[kwlug-disc] Meeting with (not so new) MPs in KW region.

[Russell McOrmond]

On Sat, May 7, 2011 at 9:34 AM, L.D. Paniak  wrote:

> Ridiculous url notwithstanding, can we counter such arguments?  I have a
> problem with proof by eminent authority (Dr. Ficsor said I was
> right...), but I guess that is how legal debates work.

  Take a look at: http://billc32.ca/faq#wipoguide

  It is important that people recognise that Dr. Mihály Ficsor is not
so much an expert, but a lobbiest from outside of Canada.   He was
actively involved in pushing forward as a Hungarian the policy
laundering position put forward by the USTR on technological measures.

  He lost that debate in 1995/1996 when the vast majority of WIPO
countries rejected the inclusion of "access controls" and a
prohibition on tools and services that can be used to circumvent these
access controls.  He has then lobbied globally claiming that he won
the debate, and that WIPO had actually meant to say what he promoted
and never got.

  He is relying on the short attention span of people, as well as the
fact that politicians are generalists and won't know that what he says
of the history is incorrect.

  It is pretty  dishonest what he is doing, but it is part of the
political debate to claim that up is down, left is right, and that
"We've always been at war with Eastasia".

  Hope this helps.

-- 
Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
Please help us tell the Canadian Parliament to protect our property
rights as owners of Information Technology. Sign the petition!
http://creform.ca/petition/ict/

"The government, lobbied by legacy copyright holders and hardware
 manufacturers, can pry my camcorder, computer, home theatre, or
 portable media player from my cold dead hands!"