To fellow users north of the border..Bill 602P

[IE]

> > > Please read the following carefully if you intend to stay online and
> > > continue using email:
> > >
> > > The last few months have revealed an alarming trend in the Government
of
> > > Canada attempting to quietly push through legislation that will affect
> > your
> > > use of the Internet.
> > >
> > > Under proposed legislation Canada Post will be attempting to bill
email
> > > users out of "alternate postage fees".
> > >
> > > Bill 602P will permit the Federal Govt to charge a 5 cent surcharge on
> > every
> > > email delivered, by billing Internet Service Providers at source. The
> > > consumer would then be billed in turn by the ISP.
> > >
> > > Toronto lawyer Richard Stepp QC is working to prevent this legislation
> > from
> > > becoming law.The Canada Post Corporation is claiming that lost revenue
> due
> > > to the proliferation of email is costing nearly $23,000,000 in revenue
> per
> > > year. You may have noticed Canada Post's recent ad campaign "There is
> > > nothing like a letter". Since the average citizen received about 10
> pieces
> > > of email per day in 1998, the cost to the typical individual would be
an
> > > additional 50 cents per day, or over $180 dollars per year, above and
> > beyond
> > > their regular Internet costs. Note that this would be money paid
> directly
> > to
> > > Canada Post for a service they do not even provide. The whole point of
> the
> > > Internet is democracy and non-interference. If the Canadian Government
> is
> > > permitted to tamper with our liberties by adding a surcharge to email,
> who
> > > knows where it will end. You are already paying an exhorbitant price
for
> > > snail mail because of beaurocratic inefficiency.
> > > It currently takes up to 6 days for a letter to be delivered from
> > > Mississauga to Scarborough. If Canada Post Corporation is allowed to
> > tinker
> > > with email, it will mark the end of the "free" Internet in Canada. One
> > > back-bencher, Liberal Tony Schnell (NB) has even suggested a "twenty
to
> > > forty dollar per month surcharge on all Internet service" above and
> beyond
> > > the government's proposed email charges. Note that most of the major
> > > newspapers have ignored the story, the only exception being the
Toronto
> > Star
> > > that called the idea of email surcharge "a useful concept who's time
has
> > > come" (March 6th 1999 Editorial) Don't sit by and watch your freedoms
> > erode
> > > away!
> > >
> > > Send this email to all Canadians on your list and tell your friends
> > > and relatives to write to their MP and say "No!" to Bill 602P.

 

[TORONTO-VIGILANTE]

i dunno IE:

is it a hoax?

 

[TORONTO-VIGILANTE]

and because i have sooooo much time on my hands:

taken from websitey:

News Note: Internet hoax spawns real legislation in U.S.

Lawmakers respond to a campaign against a non-existent piece of legislation championed by a fictional Congressman


You probably remember that silly urban legend that warns that the US Congress will very shortly be voting on Bill 602P [that] will permit the [US] Federal Govt to charge a 5 cent surcharge on every email delivered, by billing Internet Service Providers at source. The consumer would then be billed in turn by the ISP...
One congressman, Tony Schnell (R) apparently even suggested a "twenty to forty dollar per month surcharge on all Internet service" above and beyond the government's proposed email charges.
Fortunately, there is no Bill 602P, nor is there a Congressman Schnell. But that didn't stop hundreds of thousands of angered netizens from flooding their congressperson's inbox with "say no to 602P" emails.
Could this be the mysterious Congressman Schnell taking a well-deserved vacation after the Bill 602P fiasco?


Now for the surreal part. In response to of all of these angry emails, the US House Commerce Committee earlier this week approved H.R. 1291, the "Internet Access Charge Prohibition Act." The act precludes the FCC from imposing on providers of Internet access service any per-minute charges intended for universal service support.
That's right, folks. Because of an Internet hoax saying that the US Congress is considering imposing a 5 cent surcharge on every email, the US Congress is in now in the process of passing a law that PROHIBITS such a surcharge in the first place. Chalk up a victory, however unintended, for the hoaxsters.

And, if you are looking for something to pass the time, you can always follow HR 1291 on its path through the legislative process by periodically visiting thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d106:HR01291@@X.

 

[IE]

thanks, tv.......email was sent to me and wanted madjacks users to confirm or re-confrim bogus, which you did....appreciate it.

IE

 

[Spock]

aah .. so its a hoax .. . .. . . interesting stuff nevertheless.

Will implement it in Vulcan Land sometime

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

You know something, if they would charge something like 2 cents just for email sent and never raise it and by doing so also promise never to tax goods bought by internet I think it might be good for simple reason it would end the spam or curtail it to a great degree. I would gladly pay 10 cents a day to eliminate spam in my mail box. I have spam assasin which at leasts puts 90% in delete folder for a one click clean,but on flip side it seems once any gov gets foot in door they exploit other areas.