So says quite a list of Canadian music artists, anyway, who’re trying to put pressure on the government to introduce a new tax on the players. Naturally, they call it a levy, but look it up–it’s a tax.

The letter urges the ministers to apply a levy to MP3 players that would later be redistributed to artists in royalties, in the same way that levies are currently applied to blank cassettes and CDs as compensation for music that is copied by Canadians.

“MP3 players are this generation’s version of blank media. A copy is a copy and the principle of fair compensation for rights holders should apply whether the copy is made onto blank media or MP3 players,” the artists wrote.

“…We know that you do not want to see a Canada that is devoid of musicians and songwriters, but without fair and balanced treatment, that may be the tragic consequence.”

So once again, for the record, copying CD’s we’ve already purchased should cost us more–even if we’re only doing it so we’re not taking the offending CD’s with us out of the house. Thanks, Nickleback and company, for only proving exactly what I keep saying. And thanks for reinforcing the idea that we’re still getting a better deal from the pirates than you’re offering. I always knew I was making the right decision.

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