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p2pnet news view Politics | P2P:- Is the NDP Canada’s Copyright party? - wonders Digital-Copyright’s Russell McOrmond in p2pnet today, pointing out »»»
In many of the comments about Bill C-61 on BLOGS all across Canada you can hear people saying that all the parties are the same, and that we need a Canadian Pirate Party. The Pirate Party (Swedish: Piratpartiet) is a political party in Sweden that focus on one issue: reforming of so-called “Intellectual Property” laws such as patent, copyright, trademark and other related laws (also called PCT) to better integrate with a modern technological and participatory society.
There is, however, something exciting happening in one party that warrants a closer look for those who think fair copyright reform is important, and that is the NDP.
Says Michael Geist »»»
A little over a month has passed since Bill C-61 was introduced by Industry Minister Jim Prentice in the House of Commons. The bill generated considerable negative media attention and a remarkable outpouring of concern from tens of thousands of Canadians. We are now also seeing those concerns played out at a local level:
- At least two MPs have promised town hall meetings, including Sukh Dhaliwal, MP for Newton - North Delta, who has announced plans for a townhall meeting on July 30th.
- Local groups are meeting with MPs and the Minister. Several have established wikis to share information (Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver).
- Bill Siksay, the NDP MP for Burnaby-Douglas devotes the front page of his monthly household flyer to the bill (hat tip: Digital-Copyright.ca)
- IT World Canada runs an interview with Vancouver Centre NDP candidate Michael Byers, who is highly critical of C-61.
- Tom King, NDP candidate in the Guelph by-election, has already declared that copyright should be an issue.
- Local papers are covering the story and featuring regular letters to the editor such as this one from the Nanaimo News Bulletin that declares C-61 a “blatant sellout.”
While it is far too early to predict what this will mean, there should be no doubt that copyright is quickly emerging as a political issue that each political party ignores at its peril.
However, that won’t be a problem.
Thanks to the Net, the days when politicians could safely ignore issues and sneak industry friendly legislation into the books are fading, and fast.
For the first time in history, politicians are answerable directly to the people who elected them, not to Big Business.
That’s what’s making, and will continue to make, the difference.
.
.Stumble It!
p2pnet - Canada’s Copyright party is … the NDP?, July 16, 2008
Michael Geist - Bill C-61 Opposition Mounting in Local Ridings, July 15, 2008
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July 16th, 2008 at 8:02 am
The NDP seem to be the nly “Net Savvy” party and the only party sticking up for our digital rights.
I won’t equate them to the pirate party ecaxtly, but rather to the understanding of the digital needs Canadians are about to lose.
Their (NDP) eyes are open to the common people.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:40 am
They way its looking in Canada… The NPD is aiming to become the party of Internet Generation (for lack of a better term), and court the youth vote. Very very smart of them, since they are not really the party of the Environment like they used to be (back in the 80’s/90’s). I for one have never been a staunch NPD supporter but its looking more and more like if I want my what I feel is My Right to access whatever I want to on the internet to be respected that the NPD is the party to vote for if you want a party that will at least talk to Canadian about their Digital Rights and Net Neutrality.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:59 am
They talk a good game, but when push came to shove and they got elected in ontario they didn’t “do any better” than the other 2 groups iirc.
July 16th, 2008 at 11:24 am
The NDP will have to keep the pace to maintain the publics interest and maintain the thought of the NPD in the young persons mind.
They should have one of those “town meetings” in each prov and put the facts on the table and their approach to the facts. Maybe driving the issue in this type of meeting will drive home to the young and old alike what the other parties are not doing, which is trying to protect the common persons interest.