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U.S. Senators Pressure Canada on Canadian DMCA
Posted by
Hemos
on Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:20 PM
from the the-creeping-fingers-problem dept.
from the the-creeping-fingers-problem dept.
An anonymous reader writes "The U.S. copyright lobby brought out some heavy artillery last week as
it continued to pressure Canada to introduce a Canadian DMCA. U.S.
Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins gave a public
talk in which he described Canadian copyright law as the weakest in
the G7, while Senators Dianne Feinstein and John Cornyn wrote to
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to urge him to bring in movie piracy
legislation."
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Entertainment: Putting Canadian Piracy in Perspective 188 comments
An anonymous reader writes "Over the past year Slashdot has pointed to many industry claims and governmental pressure over Canada piracy issues. Canadian law prof Michael Geist has produced Putting Canadian 'Piracy' in Perspective, a video that demonstrates how the claims are hugely exaggerated. For example, it shows how despite the MPAA's claim of movie piracy, Canada was the industry's fastest growing market last year. Similarly, while the recording industry says Canada is the world's top P2P country, the data shows that the Canadian music industry is experiencing record gains and that most of the decline from the major labels is due to retail pricing pressures."
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go home... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:go home... (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I told them I don't want them selling oil or energy or natural gas to war criminals anymore, and that I think we need a trade embargo on the US.
Re:go home... (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re:go home... (Score:4, Insightful)
> for free. I just figured that all the crew up there were actually spending money on
> local labor, food, electricity and whatever else is needed to shoot a film.
And I wasn't aware that the US let their movies get shown in Canada for free either. The US hates being told what to do, and they ignore it every chance they get, for example, look at the US / Canada softwood lumber dispute. Each time, one of the governing bodies over the NAFTA agreement says the US has overstepped it's bounds on the tariffs being charged, they simply ignore the ruling and find a different body to say that the tariffs are perfectly fine. Yet, at the same time, they want to dictate how every other country around them runs things. Did the US consult with Mexico or Canada when they decided to change how daylight savings time works? Nope, not at all, they just said screw it and just did it. I'm not saying that the change is a bad thing, but the US is like the big kid on the block, do it my way or fcuk you. This DMCA crap is no different, and given the current quality of American movie productions, I'm perfectly fine if they decide to not show them in Canada, most of them suck anyway, especially given the cost of a ticket these days. Put out a sucky movie, charge a lower price for it, then maybe people will start going back to the theatres, but $10 per adult ticket + $10 for popcorn and a drink = WAY TO EXPENSIVE, especially when someone can wait 3 months, rent it for $5 and buy a 2L of Coke for about a $1.50
Parent
Re:go home... (Score:5, Insightful)
Perhaps not but there are a good few rolling wherever they are using fuel made from Canadian oil. So lets make a deal: you don't tell us what we can do with your movies and we won't tell you what you can do with our oil.
Parent
Money talks (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Money talks (Score:5, Insightful)
They are also a net importer [doe.gov] of oil from Canada. Maybe it's time to turn off the tap.
Parent
Re:Money talks (Score:4, Insightful)
You're missing the point big time. Yes, the US is a huge exporter of copyrighted materials, but Canada is a huge importer of copyrighted materials. The US could never afford to lose Canada as a customer, which means that they can't dictate shit about anything.
Money does indeed talk. This time it's speaking for the cool people.
Parent
Re:Money talks (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
Re:Money talks (Score:4, Insightful)
Yep, you're totally divorced from reality, since that was what everything they said was skewed to mislead people into believing. Or do you think it was just an accident that at one point over 50% of the American people thought Saddam was actively involved in 9/11. There certainly weren't any facts to back that up, so it had to come from somewhere. They were the only ones making that connection.
But, I do recall the reasoning behind the Iraq invasion being WMD suspicions (based on faulty data that most countries were operating on).
It's worse than that. It was intentionally falsified data. Most countries thought it was bullshit at the time that Colin Powell was lying through his teeth to the UN with his vial of anthrax.
Even then all reasonable people knew the whole thing was a scam, and they knew Powell was lying through his teeth.
Parent
I'm American (Score:5, Interesting)
Canada - please urge your politicians to tell our politicians to go f*** themselves.
Parent
Re:I'm American (Score:5, Informative)
But in nice language that they would actually read.
Oh, and the person to contact is David Emerson Contact Page [parl.gc.ca]
And remember kids, you can mail a letter FREE (no postage required) to the government if you want.
Parent
Critics are a better choice. (Score:5, Informative)
In Canada, we actually have a group whose job it is to criticize the actions of the ruling party. We call them "Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition". It is their job and duty to ensure that the ruling party doesn't get too far out of hand.
The Heritage Minister (for Copyright stuff, including CCRA fees) is The Honourable Beverley J. Oda. You know how we've got a minority government and a multi-party system? Well, poor ol' Bev has no less than THREE people watching and critiquing her every move.
