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Canada's Music Lobby Buys Government Access
Posted by
Zonk
on Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:54 AM
from the they-know-who-you've-been-seeing dept.
from the they-know-who-you've-been-seeing dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Copyfighting law professor Michael Geist, who previously uncovered financial links between recording industry lobbyists and Canada's Minister of Canadian Heritage Bev Oda (who is responsible for copyright policy), has now identified what big cash donations will get you. He reports that Oda met with the President of the Canadian Recording Industry Association on a monthly basis last year just as the government was preparing copyright reform legislation and Canadian artists were calling for an end to P2P lawsuits. Is it any wonder that Canadians seem likely to lose
their fair use rights?"
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Your Rights Online: Canada May Lose Copyright Fair-Use Rights 303 comments
DotNM writes with an article from the CBC reporting that the Canadian government is considering removing fair-use rights from Canada's copyright law. From the article: "Exacerbating the situation is intense pressure from the United States, where Canada is considered a rogue when it comes to copyright and intellectual property. It still hasn't ratified a 1997 World Intellectual Property Organization copyright treaty... Two of the most controversial issues are [DRM] and the closely related technological protection measures."
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Sometimes I hate living in America Jr. (Score:3, Funny)
Maybe we'll copy the "DRM is a bad idea" that the 'mericans are coming up with now.
While we're at it maybe we could import some backbone and tell Quebec to get stuffed...
Tom
Re:Sometimes I hate living in America Jr. (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
You should know better than advertising Quebec without making French more prominent than English.
Je Ne Suis Pas D'Flibustier (Score:2)
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Anyway, what conservative Quebecois party are you talking about? The Bloc always seemed pretty liberal to me.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
You cannot get a job as a civil servant unless you speak French, even if it's a job where no French is required. It is very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to get government forms in any langua
Re:Sometimes I hate living in America Jr. (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Most of it is. Except Quebec. There is only one official language there: French. They can pull these shenanigans because they did not sign our constitution.
It is. I live in Winnipeg, which is supposed to be the largest French speaking population outside of Quebec. I have never met anybody who spoke only French and no English in my life.
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Spineless? Probably, but less so than the Cons (Score:3, Insightful)
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It's all government, not just USA/Canada (Score:4, Insightful)
Parent
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The sole-proprietor independent pizza shop on the corner is the only business hierarchy that isn't built to take advantage of governmental constructs.
R
Re:It's all government, not just USA/Canada (Score:4, Informative)
Really? A lot of people don't realize that The Corporation [imdb.com] was a Canadian documentary. I think most of that is a consequence of the WTO which we are a part of as well.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Tom - please note that the following is not directed at you...
Don't go dragging the US into this. This kind of crap goes on in every single government until the citizens of that government do something about it. If you live in a country where you think this doesn't happen, you are either naive or the government doesn't have resort to such tactics because they already have you by the balls. Most government leaders are in office for one of two re
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Although now that some industries in the US are taking a non-DRM stance I'd like to see Canada "copy" that
Tom
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I wouldn't mind having proper deep dish pizza make it's way north though...
Maybe some hot san diego ladies too
Tom
duh (Score:5, Funny)
Thats what lobbys do. I say we ban lobbying all together. Who wants to help me lobby for that? Bring money.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I know you're joking, but seriously, the only way to defeat the well-financed lobby groups is to bring votes. Governments can only be bought as long as that money translates into votes at election time. Shift your culture so people vote for what they believe in and not what they saw on TV and you've won. Change the rules so political parties can only accept donations from businesses that are on the same scale as what private citizens could realistically offer and you've won. But achieving either of these ch
Re:duh (Score:4, Informative)
Parent
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I mean, come on. You know how many canucks are gonna have to pony up $1100 to raise what one donation from Exxon nets? Thousands and thousands. And then you've gotta answer to like thousands of people! One donation from Exxon, and I just answer to Exxon. It's good comm
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People vote for what they believe in, problem is they believe what they see on TV.
but... but Chretien! (Score:4, Funny)
OW! My political beliefs!
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
But, but, they introduce an Accoutability Act and everything! It even has fancy paper!
I find it disenheartening that her response was "it was legal at the time". Shouldn't she be respecting the act NOW, since her government pushed it through? Respect the spririt of the law and all that? It reminded me of contractors who say "what? I did it to code" which basically means "I did the bar
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Don't worry (Score:4, Interesting)
I imagine in the meantime, they have bigger fish to fry (like trying to survive), than to worry about a politically unpopular move to satisfy record company executives.
Not a Partisan Issue (Score:4, Informative)
They were correct for modding you flamebait for an anti-Conservative tirade. This is not a partisan issue. Bev Oda's predecessor in Paul Martin's Liberal government Sam Bulte [wikipedia.org] was just as guilty of accepting money from the music lobby. [michaelgeist.ca] The content industry will throw money at whoever they think can deliver copyright "reform", regardless of what party represent.
Parent
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Please find me a Conservative poll then that shows they've stayed the same, or have increased in popularity over the past year.
Canadian Supreme Court (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Canadian Supreme Court (Score:5, Insightful)
If they neglect to remove fair use though, it would be a valid argument against such a law. I'm assuming a DMCA challenge would be easier in Canada, because of that. They can't deny you the tools to be able to exercise your right to fair use, afterall...
Parent
Dam, I voted for her too... (Score:5, Informative)
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The CRIA is not a Canadian organization (Score:5, Informative)
Oh please (Score:2)
The CMCC has the backing of all major Canadian labels, not just artists. Anything the CRIA has to say should be relayed through David Wilkins.
My letter to my MP (Score:5, Insightful)
It's important all Canadians write their MP and educate them about the CRIA shenanigans.
Bribery (Score:3, Interesting)
Longer term I think there should be a declaration on who writes an actual bill not just who sponsors it, and politicians be forced to declare conflict of interest and remove themselves from any proceedings regarding such legislation or face censure - something I'm sure their opponents will enjoy using the next election.
Of course the trouble with all this is that even if media industry looses this round, they'll just try again in a few years. So I still smile when I hear that the music industries sales are still falling despite the growth of online sales.
Same Minister responsible for Net Neutrality (Score:5, Informative)
My letter to my MP (Score:3, Insightful)
I am a constituent in your riding, and I am writing concerning an article from CBC.ca concerning fair-use rights in Canada (http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2007/01/11/co
Like many Canadians, I am a lawful citizen who loves both music and technology. I am a Computer Programmer by trade, and am also a musician; needless to say, I take both of these subjects quite seriously, and I am concerned when my enjoyment of either of these become threatened by law. You see, I listen to all of my purchased CDs on my home computer and my portable music player. The first thing I do when I buy a Compact Disc is to 'rip' it to my home computer, so I can catalog and listen to all of my music as digital music files, or MP3s. Under current Canadian law, 'fair-use rights' allow me to do this.
If new legislation proposed by the Hon. Maxime Bernier and Heritage Minister Hon. Bev Oda is passed, my 'fair-use rights' will be taken away. I will considered a criminal in the eyes of the law if I choose to copy music in any way which I have purchased.
The simple fact is that we, as Canadians, already pay a 'private copying levy' on all blank media to supplement lost revenues due to piracy; those of us who buy blank CD-ROM media, even if used to backup personal data, are already giving the Canadian Recording Industry money. The continued stong revenues from music Compact Discs, added to the success of Digital Download services such as iTunes prove that piracy is not hurting the Recording Industry as much as they would like us to believe.
The problem is that taking away our fair-use rights, and enacting Digital Rights Management on musical Compact Discs would prevent copying of music for any purpose. The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) would be given the ability to charge multiple times for the same music (Once for a Compact Disc, once for a PC and once for each Portable music player). This unfortunately appears to be the ultimate goal of Digital Rights Management; it has little to do with actually combating piracy. This is greed, plain and simple, yet disguised as anti-piracy measures. Canadian legislation should not be enacted merely to provide large industries additional revenue streams; the law abiding consumer loses in such a scenario.
I am not the only voter who would be affected by such legislation; this would affect every citizen that owns an iPod or other portable music player, or has ever listened to music on a PC. If this legislation is enacted, the outrage will be felt by many average citizens.
The Canadian people do not want this. The recording artists themselves do not want this. This legislation only serves the interests of the CRIA and major music distributors. It is also distressing to learn what close ties Hon. Bev Oda and the CRIA have, even though the voices of average citizens and Canadian recording artists are not being heard (http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/1631/125
I truly hope that you take this issue seriously, as I do sincerely believe that if this legislation is enacted and Canadian fair-use is taken away, Canadian citizens including those in your constituency will act swifty and harshly.
Thank-you for taking the time to read this. It is appreciated.
[Name]
[City and Province]
Lambton--Kent--Middlesex
CC: Maxime Bernier, Bev Oda
Re: (Score:2)
I'm going to send a similar letter to my MP as well.
Note that we shouldn't copy the letter, fellow Canucks - they'll think it's a form letter and ignore it.
Re:Well....... (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:Well....... (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
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oh wait, that's fargo, that's an AMERICAN film ya hoser.
Tom
Re: (Score:2)
I'd rather have more indy films than hollywood crap [which incidentally is filmed more and more in Canada anyways!].
Frankly, if the movie looks half decent I'll spend the $10 to see it in the theater, and THEN make a copy once it's out on DVD. If the movie is just mildly entertaining [re: better than watching my facial hair grow] I'll just copy it from DVD.
Lesson: make less shitty movies.
Tom
You pegged the REAL issue here (Score:2)
Sounds like you get it more than the article poster. "Whining" and dining the heritage minister every month has been happening since Copps was the minister in the Liberal government, and we managed to avoid our own DMCA to this point. The current political environment has provided the opportunity for much more public input and consideration that the previous governme
Re: (Score:2)
Fine with me. I'm sure the movie industry counts me as a "lost sale", and blames it on piracy, or home theatres. Instead, I should be under the "only goes to see 1-2 movies per year because the rest are either not interesting to me, or outright suck"
"You want me to fork out HOW much? This better be f*ing Oscar material, for that price..." (this applies to both theatre prices, and DVD prices)
Re:Ummm.... (Score:5, Interesting)
Parent
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Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Oh, come now. Québecois politicians have corruption nailed down just as well as, if not better than, their Ottawa counterparts. Indeed the duplication of all levels of the Federal government in Québec simply encourages this. Ever wondered why the income tax is so high here?