Letters & Submissions

December 16, 2022

Mr. Wilson Miao, MP
Richmond Centre
165 - 7031 Westminster Highway
Richmond, BC V6X 1A3

Re: Bill C-244 “An Act to Amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair).”

Dear Mr. Miao,

The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO) is an Accredited Farm Organization representing the interests of over 4,000 farm families in Ontario who are called to the vocation of farming. CFFO policy promotes economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable farming, advocating that farmers receive fair return for their production and stewardship efforts.

We are writing to indicate our support for your Private Member’s Bill C-244, “An Act to Amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair).” This Bill, if enacted, would allow circumvention of computer program protection measures in order to allow diagnosis, maintenance and repair of products owned by a consumer.

Farmers need to be able to diagnose, maintain and repair their equipment. Currently, many farmers are forced to pay dealers to diagnose and repair farm equipment, often at the additional cost of long waits to receive service. This is particularly detrimental for farmers if this happens during harvest periods, resulting in additional cost of lost harvest time. If this Bill is passed, it will increase the productivity of farm businesses, benefit the longevity and care of farm equipment and benefit our overall food security.

This Bill provides a legal avenue for all those interested in diagnosing, maintaining and repairing equipment and products that they own, including farmers. Many farmers have limited access or no access to dealer support for diagnosis or repairs. Farmers should not be criminalized for attempting to maintain and repair equipment on their own.

In a broader sense, the right to diagnose and repair goes to the issue of minimizing waste and making good use of equipment and consumer goods by maintaining them in good condition for as long as possible. Farmers, in their stewardship of resources, work to maintain and repair farm equipment to extend its working life.

We hope that MPs in all parties will see the value of supporting your Private Member’s Bill C-244 as a way to support farmers across Canada. Agriculture is an industry vital to our food supply, health and economic prosperity. Thank you for your support for those seeking to diagnose, maintain and repair equipment, including farmers.

Sincerely,

Ed Scharringa, President
Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario

cc: Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau, MP, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Hon. Lisa Thompson, MPP, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ontario