More anti consumer activities ahead for Canadians it seems.
http://ca.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idCATRE78R5D320110928Canada will reintroduce copyright legislation on Thursday as it grapples with the realities of the Internet age and tries to balance the demands of consumers with concerns from the movie industry. The legislation would let Canadians copy legally acquired music and movies to their iPods and computers but it would bar most attempts to get around digital locks, which limit access to books, movies, music, video games and electronic devices.
In a concession to consumers, the bill would allow them to circumvent a digital lock on their smart phones to let them switch wireless service providers, if their contract allows that.
By introducing the bill in the same form as before the federal election, the government plans to avoid Parliament calling up groups that have already testified about the legislation. "That suggests things could move very quickly with a few sessions and a march to passing the bill before the end of 2011," said Michael Geist, copyright expert at the University of Ottawa.
The bill would cut the penalties that companies could seek for most private infringement of copyrights. Statutory damages would be reduced to a one-time payment of between C$100 and C$5,000, compared with the maximum current punishment of C$20,000 for a single offense.
This bill seems to do nothing for the consumer as it reiterates rights they should already have had from day one, selfish media cartels have abused consumers and held those parts of the public bargain back for just a time as this so folks are mislead into believing they are gaining something in return for giving something to the fat cat monopolists, alas they are simply ceding further rights without their concent while their elected representatives enjoy "free" holidays and attend "conferences" in exclusive sunny island resorts along with other incentives to sell the publics rights out for personal gain.
