Canada doesn't belong on the US piracy watchlist, along with 70% of the rest of the world

Michael Geist sez,

In what has become an annual rite of spring, each April the U.S. government releases its Special 301 report - often referred to as the Piracy Watch List - which claims to identify countries with sub-standard intellectual property laws. Canada has appeared on this list for many years alongside dozens of countries. In fact, over 70% of the world's population is placed on the list and most African countries are not even considered for inclusion.
While the Canadian government has consistently rejected the U.S. list because it "basically lacks reliable and objective analysis", this year I teamed up with Public Knowledge to try to provide the U.S. Trade Representative Office with something a bit more reliable and objective. Public Knowledge will appear at a USTR hearing on Special 301 today. In addition, last week we participated in meetings at the U.S. Department of Commerce and USTR to defend current Canadian copyright law and the proposed reforms.
The full submission focuses on four main issues: how Canadian law provides adequate and effective protection, how enforcement is stronger than often claimed, why Canada is not a piracy haven, and why Bill C-11 does not harm the interests of rights holders (critics of Bill C-11 digital lock rules will likely think this is self-evident).

Why Canada Does Not Belong on the U.S. Piracy Watchlist

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: canada • Copyfight • corruption • politics

More at Boing Boing

Eurovision 2013: An American in London

The technology that links taxonomy and Star Trek

OldBrownSquirrel

Somalia belongs on the piracy watch list. That’s about it.
- techcafe
  
  actually, Somali Piracy began ‘in response to *illegal fishing* and *toxic dumping* by Western ships off the Somali coast
  
  http://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/14/analysis_somalia_piracy_began_in_response
  
  also fyi:
  
  Toxic Waste Behind Somali Pirates
  http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/3-toxic-waste-behind-somali-pirates/
  
  Somali Pirates and the Scramble for Africa
  http://www.twf.org/News/Y2009/0411-Pirates.html
  
  The Two Piracies in Somalia: Why the world ignores the other?
  http://www.the-peoples-forum.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=11036
  
  original article here:
  http://wardheernews.com/Articles_09/Jan/Waldo/08_The_two_piracies_in_Somalia.html
  
  Evidence of Toxic and Radioactive Waste Dumping in Somalia
  http://wardheernews.com/Articles_2010/June/Bashir/Toxic_waste_dumping_in_Somalia_and_its_impact_on_human_rights.pdf
  
  Truth behind Somali pirates:
  
  1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZtiruwzLcI
  2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y4WgyhkkJA
  - Antinous / Moderator
    
    I read recently that European fishing boats took advantage of the conflict in Libya to do massive illegal fishing while nobody was closely monitoring the situation.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15597675
    - Shinkuhadoken
      
      We had that problem awhile back with Spanish fishing vessels off the coast of Newfoundland taking advantage of our underfunded Coast Guard (lol). We told them to stop. They showed up with military vessels and we almost went to war.
      
      But, it all worked out in the end. All the fish were caught and now there’s none left. Problem solved!
IvoryTusk

Is the US on the US piracy watchlist? Because my imaginary research says that at least exactly 68% of piracy of US american products takes place right in the US!
- HahTse
  
  Sounds legit.
- Ryan Lenethen
  
  Actually you are right, I recall seeing a report where indeed a rather large chunk of piracy was homegrown US piracy.
Baldhead

Geist is right to point out that the facts don’t bear up the accusation. Now, if only they actually cared what the facts were…
Warren Grant

If only officials in our government hadn’t asked the US to place us on their watchlist to help justify draconian anti-piracy legislation they wanted to pass. Evidently both governments are in the pockets of Big Media(tm)…
http://excelsior-station.wikidot.com Sarge Misfit

Go Canucks! *laughs*
Daemonworks

The 301 list would seem to count as libel.
Daemonworks

Also… our stupid government goes along with the horrendous monstrosity that is ACTA, and we’re STILL on the damned list?
- Shinkuhadoken
  
  I fear what our society will look like once we’re off the list.
Ryan Lenethen

Anyway, it is fairly transparent that all this list really is, is a big political hammer to try and ram through their copyright law on other countries. Only the severely brain damaged think otherwise. This is much the same way that the movie industry can say they lose 500 Billion in sales due to piracy. It has absolutely nothing to do with reality, all it is for is to have a report they can wave in the air to justify the political maneuvers they wish to take in order to continue to be on the media lobby payroll.