http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/.../ent/ent2.html

No entry without signing

By GERMAINE SMITH, Staff Reporter

TOK - file
CANADA HAS LAID down the law for Jamaican artistes who wish to perform there.
The Canadians require that before local acts secure work permits they must sign documents stating that their lyrics will not harm certain groups. The artistes have to declare their refusal to perform any discriminatory lyrics even before their work permits are processed.
Carol Hart, representative of the Public Affairs section of the Canadian High Commission, confirmed the report this week, adding that it has been in effect since late last year.
"All entertainers going to Canada are required to sign a declaration that states that the entertainer will not engage in activities in Canada that will break the Canadian Criminal Code, or engage in or advocate the hatred of persons because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex or sexual orientation," states a release sent from the commission after questions were posed by THE STAR.
Hart noted that it was changed after a few consultations with key industry people last year. The industry people were not named, but the effective date for the declaration requirement was on November 9, 2004. Hart added that since that time, compliance with the requirements "has been good."
Be careful
However, at least one Canadian promoter says that he or she now has to exercise care as to how his or her events are promoted as not all the artistes are willing to sign the documents.
"If you want to bring in an artiste and they don't want to sign it, then it can put you as a promoter in problems, especially if they were advertised for the show. So promoters have to be wise and not start to advertise artistes before hand," he said.
He said that another promoter recently had to quickly adjust his line-up after the performer did not sign.
"He had TOK down to appear and they said they would not sign the waiver so he had to drop them ... So things like this will affect the promoters, depending on the stance that the artistes take," Henry said.
So far, he says some of the other dancehall acts have signed in order to do shows in Canada.
Based on the document which was obtained by THE STAR, local acts have to promise absolute saintly behaviour before they are granted their permits. The document is based on the Canadian Criminal Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the Canadian Human Rights Act, which are outlined on it. These three bodies of rules all have specific and strict guidelines on what people are able to say against other groups publicly, and the undesirable consequences which follow a breach.
Jamaican artistes have to sign four clauses.
"I will not engage in or advocate the hatred against persons because of their race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, or sexual orientation," reads one of them.
Another reads; "I further understand that contravention of Canadian laws may lead to prosecution and, if convicted, I may be rendered inadmissible to Canada."
The other two state that they have read sections of the Criminal Code, the Charter of Rights, and the Human Rights Act and they have agreed to abide by them.

i wonder what clause eminem has to sign???????????

canada mmm....i now have different oppinion

Bwoy... It is absolutely incredible the way that reggae music is being attacked from every corna' because ofthis "Don't dis batty man business.

I done say my piece bout it on another thread BUT

I BELIEVE IT IS TIME TO MAKE A STAND.....

anyway it is TYPICAL CANADA to jump on the bandwagon 'bout dis...

I'm still laughing 'bout the time that BEN JOHNSON won the gold medal for Canada in the 100 metres at the Olympics.... man they couldn't stop bigging him up as a GREAT CANADIAN...

HALF AN HOUR LATER...

NEWSFLASH...

JAMAICAN BORN athlete Ben Johnson has been stripped of his gold medal because of drug-taking.... ALL REFERENCE TO CANADA VANISH INTO THIN AIR!!!

still cracks me up..blkclap

the artists are ina catch 22 scenario....if they give the gays apologies etc they cant perform back home as they face being booed off stage or worst. sounds silly huh. canada can close its borders but there are other places they can go and do

What Canada forget is that they have a very large JAMAICAN population based in the country... I believe that it is time that we stand up and start our own demonstrations and start making noise bout dis unprecedented attack on our culture.....

How the hell can you start telling musicians what to sing .... you can't censor music..

what next...

You can't say JAH you must say GOD

who deems what is and is not acceptable...

You can turn on the TV and watch a violent movie IF YOU WANT TO...if you don't wanna watch the violent movie TUN OVA or SWITCH ARF...

SAME TING WIT OUR MUSIC .... IF YU CYAAN TEK DI LYRICS... GWAN GOLISTEN TO ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER ....AND LEF US ALONE!!!

@LadyDay yes catch 22 and much more. See stupidy and ignorance is the enemy of black people and they will die the death of a thousands cuts with everybody taking piece out of them even pickney on road side.

But you know what. God and life have basic rules. All fools get vanquished. Simple tings. People who act or react without thinking are fools and fools in life get treated like fools. What about Eminien? What about him? He is white not black. And if we as black people do not know that or the difference we deserve everything we get. How long we been dealing with the white man not to know this.confused2?

First rule of war/conflict know your enemy or die.



FBconfused3

My friend just told me about Sizzla'a new anti battiman tune which Im yet to hear.

Time will tell if he hasnt signed his own musical death warrant.

As Ive said before there are 1500 different subjects to talk about in Jamaica/world politicsthan batimanism.

Because if we look at this in a different light the real revolutionaries would be singing about bussing shot in govermental heads. And how politician who sponsor bad man fe dead.

Battyman are Jamaica's least problems right now. The killing of those two littlegirls is a case in point.