Look at this man. Does this seem like someone who would need any sort of help understanding technology? This guy screams “Hi, I dual boot Windows and Linux, have 3 fully levelled up World of Warcraft characters, and play a whimsical mage named Bundlebrod in a medieval larp game.”

And yet, Canada’s copyright laws are so insanely outdated that he, like pretty much anyone else in the country with electricity (this may come as a news flash to any American readers that I might have, but that’s the vast majority of us), has smashed through them like Gallagher’s hammer through a watermelon. I also suspect that hammer has met the skulls of many a hooker…look at the guy, he just looks like someone who goes on killing sprees in the night!

So he admits in a story in The National Post. Err…Tony Clement admits to copyright violation. Gallagher has thus far refused comment on crumpling the heads of prostitutes.

“Well you see, you know I think I have to admit it probably runs afoul of the current law because the current law does not allow you to shift formats. So the fact of the matter is I have compact discs that I’ve transferred, I have compact discs from my children or my wife that I’ve transferred onto my iPod. None of that is allowable under the current regime,” Mr. Clement, a music buff who also legally purchases songs from iTunes to build a digital database that now stands at 10,452 songs.

“It shows that the current regime is not realistic and is not modern to encompass how people obtain their entertainment in today’s world,” said Mr. Clement, calling the current law “antiquated.”

Even our members of Parliament can’t stay within the confines of our current copyright system! By the way, if any Canadians are reading this who own and use a PVR…yeah, you’re also violating our copyright statutes. I think it might be a violation of copyright to watch picture in picture. That’s because the rules were drawn up in the days when everyone assumed we’d have flying cars by now. Sadly, they were wrong.

The reason this is news is that new copyright legislation is due imminently, but at this point nobody knows what it will consist of. All of the rumours are that it shifts in the unfortunate direction of slamming digital locks and more regulation down on everything. Those rumours also mentioned that Mr. Tech Guy in the picture at the top stood AGAINST that legislation, but it’s going through despite his criticisms. That probably isn’t good. When the biggest geek in your cabinet is strongly opposed to the direction your digital copyright position is moving in, that doesn’t tend to equal anything that nerd kind will find good.

So, obviously we have laws that need updating. What we don’t need are laws that make things worse. We’re probably getting both. Fucking awesome. Maybe we could set Gallagher loose in the House of Commons when it’s next in session…