Canada to get tougher on piracy

Caroline Grondin, spokesman for the Industry Canada ministry made music and movie executives happy when she announced that Canada should soon have new legislation in place to dramatically reduce the amount of internet piracy in the country. Even aside from Canadian entertainment figures, the country has been getting a lot of pressure from other countries to make substantial changes to copyright law in order to protect content owners' rights.

"Canada's Copyright Act needs to be reformed to respond to the challenges of the digital age," she said. "New protections proposed for the benefit of rights holders will seek to address online infringement as well as create a legal framework that encourages the rollout, by rights holders, of new business models."

Graham Henderson, president of labels body the Canadian Recording Industry Assn. (CRIA), said the legislation will demonstrate the country's commitment to protecting its songwriters and musicians.

"Is it going to replace our lost revenue every year? Of course not," Henderson said. "But it is a start. Right now, our big problem is that digital sales aren't replacing lost physical sales. A new Copyright Act would help foster new digital business models that haven't appeared in Canada because of piracy."

Source: Reuters

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 17 Nov 2007 18:52

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14 comments

vinny13

Ya well, here in Canada nobody listens to this kind of unholy shlt that the b@stards across the border at the MPAA and the RIAA spew. At least I don't >:(

There is no present. We all live in the past and are catching up to our future.

18.11.2007 13:48 #1

windsong

Originally posted by vinny13: Ya well, here in Canada nobody listens to this kind of unholy shlt that the b@stards across the border at the MPAA and the RIAA spew. At least I don't >:(Um...MPAA? I think they're called the CRIA..as in Canadian. Im in Ontario right now and I know a few who have been busted. Canada is no different than the U.S. as far as copyright lawyers see it.

18.11.2007 14:44 #2

andersg

Originally posted by windsong: Um...MPAA? I think they're called the CRIA..as in Canadian. Im in Ontario right now and I know a few who have been busted. Canada is no different than the U.S. as far as copyright lawyers see it.What happens to people who get busted? Do they just get told to stop first or do they face charges right away?

18.11.2007 15:17 #3

mspurloc

Odd talk coming from a socialist appointee like her.
The yap of another Hollywood lapdog, I suppose, though far afield.

18.11.2007 17:40 #4

badkrma

"Even aside from Canadian entertainment figures, the country has been getting a lot of pressure from other countries to make substantial changes to copyright law in order to protect content owners' rights."

This is the real reason. Otherwise Canadians think this is on the lower level of crimes, or think it isn't altogether.

18.11.2007 17:58 #5

Pop_Smith

Quote:This is the real reason. Otherwise Canadians think this is on the lower level of crimes, or think it isn't altogether.This is also known as having a brain, something it seems quite a few americans lack, at least the ones in charge of the MPAA/RIAA. The Canadians know that piracy is a small offense that should at most justify a month in jail but only in extreme (i.e. lord of a pirate ring) cases.

The crazy americans have wanted something as simply as "attempted" piracy to be punishable by 6 to 20 years in prison.

In that same article I linked to above they said:
"*Create a new crime of life imprisonment for using pirated software. Anyone using counterfeit products who "recklessly causes or attempts to cause death" can be imprisoned for life. During a conference call, Justice Department officials gave the example of a hospital using pirated software instead of paying for it."

So if you attempt to cause someone to die, while using pirated material, you get thrown in jail for life. I think the money to catch these pirates, and the cells used to house them, could go to better uses such as catching killers, rapists and other far more dangerous criminals who have committed way more serious crimes.

18.11.2007 18:51 #6

spartan96

This is so stupid. They don't allow movies to be downloaded off of Itunes or anything and then they get pissed at ppl downloading movies illegally.

18.11.2007 21:28 #7

vinny13

Originally posted by windsong:

Um...MPAA? I think they're called the CRIA..as in Canadian. Im in Ontario right now and I know a few who have been busted. Canada is no different than the U.S. as far as copyright lawyers see it.I live in Ontario too, and I'm just really mad that the CRIA apparently forced Demonoid to close. I'm just saying that maybe not so much the MPAA obviously but the RIAA has a lot to do with what the CRIA does. Almost everyone I know uses File-Sharing or Bittorrent programs, some for years. Nobody I know around here anyways have been busted. What were those "few" downloading?

18.11.2007 22:05 #8

monkey83

Maybe they shouldn't price CD's still at $15-$20. Sure they have some cheap ones, but not many want Rihanna for $6.99. I want some quality and decent prices. I've very rarely buy a CD nowadays unless I can get a good deal on it, like 2 for $25 at HMV. Same with DVD's, I never fork out $25-$30 for a new DVD, that is outrageous. Wait until it comes down, and goes on sale at 2 for $30 then I'll pick it up. Same with TV seasons, who honestly wants to fork out $60 for a tv season? Or even a $100 for those apparent hard to find ones. That's why I download tv seasons online, partly because stores don't offer them here, or when they do it is outrageously priced. I would much prefer to own the real thing, but unless they start giving us a break I am going to download them.

19.11.2007 11:35 #9

emugamer

I would love to see the earnings statement of the industry 6 months after all file-sharing is shut down. I predict a drop in sales, not a recovery of billions of $$$.

19.11.2007 12:03 #10

MightyOne

I live in Ontario. Its my experience to watch the politicians yap about something for years.....before it gets done. Hopefully they remain consistent for this issue.

Also...piracy can help. I've downloaded, tested a game...then bought it. Too many bad games out there to waste money these days. Government takes most of my cash already.

I've also downloaded some friends some TV shows they've missed. This gave them the ability to keep watching the shows on TV. Nobody wants skip episodes before the next one.

The industry needs to adapt to the new technology and figure out how to use it to there advantage. They are just upset that "hackers" are and will always be one step ahead of them. Always.

Looks like its FULL speed ahead for me....thanks for the warning !

19.11.2007 15:01 #11

XENON

Yeah I live in Ontario as well. If they do implement this strategy, then are we going to see the levy imposed on all blank media and MP3 players rescinded? Yeah I didn't think so either!

I admit I download mp3s for my Ipod and for my mom's device as well and In my opinion this is small potatoes comared to other so called "crimes" like giving house arrest to people who kill others by racing their cars. yeah it's off topic but it proves my point giving lax sentences to major crimes and throwing the book at minor "crimes")

23.11.2007 18:34 #12

wotuwant

I agree with mightyone. I buy most of my music on vinyl, but I choose to download the album first and preview it. I have wasted far too much money back in the day on albums only to find that its rubbish or over hyped. It is also the same with films. I use dolby-digital or dts to listen to them, so I like to have the original film and retain the quality. But some studios put no effort in to mastering the sound or picture quality but still charge the earth for them. Then you watch the film that you have paid top money for, only to realize its absolute rubbish, all the best parts were shown in the trailer. A lot of records, cd's and dvd's I have purchased after checking out a copy of one of the file-sharers or torrent sites. If they do eventually stop "pirating", I beleave that many people like myself will not buy as many original retails. Obviously I would still buy certain films/albums, but nowhere near as many as I do at present.

24.11.2007 09:04 #13

borhan9

Canada will make the right changes when they feel like it.

17.12.2007 05:31 #14

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