When it comes to dumb ideas, the iPod tax probably is one of the dumbest ideas I’ve ever heard. 
 
The NDP wants to levy a tax of about $75 per iPod. The money raised would be distributed among artists. To make matters worse, the NDP’s iPod tax would not be limited to sharply increasing the price of iPods. The NDP want to tax anything that digital music can be stored on. Computer hard drives and MP3 players are examples of other electronic devices that would be subject to the NDP iPod tax.
 
What is the NDP’s lame excuse to impose the iPod tax on Canadians? Well, the NDP thinks that since some people do illegal music downloads, everyone should pay to compensate artists. 
 
Now, the NDP omits a couple of facts.  First, the vast majority of permanent downloads are legal.  Secondly, most of the illegal downloads involve popular recording artists. These musicians are not the people who will receive most of the money generated by the NDP iPod tax.
 
All iPod users should not be considered to be automatically guilty of illegal downloading and hit with a $75 fine whenever they buy an iPod or other digital media players.   We have sales taxes and income taxes and corporate taxes. Canadians should not be forced to pay an iPod tax as well.
 
I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt. You can call my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133 or drop by our two offices to visit: Saskatoon Monday-Friday or Humboldt Tuesday and Wednesday. I always appreciate your feedback.