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Canada Encouraged US To Place It On Piracy List
An anonymous reader writes "Copyright, U.S. lobbying, and the stunning backroom Canadian response gets front
page news treatment today in Canada as the Toronto Star covers new revelations on copyright by Michael Geist (who offers a longer post with links to the cables)
from the U.S. cables released by WikiLeaks. The cables reveal that former Industry Minister Maxime Bernier raised the possibility of leaking the copyright bill to U.S. officials before it was to be tabled in the House of Commons, former Industry Minister Tony Clement's director of policy Zoe Addington encouraged the U.S. to pressure Canada by elevating it on a piracy watch list, Privy Council Office official Ailish Johnson disclosed the content of ministerial mandate letters, and former RCMP national coordinator for intellectual property crime Andris Zarins advised the U.S. that the government was working on a separate intellectual property enforcement bill."
Can't have people getting used to the truth now, can we ?
What a mess of adjectives.
I think it says: one Canuck politician tried to get his way in a Copyright legislation deal by using America as muscle.
Canada has a government body overseeing national toilets?
I know politics can get evil at time but seriously, WTF?
That's as close to treason as I can see to the tech industry.
Media Levies? Fine, thank you for protecting us from RIAA type tatics.
But then to turn around and sell out the entire COUNTRY to further your agenda? That's plain evil and I wish someone had the gonads to actually put people in jail over this.
Yo Grark
Canadian Bred with American Buttering
For those that don't know, we currently have had pretty far right leaning neo-conservative governments (still not as far right as the US tea party, but pretty bad).
They have been caught lying to parliament and making illegal backroom deals in the past, yet because the Liberals can't seem to field a leader who isn't a blithering idiot (Dion) or perceived as weak (Ignatief) our left of centre vote gets split between Liberals, NDP and Green (which combined makes up over 50%) and the right of centre vote goes all towards the Conservatives.
It just goes to show you, that first past the post doesn't work well...
None of this is any surprise to anyone who has been paying attention.
To paraphrase Douglas Adams, they are not above being sleazy in the same way that the ocean is not above the sky.
I think this sort of information should be forced to be disclosed legally.
How are people supposed to know who to blame for the mess of legislation if this sort of thing is done under wraps? I'm sure this guy wouldn't see another term in office if this sort of thing was known earlier.
I realise doing it in secret was the whole point of it, but these people should be held accountable, they are meant to represent the people, and the people need to know what they're doing.
and they typically 'leak' information for political reasons, for power and influence, for purposes of manipulation and propaganda.
that is why government prosecutions of 'leakers' are the ultimate hypocrisy. government itself is the biggest leaker of all.
These cable leaks will effectively neuter the Conservatives for the next four years, since their entire policy is based on sucking American cock.
Are you kidding me? There are three types of us; those who know what's going on and act on that knowledge (a.k.a. politicians), those who know what's going on and don't act on that knowledge (you and I), and the vast, vast majority that don't read about any of this and wouldn't understand or care if they did.
All the politicians need to do is keep smearing each other with "they tax you too much" and "they are killing our health care/education/whatever" and "he's a pedophile". Nobody brings real issues into campaigning because the majority of constituents don't understand real issues not because they're stupid but because they don't want to.
"Oh no... he found the
But thy only bust you if you're on the streets and seem to disapprove of any G#, or something like that.
This is just like how the Iraqis invited us to build an "embassy" larger than Vatican City. Come to think of it, Canada has a lot of oil, too.
I don't understand why people allow their governments to continue to crack down on piracy as if its some kind of major problem. Markets will adapt, and to give an example of one look at the gaming industry. Many people now get games through Steam because its convenient. You get it the minute the game comes out, and you get access to a bunch of other features, like automated updates, etc. It is impossible for them to pirate games on these platforms, and many publishers are coming up with similar system. Also, there are multiplayer capabilities in many games that require unique CD-keys, like Starcraft II, etc. Another example is Netflix and Hulu. They offer a streaming service whereby you get to watch what you want when you want to and don't bombard you with more advertisements than actual television. If Hollywood would just release new movies over some premium streaming service, no doubt they would cut down on bootlegging and piracy in general. It boggles my mind why everyone isn't in a complete uproar over this, as all of the measures governments take are inherently anti-consumer and only meant to benefit the corporations failing business models.
