News

50 More Candidates Support Copyright Pledge as Liberals Show Support

Since Thursday's posting highlighting copyright pledge support from the Green Party and eight prominent NDP MPs and candidates, interest in the pledge has continued to grow. An increasing number of Liberal MPs and candidates have indicated their support, joined by many more NDP MPs and candidates.  In addition to the names listed last week, as of Monday morning, copyright pledge supporters now include:

  • Ken Boshcoff, Liberal MP, Thunder Bay-Rainy River, ON
  • Paul Szabo. Liberal MP, Mississauga South, ON
  • Gord Zeilstra, Liberal candidate, Cambridge, ON
  • Calvin Johnston, Liberal candidate, Palliser, SK
  • Arlene MacFarlane-VanderBeek, Liberal candidate, Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, ON
  • Heather Carter, Liberal candidate, Niagara West – Glanbrook, ON
  • Suzanne van Bommel, Liberal candidate, Elgin-Middlesex-London, ON
  • Jamie McGarvey, Liberal candidate, Parry Sound-Muskoka, ON
  • Carolyn Scott, Liberal candidate, Sackville Eastern Shore
  • Sharon L. Howe, Liberal candidate, Crowfoot, AB
  • Marcelle Marion, Liberal candidate, Winnipeg North, MB
  • David Orchard, Liberal candidate, Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River, SK
  • Frank Valeriote, Liberal candidate, Guelph, ON
  • Greg McClinchey, Liberal candidate, Huron-Bruce, ON
  • Ted Klassen, Liberal candidate, Portage-Lisgar, MB
  • Bill Siksay, New Democrat MP, Burnaby-Douglas, BC
  • Dawn Black, New Democract MP, New Westminster–Coquitlam, BC
  • Irene Mathyssen, New Democrat MP, London-Fanshawe, ON
  • Peggy Nash, New Democrat MP, Parkdale High Park, ON
  • Wayne Marston, New Democrat MP, Hamilton East – Stoney Creek, ON
  • Jean Crowder, New Democrat MP, Nanaimo–Cowichan, BC
  • Denise Savoie, New Democrat MP, Victoria, BC
  • David Caplan, New Democrat candidate, Vancouver Quadra, BC
  • Vinay Dey, New Democrat candidate, Calgary East, AB
  • Dave Burkhart, New Democrat candidate, Edmonton-St. Albert, AB
  • Michael Charrois, New Democrat candidate, North Vancouver, BC
  • Stephen Moore, New Democrat candidate, Wascana, SK
  • Mike Avery, New Democrat candidate, Cardigan, PEI
  • Brian Morin, New Democrat candidate, Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River, SK
  • Catherine Bell, New Democrat candidate,Vancouver Island North, BC
  • Mohamed Alli, New Democrat candidate , Portage–Lisgar, MB
  • Mike Seaward, New Democrat candidate, Newmarket-Aurora, ON
  • Mike Sullivan, New Democrat candidate, York South-Weston, ON
  • Pierre Ducasse, New Democrat candidate, Hull-Aylmer, QC
  • Eric Gillespie, New Democrat candidate, Niagara Falls, ON
  • Sue McSheffrey, New Democrat candidate, Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke
  • Gabriel Biron, New Democrat candidate, Lévis–Bellechasse, QC
  • Doug Ottenbreit, New Democrat candidate, Yorkton–Melville, SK
  • Jash Puniya, New Democrat candidate, Bramalea-Gore-Malton, ON
  • Nicolas Thibodeau, New Democrat candidate, Mont-Royal, QC
  • Justin Chatwin, New Democrat candidate, Eglinton-Lawrence, ON
  • George Addison, New Democrat candidate, St. Catharines, ON
  • Darlene Jalbert, New Democrat candidate, Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, ON
  • Carol Hughes, New Democrat candidate, Algoma Manitoulin Kapuskasing, ON
  • Jo-Anne Boulding, New Democrat candidate, Parry Sound Muskoka, ON
  • Max Lombardi, New Democrat candidate, Cambridge, ON
  • Wess Dowsett. New Democrat candidate, Richmond Hill, ON
  • Ross Eadie, New Democrat candidate, Kildonan-St. Paul, MB
  • John Rafferty, New Democrat candidate, Thunder Bay Rainy River, ON
  • Jill McIllwraith, New Democrat candidate, Bruce-Grey, ON

