iTMS Canada Dec. 1 [NOW OPEN]

[stcanard]

"We said that we would launch the iTunes Music Store in Canada by the end of November, but we're going to miss this deadline by a bit," the company said. "You'll hear from us very soon."


This is how an international corporation handles their business? If I did business this way I would be homeless!

Honestly, with the number of newbies that seem to be here to b*tch I'm wondering if this has just become a popular place to troll. That said, I'm going to answer anyway...

The answer, of course, is this is not how an international corporation handles their business. They handle their business with closed door, private negotiations that people outside of the negotiations are not privvy to.

What this is, is how an international company handles an unofficial comment to an unofficial press, to try and let customers know that they have not been forgotten about.

 

[dejo]

"We said that we would launch the iTunes Music Store in Canada by the end of November, but we're going to miss this deadline by a bit," the company said. "You'll hear from us very soon."


This is an official statement from Apple. What the HELL IS THIS!!!!

That is an official statement? My respect for Apple is dropping by the minute.

This is how an international corporation handles their business? If I did business this way I would be homeless!

You obviously have never read any official statements from Microsoft then.

 

[itsaploy]

The Problems are Political, Not Technical

I'm in Canada, and I am a Fed Gov't employee.

The Gov't is completely hamstringing the store by it's endless Bureaucracy.

Why? The Gov't is very controlling of all media through it's agency called the CRTC (Canadian Radio and Television Commision). Otherwise known as the Culture Police.

One reason the store is being delayed, is that complication exists with a special revenue-generating tax being collected on writable media, like flash memory and CDs/DVDs. It's the CRTC in action.

The CRTC collects the revenue to supposedly reimburse those Canadian Artists whose income is being hurt by illegal downloads. How they decide who gets what, out of that fund, depends obviously on the Artist's friendliness with the Gov't. Get it?

So, if there exists a legal way to download songs, there is no reason for this tax to exist anymore, and it rightfully should be ended. However, those friends of the Gov't are putting up a big fuss about it, because away goes their annuity.

Fact is, these canadian artists haven't had any success in years, and this tax is their gravy train.

There are other problems Apple is having, like how to ensure that French-Canadian artists get special treatment, (according to the CRTC's rules). English language-only and French language-only websites, things like that.

In addition, the CRTC want to show favoritism to home-grown companies, so they restrict the ability of foreign companies to do business.

It's extremely socialistic here, in case that point escaped you. It's so hard to do business here because of Gov't involvement in EVERYTHING CULTURAL.

Therefore, as I said, the problems Apple are having here are political-based, not technically-based.

 

[stcanard]

So, if there exists a legal way to download songs, there is no reason for this tax to exist anymore, and it rightfully should be ended. However, those friends of the Gov't are putting up a big fuss about it, because away goes their annuity.

I'm confused. Are you saying that puretracks and napster aren't legal ways to download the songs?

Are you saying that when the levy was only on cassette tapes, as digital copying was not possible for the average person, there was no legal way to buy physical media?

 

[HoserHead]

The CRTC collects the revenue to supposedly reimburse those Canadian Artists whose income is being hurt by illegal downloads. How they decide who gets what, out of that fund, depends obviously on the Artist's friendliness with the Gov't. Get it?

No it doesn't. The CPCC, not the CRTC, collects the levy (not a tax!) and distributes it to artists. It is incorrect to say that no money goes to the artists; the CPCC royalty distribution page states that

Although it has taken similar but bigger organizations in other countries far longer to effect their first distributions, CPCC began making payments early in 2003. In January, CPCC carried out the first of a series of payments being made from the over $28 million in private copying royalties available for distribution from 2000 and 2001. 2003 will also see payment from the additional $26 million available from 2002.

This guy is just trying to stir trouble.

 

[dweebert]

So, if there exists a legal way to download songs, there is no reason for this tax to exist anymore, and it rightfully should be ended. However, those friends of the Gov't are putting up a big fuss about it, because away goes their annuity.

What about PureTracks? Don't they qualify as "a legal way to download songs"?

There are other problems Apple is having, like how to ensure that French-Canadian artists get special treatment, (according to the CRTC's rules). English language-only and French language-only websites, things like that.

Sorry, don't buy it. Apple's been working on this for months now. They would have determined how to deal with these sorts of issues longgg before Steve opened his yap about iTMS Canada in October.

In addition, the CRTC want to show favoritism to home-grown companies, so they restrict the ability of foreign companies to do business.

It's extremely socialistic here, in case that point escaped you. It's so hard to do business here because of Gov't involvement in EVERYTHING CULTURAL.

These sound more believable. Let's take up a quick collection to buy Paul Martin an iPod and a $100 iTMS gift certificate.

 

[stcanard]

No it doesn't. The CPCC, not the CRTC, collects the levy (not a tax!) and distributes it to artists. It is incorrect to say that no money goes to the artists; the CPCC royalty distribution page states that

This guy is just trying to stir trouble.

Yeah, he also completely missed on the fact that the CRTC regulations are on *broadcast*, not on sales, so that has no effect on this.

There have been noticeable cases of the gov't preferring local companies over international, but only were it has a say -- e.g. broadcast. In order for Apple to sell music, all they need is a licensing agreement with the lable, so again it's a non-issue.