That brings me to an interesting point, / . is just "the ramblings of socially-inept, technology-literate news-mongers".
Piracy is legally sanctioned in Canada by the surcharge added to the price of digital media to compensate for its use in making unauthorized copies of copyrighted materials. If you're NOT pirating media in Canada, you're not getting all of what you've paid for.
"They also cite cabinet minister Maxime Bernier raising the possibility of showing U.S. officials a draft bill before tabling it in Parliament."
We as interested Canadian citizens are told by the responsible ministers over and over again through multiple revisions of this bill over a period of years that we have to wait until it is tabled to see what is in it, and now... we have the minister OFFERING to show US officials the draft bill beforehand?
I am appalled. When people talk about our current government not being entire enthusiastic about the parliamentary or democratic process, this is a fine example. The only thing keeping a DMCA-style law off the books was the fact that we had a minority parliament. Now it seems only a matter of time.
The head of Spain's RIAA has been found to have encouraged Spain to be included in the "Special 301" list, as well.
This is especially irritating, since it is that same organization who has used "Special 301" as an argument to pressure the government into modifying our laws to combat webs which offered links to warez. It is worth pointing out that those same webs have been found to be completely legal for years, since they don't actually host the copyrighted material.
It is just amazing that a country will bow and modify its laws just because it was included in a "piracy list". Especially if what they intend to change is rather ineffective and too vague. Any web which links to material without the original author's permission can be blocked, which will probably result in 1. no less piracy and 2. abuse of this new law by others.
I don't understand why they would block the webs that link and do not host the material, instead of blocking those that do host the material.
Well, actually I do. It is, of course, because P2P links would be impossible to block (users would need to be blocked) without resorting to a HADOPI-style law - which they don't like because it is considered too impopular.
American and Canadian political lobbists nudge and wink at the respective politicians with a guarantee that after they are done with the public they will be looked after.
This is the value of Wikileaks, without them we would never have known that this was taking place. These types of secret proceeding are inevitably filed under some national security interest classification where they remain hidden from the prying public eyes.
We need to get these lying festering sores out of office and replace them with folks who are at least up front with the public. We certainly don't want politicians who are solely looking after their own pocket, who treat us like their personal piggy bank. An honest politician is hard to find, granted, but they are not yet extinct despite the passing of Jack Layton, who I never really agree with. He was at least he was honest.
...what the hell all this stuff was doing in US diplomatic cables? A lot of it sounds like ordinary internal discussion that occurs while forming policy, but why was the US embassy in on it? Makes Canada look like the US puppet that the Bolsheviks always said it was.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
With any luck, some weightier opposition MPs will make sure that the Conservatives get to wear this when appropriate. I remember when the bill was last before parliament and one of the opposition parties tried to broaden the media levy. The government response was that it "wouldn't work", but now it looks like the real writer of the bill was Obama (countersigned by Disney), so there was no real hope for change.
This would have happened whether a "Conservative, right-wing" government was in or the Liberals. To understand, you need to read a 2008 story from the same watchdog, Michael Geist (to whom all Canada should be deeply indebted for tracking these issues for years):
http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/443867
The key phrase in the story is "Canadian officials arrived ready to talk about a series of economic concerns but were quickly rebuffed by their U.S. counterparts, who indicated that progress on other issues would depend upon action on the copyright file."
Americans are sometimes surprised to learn (Condi Rice was one, which was disappointing from a foreign-affairs scholar) that Canada is the US' largest trading partner, more bilateral trade than with your #2 (China) and your #4 (UK) combined, nearly as much as China+Japan (#3). So imagine how large a trading partner the US is for Canada - 80% of the total, last time I checked, that is, 4X as much trade as with all other partners combined.