Charlie Angus, NDP Heritage Critic
Ms Christina Keeper, Liberal Heritage Critic
M. Maka Kotto, Bloc Heritage Critic
You may want to let those critics know that:
1. You're concerned about the recent lobbying around Bev,
2. You feel that the critics should be ever watchful about how American interests are attempting to take over Canada's sovereign rights and heritage.
3. Having American companies dictate when Canadians can use their equipment or listen to Canadian music is unconscionable.
M. Kotto will likely set Bev on fire. Just make sure you write in French.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
May I be so presumptuous? (Score:5, Insightful)
Please, leave us alone. We can run our own country just fine without you.
Re:May I be so presumptuous? (Score:5, Funny)
Please help us, we can't run our country!
Parent
Re:May I be so presumptuous? (Score:5, Insightful)
It should read:
"Fuck off and run your own god damned country, you fucking hosers, ehh."
Parent
Re: (Score:3)
Re:May I be so presumptuous? (Score:5, Funny)
No, it should have been said in both official languages: "Fuck off! / Va te faire foutre!"
Parent
Re:May I be so presumptuous? (Score:5, Funny)
"Fuck off! / Tabarnak ton camp, criss d'asti de chien sale, man!"
Parent
Re:May I be so presumptuous? (Score:5, Informative)
"There's a lot of pirating that goes on, a lot of counterfeiting of movies and songs" and "it really does cost the Canadian economy a huge amount every year, estimated to be from some 10 to 30 billion (dollars) per year,"
30 million Canadians
$30 Billion per year
$1000 per Canadian
Seems a little excessive!
Also to claim that it is costing the Canadian economy is actually the opposite of the truth. If Canadians were spending that much and the money was going towards US companies, then the amount of money exported would increase and the value of the Canadian dollar would drop.
While if the money is spent on Canadian based items, or investments, it actually benefots the Canadian economy more than anything else.
Scary thing is that Stevie the Cowboy will likely agree to this...
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Yes, you may (Score:3, Insightful)
But, by the same token, I would ask Senator Feinstein to PLEASE FUCK RIGHT OFF. I didn't serve on jury duty in your goddamned state, so don't ask our Prime Minister to do your dirty work for you.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Quebec is like the sexy girlfriend that you keep because she's so much fun and makes you look good, but she's always acting like a bitch and threatening to leave you so you'll keep giving her presents, basically.
Screw You... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Just once?
That's the nature of (most) organized societies. Power to us at the expense of them.
It's annoying, but it's the nature of power and today's US government is
Blame Canada (a Canadian's perspective) (Score:4, Interesting)
Canada already has somewhat reasonable laws on copyright (there's room for improvement, but there are countries that are far worse). As I remarked on michaelgeist's website on this matter before, all we really need to do is toughen up on our laws regarding recording copyrighted performances at a theatre or other public venue. Canada has an excellent "personal and private use" exemption to copyright infringement that I would hate to see disappear, but people who falsely represent themselves as qualifying for that exemption only to later go and start distributing the work to other people really need to be nailed. Of course, by the time they've left the theatre, it's too late... enforcement becomes impossible unless you stop them from recording it in the first place, and the theatres really need to have the support of the law on the matter.
Right now all they do when they catch people is delete the recording and then kick the person out. The police won't do anything right now since technically "no law is actually being broken".
C'mon Canada! Toughen up!
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:3)
I don't want to have to waste my money paying for your incarceration or tolerate any other negative social side-effects of your life being ruined over something as trivial as today's top 40 hits.
Hmmmmmm (Score:5, Insightful)
As a Canadian and a copywrite holder I say, you do what you like there, and we'll do what we like here. It's your country, have fun! But this is our country and we'll do as we damn well please.
We have more pressing problems. Social problems, economic and political problems. Copywrite? We've got bigger fish to fry.
Odd that the U.S. senators got it backwards (Score:4, Interesting)
The US Ambassador is a TROLL (Score:5, Insightful)
David Wilkins.. (Score:5, Insightful)
Hmm.. surely he has the same attitude towards internal Canadian matters, right? Otherwise, he'd just be hypocritical. Right? Oh, wait..
Re:David Wilkins.. (Score:5, Interesting)
What we objected to is the US grabbing an innocent Canadian citizen on a stopover in New York and spiriting him away to Syria where he was imprisoned, kept in solitary confinement and tortured.
If we'd done that to a US citizen I'd probably be speaking American right now!
Parent
Everyone sing along now... (Score:5, Funny)
I'd post the rest of the lyrics, but they're copyrighted.
If you live in California... (Score:4, Informative)
http://feinstein.senate.gov/email.html [senate.gov]
Thanks, USA, this will help keep things the same! (Score:5, Insightful)
The thing about your World Stage move from friend to bully is that nobody will take you seriously any more, not unless you pull out your big stick. For 'friends' this stick has always been your deep pockets, but thanks to your recent choices in leadership has been whittled away.
Before Bush: $1 US = $1.68 CDN. Today: $1 US = $1.16 CDN (and its been as low as $1.10).
Not such a big stick anymore...top that off with your rough foriegn policy and the increasing ease of global commerce, and suddenly we don't really care so much anymore when you get mad at us.
