On 2 Nov 2001, at 2:46, Thylacine wrote:
<SNIP>
>About the Canada thing, all I know is that it's really starting to piss me
>off, how many furry fans there are in the Big Freezy that can't get their
>furry fix in the mail. Exactly WHAT is the situation up there? They can't
>actually open packages looking for this stuff, right? It's just a matter of
>who'll ship where? If that's the case, I've been wondering if it'd be
>possible to set up a relay system of sorts, where you Candinadians (I love
>my little brother's word, it's just so CUTE =P) could find the stuff being
>sold down here, send the money to some generous (or just bored) US citizens,
>who would procure the stuff and send it up by personal mail for a small
>price (or for free, but these days that might be asking much). Couldn't do
>it myself (at least, not till I get my own apartment), but I know there's
>plenty around here who might have the connections for such a thing.
>Any takers?
The 'trouble with Canada', so to speak, boils down to this:
1. Canadian Customs and Tariff laws have certain provisions which
allow Customs officials to open, inspect, and confiscate parcels which
contain "obscene" materials.
2. Certain Candadian Customs officials have taken it upon themselves,
from time to time, to enforce their own ideas of 'obscene', and have
opened and confiscated shipments of various "adult" materials,
including especially those materials which could be seen as homosexual,
or promoting homosexual practices.
3. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Customs does not have
the power to confiscate materials that are obscene when seen only from
a heterosexual viewpoint, and have repeatedly informed Customs that
they must stop doing so.
4. Occasionally, certain Customs officials, despite directives and memos
from their superiors, continue to confiscate materials which may not be
"obscene", but which are homoerotic.
5. Such siezures are almost always large shipments of materials which
are en route to gay/bi/lesbian bookstores or other such shops.
6. Such siezures are also subject to re-determination, upon request.
And re-redetermination of the re-determination, upon request.
References, in english et en francais:
The Supreme Court of Canada:
http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca/
Case #26858 , known as the _Little_Sisters_ decision, notice of the
appeal:
A link to the Supreme Court of Canada's press release:
http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/cgi-
bin/repere.cgi?corpus=com_fr&tout=Customs+obscene&language=en&form=csc-
scc%2Fen%2Findex.html&range=2&numdoc=16
Case #26858 , judgement on the appeal of the _Little_Sisters_ decision,
A link to the Supreme Court of Canada's press release:
http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/cgi-
bin/repere.cgi?corpus=com_fr&tout=Customs&language=en&form=csc-
scc%2Fen%2Findex.html&range=2&numdoc=16
===========================================================
Anthony J. Albert albert_at_umpi.maine.edu
Systems and Software Support Specialist Postmaster
Computer Services - University of Maine, Presque Isle
"Civilization is just a slow process of learning to
be kind." - Charles L. Lucas
Received on Fri Nov 02 2001 - 05:52:45 CST