Apparently FOX sent a letter to Cineplex’ top levels of management, warning them that if they can’t get the camcording issue under control, that they may delay movie releases in Canada. Sort of like they already do to all non-North-American markets.
Multiple figures within the article complained that the laws, which require a substantial evidence base, were without teeth. A case was alluded to whereby a man in the United-States was given an 8 year sentence and a $250,000 fine. (He might as well have “accidentally” run over those that witnessed his criminal act – he would of probably received less jail time.)
The article then goes on about the stereotypical talk of Canada being on a “watch list”, that the rate of piracy in the US fell dramatically when new more tough laws were enacted, implying links of this kind of piracy with the mafia, and making claims that we are a cesspool for pirated imports of DVDs from China/Pakistan/Russia.
These are tough words, and I can’t help but to bear an extreme sense of cynicism of the whole matter. FOX would not actually go through with this; the sheer hypocrisies and questionable lack of effectiveness of such measures ensures it so. No, these are words to scare people into action.
Either way, I hope that FOX does actually go beyond the “pressure tactic” level, and implement such a delay. Perhaps then, they’ll have one less thing to blame Canada for. And perhaps then as well, seeing how we’re second rate to Americans, Canadians will ponder the previously unfathomable idea of investing in their own film industry.