Canada's media publishes anything the CRIA asks them to

Over at Michael Geists website where he comments on Canadian technology related laws, is an article not only disproving, but obliterating the recent CRIA claims (by way of the MPAA and RIAA in the USA) that say Canadians are responsible for a majority of camera based movie piracy.

I want to add my own particular views to this. When the Trailer Park Boys movie came out, perhaps the number one Canadian movie this year (probably), I was watching to see how long a pirated version would come out, as the movie was not being released in the United States. I waited one week. Nothing. I waited two, nothing online except complaints from American fans that they couldn't wait to see the movie. Three weeks, people in the USA were talking about road trips they were forced to take into Canada. Four weeks, a fake torrent was online. Five weeks, it was a moot point. Eventually there was a bad cam release online somewhere that nobody would be able to watch, and really, who would want to ruin their viewing experience that way? The truly sad thing is, there was an audience for this movie in the United States, but no distributer would seem to think it viable and take it.

Why should Canadians even CARE about signing on to a digital rights law paid for by U.S lobyists when it limits creativity, makes it impossible to watch what you want on your HDMA big screen TV that you paid $1500 for, makes it impossible to plug your DVD player into your vcr to your TV (That's why it doesn't work, DRM, or digital rights management, they're afraid you're going to copy your DVD to VHS when its perfectly simple to make an exact copy on a DVD)

I voted Conservative in the last election, I voted for Joy Smith, my MP, who promised me at the time that she would not vote for an american style DMCA law that is allowing the rights of the average person to be trampled upon. Frankly, I think that the lawmakers should hire Michael Geist to look over any digital rights laws before passing them. I personally feel the current laws are enough, and nothing is to be gained from making Canadian's into criminals through the passage of store bought legislation. Truly I'm loathe to accept facts from any entity that has for years claimed no profit on their products yet is still in business. (Why do you think Movie Stars ask for their pay from the Gross rather than the Net) And if such a law looks close to passing without any due diligance done from government to make sure its a fair and righteous law and examined by third parties, then I will switch my allegiance to the Green party, who seem like the only uncorrupted party there is.

My biggest annoyance is with the Canadian Media who swallows this PR Bull hook line and sinker. Or are they simply doing what their corporate masters tell them to? I rarely see any fairness in these articles, they all seem to be that particular type of pre-written industry story. Journalists should be ashamed. Even the CBC has failed to reflect the opinion of the average Canadian on the issue. Then again, the average Canadian is conveniently in the dark as usual. And of course they are, they get their news from the media establishment.

Once again the Canadian Film and Television and Music industries fail at reality.