April 14 2010
Pirate Party of Canada becomes first officially recognized Pirate Party outside Europe.
As copyright holders get increasingly aggressive with pursuing anti-piracy legislation that restricts fair-use rights and online communication, critics around the globe are banding together to make sure their voices are part of the debate.
Pirate Parties International was formed back in October of 2006 to serve as the umbrella organization that would coordinate the activities of and communications between national groups, each of which is dedicated to the principles of copyright and patent reform as well as the protection of personal privacy.
The Swedish Pirate Party was the first of these national chapters, and so far the most successful. In last year’s European Parliament elections it won 2 seats with some 7.13% of the vote, making it the country’s third largest political party.
Since then Pirate Party chapters have sprung up around the globe, from Argentina to Turkey, from the US to Italy, but until now none outside Europe have been officially registered. Canada is the first.
“We are pleased to announce that as of April 12, 2010, the Pirate Party of Canada (PPCA) is officially eligible for Party Status,” it says. “After ten months of dedication and hard work, we have reached eligible status, which only leaves a 60-day ‘purgatory’ period. After that, we will field candidates in subsequent federal elections, and begin the real work of a political party.”
It was last July that the Pirate Party of Canada first formed and began seeking members, and the road since then has been paved with difficulty, not the least of which is the insistence of the Green Party that Canada doesn’t need a Pirate Party, that it’s just as devoted to reforming an antiquated copyright system.
The Pirate Party chalked up the Green Party’s mention of copyright reform as a “huge early success” since it made no mention of the problem during the previous election.
Since then it’s been busy at work gathering the necessary forms and signatures and has been pleasantly surprised with the people’s response.
“It goes to show that you, normal Canadians who really run the country, care about what goes on behind the scenes, in the dark, closed board rooms and at the negotiating tables of ACTA, the RIAA, and the CRTC,” it continues. “You’ve shown that we aren’t going to take the indignity of losing technological and cultural rights, so that record labels and big companies can further gouge us.”
From here it plans to begin “work in earnest” and “shift from mundane procedural tasks to real-world issues.” If you’re a Canadian citizen and interested in becoming a member you can register here.
Stay tuned.
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/88637/canada-gets-official-party-party/
Pirate Party of Canada becomes first officially recognized Pirate Party outside Europe.
As copyright holders get increasingly aggressive with pursuing anti-piracy legislation that restricts fair-use rights and online communication, critics around the globe are banding together to make sure their voices are part of the debate.
Pirate Parties International was formed back in October of 2006 to serve as the umbrella organization that would coordinate the activities of and communications between national groups, each of which is dedicated to the principles of copyright and patent reform as well as the protection of personal privacy.
The Swedish Pirate Party was the first of these national chapters, and so far the most successful. In last year’s European Parliament elections it won 2 seats with some 7.13% of the vote, making it the country’s third largest political party.
Since then Pirate Party chapters have sprung up around the globe, from Argentina to Turkey, from the US to Italy, but until now none outside Europe have been officially registered. Canada is the first.
“We are pleased to announce that as of April 12, 2010, the Pirate Party of Canada (PPCA) is officially eligible for Party Status,” it says. “After ten months of dedication and hard work, we have reached eligible status, which only leaves a 60-day ‘purgatory’ period. After that, we will field candidates in subsequent federal elections, and begin the real work of a political party.”
It was last July that the Pirate Party of Canada first formed and began seeking members, and the road since then has been paved with difficulty, not the least of which is the insistence of the Green Party that Canada doesn’t need a Pirate Party, that it’s just as devoted to reforming an antiquated copyright system.
The Pirate Party chalked up the Green Party’s mention of copyright reform as a “huge early success” since it made no mention of the problem during the previous election.
Since then it’s been busy at work gathering the necessary forms and signatures and has been pleasantly surprised with the people’s response.
“It goes to show that you, normal Canadians who really run the country, care about what goes on behind the scenes, in the dark, closed board rooms and at the negotiating tables of ACTA, the RIAA, and the CRTC,” it continues. “You’ve shown that we aren’t going to take the indignity of losing technological and cultural rights, so that record labels and big companies can further gouge us.”
From here it plans to begin “work in earnest” and “shift from mundane procedural tasks to real-world issues.” If you’re a Canadian citizen and interested in becoming a member you can register here.
Stay tuned.
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/88637/canada-gets-official-party-party/
