The Unemployment Diaries

(Hill)arious 20.04.10

It’s always great when the Committee injects a little pop culture reference into an otherwise dull meeting.

“To steal a phrase from Star Trek,” said one Conservative MP in his question period, admitting it was his favourite show growing up as a kid. “How do we boldly go into a new universe and leverage all the opportunities there?”

He’s talking about the internet.

Today’s meeting was a continuation of the Committee on Canadian Heritage’s (CHPC) never-ending saga to develop a study on new media. This is supposed to help them create laws that foster and protect online Canadian content but problem is, most of the Committee members start their sentences with: “I’m a little new to this internet thing, but…”

Today’s witnesses ranged from publishing company representatives, a freelance photographer, a rep from a Quebec theatre society and a woman from Access Copyright. Access Copyright hogged the mic most of the time, but it didn’t matter who was talking because all were in agreeance: Expanding the fair dealing clause in Canadian copyright law so more people can use more stuff for free= bad (see previous entry for more in depth explanation of fair dealing).

The main arguments tossed around being that creators will lose more money, too many exceptions will make an already complex law more confusing, and suspect cases will be left for the Court rather than Parliament to decide (the argument being Canadian courts aren’t equipped to deal with the complexity of Copyright law cases, though they have the capacity to figure out if someone is guilty of murder. Hmmmmm. This one went over my head).

This is the exact opposite of what last week’s witness, documentary-filmmaker Brett Gaylor most famous for his film RiP! on mash-up artist Girl Talk, argued. I wish they had mixed up the place cards a little and had Gaylor sitting beside Access Canada. Instead, this was like being at a debate where everyone agreed.

The debate is interesting after all. I’m for the new media. I do the blog thing and love the platform it gives me to say whatever and someone feel connected to you people. However, I have the luxury of being able to spend three hours a week writing unpaid content. I’d rather be getting paid, and the dream is that one way I will be and make a living from it.

New media has undoubtedly opened doors to incredible innovation, but at what cost to those trying to survive off profits from their creations? Now that could potentially have all the drama of a Star Trek episode if witnesses on opposed sides could duke it out. Instead, it was like an entire episode of Captain Kirk looking in the mirror and telling his reflection how good it looks (Anchorman, anyone?).

As our Conservative Trek buff continued his vocal voyage of asking for the hundredth time how the Committee can make their bill more adaptive to changing technology (um, stop talking, take out a Macbook, and learn how youtube works), the feisty Bloc Quebecois MP interrupted to say the French translation wasn’t coming through her earpiece.

“It’s just as illogical in French,” said Conservative Trekkie, self-deprecatingly.

The embarrassed translator behind the glass window pushed a button and order was restored.

“Start over Deaner,” called out an NDP MP, affectionately using the Conservative’s schoolyard name.

“Beam me up Scotty,” chimed in a Liberal MP, and everyone laughed.

Today’s (Hill)arious award goes to Conservative Trekkie, for bringing his passion for Sci-Fi to the room, and showing how quickly an official meeting can dissolve into playground banter at the mention of Captain Kirk.