Dice Loaded Against Public in Canada's Copyright Term Extension | Hacker News Reader

Dice Loaded Against Public in Canada's Copyright Term Extension

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96 pointssinak12 comments

It's interesting to see corporate interests flexing their muscle internationally. It's so easy now, and almost no western country stands in very much contrast to the other anymore.

Oh well. Canada used to seem like the last bastion of decent civilization. Harper et al saw to that and seem to have murdered it good.

Personally, I hope the Charter challenge against "Fair" Election Act (that has serious problems) will help, particularly in the next election.

> "In just a few short years, songs we recorded in the late 1960s will no longer have copyright protection in Canada.”

... So? Did the fact that the copyright would expire around 2020 stop you from creating? No? What was the driving reason then? Why does an extension help create incentives - why did these incentives disappear over the past couple decades?

I fully expect this to become law without anyone I talk to in Canada knowing about it.

It's not like there is much we can do about it :(

Write your MPs?

How do referenda work in Canada?

I may, but the Canadian political landscape right now is one where the ruling party has a majority so they can push through pretty much any bill they want. Also the party has pretty much discouraged MPs from expressing any opinions counter to the party line.

I did that at the proposed copyright extension in the UK a few years ago. The reply from my local MP was along the lines of "our party believes this" (that the copyright extension was justified), and you are in our constituency.

I replied explaining that I believed representative democracy was supposed to work the opposite way and they were supposed to represent me. I doubt very much if that made a difference.

A lot more in Canada than the US. Write to your MP, and encourage others to do the same. Relate this to C-51 or whatever that horrible security bill is that everyone's protesting.

Despite my MP being a member of the party in power, they take direction from the Prime Minister's Office, not the constituents.

Hey, that sounds like my MP (and anyone else with a conservative MP)

Tell your friends that it is happening. Knowing that there is a battle is half the battle.

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