U.S. Senators Pressure Canada on Canadian DMCA 466
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."
Re:Screw You... (Score:2, Informative)
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...
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, remain in power: even people that can't stand them, still vote for them, because it would be damaging to their respective constituencies to lose their influence in key (read: "cash cow") committees.
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.
Re:go home... (Score:3, Informative)
If you live in California... (Score:4, Informative)
http://feinstein.senate.gov/email.html [senate.gov]
Re:Blame Canada (a Canadian's perspective) (Score:3, Informative)
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.
Re:Yes, you may (Score:3, Informative)
As for dealing with our legislative process, heck we've got a form for that too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Agents_Regis
Re:Canada has 2 choices concerning movie piracy: (Score:3, Informative)
It's meaningless, of course. The digital cat's out of the bag, and the protection schemes are busted almost as fast as they're made. It doesn't matter how many Congresspersons, Senators, Members of Parliament, Prime Ministers and bureaucrats prostitute themselves, the business model that the movie and music industries have used is going extinct.
Re:While I can understand Canadians taking offense (Score:1, Informative)
Sure [bbc.co.uk].
And I've also read that the population of elephants in Africa has tripled in the last 6 months.
Re:May I be so presumptuous? (Score:1, Informative)
Are you mad? Half of Hollywood is in Canada half the time.
Hollywood spends billions of actual* dollars producing TV shows and movies in Canada each year.
So they've already got world class labor, facilities and talent. If 'Hollywood' dried up, Canada is one of the few places on Earth perfectly suited to just keep on going.
*distinct from the hypothetical dollars 'lost' by 'piracy'.
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.
Re:Money talks (Score:2, Informative)
Where did you get 50% income tax? Even at the highest tax bracket, Ontario taxes are 40%. Other provinces do approach 50% but remember taxes are tiered -- tax rate from 0 - ~$35,000 is 28% (in Ontario). Even if you make a million, you only pay 28% on the first $35,000. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/individuals/faq/taxra tes-e.html [cra-arc.gc.ca]
We Canadians are the most heavily taxed of North America, but who are we compared to? The US (which is known for lower taxes) and MEXICO. Compare it to the world -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Canada [wikipedia.org] (yeah I know you can't really trust Wiki, but it should be ballpark).
Our gas is cheaper than in Europe. Healthcare is good, but long wait times unless it's life threatening. The US healthcare is shit, only if you have lots of money do you get good immediate healthcare. Don't even bother comparing education between the US and Canada! Sales tax is high, liquor tax is high, roads are crap. Overall we do pay more taxes, but we do have some benefits too.
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'
Don't forget Public Domain Day. (Score:3, Informative)