Charlie was, quite literally, in the house today – taking Jim Prentice to school. While Charlie stayed on topic and was polite, Prentice nearly found himself censured for resorting to base profanity.
It’s odd that the federal branch of a party that once proclaimed to bring a “common sense” revolution shows so little sense. Enjoy this video of Charlie standing up for Canadian rights!
Jim later apologized for his use of the term “NDP BS”. It was not a shock to hear a thoughtless term coming from a man who clearly puts very little thought into what he says and does.
The CBC podcast “Search Engine” seems to have hit the nail on the head: Jim Prentice joined them in a telephone interview for a brief ten minutes; the minister fled the call hastily when it became clear that the host was informed on the matter of digital rights and was focused on asking valid, insightful questions.
When asked a very clear, concise question: “Will I be liable for damages if I break a digital lock on a CD?” Jim took four minutes dodging the question entirely. The answer is YES. He did not provide this answer.
When asked “Will any money obtained as damages for violations of this act go to the artists?” he was unable to provide a truthful answer. “It’ll go to the lawyers, first…” he said followed by “and then to the labels…”. So that answer would be NO, correct Mr. Prentice?
Why does he use terms like “…my understanding is…”? I was under the impression that Jim Prentice had taken an active roll in writing the bill – from his tentative nature in answering questions and his obvious lack of familiarity in what it entails that appears to be quite incorrect. Prentice states things like “No intent to defraud” as a clause that prevents users from being liable for damages – however the bill contains no language that guarantees this right. Mr. Prentice suggests that the label will have to establish intent but that is not what his bill states. Canadians need to call on the minister to either put it in writing or stop misleading the Canadian public!
Jim Prentice can’t provide a straight answer to a straight question – can anyone, least of all his constituents, trust him to deal fairly when it comes to copyright reform?
Listen for yourself – from CBC’s Search Engine (MP3 link, right click and Save Target As to download or click to listen)
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
