p2pnet news view | P2P | Politics:- “No Member of Parliament who has accepted financial contributions or other benefits from (i) a copyright lobby group, (ii) its corporate members, or (iii) senior executives as well as (iv) a copyright collective shall serve as Minister of Canadian Heritage or as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, nor sit on any legislative committee (parliamentary or standing committees) conducting hearings or deliberations on copyright matters.”

That was the copyright pledge Michael Geist asked politicians to make in 2006.

Canadians are now only six days away from learning who’ll run the country with a world-wide economic meltdown gathering strength, and Geist has another pledge for the nation’s leaders.

It reads »»»

Will you commit to a balanced approach to copyright reform that reflects the views of all Canadians by pledging:

1.    To respect the rights of creators and consumers.

2.    Not to support any copyright bill that undermines or weakens the Copyright Act’s users rights.

3.    To fully consult with Canadians before introducing any copyright reform bill and to conduct inclusive, national hearings on any tabled bill.

In French:

Vous engagerez-vous dans une approche équilibrée de la réforme sur le droit d’auteur qui reflète les opinions de tous les Canadiens et Canadiennes en promettant:

1. de respecter les droits des créateurs et des consommateurs

2. de ne pas supporter tout projet de loi sur le droit d’auteur détruisant ou diminuant les droits des utilisateurs face à la Loi sur le droit d’auteur

3. De consulter pleinement les Canadiens et Canadiennes avant d’introduire toute réforme sur le droit d’auteur et de tenir des audiences nationales inclusives sur tout projet de loi proposé.

Significantly, not one member of George W. Harper’s party has yet put his or her name on the dotted line, although that’s hardly surprising considering his party will once again launch his version of America’s odious DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) if he’s re-elected.

With that in mind, Harper has a pledge of his own, to wit »»»

A re-elected Conservative Government led by Stephen Harper will reintroduce federal copyright legislation that strikes the appropriate balance among the rights of musicians, artists, programmers and other creators and brings Canada’s intellectual property protection in line with that of other industrialized countries, but also protects consumers who want to access copyright works for their personal use.  We will also introduce tougher laws on counterfeiting and piracy and give our customs and law enforcement services the resources to enforce them.  This will protect consumers from phoney and sometimes dangerous products that are passed off as reliable brand-name goods.

Of course, the only entities to be protected would be the mainly US corporations backing Harper’s government now and, if he’s re-elected, in the future, to the detriment of Canadians everywhere.

Meanwhile, the Green Party as a whole agreed to the pledge and a list of individual MPs who’ve signed up is below.

Is your MP among them? If not, why not? Ask him or her.

