[d at DCC] Copyright eConsultation: your thoughts?

[Russell McOrmond]

On Fri, 24 Jul 2009, Keith Rose wrote:

> really inspires much confidence in this consultation process.  But,
> realistically, how much confidence could one have in a consultation
> process held entirely during the summer months, with about a week of
> advance notice?

   I was happy (placated?) when I received an invitation on behalf of the 
Heritage Minister to participate in-person for this consultation.  The 
invitation said to simply wait for further details.

   Given I need to give advance notice where I'm working to take days off, 
I needed to get information earlier.  Simply waiting quietly isn't a 
realistic option.

   After some digging (including getting some info on Twitter of all 
places) I found out that I'm on a B-list that was "invited" to attend the 
same Toronto "Town Hall" discussion that was an open invitation for anyone 
to attend.  I couldn't afford to go anyway (Taking days off work for 
travel, travel expenses, lodging, etc is well over $500 for what would be 
less than 5 minutes participation -- if that).  That town hall is already 
full, and no new people can attend.

   The Montreal town hall is happening this Thursday, and a few people 
(citizens, not the departments) suggested I should explore this 
possibility.  With only a few days to try to explore this possibility, 
there is no possibility to actually take the day off work (For Montreal it 
could have been a day trip - far less expensive).


> Given that most observers seem to be expecting the government to fall
> next spring, there is a strong possibility of another death on the
> order paper, either way.  However this does make it rather important
> to know how the opposition will approach the issue--particularly the
> Liberals who have been equivocal at best on the subject.

   Like it really matters which NDP MP is directing the file, the same is 
true of the Liberals and Conservatives.  This needs to be a focus during 
any upcoming election : to promote/support good candidates from any party, 
and to oppose (support electable alternatives) the bad candidates from any 
party.  People need to drop their partisan focus and look at the 
individuals given individuals matter far more than parties on this file.

   That said, no matter what party forms government and opposition there 
will be a suggestion that a recent public consultation happened, and they 
can push forward.

> That said, I do intend to make some time to put a submission
> together.  The alternative is to cede the floor to the expansionist
> interests.

   I will be doing so as well.  I'll also continue participating in the 
forum (and on Twitter, etc), if for no other reason than to try to get 
groups that should be on the same side as us (IE: independent creators, 
technology owners, etc) to better understand what "our" side really is.

-- 
  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://digital-copyright.ca/petition/ict/     http://KillBillC61.ca

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   manufacturers, can pry control over my camcorder, computer,
   home theatre, or portable media player from my cold dead hands!"