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
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Somalia belongs on the piracy watch list. That’s about it.
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
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
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!
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!
Sounds legit.
Actually you are right, I recall seeing a report where indeed a rather large chunk of piracy was homegrown US piracy.
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…
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)…
Go Canucks! *laughs*
The 301 list would seem to count as libel.
Also… our stupid government goes along with the horrendous monstrosity that is ACTA, and we’re STILL on the damned list?
I fear what our society will look like once we’re off the list.
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.