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We pay a levee on all blank media which is handed over to the music industry

Actually, it doesn't even go to the recording industry yet, it goes to the CPCC, which has yet to redistribute the funds.

In Canada, everyone pays tax on CD-Rs and other media, no matter what they're used for, unless you're a church or blind. Soon this tax will be applied to any and all media.

I'm tired of being guilty until proven innocent.

Check out the CPCC site. They clearly indicate on their site that they will be distributing royalties in 2003 and that they have $28 million ready for distribution. The Copyright Board of Canada also states how the money should be distributed.

I think we need a copy of Rep. Boucher around. Up here in Canada, we already have a far too restrictive levy on blank media which benefits our equivalent of the RI/MPAA, and it's kind of a pain to be paying these folks so I can put my files on CD-R to send them to my project boss... grr...

We could also use a copy of Dennis Kucinich around, although (to me) an imperfect copy that would respect the law here in Canada that keeps religious ideology off people's reproductive organs would be better.

But you can't have everything, so the least I can do is hope some people grow spines in the near future.

On the other hand, had I US citizenship (they don't, for some reason, seem to listen to foreign nationals), I would be writing to all the appropriate people. I'm nevertheless concerned, because US policy seems to be a bellweather for trends here at home.

Forget about the cost of the player (which will always be around C$500). The proposed new tariffs in MP3 players will add $21,000 to the cost!

Fundamental mistake being made here by the CPCC: You can't base a fixed tariff on something that is as dynamic as Moore's law.

I agree... record stores (or CD stores, whatever you kids call 'em these days ;) ) will probably dry up in this scenario.

hmm. I cant believe over the past few years, I never thought about that part. It's interesting that I never considered that all the record stores will die along with it.

UNLESS they get smart. They should become types of "down the street" recording places for anyone who wants to make a CD (and mp3s)... and subsequently, a library of music for consumers. I think they have a chance if they arent dumb about the digital revolution like the RIAA is. (and could still be called "record stores" if you will. Except prounounced "record" as the verb, not the noun.. heh)

This whole thing is totally crazy. Dangit.. we have front row seats to the best years this world will ever see. The Digital Revolution. Are you having fun yet?

Producing CDs that lock up computers... in 2002? you have GOT to be kidding me. Launching lawsuits left right and centre? fire your lawyers and hire some 20-something pot-smoking audiophiles for crying out loud. They'll show you how to sell music.

Get the assholes that mass produce bootleg CDS and profit off them, OK... but leave our personal use alone dammit.

I won't be buying any CDs after Dec. 31. Because when I buy blank CDs to burn artists' songs onto myself, they are going to be getting 77 cents per CD I buy! Even if they're full of media or data I have created! As far as I'm concerned, I'm paying them. I've had it. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you can't feed youself playing your guitar, then you're in the wrong profession. Get a fscking job.

Just for the record... I've recently finished my econ major, and I've been doing some research/investigation in the past few months into the future of the RIAA for shits and giggles (I might turn it into a thesis I havent decided yet). They are going to experience a major market failure. I'm going to go ahead and be an assface and predict that within the next decade, they will go down. The question is, will they take the rest of the entertainment industry down with them?

As regards piracy, if you do live in Canada, it's quite likely that you haven't actually been pirating music. Canadian copyright law states that copying recorded works for personal use is not an infringement of copyright. It's not even frowned upon. It's totally legal to copy your friend's CDs and make MP3s out of them. It's probably legal to buy a CD, copy it, and return it, as long as the copying is done for personal use.

You want evidence? Check out the Canadian Private Copying Collective's FAQ. The CPCC is responsible for collecting (and I assume distributing) the levy. I also wrote an article about the whole debacle awhile ago. Its a little out of date now, but you can read it here.

Ahem... This organization exists to disperse funds collected due to alleged violations of intellectual property laws? How interesting and ironic, then.

The following e-mail was sent to several standard-ish e-mail addresses within the radioshack.ca domain. You know, legal@, sales@, webmaster@.

