MICHELLE SUTTIE Applicant v. ATTORNEY GENERAL OF, 2011 FC 119
Opinion
Federal Court Cour fédérale Date: 20110202 Docket: T-1089-10 Citation: 2011 FC 119 Ottawa, Ontario , February 2 , 2011 PRESENT: The Honourable Mr. Justice O'Reilly BETWEEN: MICHELLE SUTTIE Applicant and ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA AND THE REGISTRAR OF COPYRIGHTS Respondents REASONS FOR ORDER AND ORDER I. Overview [ 1 ] Ms. Michelle Suttie and her son, Denver, wrote a book together. Ms. Suttie registered the book with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and was issued a copyright registration number for it. The book was subsequently published in June 2010. [ 2 ] At the time she registered the book, Ms.
Suttie was unaware that the information she had provided would be publicly available on CIPOs website. She became concerned about her privacy, particularly because she had given her home address on her registration application. In addition, she realized that she had omitted her sons name from the application. [ 3 ] Ms. Suttie now asks for an order to amend the register to add her sons name and to replace her home address with the address of her solicitors. The respondents did not appear before me and, apparently, take no position in relation to it.
[ 4 ] I am satisfied that the register should be amended in the fashion Ms. Suttie requests and will issue an order to that effect. II. Adding an Author [ 5 ] An author is entitled to be associated with his or her work ( Copyright Act , RSC 1985, c C-42, s 14.1 enactments cited are set out in an Annex). Works of joint authorship are specifically recognized in the Act (s 2). As the Court has the jurisdiction to order the register to be corrected by adding information that was wrongly omitted (s 57(4)( a )), I see no reason not to grant Ms. Sutties request to add her sons name to the register. III.
Changing the Address [ 6 ] Generally speaking, a person registering a copyright must supply his or her name and address (s 55(2)( a )). However, an author also has the right to remain anonymous (s 14.1(1)). Pseudonyms can be used in place of the authors name (s 14.1(1)). [ 7 ] In some cases, an authors home address could serve as a means of identifying him or her. Therefore, to require an author to provide a home address could interfere with his or her right to remain anonymous.
In my view, the requirement in the Act to provide an address does not oblige an author to identify where he or she lives it simply requires the person to provide an address for purposes of correspondence. This
interpretation is borne out by the Copyright Regulations , which require an author to provide a complete mailing address, including street name and number, and the postal code (SOR/97-457, s 4(1)). [ 8 ] Given Ms. Sutties privacy concerns, I am satisfied that the register contains an error or defect (s 57(4)( c )) and will issue an order amending the register to substitute Ms. Sutties counsels address for her home address. IV. Order [ 9 ] The Court orders that Ms.
Sutties copyright registration (No. 1065339) be amended to add the name of her son, Denver Suttie, as a joint author, and by removing the existing address and replacing it with the address of her solicitors. There is no order as to costs. ORDER THIS COURT ORDERS that: 1. Ms. Sutties copyright registration (No. 1065339) be amended to add the name of her son, Denver Suttie, as a joint author; 2. Remove the existing address and replace it with the address of her solicitors; and 3. No order as to costs. James W. OReilly Judge
Annex Copyright Act, RSC 1985, c C-42 2. In this Act, work of joint authorship means a work produced by the collaboration of two or more authors in which the contribution of one author is not distinct from the contribution of the other author or authors; Moral rights 14.1
(1) The author of a work has, subject to
section 28.2, the right to the integrity of the work and, in connection with
an act mentioned in
section 3, the right, where reasonable in the circumstances, to be associated with the work as its author by name or under a pseudonym and the right to remain anonymous. Application for registration 55.
(2) An application under subsection (1) must be filed with the Copyright Office, be accompanied by the fee prescribed by or determined under the regulations, and contain the following information: (
a) the name and address of the owner of the copyright in the work; Rectification of Register by the Court 57.
(4) The Federal Court may, on application of the Registrar of Copyrights or of any interested person, order the rectification of the Register of Copyrights by (
a) the making of any entry wrongly omitted to be made in the Register, (
c) the correction of any error or defect in the Register, Copyright Regulations, SOR/97-457 Loi sur le droit dauteur , LR, 1985, ch C-42 2. Les définitions qui suivent sappliquent à la présente loi. « uvre créée en collaboration » uvre exécutée par la collaboration de deux ou plusieurs auteurs, et dans laquelle la
part créée par lun nest pas distincte de celle créée par lautre ou les autres. Droits moraux 14.1
(1) Lauteur dune uvre a le droit, sous réserve de larticle 28.2, à lintégrité de luvre et, à légard de tout acte mentionné à larticle 3, le droit, compte tenu des usages raisonnables, den revendiquer, même sous pseudonyme, la création, ainsi que le droit à lanonymat. Demande denregistrement 55.
(2) Elle doit être déposée au Bureau du droit dauteur avec la taxe dont le montant est fixé par les règlements ou déterminé en conformité avec ceux-ci, et comporter les renseignements suivants :
a) les nom et adresse du titulaire du droit dauteur; Rectification des registres par la Cour 57.
(4) La Cour fédérale peut, sur demande du registraire des droits dauteur ou de toute personne intéressée, ordonner la rectification dun enregistrement de droit dauteur effectué en vertu de la présente loi :
a) soit en y faisant une inscription qui a été omise du registre par erreur; []
c) soit en corrigeant une erreur ou un défaut dans le registre. Règlement sur le droit dauteur , DORS/97-457 4.
(1) Toute adresse requise aux termes de la Loi ou du présent règlement est une adresse postale complète comprenant le nom et numéro de rue, le cas échéant, ainsi que le code postal.
(1) Any address required to be furnished pursuant to the Act or these Regulations shall be a complete mailing address and shall include the street name and number, where one exists, and the postal code. FEDERAL COURT SOLICITORS OF RECORD DOCKET: T-1089-10 STYLE OF CAUSE: MICHELLE SUTTIE v ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA AND THE REGISTRAR OF COPYRIGHTS PLACE OF HEARING: Edmonton , Alberta DATE OF HEARING: January 26, 2011 REASONS FOR ORDER AND ORDER: OREILLY J. DATED: February 2, 2011 APPEARANCES : Lora H. Lee FOR THE APPLICANT Unrepresented FOR THE RESPONDENTS SOLICITORS OF RECORD :
Bishop & McKenzie LLP Edmonton , Alberta FOR THE APPLICANT Myles J. Kirvan Deputy Attorney General of Canada Edmonton, Alberta FOR THE RESPONDENTS
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