Recently, the copyright industry has been using international means to pressure Canada into copyright reform. Since the accusations by the copyright industry are that Canada’s copyright laws are the weakest, it is interesting that the latest news is that 5 people now face imprisonment and fines of up to $1 million for pirating and selling DVDs of the latest movies.
The news comes from the Toronto Star where 5 people are being charged for violations of Canada’s copyright act. This is the same copyright act that seems to have been a magnet for scorn from the copyright industry because of, among other things, lack of copyright enforcement even though enforcement is clearly demonstrated here.
All this was happening during a time when the IFPI insisted that in order for free trade talks with Europe to begin, Canada needed to reform their copyright laws. Not only was this happening, but also just days earlier was Canada put on a Special 301 report priority watch list to join the ranks of countries like China which are known to have bootleg vendors everywhere. The move to put Canada on the priority watch list is already seen as a move that could ultimately backfire.
This more recent development could easily put another nail in the coffin on the claims that Canada has extremely bad copyright laws that need “updating” as the copyright industry sees fit.
[Hat tip Michael Geist]
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Canadian Whiskey is my favorite drink, but I just got on to some Nicaraguan Rum that is pretty dope.
good for them. selling R5s and telesynchs is bad.
I’ve never understood people who “purchase” pirated material, when you can get it easily for free. Half the stuff for sale in Chinatown here is shit quality.
bootleg >>>> a person dress good >>>>> come to your dinner table at your restaurant >>>>> ask you wanna buy dvd or not >>>>> and he/she sell you CD/DVD for 5 dollars or less >>>>>> and it begin charge to fines up 1 millions >>>>> selling 5 dollars item and need to fines up 1 millions >>>>> this is sooooo good…..
If the cops -only- targeted Pacific Mall they would be accused of racial profiling.
Thankfully there are bootleg vendors up at the Stoufville market that are just as arrest-able, and are white guys. Go get’em, coppers! FETCH!
Can you say Pacific Mall?
And I do agree this is a good arrest. People profiting from cams and R5 and Telesyncs are just stupid. These are the people who taint the scenes by essentially profiting from crime.
Copyright in Canada is very accurate. We have the Anti-Camcording Laws. What else do they want from us?
And as for bootleg vendors… The fact you are selling bootleg movies in a MALL is just asking for trouble :S