Canadian DMCA Bill Within Six Weeks • Hacker News Board

Re: Canadian DMCA Bill Within Six Weeks

#11

Post by The_Fox » Thu, May 06, 2010, 5:17 PM UTC

kjhgfdghjk wrote: post #5

mmastrac wrote: post #3

This is a frustrating issue because it keeps coming up over and over again. The lobbyists have a lot more energy than we do. Why does it have to take the people 1000x the effort to get a bill killed as it does to lobby it into existence? I wrote my MP last time (C-61). I guess I'll drag out the letter again and update it.

>Why does it have to take the people 1000x the effort to get a bill killed as it does to lobby it into existence? Because 1000 x $0.32 stamps < 1 x $$$$ donation to the MP's party

You're being funny, I know. But just FYI, you do not need to put a stamp on letters to Members of Parliament.

Re: Canadian DMCA Bill Within Six Weeks

#12

Post by 3pt14159 » Thu, May 06, 2010, 5:39 PM UTC

I'm sick of American government officials screwing around with our domestic policy. I'm not saying I don't see why it happens, but "senior officials" from Washington should be saving their political clout for legitimate international issues.

Re: Canadian DMCA Bill Within Six Weeks

#13

Post by kjhgfdghjk » Thu, May 06, 2010, 5:50 PM UTC

The_Fox wrote: post #11

kjhgfdghjk wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Why does it have to take the people 1000x the effort to get a bill killed as it does to lobby it into existence? Because 1000 x $0.32 stamps < 1 x $$$$ donation to the MP's party

You're being funny, I know. But just FYI, you do not need to put a stamp on letters to Members of Parliament.

Didn't know that

In that case 1000 x 0 < $$$$ !!!

Re: Canadian DMCA Bill Within Six Weeks

#14

Post by strebler » Thu, May 06, 2010, 6:07 PM UTC

mcantelon wrote: post #10

The intellectual property lobby can channel campaign money to the politicians and likely offer them connections for further contributions or future career opportunities. The copyleft lobby can't compete with that. This is why democracy isn't representing the will of the electorate on this and many other issues.

Actually, it's not quite that simple in Canada.

Corporate contributions to political parties have been effectively cut off by the current Prime Minister (Harper), you can only do personal donations and only up to $1100 per person.

Harper had a lot of grassroots conservative support and the liberals had a lot of corporate support. The liberals were basically financially devastated and have had to build up from scratch (doing better now).

Still, the US has a strong pull with Harper, he looooves capitalism.

Re: Canadian DMCA Bill Within Six Weeks

#15

Post by mmastrac » Thu, May 06, 2010, 7:54 PM UTC

sunir wrote: post #4

mmastrac wrote: post #3

This is a frustrating issue because it keeps coming up over and over again. The lobbyists have a lot more energy than we do. Why does it have to take the people 1000x the effort to get a bill killed as it does to lobby it into existence? I wrote my MP last time (C-61). I guess I'll drag out the letter again and update it.

If I could ask a favour please, could you share your letter here so it is easier for others like myself to draft our own?

Here you go. The letters are too long to include here without screwing up the thread, so I've moved them to a Google doc:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AWzXPiQen09oZGRoeno4Z2pfMz...

Re: Canadian DMCA Bill Within Six Weeks

#16

Post by chc » Thu, May 06, 2010, 8:52 PM UTC

3pt14159 wrote: post #12

I'm sick of American government officials screwing around with our domestic policy. I'm not saying I don't see why it happens, but "senior officials" from Washington should be saving their political clout for legitimate international issues.

Seriously, our zeal to push the DMCA into every other country on the planet is bordering on creepy. Whether or not you think it would be good if that happened, it is not worth the amount of effort it's getting. Is the media industry really that powerful here?

Re: Canadian DMCA Bill Within Six Weeks

#17

Post by anamax » Thu, May 06, 2010, 9:02 PM UTC

3pt14159 wrote: post #12

I'm sick of American government officials screwing around with our domestic policy. I'm not saying I don't see why it happens, but "senior officials" from Washington should be saving their political clout for legitimate international issues.

> but "senior officials" from Washington should be saving their political clout for legitimate international issues.

How about not?

Think of it as taking one for the team. The time that they spend screwing up Canada is time that they can't spend screwing up something else.

Re: Canadian DMCA Bill Within Six Weeks

#18

Post by philwelch » Thu, May 06, 2010, 10:42 PM UTC

The_Fox wrote: post #11

kjhgfdghjk wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Why does it have to take the people 1000x the effort to get a bill killed as it does to lobby it into existence? Because 1000 x $0.32 stamps < 1 x $$$$ donation to the MP's party

You're being funny, I know. But just FYI, you do not need to put a stamp on letters to Members of Parliament.

Seriously?

As far as I know, the USA is the exact reverse of that--members of Congress can send as many free letters as they want, but you have to pay to write to them.

Re: Canadian DMCA Bill Within Six Weeks

#19

Post by sunir » Thu, May 06, 2010, 11:49 PM UTC

mmastrac wrote: post #15

sunir wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I could ask a favour please, could you share your letter here so it is easier for others like myself to draft our own?

Here you go. The letters are too long to include here without screwing up the thread, so I've moved them to a Google doc: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AWzXPiQen09oZGRoeno4Z2pfMz...

Thanks!