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Lobby Groups Launch Full Assault For Canadian DMCA

An anonymous reader writes "Bill C-61, the previous attempt at a Canadian DMCA, may have failed, but it is clear that the music, movie, and business software industries are engaged in putting massive pressure on the Canadian government to bring it back. Lobbying records show several meetings each week with Government Ministers for CRIA, CMPDA, and Microsoft over the past month. Meanwhile, the CRIA is preparing a grassroots campaign in support of new copyright laws, even claiming that the current rules are costing jobs to truck drivers delivering CDs and DVDs."

14 of 135 comments (clear)

  1. Jobs by Wellington+Grey · · Score: 4, Insightful

    even claiming that the current rules are costing jobs to truck drivers delivering CDs and DVDs.

    You know what costs jobs? Technological change -- it's a good thing.

    1. Re:Jobs by Naturalis+Philosopho · · Score: 5, Funny

      Technological change is most definitely not a good thing. Those stinking truck drivers and their trucks have ruined my career as a stage coach driver!

  2. You are a bit late. by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 4, Informative

    A number of popular names have started doing that already. Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, and lots more.

    1. Re:You are a bit late. by Wacky_Wookie · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Yes, I know, and I think it is a step in the right direction. The thing is that Radiohead, N.I.N. and co. all went through the "system" first. I can't wait till a significant portion of the worlds popular artists have NEVER had a major label contract. Labels may never die completely, but they will be left with the Britney Spears and Jonas Brothers markets only, and even then they really won't care about music sales, as all the profit in that market is merchandise anyway.

      A membership based record store would be interesting, kind of like the old Colombia House mail order thing, put a physical store. Charge a flat-rate for membership, then have the music for sale at 75% off. If you made it so everyone got one free CD a month, I bet a lot of people would pick up a few albums just 'cus they were in the store anyway to get their "Free" CD.

  3. Re:Truck Drivers? by palegray.net · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I woke up this morning and ate a piece of toast. Five people simultaneously died in Japan. Eating toast kills Japanese people.

    In all seriousness, technology marches on. The number of folks earning a living building horse drawn carriages dropped off sharply with the advent of mass-produced automobiles.

  4. Re:If truck drivers are losing their jobs.... by timmarhy · · Score: 5, Insightful
    the levy system most certainly doesn't work. you end up paying for something you don't want. I, for example don't ever wish to purchase a top 40 cd. but due to the levy system if i purchased a blank cd in canada my money would be funneled directly to the very people i don't want it to even through i've never downloaded anything that belongs to them.

    yes, perfect system indeed.

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  5. Re:I say lets cut off their content... by what+about · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But thanks to copyright extended to more than a life after the artist death, RIAA will enjoy money anyway.

    However, I think that the only way to wake up the "common person" to the current abuse of copyright by RIAA is for RIAA to be even more abusive.
    History tell us that only after tyrants have done truly outrageus act then the people will stand up, not earlier (unfortunately).

    Enjoy your music :-)

  6. Here's an idea... by symbolic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Stop funding them. More and more artists are starting to see the light - that even if they give away their new albums online, and make their money via live concerts, they will *still* make more than they are through these usurious contracts they have with Big Media, Inc.

    If people would just stop buying RIAA-produced crap (and stop stealing it!), the problem would eventually solve itself. It's no secret that they'll need to be dragged kicking and screaming back to this thing we all know as 'reality,' but it's gotta happen sooner or later. Right now we're just prolonging the agony for everyone.

  7. Great for the Environment by skreeech · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Fewer trucks on the road and fewer CDs being smelted cannot possibly be a bad thing in the big picture. Not a big impact but would positive contribution if it was not BS trying to pass a law.

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  8. Re:I say lets cut off their content... by sumdumass · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually, it's not the media companies.

    The problem is that the last two WIPO treaties require DMCA style laws. Pretty much any country that doesn't implement those will end up being passed over in other crap that the international community does. It will hurt trade and cause financial issues.

    The American DMCA provisions are more or less taken straight from the requirements of the WIPO Copyright Treaty or WTC and the WPPT or WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty with the exception of penalties and a few extremes. Canada signed onto both of the treaties on 12/22/1997. Focusing on the media companies will only result in disappointed losses in the fight. You need to get the government (your local government as well as other country's governments) to change the treaties and international obligations to them to reflect the will of your people.

    You or I or anyone can complain about Disney or Warner bros or whatever. They are as powerful as they are in this fight because they are attempting to get the governments of countries to make good on treaties that almost all countries in the world have signed an obligation to. It's the reason that the pirate bay just got into trouble, it's the reason why their laws are being changed and why charges were being brought against a group of people on the behalf of people and corporations that most likely don't even have offices in the country.

    Sure, keep believing media corps are evil. I'm not asking you or anyone else to embrace them. I'm asking people to actually pay attention to where this crap is coming from so that we don't dick around with seemingly related issues that end up being a dead end. The treaties need to be adjusted-changes-destroyed-whatever before this threat goes away. When I can say Canada or any other country has to pass a law because a treaty they signed obligated them to, no matter how much it looks like I am the bad guy, I'm more or less only reminding those countries of their obligations.

    It would be fun to form a mass co-op type business, pool everyone's cash and buy up as many band contracts as possible just to keep them off the major labels.

    While it would be fun, that's all it would be "for fun". Or at least until the right crap was changed out. Even if "big media" had no clients, they could/would still push for the treaties to be implemented.

  9. Re:Truck Drivers? by mwvdlee · · Score: 4, Funny

    Thank god no Americans died because of your toast, or you'd be a terrorist!

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  10. Broken window fallacy by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Funny

    even claiming that the current rules are costing jobs to truck drivers delivering CDs and DVDs."

          This is a fun game!

          I will see your "jobless CD and DVD delivering truck drivers", and raise you one "dependence on foreign oil funds terrorism". So see, distributing digital material online actually reduces global terrorism and is thus a "goof thing"! Your move.

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  11. Re:Truck Drivers? by Silvrmane · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm from Saskatchewan, Canada, and there is no way we would believe the trucker's woes are caused by a drop in CD and DVD sales. We all know it's the atheists, causing a decreased demand for bibles. Simple when you think about it.

  12. Re:Truck Drivers? by lytfyre · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm from Saskatchewan, Canada, and somehow we have the only ISP in Canada not thoroughly devoted to screwing the customer. Who would have thought that a government owned telecom would actually end up LESS scummy than the commercial alternatives?