Charlie Angus, New Democrat MP, Timmins-James Bay, ON
Olivia Chow, New Democrat MP, Trinity-Spadina, ON
Libby Davies, New Democrat MP, Vancouver East, BC
Michael Byers, New Democrat Candidate, Vancouver Centre, BC
Anne Lagacé Dowson, New Democrat Candidate, Westmount, QC
Phil Brown, New Democrat Candidate, Nepean-Carleton, ON
John Chan, New Democrat Candidate, Calgary Centre-North, AB
Tyler Kinch, New Democrat Candidate, Calgary Centre, AB
Ken Boshcoff, Liberal MP, Thunder Bay-Rainy River, ON
Paul Szabo. Liberal MP, Mississauga South, ON
Gord Zeilstra, Liberal candidate, Cambridge, ON
Calvin Johnston, Liberal candidate, Palliser, SK
Arlene MacFarlane-VanderBeek, Liberal candidate, Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, ON
Heather Carter, Liberal candidate, Niagara West – Glanbrook, ON
Suzanne van Bommel, Liberal candidate, Elgin-Middlesex-London, ON
Jamie McGarvey, Liberal candidate, Parry Sound-Muskoka, ON
Carolyn Scott, Liberal candidate, Sackville Eastern Shore
Sharon L. Howe, Liberal candidate, Crowfoot, AB
Marcelle Marion, Liberal candidate, Winnipeg North, MB
David Orchard, Liberal candidate, Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River, SK
Frank Valeriote, Liberal candidate, Guelph, ON
Greg McClinchey, Liberal candidate, Huron-Bruce, ON
Ted Klassen, Liberal candidate, Portage-Lisgar, MB
Bill Siksay, New Democrat MP, Burnaby-Douglas, BC
Dawn Black, New Democract MP, New Westminster–Coquitlam, BC
Irene Mathyssen, New Democrat MP, London-Fanshawe, ON
Peggy Nash, New Democrat MP, Parkdale High Park, ON
Wayne Marston, New Democrat MP, Hamilton East - Stoney Creek, ON
Jean Crowder, New Democrat MP, Nanaimo–Cowichan, BC
Denise Savoie, New Democrat MP, Victoria, BC
David Caplan, New Democrat candidate, Vancouver Quadra, BC
Vinay Dey, New Democrat candidate, Calgary East, AB
Dave Burkhart, New Democrat candidate, Edmonton-St. Albert, AB
Michael Charrois, New Democrat candidate, North Vancouver, BC
Stephen Moore, New Democrat candidate, Wascana, SK
Mike Avery, New Democrat candidate, Cardigan, PEI
Brian Morin, New Democrat candidate, Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River, SK
Catherine Bell, New Democrat candidate,Vancouver Island North, BC
Mohamed Alli, New Democrat candidate , Portage–Lisgar, MB
Mike Seaward, New Democrat candidate, Newmarket-Aurora, ON
Mike Sullivan, New Democrat candidate, York South-Weston, ON
Pierre Ducasse, New Democrat candidate, Hull-Aylmer, QC
Eric Gillespie, New Democrat candidate, Niagara Falls, ON
Sue McSheffrey, New Democrat candidate, Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke
Gabriel Biron, New Democrat candidate, Lévis–Bellechasse, QC
Doug Ottenbreit, New Democrat candidate, Yorkton–Melville, SK
Jash Puniya, New Democrat candidate, Bramalea-Gore-Malton, ON
Nicolas Thibodeau, New Democrat candidate, Mont-Royal, QC
Justin Chatwin, New Democrat candidate, Eglinton-Lawrence, ON
George Addison, New Democrat candidate, St. Catharines, ON
Darlene Jalbert, New Democrat candidate, Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, ON
Carol Hughes, New Democrat candidate, Algoma Manitoulin Kapuskasing, ON
Jo-Anne Boulding, New Democrat candidate, Parry Sound Muskoka, ON
Max Lombardi, New Democrat candidate, Cambridge, ON
Wess Dowsett. New Democrat candidate, Richmond Hill, ON
Ross Eadie, New Democrat candidate, Kildonan-St. Paul, MB
John Rafferty, New Democrat candidate, Thunder Bay Rainy River, ON
Jill McIllwraith, New Democrat candidate, Bruce-Grey, ON
Glen Pearson, Liberal MP, London North Centre, ON
Joyce Murray, Liberal MP, Vancouver Quadra, BC
Dana L. Miller, Liberal candidate, Delta-Richmond East, BC
Richard Pesik, Liberal candidate, Nanaimo-Alberni, BC
Patricia Zipchen, Liberal candidate, Saskatoon-Wanuskewin, SK
Tim Jones, Liberal candidate, Newmarket-Aurora, ON
Denis Sabourin, Liberal candidate, Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, ON
Judy Wasylycia-Leis, New Democrat MP, Winnipeg North, MB
Catherine Bell, New Democrat MP, Vancouver North, BC
Pat Martin, New Democrat MP, Winnipeg Centre, MB
Andy Bruziewicz, New Democrat candidate, Sarnia-Lambton, ON
Matt Turner, New Democrat candidate, Mississauga South, ON
Hijal De Sarker, New Democrat candidate, Ottawa South, ON
Ryan Dolby, New Democrat candidate, Elgin/Middlesex/London, ON
Rachel Heinrichs, New Democrat candidate, Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Peter Deslauriers, New Democrat candidate, NDG-Lachine, QC
Stuart Somerville, New Democrat candidate, Red Deer, AB
Chris Durrant, New Democrat candidate, Beausejour, QC
Alice Finnamore, New Democrat candidate, Tobique-Mactaquac, NB
Ray Martin, New Democrat candidate, Edmonton East, AB
Paul Arbour, New Democrat candidate, Carleton- Mississippi Mills, ON
Zoe Royer, New Democrat candidate, Port Moody - Westwood - Port Coquitlam, BC
Rob Moir, New Democrat candidate, Fundy Royal, NB
Brian Van Tilborg, New Democrat candidate, Brant, ON
Malcolm Allen, New Democrat candidate, Welland
Jennifer Burgis. New Democrat candidate, Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, BC
Ross Martin, New Democrat candidate, Provencher, MB
Daniel Breton, New Democrat candidate, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Ann Chambers, New Democrat candidate, Vancouver South, BC
Linda Duncan, New Democrat candidate, Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Stay tuned.

Jon Newton - p2pnet

Los Angeles Times - , October , 2008

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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 10:36 am and is filed under Politics, P2P. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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