Mr. Prentice spends a great deal of time trying to convince the press that bill C-61 will limit damages to $500 total for a violation of this new act.
What, then, is the point? If a user downloads 20 or 30 films or 10,000 songs that’s $500 spread between the ALL of the artists – not quite worth it, is it?
In relation to digital locks Prentice refused to acknowledge or answer any questions. He did not seem to care that Canadians have paid for material that may be locked and would be prohibited from using that media in any way other than the methods prescribed to users by the media industries.
Josee Verner inspires a complete lack of confidence. When asked about a mashup of music (a teenager – or anyone for that matter – remixing video and music to create something new with existing work – something that is legal right now if attribution is given and the mashup is not created for profit) Josee was unable to either comprehend or answer the question. The answer is that yes, posting a mashup video to YouTube will now be illegal and could run Canadians $500 per offence. Imagine that – post a video to YouTube, get a bill for $500.
Josee went on to talk about respecting digital locks – completely ignoring the fact the government is ignoring that users have PAID FOR the material that is locked.
Jim acknowledges that the industry will indeed be pursuing teenagers for $20,000 per offense. He keeps saying balance – that balance doesn’t exist to my eyes.
This is the hall of shame – these politicians claim to represent Canadians, yet they support a Bill that will curtail the rights of Canadians without any reasoning whatsoever. They have lied in a boldfaced manner to their constituents and their fellow Canadians by stating that this bill is needed and claiming that it protects artists.
If you’re on this list you should be ashamed of yourself.
Jim Prentice – MP for Calgary Centre North
Josee Verner – MP for Louis-Saint-Laurent
David Sweet – MP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale
A breakdown of MP across the country and their position on Bill C-61
Alberta
James Rajotte – MP for Edmonton-Leduc – Conservative – waiting for response
Rick Casson – MP for Lethbridge – Conservative – waiting for response
Rahim Jaffer – MP for Edmonton-Strathcona - Conservative – waiting for response
Rona Ambrose – MP for Edmonton-Spruce – Conservative – waiting for response
Diane Ablonczy – MP for Calgary-Nose Hill – Conservative – waiting for response
British Columbia
Bill Siksay – MP for Burnaby-Douglas – NDP – Opposes Bill C-61
Don H. Bell – MP for North Vancouver – Liberal – Opposes Bill C-61
Jim Abbott – MP for Kootenay-Columbia – Conservative – waiting for response
Ontario
Ken Boshcoff – MP for Thunder Bay-Rainy River – Liberal – Waiting for a response
Mark Holland – MP for Ajax-Pickering - Liberal – Waiting for a response
Scott Reid – MP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington – Conservative – Waiting for a response
Dan McTeague – MP for Scarborough-East/Pickering – Liberal – Waiting for a response
Joe Comuzzi – MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North – Conservative – Waiting for a response
David Sweet – MP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale - Conservative – SUPPORTS BILL C-61
Harold Albrecht – MP for Kitchener-Conestoga – Conservative – waiting for response
Nova Scotia
Peter Stoffer – MP for Sackville-Eastern Shore – NDP – OPPOSES BILL C-61
New Brunswick
Andy Scott – MP for Fredericton – Liberal – waiting for response
This will continue to be updated as more information becomes available
