A newly proposed Canadian bill would affix a tax on digital media storage devices ranging from personal MP3 players to computer hard drives.
Democratic MP Charlie Angus (pictured) is behind the proposed measure C-499 (PDF), which would extend the country’s 1997 Private Copying Levy to cover “copying devices,” specifically "a device that contains a permanently embedded data storage medium, including solid state or hard disk, designed, manufactured and advertised for the purpose of copying sound recordings, excluding any prescribed kind of recording device."
Angus, for his part, does not expect the bill to get very far, but hoped that its introduction would spark debate on the topic. He stated in a press release that “it’s time parliamentarians got serious about updating our copyright laws.”
Angus continued:
Digital locks and suing fans are not going to prevent people from copying music from one format to another. The levy is a solution that works. By updating it, we will ensure that artists are getting paid for their work, and that consumers aren’t criminalized for moving their legally-obtained music from one format to another.
As noted on Ars Technica, a similar tax proposed back in 2007, and eventually shot down, discussed a levy in the neighborhood of $75.00 for devices with more than 30GB of space.
A second motion proposed by Angus would add verbiage to Canada’s Copyright Act in order to “protect the reasonable use of copyrighted materials for innovation, research and study.”
Michael Geist backed this particular measure, writing, “This approach is precisely what thousands of Canadians supported during last summer's copyright consultation. It strikes the right balance - it's fair dealing, not free dealing - and it is based on current Canadian jurisprudence.”
The Private Copying Levy currently assesses a tax on blank recording media and has generated $180.0 million for Canadian artists since 2000.
Thanks FlakAttack!
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Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
A newly proposed Canadian bill would affix a tax on digital media storage devices ranging from personal MP3 players to computer hard drives.
Democratic MP Charlie Angus (pictured) is behind the proposed measure C-499 (PDF), which would extend the country’s 1997 Private Copying Levy to cover “copying devices,” specifically "a device that contains a permanently embedded data storage medium, including solid state or hard disk, designed, manufactured and advertised for the purpose of copying sound recordings, excluding any prescribed kind of recording device."
Ok let me make one thing clear, how the hell would they know to tax someone that has pirated music, movies, and whatnot on their mp3's and ipod's? When those people doing it won't tell the government about it. In my opinion it's a waste of tax payer's money. & I'm pretty sure there are modded ipods and mp3's just like modded xbox360's........
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
This is a bit of a shock and quite sad. Charlie Angus has actually been on the front lines of the political end of the net neutrality fight in Canada and has also said he's strongly in favour of fair and just copyright, something which an initiative like this flies in the face of. I've had discussions with the man over e-mail and really considered him a good guy, especially considering I normally can't stand the NDP and the governmental concepts they promote. He really seemed to be on the side of consumers and it is really too bad to see him leading the charge to extend the "obsolete business model" levy. I'll definitely have to fire him an e-mail about this.
Parallax Abstraction
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
blog.digital-lifeline.ca
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
Just to clarify something here, these guys are saying that artists should be paid for their work when transferring material from one storage medium to another. In other words, when you buy one of their CDs and convert the music to mp3s and then load it onto your MP3 player, you are not giving the artist their due. I think that is totally retarded, but that what companies have come to expect: the EULA gives you the licence to use media in a certain, very specific manner.
As Zippy mentioned before, "I have no problem with taxing net service,digital storage discs and tapes as long as we the people have protected from bitchy greedy corporations and their frivolous lawsuits." but I must temper that statement with:
"The Private Copying Levy currently assesses a tax on blank recording media and has generated $180.0 million for Canadian artists since 2000.
I think you mean Canadian Labels. None of that money gets back to the performers and writers.
E. Zachary Knight"
The actual artists are seeing little to none of this money, and indie artists aren't even represented. All the levies that are collected go to the lobbying groups for the recording industry. In effect, this doesn't benefit anyone, especially if you buy music.
That said, I haven't bought a single song from any artist represented by any music lobby group that gets the current levies on CD-ROMs and cassettes (not sure if DVD-ROMs are included). I just download them. I will not pay twice for the same product. Consumer rights > EULA.
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
The world loves its taxes. If only we could tax politicians for every stupid motion or lie.
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
That would be awesome, obama alone would owe everyone, everything.
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
Obama? His "lies" are nothing. How much should Bush owe the world for the "Weapons of Mass Destruction" lie?
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
I have no problem with taxing net service,digital storage discs and tapes as long as we the people have protected from bitchy greedy corporations and their frivolous lawsuits.
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! CP/IP laws should not effect the daily life of common people! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Let's renegotiate them.
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http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
Well, I'm not impressed with paying a proposed $75 levy on new MP3 players over 3gb (because most of those are under $75 even after tax...). That said, that levy means Canadians are protected from said corporations and their lawsuits.
I'm not sure what to think.
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
I don't understand, how does one become a recipient of the tax in the first place?
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
Own a recording company. The artists can't affor the legal advice to claim them, and recording companies won't give the artist any of it.
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
Democratic MP Charlie Angus...
Charlie Angus is the NDP (New Democrat Party) MP. The NDP is more of a socialist party than a democratic party. We don't have a party called the 'Democratic' party in Canada.
Also, this will never pass. Portable media has too much of a foothold in mainstream society for this to even be feasible. It's just another waste of time and money by the NDP.
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
Not with most of the Conservative party fighting it. That's right: the Conservative party is fighting this bill. I am just as surprised as you.
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
Conservative and Liberal are different here than in the states. Here, Conservatives are far and away the more competent government, regardless of ideology (which is also different from the states)
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
I don't understand taxing media and HDDs. You are assuming they are only being used for these illegal purposes.
That's like taxing knife sales for damages done against people who are stabbed.
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
This is how we've been doing it for years. Before it involved VHS, Cassete Tapes, CD-R, and I believe DVD-R.
The logic is that these formats mostly exist to tweak stuff that you (presumably) own. Whereas the DMCA tells you that you can't make mix tapes/cd's, you can't backup your files, Canada's laws say, yeah you can do that, but since it's also for bootlegging, we'll charge a small fee.
Re: Canadian Pol Proposes “iPod” Tax
The Private Copying Levy currently assesses a tax on blank recording media and has generated $180.0 million for Canadian artists since 2000.
I think you mean Canadian Labels. None of that money gets back to the performers and writers.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower