I know a lot of you have been just waiting for me to jump on the copyright bill and tear it to shreds. Fortunately, during my bout of being busy (and procrastination), this has been done for me by the media and hundreds of blogs. Main points are:

  • The bill might give you some rights, but all of those rights are undermined by the anti-circumvention measure which would have you fined $20,000 for trying to get around the copy protection, even if you are doing it for a legitimate reason (i.e. making a copy to put on your iPod, format shifting, etc)
  • $20,000 for unlocking your cell phone. Because you know there is a huge epidemic of people legally purchasing cell phones and then going to other providers. (What, do you people think you live in a country with a free market where you can buy whatever products services you want? Oh wait, we do. Someone tell the Conservatives that, I think their knowledge of their own ideology is slipping.)
  • How is this going to be enforced? Is the record industry going to get subpoenas for our personal computers? Will this be an invasion of privacy, or will the ends justify the means?
  • Is this the best way to deal with the issue? Why don’t record companies and movie companies just sell unlocked content for reasonable prices online? Why does it cost the same to download an album as it does to buy a physical CD with graphics, art, and higher-quality recording? How many bands have become popular because people downloaded their music, liked it, and bought their CDs and concert tickets?
  • Why won’t Jim Prentice just answer the simple ass questions he is being asked about the anti-circumvention measure and other controversial parts of this bill? He just keeps repeating the same canned answer in every newspaper and on every television network. Is he inept or does he just think he is invincible and immune to criticism from the Canadian people?

A poll taken by Angus Reid shows that 39% of Canadians are against the bill and 32% are in favour. This is odd, because I don’t know anyone who actively supports it or has given me any justification for its Draconian measures. Opposition is strong in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario; with Quebec and Atlantic Canada being for it. Not surprisingly, the largest opposition comes from young males and people with a university or college education.

That's it. bugger.