It will be interesting to see what comes of this:
michaelgeist.ca for background and updates.
This is the American DMCA plain and simple. Nobody in the Canadian industries wanted, it was pressure from American lobbies that brought it to the table.
Note that this is the third minister tasked with this bill, and he’s already hesitates a bunch of times in introducing it. Now he has to hope people don’t notice it.
Fat chance.
As the abuse coordinator for a large internet hosting company I really hope this does not go through. The number of DMCA complaints we get is ridiculous if we actually had to comply we’d be overwhelmed.
So its clear we do not condone piracy, spam or illegal activity of any kind on our network.
Well, it makes ripping CDs to your iPod illegal. It makes unlocking a cellphone illegal. It makes ripping a DVD to your iPod illegal.
And not just a copyright violation, but a criminal offense. You’ll have a criminal record.
Funny, in many countries it’s illegal to LOCK a cellphone to a carrier. And in my opinion, once you buy a CD or DVD you should be able to do whatever the heck you want to do with it.
Here’s where it gets funny: if you use a Mac or Linux machine to listen to many modern music CD, you’ll be a criminal. Since a lot of CDs now contain Windows-based auto-run “anti-copy” features, if you use them in a Mac or Linux machine, you’re technically circumventing an anti-copy feature and you’re guilty of a criminal offense.
Crazy.
I sure hope no Reform Party/Conservative guy comes to my door asking me for my vote.
They don’t need your vote who’s going to oppose it? the liberals? hah!
Weird. This means my wife is now a criminal. She has 600+ songs on her new ipod Nano. This stupidity is unbelievable. 
Go to Zellers and buy a DVD. Bring it home and put it in your Linux computer to watch it, Hitest. Instant criminal. You had to decrypt the DVD to play it. Circumventing encryption would be a criminal offence.
Guess who will oppose it.
How about the other part: $500 fine for downloading. $20,000 fine for uploading. And they don’t have to send the lawyers. Get pulled over and a cop notices a burnt CD in your player, it will be his job to bust you. It migh even become his duty to check your laptop for pirated software…
Hmm guess they’ll have to stop enforcing the rolling stops and speeding regulations to chase the real municipal monies now…
For what it’s worth I wrote a letter to the MP about this, something I’ve never done before. It probably won’t help much, but I did feel better for about 10 seconds.
Hope you didn’t burn it onto a disc for record keeping purposes, you’d have to turn yourself in, then again the trip wouldn’t be that far, I’m sure there’s somebody around you could turn yourself into … 
.
I wrote our MP as well. He’s already on record saying he wants a fair copyright law. He was poised to vote against C-60, the last attempt at “reform” of copyright.
What is ironic about all of this is how unnecessary it is. The online music, movie, and TV industry in Canada is doing just fine without this law. iTunes sells like mad, and you can buy and rent movies and TV shows online as well.
What is the problem that this law is supposed to be fixing? The Canadian record association (what’s it called?) has pretty much dissolved after 5 labels left it over this very issue. Why would you want to make criminals out of your best customers?
Even Industry Canada’s own studies have shown that people who download and share music online are more likely to buy music than others.
It’s like arresting people for listening to your music on the radio. That’s what some people don’t seem to understand – that p2p and online music sharing is this generation’s radio.
Well the whole idea of not being able to load your Ipod or like device with your own previously bought music is stupid and I look forward to the first time it heads to court to be overthrown (with it the minister who suggested that idea in the first place).
I can see chasing down the pirates and porn kings and such, but sheesh as you say chasing your own customers seems a tad strange, guess we could all stop buying music and movies, stop renting them, stop going to them (not going to happen but if we took say a two month vacation from entertainment products one wonders how long they’d come crawling back to us?)
Putting a limit on my ability to copy something I purchased is just moronic. In this digital age, how many devices does the average home have that can play media?
Desktops
Laptops
IPODs
Cellphones
USB Keys
The list goes on and on. I have at least 6 places I use the media I purchase.
So the CD levy we pay on blank CDs (to compensate for private copying of music) won’t go away, it will instead be extended to DVDs and other devices.
So you’ll be taxed for an activity that will become a criminal offense.
Nice.
Of course, the national media can’t comprehend how this minority government could possibly think this is a good law. There’s some speculation that this law is supposed to fail, so we can appease the American lobbyists that are sponsoring it. Again, this is the 3rd minister in this government to be tasked with introducing this law, and he’s hesitated a few times already (was supposed to be tabled before Christmas and then again in January).
I’ve stopped watching tv, going to movies and buying music simply because i do not support their bullshit. Fuck em, tv shows are nothing but 30 minute commercials, movies are loaded with ads and product placements.
I had a $3600 tv a year ago it ended up being an oversized computer monitor until I moved and I really dont miss it at all.
Copyright law is stupid. If I buy a CD/DVD I should be able to do what I want on my systems (I’m not sharing copyrighted material with anyone) without fear of reprisal from autocratic pinheads. Sigh… 
Well to watch it on your computer, you’ll have to decrypt the DVD. Run VLC and you’ll be a criminal. Decrypting will become a criminal offense.
Ever wonder why you can’t download VLC in the US? Why it is hosted in France?
Part of the new law will make owning decryption tools illegal.
But anyway, who says sharing copyrighted material is wrong anyway? Ever lend someone a book? Lend someone a CD?
I don’t know I thought sharing or copying copyrighted material was a bad thing…jeez…I shouldn’t post when I’ve downed a few malt beverages…hehe:-)