DVD cartel examples sought

From: "Tom A. Trottier" <Tom _-at-_ Abacurial.com>
To: canada-dmca-opponents (at) flora.org
Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2001 10:28:42 -0400

Hi all,

A fellow at the Competition bureau phoned me back asking for specific 
examples where the DVD cartel is restricting competition.

I imagine it impedes businesses from importing DVDs from other 
countries and selling or playing them in Canada.

Does anyone have some specific instances?

E.G., 
	- a DVD is available from Europe, India, or some other Region that 
won't play here, 
	- manufacturers have tried to lean on a retailer not to sell Region-
free DVD players
	- any other example they have personally experienced or researched 
where the DVD cartel has violated any part of Section 45 of the 
competition act, below.

Principles are one thing, but criminal prosecutions need particular 
persons, situations, and facts.

Thanks, Tom



Ref: Competition Act, Part VI, reads:
Conspiracy
45. (1) Every one who conspires, combines, agrees or arranges with 
another person
(a) to limit unduly the facilities for transporting, producing, 
manufacturing, supplying, storing or dealing in any product,
(b) to prevent, limit or lessen, unduly, the manufacture or 
production of a product or to enhance unreasonably the price thereof,
(c) to prevent or lessen, unduly, competition in the production, 
manufacture, purchase, barter, sale, storage, rental, transportation 
or supply of a product, or in the price of insurance on persons or 
property, or
(d) to otherwise restrain or injure competition unduly,
is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a 
term not exceeding five years or to a fine not exceeding ten million 
dollars or to both.
(http://lois.justice.gc.ca/en/C-34/30584.html)


---------------  Abacurial Information Management Consultants 
Tom A. Trottier, President ICQ:57647974  http://abacurial.com
	415-400 Slater St. Ottawa ON Canada K1R 7S7 
	+1 613 291-1168 fax:594-5412  N45.417 W75.705
(after 2001 Oct 20) 758 Albert St, Ottawa ON Canada K1R 7V8 
	+1 613 860-6633 fax:231-6115  N45.412 W75.714
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary 
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin
--
For (un)subscription information, posting guidelines and
links to other related sites please see http://www.flora.org/dmca/