When the US really wants to lean on Canada at trade discussions, their only difficulty is choosing which levers to pull: making trouble over standard inspections of meat and grains? Lumber? Re-investigating whether Canada subsidizes iron ore, holding up imports while doing so?
So you can find some profoundly anti-Canadian stances being taken by Canadian trade officials - until you see the larger picture and find they were arranging to charge all Canadians an extra $100/year for media content ($3 billion from 30 million people) to smooth the path for $6B in exports - of the $76B total, they only have to pick less than 10% to threaten.
I don't understand why people allow their governments to continue to crack down on piracy as if its some kind of major problem.
It is a problem to the corporate interests. No one else has pointed this out but can anyone see that we have corporate interests being politically promoted across borders? In other words, we have the governments of two sovereign doing their damnedest to represent the interests of moneyed corporations at the expense of their citizens.
Am I off base here and turning into some sort of pinko lefty?! Or is this what's happening?
Why is anyone paying any attention to this piracy list? Surely nobody's suggesting that the piracy level in Canada and Spain is anything like that in China or South Africa. Everyone realises that it's just there as a stick to try to bully these countries into capitulating to American demands.
But it's so obvious. Any politician who's remotely against American "cultural imperialism" is going to see it for what it is and actively work against the measures urged by the US. Surely the watch list does as much harm as good. There are much more subtle ways to get his message across.
Damn near every single Congressman gets a donation from the entertainment industry, usually in the 5 to 6 digit range. They like to say that campaign donations don't affect the legislative process, but it's very clear that they're firmly in the pockets of the industry. And they're obviously happy to throw their weight around and bully the rest of the world into passing laws to help their buddies.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
It had everything to do with the ends justify the means right wing politics of Harper.
Read the OP:
“In contrast to the messages from other Canadian officials, she said that if Canada is elevated to the Special 301 Priority Watch List (PWL), it would not hamper — and might even help — the (government of Canada's) ability to enact copyright legislation,” the cable says.
Days later, Canada was elevated on the piracy watch list.
Harper has been copying the republican play book throughout his term in politics. Manufacture a crisis that needs the response he wants anyway.
Things are bound to get more interesting with Harper in majority and not in a good way. This is the Prime Minister who loves preventing the public to find out what's going on in 'his' government and is apparently going to move a bill that allows spying on the public's Internet.
Two Face is alive and well. We need Batman.
The conservative government is clearly biting off something that Canadians are unwilling to chew. There is no "Tea Party" in Canada. Most people don't like Kevin Oleary style politics. Unbridled laissez faire economics (and markets) are like any machine with the governers, controls and safety options stripped off. People will get hurt. Canadians don't like that, and won't tolerate it. See the rapid adoption of the NDP in the last election? There could be an equally rapid adoption of Liberal policies (and basically the death of the Conservative party) if what many Canadians agree is draconian policies and kow-towing of the Conservative party to US commercial interests. This is serious! The conservative party was very happy to get a majority. It *WILL* be a one-term party if this goes through. This law will be repealed in less than 5 years, and Canadian copyright laws will be *more* liberal than they are *right now* in retaliation. Go ahead, double dog dare ya. Just place foot, aim and fire!
I don't understand why people allow their governments to continue to crack down on piracy as if its some kind of major problem.
Because it takes well-informed, focused, unanimous, organized action in order to even get the government to admit that there may be opposition to their actions?
But sure, after people get home from the acid mines with their morales shot, they should spend their free time focusing on all the really morale-sucking problems without reward. When they have done enough of this to be depressed, they should try and preach to the choir that is their friends, and influence the brick walls we call our politicians, who turn around and tell ghost stories about the pirates and the terrorists who take drugs.
The Canadian Tea Party needs your help now!
Click on the website and encourage other slashdotters to join.
http://saveie6.com/
With any luck, some weightier opposition MPs will make sure that the Conservatives get to wear this when appropriate. I remember when the bill was last before parliament and one of the opposition parties tried to broaden the media levy. The government response was that it "wouldn't work", but now it looks like the real writer of the bill was Obama (countersigned by Disney), so there was no real hope for change.
