Summary: Canada passed an email law[1] with teeth. It applies to anyone sending email to a Canadian and takes effect in September.

(Still too long? Let's just call the Canadian law CAN'T SPAM.)

There are three tests, any of which will allow unsolicited commercial email.

• Existing relationship between sender and recipient. (purchase, contract, donor, volunteer, member)

• The recipient prominently publishes their email address and the mail is related to the recipient's professional capacity.

• Recipient signed up for it.

The law and its enforcement will begin to be explained in January.

[1] http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?La... the meat is in section 6, but notice it is written in an "exception" model. It seems a little insane until you get to the end of the section and catch the exceptions.