Background
In 1995, Heather Robertson, a freelance writer, wrote two articles that were published in the print edition of the Globe and Mail. Later, the newspaper placed copies of her articles in three databases, including Info Globe Online, an online database of Globe and Mail articles, as well as the Canadian Periodical Index. The databases did not contain many aspects of the print version of the Globe and Mail. They did not contain the advertisements, some tables, photographs, artwork, photo captions, birth and death notices, financial tables, weather forecasts and some design elements.
Heather Robertson objected to the presence of her articles in the databases and sued the Globe and Mail for unauthorized reproduction of her work. The case was granted class action status. Robertson also asserted claims on behalf of salaried writers at the Globe.
The issue before the Court was whether the reproduction of Robertson's articles were part of the Globe's copyright in its newspaper or if the reproduction infringes Robertson's copyright in her work.
Read more about this topic: Robertson V. Thomson Corp.
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