Dear Sirs,

It has come to my attention that your trademark, "You've Got Questions, We've Got Answers" is being used, presumably without your authorization, by a Canadian agency which was created to protect the intellectual property rights of others through dispersal of levies on media.

As I've come to associate "You've Got Questions, We've Got Answers" with my friendly and helpful local Radio Shack retailer, as a consumer, I find myself in a most distressing and confusing situation.

Your claim of trademark is available here:

http://www.radioshack.ca/eStore/content/legal.aspx ?language=en-CA

And the confusing use of your trademark is available on the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC)'s website, right here:

http://www.cpcc.ca/English/FAQ/faq.html

I would hope that you will take prompt measures to address this issue.

Thank you,

Lawrence Wade
Toronto, Canada

CPCC: I love you like a cold sore.

In the interests of providing a little more context, here's the slashdot history of the recordable media levy:

• 2001: Canadian Copyright Board Quadruples Levies on BlankMedia
• 2000: New Tax in Canada on Blank Recordable Media
• 2000: Canadian Recording Industry Wants CD Levy Raised
• 1999: Canadian CD Levy Announced
• 1999: Canada Taxing Blank CDs?
• 1998: Canada to imposing Taxes on Blank CDs?

I remember that even before the first levy was introduced, many retailers did some serious gouging with the price of their blank CDs. I'd expect the same behaviour with this increase.

As other people have pointed out, this is Canada, so the RIAA is not involved. Instead the levy is collected by an oganization called CPCC (Canadian Private Copying Collective) which is just a collections umbrella for SOCAN (who apparently feel that they know "what's right for music") and some similar organizations.

Holy crap! Excuse me for being a doubting thomas, but can you point to some evidence about the $0.21 tax on CD-R (Data - not audio). If your right about that, I think I might seek out a lawyer and try to sue the RIAA. I'm not kidding at all.

CPCC
150 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 403
Toronto, ON
M4P 1E8

The Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) has info on the blank media levy in Canada. Their FAQ lists the rates for various media. We pay for CD-R and CD-RW, NOT just "audio" media.

The Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) has info on the blank media levy in Canada. Their FAQ lists the rates for various media. We pay for CD-R and CD-RW, NOT just "audio" media.

Since everyone is quoting figures that they, in most case, fail to remember accurately, i'll post the link to the CPCC (Canadian Private Copying Collective) website, to a FAQ, which points out in big red letters what the real rates are.

http://www.cpcc.ca/English/FAQ/faq.html

If you don't want to follow the link, here are the correct figures (if you'll believe me)

Audio Cassettes (40 minutes or more in length): 29

CD-R or CD-RW: 21

CD-R Audio, CD-RW Audio or MiniDisc: 77

Hope that clarifies things.

I primarily use CD's for cheap, backup media - and now I'm forced to pay this levy under the assumption that I'm ripping someone off in the music industry. So now I burn audio CD's to my hearts content - guilt free. And this is completely legal in Canada.

From the CPCC's own FAQ:

What is "private copying"?

Making a copy of a sound recording for your personal use is called "private copying" or home taping. This is not an infringement of copyright. However, those copies cannot be sold, rented or distributed. Additionally, these copies cannot be used for a performance in public.

-ct

I primarily use CD's for cheap, backup media - and now I'm forced to pay this levy under the assumption that I'm ripping someone off in the music industry. So now I burn audio CD's to my hearts content - guilt free. And this is completely legal in Canada.

From the CPCC's own FAQ:

What is "private copying"?

Making a copy of a sound recording for your personal use is called "private copying" or home taping. This is not an infringement of copyright. However, those copies cannot be sold, rented or distributed. Additionally, these copies cannot be used for a performance in public.

-ct

I sure as hell have a problem with my tax money going to fund a useless damn government administration department for the administering tax

Guess what?
This money collected does not go to the government. It is administered by, and goes straight into the pockets of, a private corporation. The Canadian Private Copying Collective[1][2] Here's the same info in French. Read the open letter (below). It explains the situation a lot better than I can. Here's the gist of it. Essentially they feel that the collection of a tax (oops, levy[4]) by a private entity is illegal. A stance that I do not disagree with.

Current levy rates (2001):
http://www.sycorp.com/levyinfo.htm
In a nutshell, CDR and CDR-W are now taxed at $.21 it was $.052 in 1999.

A very good open letter protesting the tax from the Independent Canadian Recording Media Coalition.

1. Like how they call themselves a collective. You will be assimilated. Fargin arsholes.[3]
2. The about page. Note the names and industries the founders belong to.
3. Also like the way the music and advertsing industries are on the exempt list(at bottom of page).
4. Sheila Copps[5] "This is not a tax. It's a levy".
5. Stunned bitch politician that has done more to harm Canada than any other scumbag politician.

I sure as hell have a problem with my tax money going to fund a useless damn government administration department for the administering tax

Guess what?
This money collected does not go to the government. It is administered by, and goes straight into the pockets of, a private corporation. The Canadian Private Copying Collective[1][2] Here's the same info in French. Read the open letter (below). It explains the situation a lot better than I can. Here's the gist of it. Essentially they feel that the collection of a tax (oops, levy[4]) by a private entity is illegal. A stance that I do not disagree with.

Current levy rates (2001):
http://www.sycorp.com/levyinfo.htm
In a nutshell, CDR and CDR-W are now taxed at $.21 it was $.052 in 1999.

A very good open letter protesting the tax from the Independent Canadian Recording Media Coalition.

1. Like how they call themselves a collective. You will be assimilated. Fargin arsholes.[3]
2. The about page. Note the names and industries the founders belong to.
3. Also like the way the music and advertsing industries are on the exempt list(at bottom of page).
4. Sheila Copps[5] "This is not a tax. It's a levy".
5. Stunned bitch politician that has done more to harm Canada than any other scumbag politician.

I sure as hell have a problem with my tax money going to fund a useless damn government administration department for the administering tax

Guess what?
This money collected does not go to the government. It is administered by, and goes straight into the pockets of, a private corporation. The Canadian Private Copying Collective[1][2] Here's the same info in French. Read the open letter (below). It explains the situation a lot better than I can. Here's the gist of it. Essentially they feel that the collection of a tax (oops, levy[4]) by a private entity is illegal. A stance that I do not disagree with.

Current levy rates (2001):
http://www.sycorp.com/levyinfo.htm
In a nutshell, CDR and CDR-W are now taxed at $.21 it was $.052 in 1999.

A very good open letter protesting the tax from the Independent Canadian Recording Media Coalition.

1. Like how they call themselves a collective. You will be assimilated. Fargin arsholes.[3]
2. The about page. Note the names and industries the founders belong to.
3. Also like the way the music and advertsing industries are on the exempt list(at bottom of page).
4. Sheila Copps[5] "This is not a tax. It's a levy".
5. Stunned bitch politician that has done more to harm Canada than any other scumbag politician.

I sure as hell have a problem with my tax money going to fund a useless damn government administration department for the administering tax

Guess what?
This money collected does not go to the government. It is administered by, and goes straight into the pockets of, a private corporation. The Canadian Private Copying Collective[1][2] Here's the same info in French. Read the open letter (below). It explains the situation a lot better than I can. Here's the gist of it. Essentially they feel that the collection of a tax (oops, levy[4]) by a private entity is illegal. A stance that I do not disagree with.

Current levy rates (2001):
http://www.sycorp.com/levyinfo.htm
In a nutshell, CDR and CDR-W are now taxed at $.21 it was $.052 in 1999.

A very good open letter protesting the tax from the Independent Canadian Recording Media Coalition.

1. Like how they call themselves a collective. You will be assimilated. Fargin arsholes.[3]
2. The about page. Note the names and industries the founders belong to.
3. Also like the way the music and advertsing industries are on the exempt list(at bottom of page).
4. Sheila Copps[5] "This is not a tax. It's a levy".
5. Stunned bitch politician that has done more to harm Canada than any other scumbag politician.