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U.S. Senators Pressure Canada on Canadian DMCA

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."

14 of 466 comments (clear)

  1. go home... by udowish · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sometimes I think the US should just leave the rest of the planet alone. Just because "they" think one thing, doesn't mean it is the case...

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    when in doubt press enter and we'll figure it out later..
    1. Re:go home... by Azarael · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Especially because often, when Canada brings it's own complaints to the US, the reponse is, 'other countries don't dictate our policy' or 'stay out of our business'. Let him waste his breath as far as I'm concerned, until he wants to address a legitimate issue.

    2. Re:go home... by cmat · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If Canada wants access to US movies and music then they have to play by our rules. You're also welcome to not shoot your movies up here in Canada to save money, thanks. It'll help us improve our independent movie industry.
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      -- Humans, because the hardware IS the software.
    3. Re:go home... by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The last time I checked there weren't any US tanks rolling through Canadian streets.

      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.

    4. Re:go home... by dargon · · Score: 4, Insightful

      > I wasn't aware that Canada lets all US movie studios come up there and shoot movies
      > 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

  2. May I be so presumptuous? by Kimos · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think I can speak for most Canadians when I say:
    Please, leave us alone. We can run our own country just fine without you.

    1. Re:May I be so presumptuous? by GeckoX · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You said it much nicer than I would have.

      It should read:

      "Fuck off and run your own god damned country, you fucking hosers, ehh."

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      No Comment.
  3. Screw You... by Spyder_Snyper · · Score: 4, Insightful

    WTF is this??? Once again, the American Senators think they can go about policing the world using blatantly wrong informtion that was provided by people who should not be providing information. I am sickened by the level of stupidity displayed by the US's lawmakers. These people are either voted into office (and we all know how unhackable the Diebold and other eVoting machines are), or are placed there by people who have other agendas. What agendas you ask? The lining of their pockets and subjugation of anyone who doesn't agree with them. I think this happened once before in the course of human history. If I remember correctly, I think this empire was called Rome. Or Roman. (And yes, I AM being exceedingly sarcastic at this time, since 0.001% of the US Senators will know what Rome was...) Thankfully, the Roman Empire collapsed on itself when a bunch of crazy people took control. But it started with just one. And right now, the US has a VERY crazy/insane/retarded President in charge. Perhaps this is the begining of the end...??? I sure hope so.

  4. Hmmmmmm by 6-tew · · 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.

  5. The US Ambassador is a TROLL by Fox_1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Every week he seems to make a few comments bashing Canada, usually at public events, and typically without any real justification. Some of these comments are patently false, or non-applicable to the Canadian reality, many of them are mean spirited and seem to be designed to damage the historically good relations between Canada and the US. The guy is single handedly responsible for 78% of the anti- american sentiment in Canada.

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    The rock, the vulture, and the chain
  6. David Wilkins.. by d_jedi · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Isn't this the same guy who said that Canada should butt out on Arar being on the no-fly list, because it is an internal US matter?

    Hmm.. surely he has the same attitude towards internal Canadian matters, right? Otherwise, he'd just be hypocritical. Right? Oh, wait..

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    I am the maverick of Slashdot
  7. Re:While I can understand Canadians taking offense by Dr+Caleb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "It seems to me (and I know I'll get flamed for this) that the US is only trying to protect its exports. This is not an example of bullying or trying to run the whole world."

    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=07/02/05/16 6216

    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.

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    "History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme." Mark Twain
  8. Thanks, USA, this will help keep things the same! by BemoanAndMoan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Never has it been more true than during this shining era of Bush Administration that the world at large has been inclined to take America's advice to change, to "jackboot themselves into line", as an indication they are doing something right. This will only make us Canadians way more likely to loosen, rather than tighten, legislation.

    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).

  9. Re:Money talks by multisync · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The US is a huge net exporter of copyrighted materials.


    They are also a net importer of oil from Canada. Maybe it's time to turn off the tap.
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    I don't care why you're posting AC