I will continue to post updates throughout the week, with a complete list just prior to election day.  If your local candidates are not on this list, there is still time to ensure that they speak out on fair copyright.

10 Comments

  1. Much better ideas
    This is all well and good but we have more problems which need our attention:

    We DEMAND! [rough draft]
    I/we don’t care who gets in as long as the following is implemented FULLY!

    Economic reform:
    Return to gold standard
    Abolish maritime laws on land
    Drop WTO, drop NAFTA or any such deals: increase laws and penalties on big business, you broke it you fix it and pay for it too
    No new environmentally toxic businesses / corporations: any present ones MUST clean up their own mess and pay for it too, this means their cash will be used even though they have hidden it in offshore accounts or other schemes or they go to jail till they release their hidden cash
    Freeze all Canadian SPP activities and subject to full public disclosure and debate.
    Curtail foreign takeovers of Canadian corporations and businesses and regain lost ones
    All corporations to be reviewed each year before they are allowed to continue or be licensed
    Establish a royal commission on banking practices in Canada
    Corporations must publish their full records quarterly and on demand as any Canadian chooses, must put any proposals in from of people before politicians.
    Corporations must keep 95% of their earnings in Canada, not offshore tax havens, any already out there must be returned
    Any corporation planning to move outside of Canada is to loose everything in Canada and their good standing with Canada and Canadians.
    Each foreign corporation must be voted on by public and common consensus before being let in
    Canadian resources to be used by Canadian people and industry, NOT foreigners!
    What can be produced here should be produced here.

    Poverty:
    Abolish poverty by 99%, especially child and single parent poverty
    Expand all social programs to 1990 levels and above
    Raise corporate taxes to 40% of their income, no ifs or butts, this must be paid before they do any R&D, investments or other such schemes. You want extra cash then you ask for it afterwards. It’s we the people that will decide!
    Preserve and improve universal health care to best in the world

    Environment:
    Nationalize the oil sands [90% of countries worldwide nationalize their oil resources]
    Nationalize all major mineral and bio resources
    Air, water and land are NOT for sale!
    Create provincial Kyoto Bonds to be purchased by Bank of Canada to subsidize compliance with Kyoto Protocol
    Clean up all toxic Canadian lands
    Take on best European models for forestry and land management

    Parliamentary Reform:
    Have mixed member proportional representational system
    If candidate lies, fibs or manipulates to detriment of people they should go to jail same as any common person.
    Absolutely No backroom deals, publicize and record all meetings
    No corporate lobbyists and all lobby meetings made public; beforehand, during and afterwards
    Jail corrupt officials
    Tax businesses only: abolish taxes for anyone making less than 100 k
    Kill bill c51 and abolish WTO control of our food, herbs and natural medicines
    All chemically produced food and all genetically modified food must be labeled and or banned. Producers of such food must contain food in fully enclosed environments.
    Kill bill c61 and present fair copyright laws
    Raise Minimum wages as per living standards
    Gangs sent back to their countries

