Canadian Chamber of Commerce Floats Fake $30 Billion Counterfeiting Claim (Thanks, Michael!)
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2:44 am Sat
Jun 11, 2011
Lobbynomics: Canadian Chamber of Commerce manufactures fake $30 billion counterfeiting loss
Michael Geist sez, "This week the Canadian IP Council, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce's IP lobby arm, issued a release placing Canadian counterfeiting costs at $30 billion per year. That figure is being used to lobby the government to enact new border measure provisions that could lead to the searching of luggage as travellers enter Canada. It is tempting to dismiss the claims on the basis that the policy rationale makes no sense - if counterfeit toothpaste is indeed "coming across the border in droves" as the Chamber claims, searching traveller luggage won't address that issue. Moreover, it should be noted that even the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement features an exception for de minimis imports that an individual might carry as it recognizes that addressing counterfeiting concerns does not involve targeting individuals. Yet given the decision to resurrect the bogus $30 billion figure, it is important to again call attention to its origins and how it is simply a fabrication."
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So now I have to sneak my homemade Crest™ toothpaste in though the woods. I hate my life.
Toothpaste travels in droves? Who knew? I always thought it was herds.
Reminds me of all the liars in the Japan Nuke protest thread down there. Half-truths are lies. And if your agenda needs lies to help promote it, then it’s time to question the validity of your agenda, isn’t it?
So, the notion that every Canadian citizen guilty of owning ~$900 of counterfeit goods is unrealistically high? Who would’ve thought.
Yes, the idea that every Canadian man, woman, child, would spend an extra $960 every single year in the absence of ‘IP theft’ does seem a bit implausible to me
or420
No No No.
Each Candian buys ~$900 of counterfiet goods PER YEAR.
Much more realistic.
Who knew toothpaste was worth a mint?
Maybe the Harper government should begin to counterfeit toothpaste and use the profits to pay for those jets everyone is upset about. As a 30 Billion dollar industry it seems like it would be worth it.
It must take a seriously big asshole to pull that kind of figure out of it.