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MPAA's Dodd Secretly Lobbied For a Canadian DMCA

Posted by Soulskill on from the empire-must-feed dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Canadian government is expected to pass copyright reform next week. The bill's anti-circumvention rules are a mirror image of the DMCA, leading many to conclude that the government simply caved to U.S. led lobbying pressure. Now Michael Geist provides the evidence — a secret series of unreported meetings between MPAA head Christopher Dodd and Canada's foreign minister, heritage minister, and a senior industry official, just weeks after the bill was introduced and days before SOPA landed in the U.S."

7 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. They didn't cave, they where happy to help by doconnor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "the government simply caved to U.S. led lobbying pressure"

    It's not like the Conservatives where in any way reluctant to do exactly what large US corporations wanted.

  2. Criminal by soundguy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There's no possible way a guy this scummy was even remotely honest during his time in the senate. Everything he ever did there should be investigated for possible corruption and racketeering. If he EVER had an ounce of integrity, I'm sure he sold it to the highest bidder at the earliest opportunity.

    --
    Nothing worthwhile ever happens before noon
  3. What?! by rgbrenner · · Score: 5, Funny

    What?! Dodd, as head of an organization than wants a DMCA law in Canada, lobbied the Canadians for a DMCA law? You don't say

    I've never heard of such a ridiculous thing... It's like he was doing his job or something. Who the hell does that?!

    1. Re:What?! by whisper_jeff · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's like he was doing his job or something. Who the hell does that?!

      Certainly not Canadian politicians who are supposed to represent the will of the Canadian people rather than sell the country out to foreign corporate interests...

  4. Strange by JWW · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I always find it interesting how moralizing and condescending the MPAA can be to citizens of so many countries, then they turn around and provide products, which in their minds we "must buy" that glamorize and criminals and gangsters.

    I really believe there ought to be a law that bans movie studios from making movies about violating the law.

    Actually, no I don't believe that. But I be willing to trade a promise from the studios that they can continue to make movies about criminals ONLY IF THEY STOP LOBBYING FOR LAWS THAT MAKE EVERYONE A CRIMINAL!!!

  5. Re:WTF Canada? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yes, I'm a Canadian and very proud of the priviledges I enjoy. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am, and think that the freedoms I enjoy apply to many other free countries around the world. When I read slash, usually I'm shaking my head on rights abuses in China, the USA or the UK. Not this time!

    Sadly, all it takes is one bad government to steamroll legislation through and shut down all opposition. Just when I think our politicians can't get any worse, it does.

    Our current government is so uncanadian, but I fear few Canadians have the ability to stop this insanity. Foreign corporations own most of Canada, and it seems most Canadians are too nice to stand up and make sacrifices to stop this insanity.
    Most that I have met have fallen to the "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" trap, and have sold their souls out of ignorance or despair.

  6. Re:WTF Canada? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I thought you were better than this. You have the best privacy laws in the world.

    I hope they find a way to stop it. It's not too late is it?

    Disclosure: I'm American and have been jealous of Canada's privacy laws for years. Now I just feel sad for them.

    The problem was that Harper was given a majority government (becaues the Liberals self-imploded).

    Now he's shown his hidden agenda - he's no more a conservative than a corporatist hell-bent on throwing Canadians under a bus as long as it makes some corporation a profit. (See oil pipelines, see omnibus budget bill that is probably very little about budget and more about amending environmental laws to shove a pipeline through BC), etc. And of course, nice laws to make sure that environmental groups are heavily audited for "foreign funds" (despite lobby groups taking of said out-of-country money as a good thing).

    Of course, it started before when he renamed the Government of Canada to "Harper Government", and the way he's been doing stuff, really "Harper Dictatorship" - Harper's way or the highway. (Note to self: Start Googlebomb for Harper that autocompletes to that.)

    Hell, supposedly he's brainwashed his MPs as well - there was one who wanted to vote against the budget (and said there were probably a dozen more Conservative MPs who felt the same way) and got a stern talking to as "Independents never get their way".

    Of course, given Harper's majority is a slim one, if there really were that many people wanting out, becoming independent would make them the most powerful people in the House as Harper would have a minority government.

    Harper wants it done, and he'll get his way. And he really wants the copyright law, ACTA, SOPA, DMCA, because he's been convinced it's Good for the Economy(tm) and Jobs(tm) because the US says so. I expect the privacy laws to go next because they're getting in the way of doing business. And he must be right because Canada is doing better economically than the US and Europe, and thus his leadership is superior.

    Sad fact is politics in Canada has positioned him to be basically the leader for the rest of his life - the Liberals are gone, the NDP has its own issues.