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Re: FROM A FRIEND . . .





On 21 Sep 1995, Jeff Weinstein wrote:

>   Poor choice of words on my part.  My understanding is that we can not
> export our US-only product, except to canada - for the use of canadian
> citizens.  I also believe that it is illegal for anyone except US citizens,
> permanent residents of the US (green card holders) and Canadian citizens
> to use it, even within the US.  I'm not a lawyer, and I've not read
> all of ITAR myself, so I could be totally wrong...
> 
> 	--Jeff

And from what the folks at the Export Controls division of the Department 
of External Affairs in Ottawa told me, Canadians can't export 
export-controlled American software, including pgp and other freeware, 
without a license. OTOH we can export non-US=origin software license-free
(well freeware for sure, anyway, I didn't get the whole thing quite right). 

Of course there are a few countries for which you would need a license,
and some UN embargoed countries to which you can't make any exports (both 
sets are dictatorships or warzones, so not much net access anyway and the 
crypto laws would make France's look cpunk).

They're also waiting to see what happens to Phil Z. to decide whether or not
ftp's are exports. All the same, if anyone wants an easy and economical
way to get around ITAR, have someone do your cypto software development 
just north of the border (Vancouver's just north of Seattle and close 
enough to Silicon Valley, with excellent net-access) or at least just
publish it here first. Phil could have saved himself an immense amount of 
trouble with a short car ride. You Americans on the list could too.

Wanna nag your bosses some more Jeff? You'd be doing everyone a favor and
get your wish.

You can get "A guide to Canada's export controls" from:

Foreign Affairs and international trade Canada. 
Export controls division
125 Sussex Drive, C-4
P.O. Box 481, Station A
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 9K6
Fax: (613) 996-9933
Tel: (613) 996-2387

Remember to also ask for the "general software note"

For the West Coasters on the list there's also an address closer to home
(they have addresses in all the major Canadians cities, if anyone wants
visit them personally, send me a msg and I'll mail you nearest address)

International Trade Centre
Scotia Tower
900-650 West Georgia Street
P.O. Box 11610
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6B 5H8
Fax: (604) 666-8330
Tel: (604) 666-0434