, with agile regulation becoming a buzzword for regulation that can keep pace with a rapidly changing technological innovation context." Scassa then goes on to analyze Canada's proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) and the broader context in which it was introduced — namely, the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technology and the emergence of significant governance initiatives on an international scale, particularly from the European Union and the United States. But there are significant constraints on Ottawa's ability to craft AI regulation that is at once agile and a strong example of risk regulation. Specifically, Scassa argues, "Canada's federal system means that the federal government lacks the constitutional authority to shape AI regulation in the same way as governments of unitary states."

Safety in AI & robotics governance in Canada

"While various laws and policies aim to ensure that AI and robotic systems are used "safely," the meaning and scope of "safety" are seldom, if ever, explicitly considered," according to Kristen Thomasen of the University of British Columbia. Therefore, she tries to reimagine our approach to "safety" and, drawing on abolitionist writing, argues for a broader, more comprehensive understanding of safety. "How governments regulate automated technologies is not inevitable, neutral, nor inherently equitable," she writes. Instead, AI and robotic governance should prioritize a vision of safety that fosters community bonds, interpersonal trust, interagency trust, accountability, support, and care. It should also aim to mitigate harm and violence rather than perpetuate them.

IP, climate change and the right to repair in Canada

Dr. Graham J Reynolds of the University of British Columbian argues that Canadian governments have both legal and moral obligations to combat climate change. In doing so, they should specifically focus on Canada's intellectual property regime and engage in a thorough review to assess whether elements of it contribute to climate change or hinder climate action. The author highlights how provisions in the Copyright Act that protect technological protection measures (TPM) restrict consumers from repairing software-enabled products they have purchased. He recommends reforming the TPM provisions in the Act to prevent them from becoming a barrier to repair by including an exception for diagnosis, repair, and maintenance would be a significant step in the right direction.

Improving the right to read in Canada

Liwah Jeller of the University of Ottawa tackles the Marrakesh Treaty, which mandates copyright exceptions to accommodate people with print disabilities. The author argues that commercial availability provisions under the Copyright Act may prevent Canada from fully implementing the treaty and meeting our human rights obligations. Because they negatively impact readers with print disabilities and do not benefit copyright holders, she advocates for their removal. That way, libraries, schools, and non-profit organizations can better cater to the needs of readers with print disabilities. It would also facilitate the transfer of accessible format books by Canadian organizations, whether domestically or internationally. Canada should also explore additional measures to align the Copyright Act with the treaty's goals. 

The (mis)appropriation of Indigenous cultural elements as trademarks

The worldwide practice of appropriating elements of Indigenous culture for brand-building purposes is pervasive, according to Tracy Nguyen, Juris Doctor at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law. Noting that in Canada, trademark legislation provides limited protection to Indigenous peoples against the misappropriation of their traditional cultural expressions by non-Indigenous people, she analyzes New Zealand's trademark legislation and the Māori Trademarks Advisory Committee (MTAC) as a comparative model to address the shortcomings of Canada's system. The author suggests an enhanced version of the New Zealand regime that offers broader protection and is tailored to the specific needs of Canada.

Structural analysis and the Canadian Constitution

"The unwritten constitution encompasses norms necessary for our system of governance to function," write Supreme Court Justice Malcolm Rowe and Manish Oza, offering their account of structural analysis as an essential methodology to discern and apply the unwritten constitution. Only by considering what is necessarily implied in our constitutional arrangements, in light of their historical development, can we fully understand the Canadian constitution, including its unwritten components— Parliamentary privilege, Crown prerogative, constitutional conventions and underlying constitutional principles.