Recording Industry Still Has Canadian Politicians In Its Pocket

from the consumers-are-not-part-of-the-equation dept

Mon, Jun 12th 2006 11:06am — Mike Masnick

During the last Canadian election, there was plenty of attention paid to Sam Bulte, who was in line to head up some of the government's position on copyright laws and reform -- but who had a relationship that seemed a bit too close to the industry. Perhaps because of all of that attention, Bulte lost in the election, but the recording industry knows that politicians come and go, and there are always ways to get in the good graces of whoever is next. Michael Geist is now noting that just as the new cabinet was being sworn in, a representative of the recording industry was contacting the new folks in charge of copyright laws, trying to set up a private event, that involved having the government give the industry money to do one of its traditionally biased studies. Of course, as all of this was playing out, more and more Canadian musicians have been fighting back against the industry that claims to represent them, saying that the industry is damaging their relationship with the fans, as well as their own ability to embrace new technologies. So why is it that only one segment of the industry, and not the actual musicians or consumers, get to play a part in these private meetings designed to set the future of copyright laws?

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

20 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

duhblow7, 12 Jun 2006 @ 11:51am

to answer the question posed by this post...
$$
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Adam Bell (profile), 12 Jun 2006 @ 11:55am

Why? -- Simple
Canada is so afraid of losing its "culture", whatever that is, that the pols will always listen to something pitched that way. That, and as duhblow7 said: $$
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Blaise, 12 Jun 2006 @ 12:17pm

Canadian Music Creators Coalition
We did get a bit of an audience with the government:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060509/artists_copyright_060509 /20060509?hub=Entertainment
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Sean, 12 Jun 2006 @ 12:56pm

Being a Canadian Myself...
Me being a Canadian, I don't think it's because we want to 'lose' our 'culture'; it's because we don't want the bullshit RIAA trying to get into our country. We don't want your bullshit American crap in a country that kicks the shit out of the USA.

But as duhblow7 said, it's all about the $$
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- nick, 12 Jun 2006 @ 1:06pm
  
  Re: Being a Canadian Myself...
  You poor, silly, snow-back. Canada couldn't, wouldn't and shouldn't try kicking anyone's ass at anything. Go drive your sled dogs to the McIgloo's and get yourself some poutine.
  
  p.s. I'm a snow-back too you bigoted simpleton.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Sean, 12 Jun 2006 @ 4:46pm
    
    Re: Re: Being a Canadian Myself...
    Oh, Nick, I'm sorry all you American's can do is think of stereotypes. I'm really REALLY sorry that's the way you think. It makes me cry at night just to think about the USA. How about you go back to blowing the shit out of your neighbor because he's a black person, with your 50 odd guns each of you have. Cause we all know American's love to kill each other, and other countires.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Faceless Minion, 7 Jun 2007 @ 1:14pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Being a Canadian Myself...
      A question: why does not wanting to be like the USA make you more succeptible to having your politicians become corporate shills? Because that is what this post is about...
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Jeff, 12 Jun 2006 @ 1:29pm
  
  Re: Being a Canadian Myself...
  Canada kicks the $#!+ outta the USA? Uh-huh. I suppose that's why no store in the US will accept Canadian pennies as an alternative to US pennies?? Just because your pennies aren't as worthless as the Mexican peso doesn't mean you're the bigwigs on this continent.
  
  Or, in French, if you prefer, you backward-@$$ bilingual monstrosity of a nation:
  
  Le Canada donne un coup de pied le $# ! + outta l'USA ? Euh-huh. Je suppose que cela n'est pas pourquoi de magasin dans les Etats-Unis acceptera des sous canadiens comme une alternative aux sous d'Etats-Unis ? ? Juste parce que vos sous ne sont pas aussi sans valeur que le peso le mexicain pas moyens vous êtes les huiles sur ce continent.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Sean, 12 Jun 2006 @ 4:43pm
    
    Re: Re: Being a Canadian Myself...
    Hey Jeff, nice use of BabelFish :P
    
    And you know why they don't? Because the US is a bunch of republican bastards that don't think anyone else is as good as them, such as yourself. All you think about is YOURSELF and not those around you. And so you know, we're at 1 CAD = .90+ USD, and it just keeps going up. Soon enough, we'll be buying your sorry ass of a country for a buck and a quarter :D But even then, when that comes around, who will even want the USA?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Franssu, 12 Jun 2006 @ 5:02pm
    
    Re: Re: Being a Canadian Myself...
    Next time you try posting in french, don't use an automatic translator. The result is quite pathetic.
    
