Canada Launches ACTA Bill

TrueSatan writes "In an utterly craven move, the Canadian government has launched a bill to bring Canada into full compliance with the discredited, U.S.-led ACTA agreement — an agreement to which most of the world does not agree. To further pressure the acceptance of this awful bill, the U.S., on the same day, released their Trade Policy and Agenda Annual Report (PDF), which calls on Canada to comply with ACTA obligations. For ACTA to take effect, it would require six signatures from the major economic blocks. Tt appears to have no remaining possibility of getting them, yet the U.S., and now Canada, continue to push it forward. The Canadian bill features claims based on spurious health and safety concerns that have been thoroughly debunked by a U.S. report. Despite these claims being so dubious, they remain a cornerstone of the Canadian bill. Similarly, the claimed losses due to counterfeiting ($30 billion USD) stated in the bill have also been debunked. The Canadian bill seeks to give border guards an unprecedented level of control, without the possibility of judicial oversight. Despite a lack of evidence to suggest that Canada is a major source of counterfeit product, the bill puts at risk the fully-legal parallel import of generic items — pharmaceuticals, for instance. The bill would also change copyright infringement from a civil dispute to a breach of criminal law. Pity Canada if this bill is enacted!"

Comments

I'm not sure I understand...

[Anonymous Coward]

Could the editors please present a less objective article because I'm not sure if I understand how I'm supposed to feel about the issue.

Thank you.

Soma Soma Soma

Propose != Launch

[TechieRefugee]

From my understanding of TFA, it's not official legislation yet. Honestly, I don't see this going through, so calm down, title!

Re:Propose != Launch

[Beerdood]

The conservatives didn't pass the last similar bill through, though they could have. They *could* pass any bill they like, but if there's enough public backlash they may decide against passing it. They do plan on winning seats in future elections, so they won't just pass anything unless it has a minimum threshold of public support.

Re:Propose != Launch

[The Sad Nazgul]

The Conservatives have a majority government in Canada. Unless a significant number of MPs break party ranks, which would be political suicide for those MPs, and vote against the bill it will pass. It is possible that the Senate will delay it until the current session of Parliament ends, but given the track record of the current Group of Senators that is unlikely. And even if they do show that much political courage and insight the Conservatives would probably just reintroduce the bill with a few token changes. Unless if there is a significant public outcry it is very likely that this bill will become law.

Re:Propose != Launch

[Anonymous Coward]

That's the problem with having a strong majority government. They can ram through just about anything with no resistance.

This is just another example of what a minority of citizens in Canada and the States worry about; governments running wild with unpublished agendas independent of political party and with no real concern about the majority of the population.

The old are lucky enough that they won't see the worst of it. The young have been indoctrinated into believing that this is exactly the way things should be. It's the generation in between that are going to suffer as their normal, freedom of choice, freedom from unwarranted surveillance, freedom from fear of unwarranted search seizure, of unwarranted indefinite detainment crumbles around them.

confirmation word: watchman

Re:Propose != Launch

[StillAnonymous]

Why is it that we have to fight shit like this on a seemingly CONSTANT basis? Seriously, they're dredging up oppressive legislation faster than it can be struck down. You can block a thousand of these things, but all it takes is for just one of these pieces of toilet paper to slip past the goalie and it's game over for public, it'll never go away. It seems just short of impossible to get rid of any bad law.

Re:Propose != Launch

[Dr. Evil]

I'm not sure they'll get the outcry.

They're couching the act as a consumer safety issue. They'll cite counterfeit child-seats for cars, Vic Toews will start rattling "you're with us, or you're with the child-killers".

Then the legitimate Conservative position is another layer to the whole thing. This makes big business happy, which means jobs for Canadians, and jobs make the economy tick, allowing everyone to buy the services which the government needs to withdraw from the mooching unemployed.

A bill like this could thin the border, free up trade, spur on new markets.

Finally, intellectual freedom isn't a tangible thing. Jobs are, and getting ripped off with a dangerous child seat, that's tangible too.

There's a logical consistency here. A complete disregard for the fact that corporations are impossible to control and will let people starve on the streets if they can save a buck by sending jobs to Brazil or India, but still, consistency.

There will be short term gains which provide political backing, enough that any conservative supporter doesn't need to worry about their constituency ousting them for supporting this bill.

Re:If you're not familiar with ACTA... masturbatio

[Carewolf]

It isn't bias if he is right. It may be unprofessional to call bad things bad names, but it doesn't make it biased or wrong, just unprofessional.

Re:If you're not familiar with ACTA... masturbatio

[drinkypoo]

I don't know about you, but I don't actually feel like anyone has jerked me off. It is clear how they want me to feel about it, which would be offensive in a newspaper but which I find completely acceptable in a blog. Slashdot is not and never has been a credible news outlet, because it is not a news outlet. It is a blogreggator. Yes, I made that word up to make you hate me.

Re:If you're not familiar with ACTA... masturbatio

[Impy the Impiuos Imp]

This site is turning into a meme instantiation mechanism apart from the normal substrate of human minds.

Re:Canada is run by a dictatorship

[drinkypoo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_federal_executive_orders#Consolidated_list_of_Presidents_and_Order_numbers