Entertainment Industry Lobbyists Don't Want To Let Canada Into Secret TPP Negotiations Until Canada Passes More Bad Laws

from the crazy-town dept

Tue, Jan 17th 2012 7:32am — Mike Masnick

We've discussed, at length, the ridiculousness of the Trans-Pacific Partnership -- the international trade agreement that is the "son of ACTA" and seeks to push through (in secret, of course) plenty of the things that were cut out of ACTA. It's a horrible agreement, which is still being negotiated in secret. Apparently, Canada recently sought to join the conversation of the TPP... but the US legacy entertainment industry lobbyists are trying to deny Canada's entry into the discussions (even though most other participants welcome Canada), until Canada goes even further to pass draconian copyright laws, as prescribed by Hollywood.

The IIPA, which represents the major movie, music, and software lobby associations, points to copyright reform and new border measures as evidence of the need for Canadian reforms and states "we urge the U.S. government to use Canada’s expression of interest in the TPP negotiations as an opportunity to resolve these longstanding concerns about IPR standards and enforcement."

In other words, don't let Canada join, unless it passes these horrible laws we've been demanding for years, and which the Canadian public is clearly against. If I were in the Canadian government, it seems like this is a pretty good reason to say "good riddance"... or, hell, maybe even to cut back on ridiculous copyright laws to something more reasonable, just to show that it can be done... and then to watch the industry in Canada thrive.

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Filed Under: canada, copyright, lobbyists, tpp

31 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 7:41am

Whatever happened with that 'Modernization of Copyright Act' in Canada?
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- Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 7:44am
  
  Re:
  It wasn't very modern.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 7:46am
    
    Re: Re:
    *drumroll*
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    - Kevin H (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 9:06am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      *rim shot
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- Chris-Mouse (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 9:36am
  
  Re:
  The last three times the government of Canada tried to "modernize" the copyright laws in Canada, the laws were put on hold until they died. Each time it was because the copyright changes threatened to become an election issue that would hurt the government badly.
  The Conservative party (more or less equivalent to the Republicans in the USA) won a majority government in the election held last year, so I'm expecting another crack at cramming through some horrible copyright laws shortly. with a majority government, getting a bill passed is pretty much guaranteed, and with the ability to put off an election until October 2015, they may hope that Canadians will forget about anything they do now before the next election.
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  - TtfnJohn (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 6:31pm
    
    Re: Re:
    I'm not sure the Tories will he all that anxious to do that. A great deal of their base opposed C-11 and while they have a majority in the Senate the Liberals there can hold it up for years if they're so inclined. (Not that I'd count on that.)
    
    But the Tories bringing in something that the MPAA is "imposing" in us? That would in interesting to see.
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MAJikMARCer (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 7:46am

I bet the issues stem from the fact that there are stupid artificial restricts of media availability to our next door neighbors.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 7:52am

I'm from Canada, and it seems to me that that our Parliament has more important matters to discuss than copyright laws, which really don't seem to be a huge concern up here.
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- Machin Shin (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 8:39am
  
  Re:
  Really what is sad is the fact that our government here in the US has a lot better things to worry about. I am willing to bet that if someone polled the nation asking what they thought was most important issue government should be looking at right now. Passing stricter copyright laws is not likely to make the list.
  
  Yet for some reason our "representatives" seem to think it is imperative that they ram these bills down our throats. It is time for these people in charge to get their nose out of everyone's business and get back to actually running this country. You know, like maybe looking at how to get us the hell out of dept. I can tell you right now SOPA ain't gonna do that.
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- Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 8:41am
  
  Re:
  You forget that Stephen "whatever makes the US happy" Harper is running the country.
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Simon, 17 Jan 2012 @ 7:53am

Yeah right...
Unfortunately Stephen Harper's government has already proven that they will bow to the US corporations with bill c-32 / c-11.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1048993--leaks-show-u-s-swayed-canada-on-copyright-bi ll
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Logan2057 (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 7:54am

Entertainment Industry should be told to get lost
I'm a proud Canadian and I, for one, am sick, sore and tired of Hollywood and their constant interference in politics in both the U.S. and world matters. If our P.M. had any stones he'd tell them to take a good long walk into an active volcano.
I know if I was Prime Minister I'd be doing my damnedest to get those fools out of the political ring altogether. They have NO RIGHT to try and dictate what the rest of the world does and yet they threaten sanctions if you don't bow and scrape. Well, mayhap it's time for the rest of the world to sanction them. Every other country should just say "See Ya" and block U.S. imports for a year, then give them the ultimatum that if they didn't want to play nice with the rest of the planet they'd continue to be locked out of the global playground.
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- Machin Shin (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 8:43am
  
  Re: Entertainment Industry should be told to get lost
  You know I think you just had a great idea there!
  
