I just complained to my MP through this convenient link:
After months of hesitation, Industry Minister Jim Prentice has finally revealed his re-write of Canada’s rules of copyright, Bill C-61. As expected, the bill contains major concessions to the American entertainment industry. Prentice’s bill forbids Canadians from engaging in ordinary practices such as ripping DVDs onto video iPods, unlocking digital phones for use with a competitor’s services, and paves the road for US-style consumer lawsuits for file-sharing. Tell your MP to represent you in the forthcoming copyright debate, and stop Prentice from steamrolling a bill that’s worse than America’s DMCA through Parliament without listening to Canadian voices.
Canada has been reasonably intelligent in the transition from analog to digital media. Until now.
Somehow the Canadian Conservative government has been bought off by the old big media. (Movie industry, record industry, etc.) Though almost anyone who looks at the issue objectively would tell Prentice his pandering to special corporate interests is bass ackwards, he’s still chugging ahead with this bad bill.
Canadians don’t want it.
Why is Prentice persisting?
I don’t know.
I wrote him personally and threatened to egg his garage if he doesn’t back down. As he did last Fall.
Read Michael Geist’s Blog if you want to know more about this issue.
Event: Jim Prentice – 2008 Stampede Breakfast
What: Rally
Host: Fair Copyright for Canada – Calgary Chapter
When: Saturday, July 5 at 8:50am
Where: Osteria de Medici parking lot
Rick McCharles 