I thought I'd share what I wrote to the Canadian Heritage Minister.
To: The Honourable Helene Chalifour Scherrer, Minister of Canadian Heritage
Greetings Honourable Minister,
I recently read with great dismay your new initiative to make file sharing of music over the internet illegal. I'm sorry to use such harsh language, but that is the stupidest idea ever. I understand your intent to protect Canadian music, after all that is the very purpose of your office, but what you are proposing will create thousands upon thousands of Canadian criminals overnight.
Your initiative is also something that criminologists call an "unenforceable law." There are potentially more than a million Canadians currently sharing music files on the internet, it would be utterly impossible for any law enforcement agency to ever enforce such a ridiculous and freedom stripping law.
Pierre Trudeau once said that the government has no business being in the bedrooms of the nation. I would take that sentiment further: The government has NO business or right to tell me what I can or cannot do with files that are on my computer.
Your suggested changes to the law would not help protect Canadian heritage or music in any way shape or form; it will simply ensure more profit for huge American record companies. Last time I checked, the name of the ministry you are the head of is "Ministry of Canadian Heritage" not "The Ministry of Protecting American Economic Interests in Canada."
If you persist in attempting to draft such a law I will campaign against you specifically, and your party in general with as much strength as I can muster. I'm quite certain that Prime Minister and Liberal Party Leader Paul Martin would not like the campaign slogan "Helene Chalifour Scherrer wants to put your children in prison" plastered everywhere during the upcoming election.
Slashdot Mirror
I thought I'd share what I wrote to the Canadian Heritage Minister.
To: The Honourable Helene Chalifour Scherrer, Minister of Canadian Heritage
Greetings Honourable Minister,
I recently read with great dismay your new initiative to make file sharing of music over the internet illegal. I'm sorry to use such harsh language, but that is the stupidest idea ever. I understand your intent to protect Canadian music, after all that is the very purpose of your office, but what you are proposing will create thousands upon thousands of Canadian criminals overnight.
Your initiative is also something that criminologists call an "unenforceable law." There are potentially more than a million Canadians currently sharing music files on the internet, it would be utterly impossible for any law enforcement agency to ever enforce such a ridiculous and freedom stripping law.
Pierre Trudeau once said that the government has no business being in the bedrooms of the nation. I would take that sentiment further: The government has NO business or right to tell me what I can or cannot do with files that are on my computer.
Your suggested changes to the law would not help protect Canadian heritage or music in any way shape or form; it will simply ensure more profit for huge American record companies. Last time I checked, the name of the ministry you are the head of is "Ministry of Canadian Heritage" not "The Ministry of Protecting American Economic Interests in Canada."
If you persist in attempting to draft such a law I will campaign against you specifically, and your party in general with as much strength as I can muster. I'm quite certain that Prime Minister and Liberal Party Leader Paul Martin would not like the campaign slogan "Helene Chalifour Scherrer wants to put your children in prison" plastered everywhere during the upcoming election.
Hoping you give this a sober second thought,
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