And, to be clear, dear Americans, this isn't "the politicians" talking, this is America talking...you vote for them, you let them run your country, they are your voice as surely and purely as anything you say yourselves. Only citizens of a dictatorship get to cry innocent.
Sooner or later you guys are going to have to take back what your elected weasels have taken from you. Until then, come on up North, we'll watch some downloaded movies, smoke some fine Cuban cigars, do some online gambling, throw rice at a couple of ladies getting married and freeze our asses off (hey, it's still Canada).
D'you think they're protesting too much? (Score:3)
"It's not some effort to protect some high-paid Hollywood star or studio."
Really? Further along in TFA, it says quite plainly (with emphasis mine):
"The film and music industry lobby asked Schwab to add Canada to a "priority watch list" of countries that have failed to stem piracy."
Of course it's to protect "some high-paid Hollywood star or studio."
To my Canadian friends: Resist, resist, resist. Feinstein's the biggest MPAA/RIAA whore in our Congress. I've written (okay, typed for e-mail; maybe that's the problem) this idiot more times than I can possibly remember to protest her backing of various obnoxious things (broadcast flag, PERFORM Act, etc.) to no avail.
while the US ignores NAFTA on softwoods, cement (Score:4, Informative)
Despite WTO and NAFTA decisions supporting Canada (which the US ignored in typically arrogant fashion) It took 10 years to create a new softwoods trade pact to stop excessive tarrifs on Canadian softwood imports to the US:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/trade/eicb/softwood/
You can probably thanks Georgia-Pacific and their ilk for that.....
The US also chose to ignore NAFTA (which they themselves pushed upon Mexico and Canada as benefitting all of NA) is order to keep Mexican cement out of the US (until they didn't have enough local product due to post-Katrina reconstruction)
http://www.thebta.org/news/newsreleases/12162005.
http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stor
Canada has had some interesting ideas regarding copyright and fair use which should not be trampled by the copyright holders who seek to enslave the elements of popular culture. USians make the mistake of seeing Canada as a miniUS, but from what I have seen is that their society has a lot of Liberal European ideas about individual rights which the US would be wise to consider if they were'nt ponied up to the trough of the copyright cartels..
-I'm just sayin'
Re:That Ambassador Sure has a pretty mouth (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
And how. (Score:3, Informative)
It's Dianne Feinstein --- proof that everyone in California is either on drugs or insane. What did you expect?
Personally I think the problem has mostly to do (aside from general human stupidity-in-groups) with how Congressional committee chairmanships are handed out, based on seniority. That's what lets some of the complete numbskulls, like Feinstein, and her equally-obnoxious colleague on the other side of the aisle, Ted Stephens, rema
Re:While I can understand Canadians taking offense (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes, that's exactally what it is. (Of course, you expected to get flamed!). Do you not recall the Slashdot story, where the claim that movies are generally pirated in Canada was false? The RIAA's own information contradicts that assertion:
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/05/1
So, this is the RIAA, using it's bought and paid for Senators to try to influence politics in another country. Guess how much US Senators like Canadian politicians giving them advice? (Like 'don't go to Iraq'). About the same as we like US 'Ambassadors' telling us what we should do in our own country.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re:While I can understand Canadians taking offense (Score:4, Insightful)
So they think that preventing Canadians from paying to see the movies in a theater will encourage them not to download those movies instead?
Oh, sorry, I forgot we're talking about movie studio logic here.
Parent
Re:While I can understand Canadians taking offense (Score:4, Insightful)
Thursday, January 25, 2007 As much as 50 per cent of the world's pirated movies come from Canada, prompting the film industry to threaten to delay the release of new titles in this country. (someone note the bolded words, I could write as little as 0 % and not change the meaning of the sentence, why? Because it's a weak garbage sentence that implies far more then it supports.)
The link that you posted was a little more bald in it's assertions, but not really that different. Try reading this link to the Toronto Star [thestar.com] to see where reasonable minds dispute the "facts" presented by the American Media Companies.
Parent
Re:While I can understand Canadians taking offense (Score:3, Insightful)
The article you are quoting says
So combine
1) the initial reports claiming 50% of movies were camcorded in Canada with
2) the threat of delayed movie releases in Canada and
3) demands for Americanized copyright protections in Canada
And you get a perfect example of bullying.
Re:Canada's response (Score:5, Informative)
The problem is that the response wont be. Steven Harper has a reputation for being a lap-dog of the US/UK.
The only way to stop Canadian copyright laws being perverted is by taking action [digital-copyright.ca]. Send letters to your MP, if this becomes a bill in Parliament then see if there's a peaceful protest you can attend. Make the government clearly realise that voters do not want a Canadian DMCA and that current copyright laws (particularly the clauses for 'fair use' this threatens) are good enough.
There is no compelling reason to have a Canadian DMCA. Harper has been deterred from ditching Kyoto [www.cbc.ca], he can be deterred from this too.
Parent
Re:Wow... (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:Stephen Harper is Bush's boy toy... (Score:4, Funny)
Harper's tie...
Parent