Maka Kotto: same old same old
p2pnet.net news view:- A few people noticed the questions from Maka Kotto (right) during Question Period. Gordon Duggan of the Appropriation Art coalition wrote the following letter, and received a “familiar” response.
Dear Mr Kotto
It is with great disappointment that I learned of your reckless comments in the house yesterday. Your position appears to be based on statistics from a campaign by the American film industry to support their own interests. These statistics are highly questionable and are akin to using tobacco industry statistics on cancer. The rush by politicians to fall into line with the desires of American industry is shocking to say the least disappointing. A better solution would be to find independent statistics to confirm or denounce those put forth by the MPAA. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative did not feel that the MPAA statistics were reliable enough to upgrade Canada’s rating why do the Bloc? Camcorder piracy is a crime but the problem is not a copyright issue but one of counterfeit . The danger is, as always, the collateral damage of new legislation, if it is illegal to record with camcorders in theatres it is a very small step to make it illegal to record with a camcorder everywhere or if it is illegal to record with a camcorder is it also illegal to record with an ipod or other device.
Even more perplexing is that you, in one sentence condemn Canadian copyright for being out of date and then call for the ratification of treaties signed before digital media was even an issue.
The protection of Canadian culture should be the primary concern of the government and when “Canada’s New Government” fail to do so Canadians look to the Opposition Critics to step up in defense of Canadian culture. This is the second call in as many months for the rights of average citizens to be be suppressed to suit international corporations, bill C36 being the other. Canadian copyright will not benefit from simply doing what the Americans demand Canadian copyright reform might do better looking at what the UK are doing as a more sensible approach
Attached are some links and papers which you should look at.
Sincerely
Gordon Duggan
http://www.artsnews.ca/Essays/Essay-May07.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6592133.stm
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/ gowers_review_intellectual_property/gowersreview_index.cfm (space added to allow wrapping)
And the reply (Look familiar?)
Bonjour,
Prenez note que notre objectif n’est pas d’américaniser l’industrie, mais bien de découvrir où va ce gouvernement qui n’a pas peur de prendre des positions très en faveur des intérêts de notre voisin du Sud.
Marc Thivierge
Adjoint parlementaire
Russell McOrmond – p2pnet contributing editor
[McOrmond is an independent author (software and non-software) who uses modern business models and licensing (Free/Libre and Open Source Software, Creative Commons). He's also the CLUE policy coordinator.]
[Editor's note: Google's translation of Marc Thivierge's response makes about as much sense as the original French-Canadian version, to wit: "Take note which our objective is not américaniser industry, but to discover well where this government goes which is not afraid to very take positions in favour of the interests of our neighbor of the South."]
“I hope people in Québéc are reading this, and wondering why a party that wants sovereignty from Canada seems intent on encouraging the Conservatives to giving away cultural sovereignty to the US?” – adds McOrmond.
Also See:
Maka Kotto – Media blitz on camcording, May 11, 2007
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May 21st, 2007 at 8:00 am
This is simply because the Canadian government is committing treason against Canadian citizens. The U.S. government is committing treason against American citizens, and the Mexican government is committing treason against Mexican citizens. The goal of all three governments is to destroy the sovereignty of all three countries and to enslave the citizens of the same.
The people of each country has it own culture, values, and beliefs. It is too bad that the governments of all three ignore the people and work for the interest of all different kinds of cartels. The mainstream politicians of all three must be ruthlessly opposed.
May 21st, 2007 at 8:06 am
This is simply because the Canadian government is committing treason against Canadian citizens. The U.S. government is committing treason against American citizens, and the Mexican government is committing treason against Mexican citizens. The goal of all three governments is to destroy the sovereignty of all three countries and to enslave the citizens of the same.
The people of each country has it own culture, values, and beliefs. It is too bad that the governments of all three ignore the people and work for the interest of all different kinds of cartels. The mainstream politicians of all three must be ruthlessly opposed.