Canada Takes ACTA Secrecy To New Levels

from the this-isn't-a-treaty,-it's-protectionism dept

Tue, Jul 29th 2008 9:04pm — Mike Masnick

We've covered the disturbing levels of secrecy surrounding the ACTA treaty -- which is basically a way for various industries to push through new copyright laws without having to actually go through the legislative process. The most annoying part is how secretive various governments have been in crafting the treaty -- basically allowing various industry groups to tell government trade representatives what they want, and then letting the governments negotiate amongst each other. This process leaves out many parties impacted by these rules (and the public!). Michael Geist has some details on how Canada has taken this process to new levels of secrecy beyond even that in the US.

Apparently, the Canadian government has created an "insider" group to work with the government on the treaty. What's disturbing is that this insider group seems to involve mostly lobbyists who have a one-sided take on this issue. Not included are any lobbyists from industries who are opposed to ACTA or any sort of representative of consumer rights or privacy issues (which is a big concern, considering that ACTA may allow border searches of laptops and iPods). Given that the Canadian government is already getting beaten up for writing its newly proposed copyright laws in secret with help only from industry representatives, you'd think that maybe (just maybe) it would try to be a bit more open and inclusive with ACTA. Apparently not.

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Filed Under: acta, canada, lobbyists, secrecy

26 Comments

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Chris Charabaruk (profile), 29 Jul 2008 @ 9:18pm

Well, what would you expect?
What would you expect from a governing party that has spent its time in power bullying the other levels of government and even their own peers in the House of Commons? Now the country is going to hell and our own prime minister, the treasonous bastard he is, is selling us out to another country's interests!

All I have to say is thanks for killing the country, Alberta. May you all be burnt to death with your own oil.
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- Mogilny, 29 Jul 2008 @ 9:36pm
  
  Re: Well, what would you expect?
  No. Burning them with their oil will release too much CO2. Let's bury them alive in compose instead.
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  - bobbknight, 30 Jul 2008 @ 4:27am
    
    Re: Re: Well, what would you expect?
    But, But, But, if your kill them it will harm the environment too, as the process of decomposition also releases CO2.
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    - Liquid, 30 Jul 2008 @ 5:02am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Well, what would you expect?
      Why would you want to taint our mother earth with poison such as this???
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    - Mogilny, 30 Jul 2008 @ 10:05am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Well, what would you expect?
      Yes, but how much CO2. I'm sure it will be less than these Albertans' CO2 output when they were livin' and breathin'.
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- jim wylie, 30 Jul 2008 @ 6:08am
  
  Re: Well, what would you expect?
  I prefer to blame the swine who build and buy the gas guzzlers in central canada. They are a bunch of two faced hypocrites.
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  - Mogilny, 30 Jul 2008 @ 10:08am
    
    Re: Re: Well, what would you expect?
    On a more serious note, public ignorance is always at the root of all social problems.
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- John Wilson, 30 Jul 2008 @ 11:25am
  
  Re: Well, what would you expect?
  Just what the hell does Alberta have to do with this stupidity?
  
  Of course, when all else fails blame the West, right?
  
  Actually, it would make no difference if it were the Grits instead of the Tories. Exactly the same thing would be happening.
  
  Of course, then, we out here in the west (BC in my case, the REAL west -- no stubble jumpers allowed! :-) ) could happily blame Toronto and Ottawa for screwing us again.
  
  Come to think of it these organizations are all based in TO and Ottawa, right?
  
  Anyway, it's not just Canada doing this. The UK is further along that dangerous curve with the United States not far behind us or the UK or France or any other slaves of the Copyright and Patent Lords.
  
  Where the hell is Guy Fawkes when we really need him!
  
  ttfn
  
  John
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  - Chris Charabaruk (profile), 30 Jul 2008 @ 3:19pm
    
    Re: Re: Well, what would you expect?
    Guy Fawkes? Haven't you seen? He's out protesting Scientology these days. Him and his clone army.
    
    Having been a Grit supporter for a time, I'd like to think that the Liberals wouldn't have caved so quickly to the demands of American business. Please let me have that fantasy.
    
    The central-west gets blamed because that's where the support base for Harper and his cronies lies dreaming (of making us the 51st state). Of course, there is plenty of blame to throw around on this side of the country too -- Ontario's economic woes wouldn't be quite as bad if the provincial government could get out of its 19th century mindset and consider supporting businesses that aren't primary sector or manufacturing.
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    - John Wilson, 30 Jul 2008 @ 3:56pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Well, what would you expect?
      Outside of some folks in and around Calgary, and not many at that, I can't think of many people west of the Lakehead who would welcome us becoming the 51st state.
      
      And you are right there is plenty of blame to toss around as Ontarians elected sufficient Tories to put them on the Government benches.
      
      As for the Liberals they'd have caved even more quickly, if that's possible, due to the fact that their donors and the Tories are often carbon copies of each other. The Grits might have moaned and groaned but they'd have caved.
      
      Anyway, this bill looks like it'll die a deserving death on the order paper if the election drums keep being beaten and election fever keeps spreading.
      
      Looks like we'll be treading off to the polls around or just after Thanksgiving. What a fun fall we're gonna have!
      
      ttfn
      
      John
      
      PS: for American readers we in Canada do Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October. October 13th, in fact. Somehow fitting.
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Mogilny, 29 Jul 2008 @ 9:34pm

Democracy is an illusion
Corporate interests > Public interests.
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Anonymous Coward, 30 Jul 2008 @ 1:28am

all hail our new leader, King copyright
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- Kent Brockman, 30 Jul 2008 @ 6:06am
  
  All Hail Our New Copyright Overlords!!!
  I for one welcome our new Copyright overlords. I’d like to remind them that as a trusted iTunes user, I can be helpful in rounding up others to bankrupt in their courtroom lawsuits.
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  - Great White North, 31 Jul 2008 @ 6:55am
    
    Re: All Hail Our New Copyright Overlords!!!
    Excellent Kent! You will be receiving your arm patch in the mail soon.
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Rekrul, 30 Jul 2008 @ 2:53am

Of course it's being worked on in secret. This is intentional because they know that nobody outside of the media corporations actually want this crap and would fight it tooth and nail if given the chance. They're hoping to push it through before anyone has the opportunity to file a valid objection.
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mike allen, 30 Jul 2008 @ 3:41am

same in Europe
even here in the UK this is being done without debate either public or in Government the whole world is bowing to corporate lobbyists this in my opinion must be stopped.
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Twinrova, 30 Jul 2008 @ 3:58am

Answer me this, please
What the hell do we care what happens in Canada?
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- Anonymous Coward, 30 Jul 2008 @ 4:08am
  
  Re: Answer me this, please
  Because the same thing is happening to you in the US.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 30 Jul 2008 @ 6:07am
    
    Re: Re: Answer me this, please
    Amen! Can I get a Hallelujah!
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Martyburns, 30 Jul 2008 @ 4:30am

Some of us care..
..because we like to take an interest in what happens around the world.

You may also like to note Twinrova that this website is visible to people all around the world, not just all around the world of America (that was just a guess, so insert the appropriate country as necessary).

Get a passport and go travelling.
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- boost, 30 Jul 2008 @ 6:17am
  
  Re: Some of us care..
  Love to go traveling, but I don't to submit to an unlawful search and siezure of my personal property at the border.
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  - Chris Charabaruk (profile), 30 Jul 2008 @ 3:21pm
    
    Re: Re: Some of us care..
    Drive over the border, then catch flights to your now in-country destination. That's how I avoid getting raped by the border guards.
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Thomas, 30 Jul 2008 @ 4:48am

Government viewpoint has changed
It used to be that governments were for the people, now the governments are for business. It's what is known as the best government money can buy. It's kind of freaky at the level of bribery that goes on in the governments. Wonder if there is a price list somewhere for getting legislation or 'trade agreements' passed? Wouldn't that be a neat thing to show to the press (assuming they would print it).
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Great White North, 31 Jul 2008 @ 7:02am

Next time I'm voting for the Marijuana Party
Our pretend democracy is exposed for what it really is - a totalitarian corporatocracy! If only the marijuana party was national (yes it's real, just in B.C. of course!). It's actually libertarian.

We are so screwed.
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- Amazing Steve, 1 Aug 2008 @ 10:33am
  
  Re: Next time I'm voting for the Marijuana Party
  No, we've got the Marijuana Party in Ontario too. I know because I've voted for them in the last 2 elections.
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دردشه, 8 Jul 2009 @ 6:33am

Drive over the border, then catch flights to your now in-country destination. That's how I avoid getting raped by the border guards
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