    Bring back hemp products: these are high in oil content [replacement for oil], strong long fibers, medicinal purposes and much more
    Less jails & more community teaching, much more prevention
    Restore and improve health care to 1990 standards and above
    Add naturopaths, natural proven cures, herbs, medicines and like practices to health acts and fully paid by universal health care, subdue drug companies
    Free energy cars & vehicles, owned & built in Canada by Canadians for Canadians and Canadian conditions
    Implement free solar, tidal hydro, natural magnet motor, wind and other free energy sources to take over present abusive systems
    Improve Net neutrality & online privacy / anonymity for all persons. There shall be no spying on users without a warrant, period.
    Throttle Bell, Rogers and other Telco abuses: we demand fiber Internet per each home at no more than $5 per user unlimited bandwidth; they promised to implement high speed to every home and lied, now they must pay for it, all of it.
    All media companies must report full truth and all sides without pressure from politicians, banks, big business, special interest groups or any related groups
    Peace officers not police, actually jail abusive police same as any other criminal. If we hear one more time “who’s going to pay for fingerprints” taken off stolen cars, houses etc. police will be charged, same for police threatening people on behalf of corporations.
    Pull army back to Canada from abroad. If we are to have an army then it should be similar model to what Switzerland has
    Evict scientology and other cults
    Return land to natives as per original treaties and NOW. Provide displaced non-natives full replacement of losses and set them up in new areas as people wish.
    Create fair system of checks and balances for everything
    Free collage and university schooling
    Unsuppressed Canadian history, World history, politics, family planning, relationships and realities as mandatory school subjects in Canada
    Canada must become a full sovereign land again!
    Politicians must consult majority of Canadians before making any decisions that may be detriment to Canadians in any way! This must be presented for all to read and study 6 months before any decision is made and must be publicly available on an easy to use internet website from day 1.

    Take the best ideas from around the world and build the best country for free people in the world

    Government is here to protect the people and interests of people, not filthy rich abusive bankers and their Monetary Fund!
    Must watch – Zeitgeist: Addendum – how we are totally controlled by bankers who only care about enslaving everyone on Earth and how to fix it. It explains how to survive it as well.
    [ link ]
    Or for higher quality video see [ link ]

    Please visit and study [ link ] for more on your real rights.

    Canada must be in top 3 on OECD list: [ link ]

    Every Canadian interested in bettering their future must watch WHO killed CANADA?’ [and still is] – A 2008 Election Primer – [ link ]

    We are Canadians, WE CAN DO THIS!

    “The question is not how much will it cost but do we have the resources?” The answer is definitely YES. We have the resources to create the best life for everyone. Every single human being and preserve the earth in it’s fullest.

    Please feel free to create a separate website where all Canadians have input and add or change any MAJOR points to improve life for ALL Canadians. Short and point form preferred.
    Feel free to share this with any Canadian person.
    No corporate, banker or their affiliates input is allowed!

    P.S. If you are a politician reading this then you either implement all of the above or you are fired. If you are a bank or corporation then you’ve had your chance and screwed us over. NOW IT’S OUR TURN!

  2. Ditto Freeman caught this on p2p net Totally agree !

  3. Ethan Chiddicks says:

    Liberal Candidates taking the pledge
    I’m somewhat skeptical of the Liberal MPs taking the copyright pledge. After all, these are the same folks that brought us bill C60 ([ link ]). It was not as bad as the Conservative C-61, but it was still a regressive piece of copyright legislation.

    Sure, different leadership, different situation, but I have less faith in the Libs to keep promises (which may negatively impact their business friends) than the NDP or the Greens.

  4. muzzled candidates taking the pledge
    no offense to whoever managed to get Mr Mike seaward to agree to the pledge but he refused to comment when I asked about the pledge and many other legitimate questions, furthermore he refused to reply to calls and emails. Please find his number on the ndp website and I invite you to call him to ask if he even knows what copyright reform is.

    Food for thought.

  5. Google Maps
    This would seem to be a perfect use case for Google Maps technology and I would be very interested to see what this would look like once plotted. I wish I knew how to do it myself, but alas I don’t. Anyone else out there that’s up to the task?

  6. Fair Copyright Vancouver says:

    Hedy Fry
    I just spoke to Hedy Fry (Liberal, Vancouver-Centre), she states that she supports consultation through a blue ribbon commission and acknowledges the need for innovative solutions to digital copyrights. I expect to see her name next to those agreeing with the pledge.