    About the anti-american post that started the flame war here, don't blame Canadians for that. They, as the rest of the world, used to love the US of A and what it used to stand for. Tings like freedom of thought, democracy, and so on.
    
    Now, you americans are unlucky enough to have a bunch of conservative assholes governing the country, and most of our big-a$$ companies are hell bent on trying to impose their view of "fair trade", that is forcing people to buy their shit, all over the world. The secret meetings between unentertaining business and representatives of the Canadian govt is another example.
    
    Make a little cleaning-up of all this shit and the world will love you.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- SomeGUY, 12 Jun 2006 @ 1:33pm
  
  Re: Being a Canadian Myself...
  Why trash the US, commenting on an article that has nothing to do with the US? Even though the US and Canada are very close culturally (compared to any other two countries you can think of), some Canadians seem to have a real chip on their shoulder in regard to the USA. Why is that?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Smokey, 12 Jun 2006 @ 2:18pm

Truly Canadian
It had been a loooong time since I had been in Canada before returning 2 years ago and spent about 2 1/2 months there alomg the border where the differnces are most glaring between the 2 countries. It was obvious right away that Canada is clearly suffering from a lack of culture and is in a "culture-criisis" to say the least after having let every one of your main drags and shopping centers be completly loaded with American stores and resteraunts. In an act of desperation, Canadians are quick to throw up their version of Home Depot right next to every new Home Depot that gets builgt and then plasters "Truly Canadian" all over the shopping carts and store signs and light poles in an effort to guilt trip Canadians into shopping at their version of Home Depot rather than the Home Depot that was there all along that they had no problem with until one day they looked down the street and saw nothing but American companies and resteraunts and went into instant "culture-crisis" mode. Clearly, Canada woke up one day to the sudden realization that Canada lacks any real culture, noteable history or originality, with the main reason being that they are burger patty that is conveniently nestled between the two burger buns of Alasks and the rest of the US and nothing original really comes out of Canada because 9 times out of 10, the US has already done it. So now Canada is freaking out at their utter lack of originality after letting the majority of their market place, radio, TV be fashioned by the good ole USA. So it is laughable looking at these US backlash, panic-stricken parking lots with "Truly Canadian" plastered all over them . In fact Canada started boycotting McDonalds until every burger sold in Canada was made from Canadian ranchers and not meat from the US. So you want to talk about Canadians kicking the shit out of America....?? The best you got was those 2 downhill racers from the Olympics that was years ago and an entire industry being created for making little plastic signs that say "Trully Canadian" on them to plaster everywhere in the parking lot of a Canadian version of a US store, literally right next door that sells the exact same items......just more expensive at the Canadian store. Oh and I'll give you Allanis Morisette, she was an original contribution from Canada, but you can have Bryan Adams back because the US has really had enough of his shlock top last a lifetime. So I am sorry if you Canadians woke up one morning and realized that Canada has existed all these years and has nothing to show for it other than inheriting the metric system, where the word "Acres" isn't good enough.....so the metric system allows you to add a couple consanants and make it "Hectares"....which I guess lends itself to Canada being original...?? Sorry Europe is all over the metric thing too, so sorry....Canada once again falls into the utterly unoriginal, history lacking, uninspiring melting pot where "Dudly Doo-Right" is a stand out originality when it comes to the US pondering Canadian contributions to the world as a whole. So wake up dude.....why don't you yourself do something original for Canada that we will all remember as actually being unique and from Canada, because you most certainly kick nobodies ass at anything.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Smokey, 12 Jun 2006 @ 2:39pm

Re: Being a Canadian Myself... by nick
Oh...and to Nick. I'll gove you full credit for being a stand-out original Canadian because I laughed my ass off at the "Snow-Back" comment. I think the US as a whole loves Canada for what it has to offer and feels no need to kick their ass over anything. And we looove that cool accent. In fact I chose to jump to my death in Canada doing my first bungee jump (Sorry, the US was stupid enough to dream up this one too...) from an insanely stupid height and figured what the F***, Canada is a cool place to go out of the damn bungee breaks. I mean don't your history books reflect a little humbleness for being parked right next to the Schwarzennager of world leadership and overall brute power.....otherwise known as the US. I mean if Canada was located in the eastern block or middle east, then maybe I could understand you feeling a need to kick our ass, but apparantly being kept safe all these years in the shadow of US has generated the same resentment towards us...? Eh...? As far as the actual article goes that we are supposed to be commenting on, I certainly don't wish upon Canada the same BS, utterly stupider, blind and defensive way which dominates our entertainment industry and controls our radio airwaves..... Why would I wish that stupidity on Canada...? Why not actively provide feedback to your reprentatives to not buy into all the fancy dinners and back-handed money that goes around to try and keep your music industry free of the BS style of the US.......rather than tell us you are going to "kick our ass". But if indeed, Canada does fall into the same money-for-favors political BS between your entertainment industry and your politicians, we can aklways add another verse to that classic South Park song that is just irresistable loveable....."Blame Canada".
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Meat, 12 Jun 2006 @ 2:48pm

