MPAA's Dodd Secretly Lobbied For a Canadian DMCA

An anonymous reader writes "The Canadian government is expected to pass copyright reform next week. The bill's anti-circumvention rules are a mirror image of the DMCA, leading many to conclude that the government simply caved to U.S. led lobbying pressure. Now Michael Geist provides the evidence — a secret series of unreported meetings between MPAA head Christopher Dodd and Canada's foreign minister, heritage minister, and a senior industry official, just weeks after the bill was introduced and days before SOPA landed in the U.S."

FROSTY P!ZZ

[Anonymous Coward]

This guy is a douschebarg

They didn't cave, they where happy to help

[doconnor]

"the government simply caved to U.S. led lobbying pressure"

It's not like the Conservatives where in any way reluctant to do exactly what large US corporations wanted.

Criminal

[soundguy]

There's no possible way a guy this scummy was even remotely honest during his time in the senate. Everything he ever did there should be investigated for possible corruption and racketeering. If he EVER had an ounce of integrity, I'm sure he sold it to the highest bidder at the earliest opportunity.

WTF Canada?

[Das Auge]

I thought you were better than this. You have the best privacy laws in the world.

I hope they find a way to stop it. It's not too late is it?

Disclosure: I'm American and have been jealous of Canada's privacy laws for years. Now I just feel sad for them.

Not worth all the trouble

[cvtan]

Is it really necessary to go through all this to prevent people from stealing songs worth $.99? Surely prevention of bank robbery or sketchy investing is more important. Nearly any crime you can think of is more important! There are so many things that are screwed up and people get worked up about this? Sigh.

Strange

[JWW]

I always find it interesting how moralizing and condescending the MPAA can be to citizens of so many countries, then they turn around and provide products, which in their minds we "must buy" that glamorize and criminals and gangsters.

I really believe there ought to be a law that bans movie studios from making movies about violating the law.

Actually, no I don't believe that. But I be willing to trade a promise from the studios that they can continue to make movies about criminals ONLY IF THEY STOP LOBBYING FOR LAWS THAT MAKE EVERYONE A CRIMINAL!!!

Re:WTF Canada?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, I'm a Canadian and very proud of the priviledges I enjoy. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am, and think that the freedoms I enjoy apply to many other free countries around the world. When I read slash, usually I'm shaking my head on rights abuses in China, the USA or the UK. Not this time!

Sadly, all it takes is one bad government to steamroll legislation through and shut down all opposition. Just when I think our politicians can't get any worse, it does.

Our current government is so uncanadian, but I fear few Canadians have the ability to stop this insanity. Foreign corporations own most of Canada, and it seems most Canadians are too nice to stand up and make sacrifices to stop this insanity.
Most that I have met have fallen to the "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" trap, and have sold their souls out of ignorance or despair.

Re:Seems weird that they can call it copyright ref

[fluffythedestroyer]

Ironically we still do (currently) have a copyright law...if you can call it that. One thing comes to mind, if it works, don't touch it.

Re:What?!

[whisper_jeff]

It's like he was doing his job or something. Who the hell does that?!

Certainly not Canadian politicians who are supposed to represent the will of the Canadian people rather than sell the country out to foreign corporate interests...

Re:They didn't cave, they where happy to help

[Phrogman]

Give our Canadian politicians - particularly the Conservatives, but obviously including the Liberals in the past - they give good results when properly paid for their services.
You are right though, its merely in imitation of the US model for effective (Corporate) Government :(

Re:Not worth all the trouble

[Shagg]

Is it really necessary to go through all this to prevent people from stealing songs worth $.99?

No, but that's not what the RIAA/MPAA are really worried about. Their model is based on the power that being a distribution monopoly gives them. It is necessary to them to go through all of this to prevent any threat/competition to that monopoly, such as P2P.

Re:Not worth all the trouble

[poetmatt]

No. This is what you do when you want to *go out of* business, not the other way around. The harm these bills have to every nation that passes them is exponentially greater than any amount than any individual recording/music industry stands to gain.

Re:They didn't cave, they where happy to help

[Ironhandx]

The difference is the Liberals choose where they get their bribes from rather more wisely than the conservatives. The liberals would bargain away less and get more out of it for themselves, these conservatives are giving away canadian rights hand over fist and seem to be getting very little in return so far.