My colleague Geoff Sowrey wrote what I think is a brilliant open letter to Jim Prentice. In fact he inspired me to write one of my own as well. If you don’t know who Jim Prentice is you can start here. If you don’t know what is going on then check this out.
Dear Mr. Prentice,
I cannot help but wonder how you feel it is in the best interests of Canadians to introduce this draconian bill. Government has one purpose and one purpose only, to serve the people. This bill serves only the corporations who fail to adapt to the changing market place and the lawyers who suckle at their tits.
The marketplace has evolved and while organizations like the RIAA would like to put the genie back in the bottle, they can’t. As long as there are teenage boys and the internet, you will never, ever stop people from copying and sharing files. I’m not saying it is correct, I am not saying I approve of it, but passing a law that makes thousands of ordinary Canadians, your constituents, into criminals is not the answer.
Of course, I suppose you are not to worried about that since you probably won’t ever get elected again after this. Will you go work for a copyright company? Perhaps the RIAA themselves? I am sure you have considered your next career move. Not since Mulroney and free trade have Canadians been as fucked over by their own government as this. And for what? To save a dying business model?
Apple was able to create a system (iTunes) that not only embraced the concept of downloading but made it legitimate, and made a lot of money too. While iTunes is not perfect it is a hell of a lot better than what you are proposing. It provides customers what they wanted and businesses with what they needed. That sir, is a “win-win”.
If you doubt that your proposed legislation is wrong consider the fact that if your bill is passed, I would be breaking the law by including the screen shot above. I didn’t create the content, I am not the copyright holder, and I distributed it.
Come get me.
