Canadian Heritage Minister Says That Those In Favor Of Balanced Copyright Are 'Radical Extremists'

from the actually,-that-sounds-extreme dept

Wed, Jun 23rd 2010 8:24am — Mike Masnick

Anshar alerts us to the news that the driving force behind Canada's new copyright bill, Heritage Minister James Moore, at a Chamber of Commerce event, apparently claimed that those who are opposed to Canada's attempt to put in place a version of the DMCA are just a group of "radical extremists." Really? So, people who just want to make sure that copyright law doesn't lock up culture and harm creativity are "radical extremists"? How does he figure that? Meanwhile, in response to this, Michael Geist has started putting together a list of these "radical extremists" who appear to be just about everywhere, including littered throughout all of the major political parties, and appears to include such "radicals" as the Canadian Library Association and the Canadian Bookseller Association (radicals! all of them!). I guess since Moore doesn't appear to want to have to actually defend the more worrisome parts of the legislation (mainly the "digital locks" anti-circumvention provisions) he figures the next best thing is to demonize people who actually care about consumer rights.

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Filed Under: balance, canada, copyright, james moore

31 Comments

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Pickle Monger (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 7:55am

Canadian Heritage Minister, you say?
Time to vote the idjit out...
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crade (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 8:17am

It's strange because Tony Clement and James Moore hosted the copyright consultations together (which the result was quite strongly opposed to legal protection of TPMs)
and Clement just had a completely rational interview on Jesse's Search Engine saying how he completely understands where the other side of the issue is comming from.

Now Moore says those who dissagree with him are radical extremists (plus more in the full video speech http://tinyurl.com/2fdzna3)

... wtf?
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Dark Helmet (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 8:32am

Re:
Sounds like somebody got a visit from the lobbying fairy....
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jun 2010 @ 8:42am

I hope there is an election soon so that this bill can be stalled if not stopped entirely.
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Anonymous Poster, 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:00am

Re: Re:
Sounds like it, yeah.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:01am

"he figures the next best thing is to demonize people " - a skill perhaps learned by reading techdirt?
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Mr. LemurBoy (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:11am

I believe my first reaction to Moore is a good solid *facepalm*

I've often been amused by the saying "I reject your reality, and replace it with my own". Seems Moore has perfected that.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:16am

Re:
If he reads your comments, TAM, certainly.
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Hephaestus (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:18am

Re: Re:
More like the Lobbying leprechaun dropped a pot of gold on his door step.
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Yogi, 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:26am

Re: Re:
"The Lobbying Fairy"

Man, I loved that one. Can I use it in future comments or is it already under strict copyright? I wouldn't want to infringe on your words, ACTA forbid.
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Bubba Gump (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:32am

Re: Re: Re:
Trademark it, quick!
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Dark Helmet (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:37am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Consider it released for free use, my friend. I've done that with an entire novel already, why not a silly little phrase that I probably wasn't even the first to use?
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kyle clements (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:37am

So, rather than addressing people's concerns, Moore is demonizing all opposition.

Because that's healthy for democracy...

As the Canadian Heritage Minister, if he really wants to be true to his Canadian heritage, he should take off his toque, take a sip of his Tim Horton's coffee, then apologize.
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Hephaestus (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:40am

Re: Re: Re:
"The Lobbying Fairy"

yeah thats richard simons wearing a pair of wings ...
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Dark Helmet (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:45am

Re:
But then the lobbying fairies will turn violent. They're not all like Tinkerbell, Kyle....
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Bengie, 23 Jun 2010 @ 9:50am

One up them
"People who want to put in place DMCA are child molesters"

Hey, look at me, I can make random statements!
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NAMELESS ONE, 23 Jun 2010 @ 10:04am

DIDNT CSIS at cbc say something interesting
Something about civil servants on take to foreign govts like i dunno industry minister tony clement and all the conservatives.

So the 6-8 million people whom download a day ( i just did what the riaa does and made up a number WOOT http://www.iam-always-right-tony.com as proof)
are terrorists , bad move buddy
YOUR gong to really start losing that under 40 vote
with your govts approving of the hst as well
thats right punish time for liberals and conservatives.
vote ndp or green
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barney rumble, 23 Jun 2010 @ 10:07am

LETS get a website going where we can add our selves to the list
RAWR why am i not on the lsit guess im not radical enough and if i were anyone on giests lists id be suing for slander and defamation of character

ITS pretty mean and bad thing to say about someone calling them a terrorist or radical extremist when they are not.

seriously i have good very good understanding and now that the govt has told all of us publically that is the critera for defamation and slander

YOU HAVE TO TELL SOMEONE
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Any Mouse, 23 Jun 2010 @ 10:09am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Since when does he need a pair of wings?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jun 2010 @ 10:22am

let us mark this down as a reminder that conservatives arent really for open markets.
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 10:41am

Cory is pissed
Follow Cory Doctorow's twitter feed for more indignation.

http://twitter.com/doctorow
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Nastybutler77 (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 10:57am

Moore warned against "radical extremists."

You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jun 2010 @ 11:01am

Re:
I don't think he knows how to use the internet.
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Rich, 23 Jun 2010 @ 11:22am

Re: Re:
I think you missed the joke.
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Anshar (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 11:30am

Re:
I think it bears pointing out that Moore and Clement had differing viewpoints on copyright reform. Then they received a directive from the Prime Minister.
Moore got his way on copyright, Clement got very quiet about his perspective and began towing the party line and all of a sudden, Clement's riding is virtually swimming in government money.
Apparently, lobbying fairies (and leprechauns) come from the magical land of the Prime Minister's Office where the king's word is law and money grows on trees (which grow beside fake lakes).
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jun 2010 @ 11:31am

Re: Re: Re:
Where?
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Art, 23 Jun 2010 @ 2:15pm

Re: One up them
"People who want to put in place DMCA are child molesters"

Some of them probably are. In fact, if I go through the list of registered sex offenders, I bet I could find multiple child molesters who support the DMCA. Therefore, I think that we should ban people from publishing/reporting comments by DMCA supporters, and then file a mass suit against the media if they try to pull that "First Amendment" $#!& on us.
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The Devil's Coachman (profile), 23 Jun 2010 @ 3:17pm

Canadian Heritage Minister? What kind of butt-wipe job is that?
Makes you wonder just who he had to perform deviant sex acts on to get that kind of job. Someone needs to tell him, "Take off, you hoser!"
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TtfnJohn (profile), 24 Jun 2010 @ 5:56pm

Re:
Nahhh, the Tories have been taking lessons from the Republicans in Congress and certain Tea Party groups quite openly and proudly. Few TAMs in that lot I'm sure.
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TtfnJohn (profile), 24 Jun 2010 @ 5:59pm

Re: Canadian Heritage Minister? What kind of butt-wipe job is that?
Mostly it's a very minor cabinet position something known in the UK as a "junior" minister or, in reality, "very junior" minister. Responsible for such pan Toronto institutions such as the Canada Council, the CBC and Hockey Night in Hogtown.
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Brendan (profile), 26 Jun 2010 @ 12:53am

Blocking Opponents on Twitter
@mpjamesmoore is also having a jolly time blocking any individuals (such as myself) who have voiced "extremist dissent."

Democracy ain't what it used to be. Or maybe it's exactly the same.
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