ملف:Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2005.jpg

Date 8/8/2006 8:55:15 pm

To Harper dot S at parl dot gc dot ca

Subject Request for Photos of the Prime Minister

Hello all. I know you're all quite busy, so I'll be brief - I was wondering if you had any official portrait photos of the Prime Minister that could be sent via e-mail to me. The reason I'm making this request is because the official portrait used on the Prime Minister's Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Harper) is not suitable. As you may know, wikipedia is an online encyclopedia of sorts that is maintained by volunteer users around the world.

Currently there is a debate going on amongst editors in the 'discussion' section of the article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Stephen_Harper) regarding whether or not the use of the Prime Minister's official portrait on the Government of Canada Web-site would violate copyright laws (the official portrait was the previously displayed picture of the Prime Minister).

Your input would greatly help resolve this debate. If you could send me an appropriate portrait photo that is in the public domain for use on Wikipedia along with a short response indicating that it is acceptable to use said photo, the matter can be dealt with quickly and easily.

From lgauthier at pco-bcp dot gc dot ca ::Date 8/9/2006 6:47:13 am

To (e-mail address removed)

Subject RE: Office of the Prime Minister / Cabinet du Premier ministre

Attachments

Hello (name removed),

You could use the attached photo - it is the official one. If needed, give credit to the Prime :::Minister's Office for the copyright and authorization to publish on your site. Thank you.

This was not enough to satisfy some that the image was in the public domain, and so I sent off a clarification letter to satisfy those who remained unonvinced (although I don't know why this was).

- The Following is a copy of the letter sent to (name and address removed) and the reply I received from him:

Evidently even direct authorization from the Office of the Prime

Minister of Canada does not satisfy the concerns of some of the editors

on the PM's Wikipedia article. That being the case, if would be so kind,

could you please clarify that the picture you sent me the previous day

is indeed in the public domain and is a "freely-licensed official

image?" (part of this description is that the image is available for

commercial and derivative use by anyone).

If this is not the case, is there a suitable alternative

photo of the Prime Minister that you could send me that

would fit these criteria?

Many Thanks again for your time,

(name removed)

From name removed

Date 8/11/2006 4:58:53 am

To (name and address removed)

Subject RE: Office of the Prime Minister / Cabinet du Premier ministre

Yes, it is the freely-licensed official image. Please use that one.