Sure. But my point is that when the opposition says "the Conservative government did this" and describes the issue, the majority of the voting populace will hear "the PCs did something you don't understand or care about." Meanwhile the PCs will be saying "the opposition wants everything in your wallet, and the wallet itself. They're evil and greedy and not at all like us."
"Oh no... he found the
If this is new information, I assume it stems from the recent full release of all documents.
So now you have to ask - just WHY was this redacted in the original set? This seems exactly like the kind of thing wikileaks is there to air. So why did they decide to hold this item back?
This is just further evidence that a third party has no businesses redacting anything. Any leaks group should act only as a conduit, not as a arbitrator who decides what stays secret.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I enjoy being on the watch list...... it makes me feel dangerous!
Oh, and I'm watching you Americans too..... you bitches.
Contact your Member of Parliament. Express your thoughts. They need to know we won't tolerate this.
http://www.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx
The Canadian Tea Party needs your help now!
LOL, those pathetic Yankee Tea-baggers are probably green with envy - perhaps so "envious" they'll puke.
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
AFAIK, that's exactly what Wikileaks was trying to do
Releasing it to other limited sources who would then redact is exactly the opposite of what I was saying should be done.
NO ONE outside the organization managing the information is qualified to say what should be redacted and what should not. In the end they are simply tools for groups furthering a political agenda with selected leaks.
As I stated this articles illustrates just how wrong that model was. Why was this information with end, when clearly no lives are endangered and it's exactly the kind of thing that should be called out.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
My country has been in the Priority 301 for a couple of years, and the fact that remains there means our government is not willing to bend and prosecute their own people to satisfy foreign interests.
The main reason is US pharmaceutical patents which we do not enforce. People's lives are above US corporations, period. And they can all leave for all we care; there is still a whole world willing to trade with us and many do so without "IP" restrictions (technology transfer) in many countries who "coincidently" appear in that list.
If a country is not in the list, it means their politicians are willing to prosecute their own people to defend foreign interests, acting like a subjugated colony of an imperialist state.
The US gov is quick to "qualify" others in issues like Human Rights, Trade, Drugs and Terrorism, but fail to apply the same measure against themselves, which would make them fail in all.
Also the US foreign policy is one of the dirtiest, as proven by cable leaks worldwide, they will never back down and continue to disrespect the international community: spy, bribe, incite countries worldwide to favor their interests (mostly commercial, to hell with freedom), as you will see they won't leave Libya to have Libyans manage their own resources in sovereignty; instead, they will pass "the invoice" and basically ransack the place until they revolt and again bomb the place to change leaders as they have done for decades in countries worldwide.
Without the soviet power to exert some counter balance, the US corporate machine simply acts like they own the world, accountable to no one, they continue to apply pressure to enforce THEIR (corporate) laws worldwide, disregarding whatever it is people think or care.
If your country is in this list, be proud. If not, be in shame.
Artix
Your Linux, your init.
These people are traitors to their country. They should be dealt with appropriately as such.
The Conservative government wants the USA to favor Canada when we come to sell our dirty energy. I call the energy dirty, considering the source and present and past environmental damages.
Once again, the conservatives only want short term solutions.
The conservatives are splitting the country into three, with Quebec Nationalists gaining strength.
I am seeing Canada going into difficult political times in the very near future. The copyright law is only one aspect of a dictatorship type of government.
Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
for as long as steam continues to exist
How many online WMA DRM music stores no longer continue to exist? Even Microsoft couldn't keep running its DRM servers forever.
+5 Informative
Lets hope Canadians vote these ass clowns into the pages of history and be done with them.
I prefer Beheading but we don't ever get the justice we deserve.
In Canada a good scandal can break a political party. The Liberals haven't had a real shot at forming the government for years because someone hired an ad agency he shouldn't have. Before that, the conservative party, which had a decade long grip on power was decimated by introducing an unpopular tax and some kickbacks from Airbus. They never recovered - the present conservative party is basically the Reform Party, renamed Alliance, renamed Conservative Party of Canada.