In this case, I wish this was usenet. Then I could safely plonk the trolls, and not have to worry about it

 

[autopilot]

Let's take up a quick collection to buy Paul Martin an iPod and a $100 iTMS gift certificate.

he's tight with bono; make it a U2 ipod

 

[itsaploy]

Things Change!

The misguide soul who said that Apple "would have figured out how to deal with all these problems" doesn't understand the Federal Gov't - it is a POLITICAL organization, not a business organization.

They can and do change policies at the drop of a hat - all it takes is a call from a Minister to their bureaucrat in charge - and things ARE DIFFERENT.

There's no way to prepare for doing cultural/cross-border business, because there is not a stable, level, HONEST playing field. Every twit who has some influence gets involved, and the policies sway too and fro like a drunken sailor.

That's what makes it so hard here, in comparison to other places. Canada's bureaucracy is legendary - one of the worst in the world.

"Spyglass", (licensors of Mosiac to Microsoft, and whom I used to work for) said that Canada is the hardest country in the word for them to do business in.

It's true! It's like 1943 here!

 

[dweebert]

The misguide soul who said that Apple "would have figured out how to deal with all these problems" doesn't understand the Federal Gov't - it is a POLITICAL organization, not a business organization.

Right, and Apple would know what to expect. They've been doing business in Canada for a couple of decades now.

 

[k2k koos]

1st of december and still waiting.....

Well, what ever the reason of the delay, it is still not online, it's now 21:30 GMT, so the store should have been launched a few hours already at least at the west coast , and well and truly in the east.
Well, we'll see what tomorrow brings, any response from Apple sofar?

 

[autopilot]

"Spyglass", (licensors of Mosiac to Microsoft, and whom I used to work for) said that Canada is the hardest country in the word for them to do business in.

i can see people finding it hard to do business in canada purely due to the bilingual restrictions imposed.

personally, i don't believe this is being held up by the canadian government.

 

[Ja Di ksw]

Are people going to get that? I feel very, very proud that you can quote shrub :-D

So far two people have, others probably just haven't mentioned it. Oh yeah, now we get even more time to hear funny quotes while he . . . I'm going to stop before this goes political

 

[GrannySmith_G5]

Oh my goodness, there must be thousands of Glass Tiger fans shaking with fury right now. I wonder if they're rioting on the streets of Moosejaw yet.

 

[Onishenko]

OK...done for the day... gonna check back later tonite.... can't handle it anymore..

 

[Windowlicker]

There are other problems Apple is having, like how to ensure that French-Canadian artists get special treatment, (according to the CRTC's rules). English language-only and French language-only websites, things like that.

The Finnish store is in english.. No big deal

 

[autopilot]

The Finnish store is in english.. No big deal

HAHAHA, quebecers would boycott apple if there wasn't a french-language canada itms

 

[dweebert]

HAHAHA, quebecers would boycott apple if there wasn't a french-language canada itms

At least 40% of them might, if they don't happen to have iPods or iTunes already.

 

[Mord]

i feel a deep resentment fro quebec, i have no idea why it's just like a burning resentment from the depth of my soul

 

[rdowns]

I heard from reliable sources the delay was because they didn't have the Celine Dion box set ready to go.

 

[mr.steevo]

That's what makes it so hard here, in comparison to other places. Canada's bureaucracy is legendary - one of the worst in the world.

"Spyglass", (licensors of Mosiac to Microsoft, and whom I used to work for) said that Canada is the hardest country in the word for them to do business in.

It's true! It's like 1943 here!

I was thinking Brazil.

s.

 

[StarbucksSam]

Well... it happened. Finally. You know what I wonder, if the exchange rate from the US to Canada continues to go in favor of Canada, won't that hurt Apple at the set price?

 

[jiji]

Well Well Well

Its no big suprise, but today is december 1st, and no frigging itunes music store.
Im not dissapointed though, I would only of been supprised if it was here today, oh well. I use puretracks.com all the time and I love it, when it first started I though it sucked because they didnt have any music I liked, but now they have been around for a few years so they have plenty of good stuff.
Cheers!

 

[dweebert]

I heard from reliable sources the delay was because they didn't have the Celine Dion box set ready to go.

You haven't spent much time up here, have you? That would actually be an *advantage* north of the border. (There's a reason she's spent so much time in Vegas.)

 

[Westside guy]

HAHAHA, quebecers would boycott apple if there wasn't a french-language canada itms

As an American, I get a small amount of pleasure watching the political silliness of other countries - it shows me we're not alone.

I remember, some years ago when Mulroney was the Canadian PM, watching a Canadian joint news conference with both him and our president (Reagan or Bush, don't remember which). I don't know if it's standard practice or not, but the journalists would alternate - one question would be posed by an English-speaking journalist, then the next question would be from the French side (the French questions were being translated for us viewers). Well, during the middle of the news conference Mulroney had just given some answer to a question posed in English, so a French-speaking journalist stepped up - and basically asked the same question except in French! I don't mean a similar question, or a related question - it was the same D*MN question! So Mulroney had to (in French this time) go and basically provide the same answer twice. It was just so goofy.