Comments on: Google on Canadian Net regulation debate

By: M. Bartok

M. Bartok — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:15:25 +0000

Just another dinosaur government agency that looks to find something for it’s self to do by creating and promoting yet another irritation, red tape, regulation and censorship to further impare the freedoms of Canadians to be able to see and participate in the world as it is and on top of that charge an extra tax to Canadian citizens through their ISPs, than provide a poorer regulated, censored service to the Canadian internet consumer!

They keep telling us that we are in a democracy, however I believe that as long as we allow outdated, money wasting agencies like the CRTC to operate I assure you we will continue to lose freedoms and quality of life in this country! It is supposed to be Government run by the people for the people!
Presently it is Government that claims to have been elected in one way or the other, even as coalition if they fail to win an election and whoever becomes our Government seems to believe Governing Canadians now is done by a system of facist dictating!
All these types of annoyances are coming forward at a time when our economy is falling through the tank adding still more aggrevation to Canadian citizens!

How dare such a defunct and useless agency as the CRTC start whining for more control of the internet and higher taxes for the use of the internet! The CRTC must be related to Stephane Dion? Both being tax wielding dinosaurs!

I say as Canadian citizens we should demand who ever is the elected Government of Canada to abolish the CRTC, they are not working in the interests of the majority of Canadians therfore they are unworthy of tax payers money that is provided for their operation!

Canadians need to stand up for themselves and demand Government and Government agencies to do the bidding of the people who voted them in and when these elected officials do not do the will of the people, but rather look after some lobbying corporation or cowtail to some decrepit Government agency, come next election that Government should be severelyvoted out of power!

By: Dao

Dao — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 11:47:52 +0000

The internet is suppose to be “global” not national. The CRTC should think before making decisions. I do watch Canadian content online, but some of the shows been cancelled. So what am I suppose to watch then? I don’t have cable, I refuse to pay to watch tv.
We already have enough taxes as it is. GST, PST and income tax. Now you want to tax ISPs. Heck why don’t you guys just take our pay checks and we’ll be your slaves, that is what it is coming to these days.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:38:28 +0000

OH Canada Glorious and ????

After all the crap we citizens of this country have dealt with lately, I’ll let “you all” decide upon an appropriate 4 letter word that completes this line….

Pissed on the left coast.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:10:06 +0000

Good afternoon,
Our company is a Canadian Internet Service Provider. Considered an ISP. We do not provide line services, (internet access) but provide the services our clients use once they have access to the net. With larger groups like Telus, Shaw, Rogers and many US companies competing with us for market share, a new levy would only serve to hurt the smaller service providers while giving an advantage to the larger ones. As we do not provide line access, how would this levy apply to website hosting companies and development groups? Clearly this new levy has not been thought out properly or has lumped all companies that transact on the internet as one group.

As our company (A Canadian company) provides a valuable service to Canadian companies and pays for our own bandwidth, would a new levy not serve to reduce that availability to Canadian companies? Or is this simply an attempt to give the larger participants an even greater market share by squeezing out the smaller ISP? I would think that rather than simply taxing the industry as a whole, providing a fair and equal access to the Canadian public would be paramount to ensuring Canadian content was not lost in 'netspace'. We have all seen the abysmal failure that the CBC has become, how about we leave Canadian content on the internet an opportunity for success.

Thanks for reading.
..Adam

By: Priceless

Priceless — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:47:47 +0000

http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/3565/125/

It’s all about censorship and ripping off Canadians

Priceless comment from “Tavakoli , Aaron” on the CRTC page above:

— quote —

Censorship/control/regulation of content on the internet in Canada would ultimately isolate and create a false barrier around Canadians internet experience. The internet was designed to be a global experience, independant and protected from content regulation and governmental influence.

More importantly, unlike TV, internet Bandwidth is NOT the property of the government, to sell and divide up amongst broadcasters, internet bandwidth is the property of the people who access it. While it costs $millions to setup and establish a TV channel, it costs next to nothing to establish content on the internet, therefore, there is no need to regulate content providers, as everyone has equal billing to publish and represent their own ideas/language/culture.

The CRTC has absolutely no right or duristriction to interfere with the internet or internet access for Canadians, infact you already overstep your boundaries with the ridiculous regulations you impose to censor and block TV broadcasting, creating false economies for companies in Canada to overcharge and ripoff canadians, under the pretense of ensuring Canadian content, which is pathetic, and recieves no audience.

— / quote —

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:52:09 +0000

so…..instead of using http://www.google.CA (Canada)

I will use http://www.google.COM (the rest of the world)

By: David

David — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:49:40 +0000

The CRTC is trying to tell us it is in OUR best interest to do this because of the impact this ânew mediaâ has on the Canadian broadcasting system???

They want to regulate the content that is available to us on the internet âto ensure that Canadian content has a presence in the virtual world where citizens have access to an impressive range of content offered by more than 185 million sites,â

You know what? LET US DECIDE!

What better way to control the people than by restricting the information they can get. Did we all go to sleep and wake up in a communist country?? What is going on here?

By: Shaun

Shaun — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:59:12 +0000

Typical Canadian government BS! Let’s tax the ISP’s which will in turn charge the consumer the tax. So again we are taxed. And hey lets be told what we can view for content on the internet. Why does the government feel the need to DICTATE to us what we can watch on TV or the internet. Why does it feel that we are moving backwards and not forward with media / technology. Once and for all get rid of the CRTC!

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:48:35 +0000

I’m not against a widespread media tax in Canada, directed at ISP’s at all. A 3% to 5% levy to make downloading legal would be the most logical step that the government could take. Other countries would follow suit, but wouldn’t it be worth it to erase the stigma of downloading? To end the endless litagation and harrassment by the movie and recording industry? It’s a way to legalize file sharing effectively and with a barely noticable cost. I would have to ask that the current levy on blank cd/dvd discs be erased in the process however, since that would be double-dipping. There is no reason why this can’t happen since it would shut them up once and for all.

Dave

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:59:53 +0000

What ever happened to freedom of speech….
regulation of the internet is very unethical….

who is to say what is acceptable to the public… if not the people… If it offends you… LOOK AWAY

Soon the CRTC will try to put regulations on what our mouths can say!

Last time I checked this was a free Country that I am proud of…
This will bring us one step closer to becoming China…

Regulate Everything and Shut your mouth if you don’t like it…. yea that’s a Canada I want to live in

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:06:45 +0000

I would say No and Yes.

At the same time legalize file sharing and enforce net neutrality.