  "If our P.M. had any stones he'd tell them to take a good long walk into an active volcano."
  
  Can you imagine the money that would roll in from a pay-per-view event of those in charge of Hollywood all jumping into a volcano!
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  - Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 9:12am
    
    Re: Re: Entertainment Industry should be told to get lost
    CEO In A Volcano
    
    Forget Undercover Boss, this is a sure win.
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- AzureSky (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 10:01am
  
  Re: Entertainment Industry should be told to get lost
  Im American and I agree with this statement, I wish the world would boycott this country, slap some sense into the public and our reps.
  
  I am sick and tired of watching our govt being just another arm of these mega corps.....pisses me off.....
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- Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 10:16am
  
  Re: Entertainment Industry should be told to get lost
  Good idea. Why do not the Canadians just say, "Well, you won't let us into the negotiations for TPP, so we hereby promise that we will never sign it. Try being nice to your allies in future."
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  - Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 10:27am
    
    Re: Re: Entertainment Industry should be told to get lost
    Because we'll have a trade issue, like softwood lumber because we didn't go into Iraq, or likely a "dirty oil" campaign or anti-Canadian potash campaign to hurt our economy.
    
    Likely though, our PM will do whatever he's paid to do, rather than what is in the best interests of Canadians.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 8:01am

an excellent idea and 1 i have suggested myself! if it ever happened and i know it's a big 'if', i wonder how long it would take before the US government told the entertainment industries 'look at what you've done! were not getting anywhere near the income from you that you said! now no one will trade with us, the economy has gone right down the pan! you better go fuck yourselves!'
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 8:20am

Sadly, Harper is sold to the US. Don't be surprised if this passes quietly, in secret, without public knowledge... just like bill C-32 was meant to.
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Robert (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 8:21am

If you were the Canadian Government?
"If I were the Canadian Government" - Mike, if you were, you'd be touting how 'clean' the tarsands are, how we need to beat everyone into submission, how even the government providing a budget is proof of transparency, how funding for election campaigns should not be through tax dollars [ talk about admitting you get funding from corporations ], and how free speech doesn't exist.

If you were the current Canadian Government, you'd be on Hollywood's side, not the Canadian People's side (kinda like the current US government is on the side of any lobbyist and not the American People's side).

In fact, if you were actually a member of the Canadian Government, with your current views, you would have been dismissed a LONG time ago. Our government silences anyone who dissents against it, much like the US government tries to (but freely proclaims otherwise - right Mrs Clinton???).
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 8:33am

why?
Why is there an association that represents other associations?
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- Call me Al, 17 Jan 2012 @ 8:40am
  
  Re: why?
  I'd like to know if there is an association that represents associations that represent other associations.
  
  To answer your question more seriously, it looks to be a case there the MPAA, RIAA etc represent their individual industries but at different level it makes sense for the them to be represented as a whole so that they are seen as having one united voice crying for money rather than many disparate ones.
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- Simon, 17 Jan 2012 @ 9:27am
  
  Re: why?
  Good question. The Department of Redundancy Department should be informed.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 8:50am

IP extremists talk about being candid yet they insist that their negotiations are done in secrecy. Doesn't seem very candid to me.
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Kevin H (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 9:16am

It will continue
The entertainment industry will continue this march of stupidity until they are no longer allowed to do so. Our government is the one who enables this. They really are no better than the person who enables an alcoholic.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2012 @ 9:28am

The Canadian government should just stop all import of any U.S. mdae content (movies, music,and games). Then watch the lobbyists squirm as they loose a whole country of sales.
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- JulesNoise, 17 Jan 2012 @ 4:00pm
  
  Re:
  That's right. We will hit them where it hurts, right in their wallet. They will never get another cent from me. What's done in the rest of the world is just as good, if not better.
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Gracey (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 1:36pm

So, how many of you Canadians have the sent the "single email" that Michael Geist says is all that's needed?

I believe it will take a lot more than that, but if even a quarter of the country sent that one email, it might be enough.

I sent mine. Hopefully, some of you will too.
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- TtfnJohn (profile), 17 Jan 2012 @ 6:34pm
  
  Re:
  Every time he asks :)
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JulesNoise, 17 Jan 2012 @ 3:46pm

Internet SOPA PIPA
I want to follow the storyline
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JerseyJoe123, 17 Jan 2012 @ 6:46pm

Re:
So basically the Entertainment industry is saying that they don't want Canada at the table, while they discuss their proposed draconian laws to enact against Canadian people, until the Canadian government adopts other draconian laws against its own people so as to prove its evil worthiness to sit at the table with them.

Somewhere, Dr. Evil is saying "Hey! Who leaked the script of Austin Powers 4!"
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