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BANK OF CANADA TARGETS POLITICAL CARTOONIST OVER COPYRIGHT
Speaking of Canadian paper money, this article is a reminder that the Canadian government is actively enforcing its copyright on the banknote images. -Editor
Veteran B.C. newspaper satirist Dan Murphy drew a funny editorial cartoon the other day. It looks like a $50 bill, except it’s for $90,000 and features a picture of Mike Duffy. We would show it to you here, but Canadian law says that could land us in prison for six months. Murphy’s cartoon, you see, caught the attention of the Bank of Canada, which fired off a rocket of a letter demanding that the image be deleted from the website of his Edmonton-based representatives, Artizans. You have to get permission before reproducing a banknote image, the letter said, and Murphy didn’t ask. “Moreover,” it continued, “the bank will not approve requests where the reproduction tarnishes or diminishes the importance of currency to Canadians.”
While I believe the government is within its rights, I agree with the columnist that their heavy-handed approach infringes on free speech. He asks, "When did the Bank of Canada move its head office to Iran?"
Obvious satire shouldn't be targeted.
-Editor
Here's the artist's reaction: Murphy, who has been drawing political cartoons since the ’60s, was amused/dumbfounded by the letter, particularly the bit where the bank gets to muzzle those who “tarnish” our feelings toward cash. “They’re talking censorship here,” he said on the phone from Ladner. “It’s goofy, and at the same time, it’s chilling. It’s goofy-chilling.”
To read the complete article, see:
Knox: Buck stops here when it comes to Duffy banknote
(www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/Knox+Buck+stops+here
Mind you, the offending cartoon might be findable somewhere on
the Internet
Just sayin'. Coincidentally, it just might describe "anti-counterfeiting measure #2: should smell like bacon".
The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
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