    However, real commitments to protection of user rights, educational uses, libraries, etc. are not visible on her party’s national platform (at least I can’t find them).

    To her credit her own mailouts ([ link ]) acknowledge the need for taking into account all stakeholders and making a distinction between commercial and non-commercial infringement but it also still trots out the tired WIPO argument (see Howard Knopf for why that one is bunk) about lagging behind and being obligated to reform. There’s no hurry and we should take all the time we need to come up with good laws that reflect the public interest.

    Let’s see a repudiation of bill C-60 and the flawed consultations that she supported while her party was in power. Let’s get a clear statement that she is committed to fair copyright for Canada or else I and others might continue to believe, to use her words from the debate I saw tonight, that ‘talk is cheap’.

  7. Peter Stoffer / NDP from Lwr Sackville,
    Peter Stoffer from Lwr Sackville, NS has agreed to destroy C-61. He called me yesterday evening and pointed me to the post on their website.

  8. Just a couple of comments about freemans plan. If he is able to explain how to fund a plan involving eliminating poverty, investing massively in energy technologies that at the moment cannot provide the energy density to be viable economically, driving out all foreign investment, driving out most Canadian investment, and somehow creating an entirely new police force that will somehow be less corrupt than any existing one. Oh, and universal health care that pays for substances with a questionable medical benefit and entirely free education happens to cost quite a bit.

    Aside from the first problem funding the plan, most of the points are just entirely ridiculous, jailing anybody for fibbing and somehow doing so with 50% less prisons? Communications companies are expect to invest billions in new fiber optic infrastructure and then offer their services for a commercially nonviable amount of profit, which they aren’t allowed to invest outside of Canada in any way.

    Direct democracy probably isn’t a great idea given the low voter turnout that already is a major issue.

    This plan sounds kind of expensive for a government to pay for that is having a hard time currently balancing a budget. Especially when they stop taxing the majority of the populace and drive out most companies that they plan on taxing more heavily, while offering strict rules, harsh punishment, and absolutely no incentive to stay here.

  9. About what freeman said
    Sorry in advance as this is not directly about the copyright issue but about the larger list of political and social changes.

    Some parts of your suggested changes can work if not all, but the radical changes require a heavy duty action from the people, not the politicians.

    Revolutionizing the entire society of a nation takes more than talk, it takes planning, organization, backing of great amounts of people, and most importantly, and primarily, at least one person as a leader who is willing to sacrifice everything of their own standard life to get it done, but not too fast. It must be done at a pace that would possibly take 10-30 years, possibly more. Who would be willing to work for no money, and have no “life” except to promote a cause and live off the land or their own limited income based on self employment within the realm of the plan’s current state of progress? I think very few people would be willing to do that.

    Yet, it can happen.

  10. about freeman’s comment
    I’m sorry. I’m going to have to agree with the other guys on this. Your proposals are absolutely ridiculous. I’ll be quite blunt: what kind of drugs were you on when you wrote this? Your plan is impossible to implement, and even if it wasn’t, it would annihilate our economy, and destroy the country as we know it. You’re painting an idealistic(MASSIVE UNDERSTATEMENT) picture here, and that’s a problem that many people seem to have. Deal with reality before dabbling in your fantasies. What’s this about FREE energy, cars, and vehicles? Art thou out of thy mind? No nation in the WORLD would go about giving you free cars and power. You also seem to have a complete lack of understanding of what genetic engineering is. Most genetic engineering is done for very minute modifications to improve nutrient yield and etc. and has so far, not proven to be harmful. Furthermore, it’s quite difficult to avoid genetically modified foods, seeing as virtually all the food you eat, is, or has been, genetically modified. Good luck setting up a quarantine around your local supermarket. Frankly, you aren’t making any sense.