Canada about to become Big Media's copyright bitch?

The new copyright legislation the Conservatives will be bringing to parliament in the New Year is expected to be a draconian gift to huge American media conglomerates. Stuff they couldn't get away with in the US or any other country, restrictions on fair use, parody and personal back up rights that wouldn't fly anywhere else on Earth.

Gear up for a fight in the New Year. The American record labels, in particular, are said to be well organised and ready to push this through on a fast track (even though they've abandoned DRM in the rest of the world, they view Canada as a weak sister they can push around).

It's expected the legislation will open the floodgates of American style music industry hunting of fans, blaming their failing business model on technical innovation and suing music lovers rather than accepting that technology and the market requires they adapt to how they serve them. This is legislation paid for and designed by frightened reactionary old men who hate the technological changes to their market - and by extension their customers using new technology - both of which that they literally seem incapable of understanding.

All this despite ample evidence over the years that file-sharing is being falsely blamed for killing the music industry and can actually help sell music.

Michael Geist's 30 things you can do missive from last year still applies. Start fighting back now against the American media lobbyists and their pet legislators in Canada's Conservative government who want to turn back the clock on innovation and criminalize their customers.