[hugh]

from press release issued today

Today, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, and the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, issued the following statement from the Rideau Centre, a popular holiday shopping destination:

"We are here to confirm that the Harper Government will not bring in an iPod tax as part of its copyright legislation. The iPod Tax has been proposed and supported by all opposition parties.

"We simply cannot support the opposition's massive new iPod Tax on Canadian music lovers. The iPod Tax would add up to $75 to the price of every mp3 player and smart phone on the market. It would hurt the economy, punish consumers and families, and send the wrong message during this fragile economic recovery.

"Our government is committed to ensuring fairness and balance for consumers and creators as we update Canada's copyright laws. The opposition's iPod Tax is not fair to anyone. It would just make it more expensive for Canadians to listen to Canadian music and hurt our music industry.

"We would also like to emphasize that the Government has introduced the Copyright Modernization Act, Bill C-32, to modernize Canada's copyright legislation and bring it into the digital age. We drafted this Bill to best balance legalizing many of the everyday activities that Canadians are already engaging in online and ensuring that creators and rights holders have the protections they need to earn a living from their work in the digital age.

"Bill C-32 includes new rights and protections to enable creators to prosper in a digital environment and tough tools to help rights holders combat piracy. An iPod Tax would send the wrong message on piracy, drive up the price of the latest products for Canadian consumers, and tax a device that is much more than simply a music player.

"Canadians can rest assured that the Harper Government will stand with them against introducing this tax.

"Our government's top priority remains the economy. During this fragile economic recovery, the last thing Canadian families and consumers need is a massive new tax on iPods."

 

[NeilN]

Geist has an amusing, alternative script:

"We are here to confirm that the Harper Government will bring in legal protection for digital locks as part of its copyright legislation. As government officials recently told MPs, these digital lock rules will trump all educational fair dealing rights. The digital lock rules have been opposed by all opposition parties.

"We simply cannot support the opposition's opposition to the digital lock rules. The digital lock rules will allow the music, movie, book, and software industries to insert digital locks on their products and force consumers to pay multiple times for the same content. To not include the provisions, would hurt the economy, punish U.S. companies, and send the wrong message during this fragile economic recovery.

More at http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/5518/125/

 

[ScaryBob]

The iPod Tax would add up to $75 to the price of every mp3 player

That's ridiculous. The last MP3 player I purchased costs $10.

We simply cannot support the opposition's opposition to the digital lock rules. The digital lock rules will allow the music, movie, book, and software industries to insert digital locks on their products and force consumers to pay multiple times for the same content.

Also ridiculous. They are using the same argument to enforce oppressive copyright rules and copy protection on consumers as they are to deny another oppressive tax. I've already paid several times for some content, mostly due to poor quality media or mastering by the industry. I continue to pay more to streaming and rental services. Now they want to enforce a copyright plan that has already been tried several times and failed miserably every time. I've got to wonder how much money the entertainment industry paid to get these concessions. Are US political lobbying practices being used in Canada? If so it's a long downhill slide for the rights of Canadians.

 

[hugh]

NeilN, the Geist piece was really good.

In other words, "we don't need to implement any tax because we are going to introduce a bill that is so draconian that you will end up in jail for putting an unpaid for or ripped song onto your iPod"!

 

[classicsat]

I read it, more directly, that a tax on MP3 players and other media would basically be a license to pirate, and that would be counter to the spirit of this copyright legislation, or copyright law in general.

 

[ScaryBob]

I find this precedent to be obnoxious:

There are thousands of DVDs in this HMV store and consumers should not have the right to play them on their iPads or other devices.

This leads to companies being able to tie content to a device. If I purchase a DVD for personal viewing, why shouldn't I be able to watch it on the device of my choice? Taken to it's extreme, this provision would force Canadians to purchase a new copy of all digital media for every device they own. I am absolutely amazed that a Canadian government would do this.

Our government is committed to ensuring that the U.S. is satisfied with our approach as we update Canada's copyright laws.

That just about sums it up. Give US corporations what they want at the expense of Canadians. I have no doubt that Clement and Moore will be rewarded by the entertainment industry as soon as they leave office.

That obviously means new digital lock rules that trump all other consumer rights and limit the property rights of consumers. It also means making it more expensive for Canadian consumers to switch from devices such as the iPad to RIM's Playbook, the forthcoming alternative from Canada's leading technology company.

Take away traditional fair use rights for consumers and penalize Canadian companies before they even get to compete in the world marketplace. Good plan.

 

[hugh]

Scarybob, what are you talking about. The government never said these things. It's satire.