University of Toronto Law School Faculty Blog

A Malignant Vestige Of 'Tradition'

This commentary was first published in the National Post on December 14, 2007.

The tragic death of Aqsa Parvez has been on my mind incessantly since I heard the news that the Mississauga, Ont., teenager had been killed -- allegedly by her traditionally minded Muslim father. As a professor of Islamic law, I teach my students about its history, doctrines and modes of analysis. We shift back and forth from common law reasoning to Islamic doctrines. We analyze the differences between the values of the Islamic system and our own value commitments.

But then an extreme episode such as the death of Ms. Parvez arises, and we move beyond the academic exercises of the classroom to pangs of outrage and heartbreak.

One hopes that no religion would sanction the killing of a child. And, indeed, the Islamic tradition does not condone the crime Ms. Perez's father is alleged to have committed against his rebellious daughter. But is it possible that there's something in his Muslim faith that influenced him to act so outrageously?

What else do Canada and Israel have in common (copyright related)?

In my latest post I noted that Canada and Israel share a common copyright heritage. Here's a trivia question: What else, copyright related, do Canada and Israel have in common?

Answer below...

Getting on like a house on fire – Bali style

There is something surreal about the current climate talks in Bali. Think about it this way…

Life is good in the penthouse suites.  The open and airy lofts boast the latest in sleek Italian furniture, the ultimate in German kitchen design, and screening rooms with state of the art plasma screens and surround sound systems.

Money is no object. The owners are, well, “financially comfortable” (some would say plain rich).  They enjoy the best wines from around the world, champagne from France, beef from Japan (sometimes Argentina), caviar from Russia and bottled mineral water from the finest springs.

Only one thing is puzzling about the penthouse suites. The blinds are drawn. And the air-conditioning is running in the winter.  Delivery staff rushes in and out, leaving sooty clothes and oxygen tanks at the door.  Because, you see, there is trouble in penthouse paradise. It sits atop a building that is now surrounded by fire and is beginning to smolder.

What Can Canada Learn from Israel about Copyright Reform?

A bill entitled Bill entitled "An Act to amend the Copyright Act" is likely to be handed down next week.  While the bill itself is probably drafted already, its content will be deliberated in Parliament.   Therefore, Canadian policymakers may wish to consider looking at the new copyright act which the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, passed last month (downloadable here, in Hebrew; English translation now available here).  There are at least two reasons to look at Israel's new act:  one is to consider the approach taken by the Israeli legislators to many copyright issues that are relevant to Canada.  A second reason is that despite the geographic distance, the two countries share a common copyright heritage.  Until last week, Israel's copyright law was principally based on the UK Copyright Act of 1911, the same statute after which Canada's first home-made copyright act was modeled in 1921.