What About...
What about Rush, Triumph, and Hockey. My 2 cents.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 12 Jun 2006 @ 3:54pm
  
  Re: What About...
  Basketball, Curling, National healthcare.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 12 Jun 2006 @ 3:56pm
  
  Re: What About...
  You can take your Home Depot and we'll take back RIM (Blackberry)... see how well you do without them.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Laughing, 12 Jun 2006 @ 7:03pm

This is WAY off Topic....
This has gone way off topic... so why don't I add something to it. I agree, America has lost it's way, looking at what the founding fathers fought for and how their dream has fallen is very sad indeed, giving up freedom for the illusion of safety, letting and lobby-backed corp. make any law they seem fit, Idiotic population that is more interested in the Jolie-Pitt rug-rat than in what actually is happening around them... Technology and society are bringing down the gene-pool...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Charodon, 12 Jun 2006 @ 11:03pm

OMG -- the lobbyists bought them LUNCH!
Next thing you know, they'll be showering Canadian MPs with free snow globes. What legislator could resist passing new copyright laws in return for a free cheeseburger and some kitsch?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Smokey, 14 Jun 2006 @ 9:48am

Laarrfing.......
Wow.....total buzzkill. I am in utter agreement that Bush is a maggott and we often do have to choose between the best of the worst in the political arena, but I don't know how you could be so confident in trashing the USA. How about we drop kick Canada into the eastern block or the middle east and have you fend for yourselves instead of never having to defend yourselves or stand up for anything and still thrive as we have. You guys are so drunk from sucking on the big protective tit of America all these years. You actually think you have something to do with how safe your country is...? The US may not be perfect, but anything that you think you are better at is in total credit to the US for allowing you to be lazy enough to convince yourself of such nonsense. It's because you are safe next to the USA that you even have enough time on your hands to sit and ponder why you think the US sucks. If we suck so much, then how comw your shopping centers and resteraunts are like 80% American and you stand in line to see American movies and American bands. If it wasn't for the metric system and French-Canadians, you could probably just call yourselves Northern-Texas and nobody would even know they crossed a border at all from the landscape of the American marketplace that dominates your cities. Take your Blackberry and go park Canada in the eastern block then see what a difference it makes in your country not having the luxery of sucking the USA's tit and havinig to stick up for yourselves.....we'll keep Napolean Dynamite and term limits. But if you guys make pot legal, I may consider moving there....kik.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- vaudevillian, 13 Jul 2008 @ 7:04am
  
  Re: Laarrfing.......
  Seriously? What do we need protection from?
  
  We dont have terrorists trying to blow us up. I can tell you one reason, we mind our business and listen to what the UN council says. We keep our nose out where it does not belong.
  
  To let you know we probably have about a million east indians living in our country already. None of them seem to want to hurt us.
  
  When wars are led for greed and profit, of course countrys will hate the USA. But it is not the fault of the people. Just the companys that reside in the USA. Big Business ruins everything apperantly.
  
  To tell you the truth about your eastern block statement. We as Canadians live in a social democracy. Which offers us things like health care.
  
  I honestly think this whole flame war between Canada and the US started was when bush got elected the second time and people were defending his actions. Declaring war on any country should be a condemd action with no support. Did Iraq attack the US? Did Irag have WMD? No and No.
  
  When your leaders dont piss anyone off in the world you tend not to have to worry about some one stabbing you in the back.
  
  But right now Canadians are feeling the same burdian with our corrupted polititions. We are now facing the same sitiation as you americans have. But well we turn a blind eye? Has our populace become overwelmed with the simple things in life? Is the popular media going to do its job and report? I dont watch tv so I dont know the scoop since most of the media in mainstream only reports on issues that do not affect their interests, just like their american counter parts. But I do Like Lou Dobbs. He is a great man that stands up for his brothers and sisters. You also have the most amazing company in the world in you borders "Google" who also stands up for peoples rights.
  
  Lets quit flaming each other, we should be focusing our attentions on the culprits that have caused so much strife to each of our nations people. Crooked politicians and big business with only their pockets in mind.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]