[d at DCC] Mr. Angus in the House.

[Russell McOrmond]

Robert Smits wrote:
> Yes. It looks very likely that we will be facing another federal election in 
> early spring - February or March is my guess. The Tories are extremely 
> frustrated in not having a majority and not being able to reveal their true 
> colours on a whole range of issues. I think copyright is just one of them. 

   I disagree that Copyright is a partisan issue.  Remember that in the 
USA it was the Democrats (specifically a task force headed by Al Gore) 
that gave us the NII Copyright Protection Act of 1995 (it failed), which 
lead to the 1996 WIPO treaties, and then the USA passing their DMCA 
(signed by Clinton).

    This is not an issue that "the left" is better at than "the right". 
  The Liberals couldn't push through C-60 because they too were in a 
Minority government situation.


   Mr. Angus as an individual in the NDP is as strong as he is because 
he is himself an independent creator, not because of his party.  Prior 
to his getting elected the past NDP Heritage critic, Wendy Lill, was far 
more a copyright maximalist than nearly anyone else in the house.

   We need to remember this as we go forward, and to not allow external 
partisan issues to paint how we approach this.  We want support from as 
many parliamentarians as possible.

   If we could get more petitions to the IT property rights petition I 
believe it would go a long way to helping the Conservatives understand. 
  They need to realize that anti-circumvention laws are anti-property 
laws, and that they need to stick to their conservative values and 
protect IT property rights.


> We should start making plans now as to how we can raise the issue with 
> candidates, or those who have either announced their candidacy or been 
> nominated, and perhaps create a database with candidate positions. 

   Creating a database would be great, but requires volunteer time to 
manage.  We'll need people to step forward to do that work.

   What we have now is a BLOG system which has a taxonomy that includes 
all 308 ridings.  It is what I've been using to categorize any 
statements about copyright made by any MPs or candidates.

   We currently have two by-elections happening, but I don't know if 
anyone in our community has been involved.  See the front page of 
http://digital-copyright.ca for candidate info/links/etc.

> Bob Smits

-- 
  Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
  Please help us tell the Canadian Parliament to protect our property
  rights as owners of Information Technology. Sign the petition!
  http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/ict/

  "The government, lobbied by legacy copyright holders and hardware
   manufacturers, can pry my camcorder, computer, home theatre, or
   portable media player from my cold dead hands!"