this post was submitted on 09 Feb 2025
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Bolstering Canada’s right to repair could shield it against U.S. tariffs and trade uncertainty. (theconversation.com)
submitted 4 days ago by [email protected] to c/canada
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[–] Mycatiskai 25 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Cory Doctorow's article on why we should fight back against tarriffs with throwing out IP rights for these american companies is excellent. If we get tariffs put on Canada then we have no reason to respect american IP laws.

Build a Canadian market available to all the world to sell jailbreaking for IP locked products like John Deere farm equipment and Mcdonald's ice cream machines so they can be fixed without having to take them to the overpriced dealerships to be gouged by subscriptions and no choice.

[–] Dearche 2 points 4 days ago

I agree overall, but there is the lingering issue that the problems with IP laws is much more international than simply changing things locally. Most of the world has agreed to respect US IP laws and modify their own local laws accordingly.

That said, this can also be the start of a movement to create a new standard which is independent on US IP laws. If we can get the support of EU or any other one major world power, it wouldn't matter what the US's laws are. Lots of US companies already make separate products just to meet EU regulations, and if better IP laws that don't lock down critical equipment like agriculture or medical tools, most likely even US companies will have no choice but to base their products on such a standard due to the lost opportunity cost of making multiple products at such a large scale.

[–] Pxtl 31 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Whoever decided it was okay to hold electronics together with glue instead of screws needs to go The Hague.

[–] wise_pancake 13 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Not everything needs to be engineered to be easily replaceable, but everything needs to be engineered to be replaceable.

Cars are entering the danger zone here where used cars are going to be worth less than ever faster than ever.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

I would love to get a smart ring, but it's trash in a few years because of this and the battery. It's really sad.

Also fuck all the companies that require subscriptions to then get access to the data in the hardware you bought. I'll never pay you cent.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago (2 children)

whats a smart ring? ive never heard of it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

Like a smart watch, but it's a ring. Battery lasts longer, like a week, so not constantly having to charge it.

Has all sorts of sensors, which can pick up good consistent signals due to a snug fit. No screen it's all via Bluetooth on the phone. The battery isn't serviceable, so it becomes trash.

[–] 4z01235 1 points 4 days ago

Smartwatch is to watch as smartring is to ring

[–] nik282000 4 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I am having second hand experience this month with a 2024 RAV4 that has been valued (by the dealer that sold it) at 60% of the sticker price after 13 months and 12,000km.

[–] wise_pancake 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

We just bought a new car and the guy who sells the warranties was going through how much it cost to replace things due to the electronics, and I just couldn't stop thinking it's it even worth the electronics then?

Obviously stuff is unavoidable, the airbags and seatbelt systems work together, that makes sense. But other stuff... Does the console need to be a full on network connected computer? I just want to play music and show maps from my phone. The different drive mode settings can be an internal rest API or physical buttons. Fuel efficiency displays are just simple polls to an internal rest API endpoint that any component could confirm to.

[–] nik282000 2 points 3 days ago

It's far worse than overcomplicated, it's negligently designed. The CAN bus is exposed through the exterior lighting in many new vehicles giving anyone with a $3 dongle access nearly all functions (door locks, alarm, engine control).

[–] adespoton 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Wow… I know people who were on a waiting list for getting a 2024 RAV4, and just got it from the factory last month.

[–] nik282000 1 points 3 days ago

If it's a hybrid, maybe tell them to keep an eye on the 12v battery.

[–] Dearche 2 points 4 days ago

This doesn't just apply to personal electronics or cars. It'll also prevent farmers from being sued just for changing the oil of their John Deer tractors, or hospitals being out their MRI machine for months because the entire thing needs to be disassembled and transported back to the states to replace a single cable.

Don't imagine about the annoyance of having to change the battery of your electronics, but instead about having to decide between shipping your home's water boiler to the repair facility for weeks to replace a single control chip, or buying a new one because you can't afford to go so long without hot water.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

This will require strengthening domestic manufacturing, [...] develop[ing] workforce resilience, domestic capacity and innovation right here at home. [...] The solution lies in strengthening Canadians’ right to repair the products and devices we rely upon.

I found this overly strong at first, but it holds water. If there's a market for it that means a domestic capacity for it and related technical, manufacturing-adjacent things.

DIY repair has saved me a lot of money and headache, and saved a lot of stuff from landfill. It should be an easy sell, but with everything going towards a subscription model - overtly or covertly - we aren't supposed to own things anymore. I would expect the balance of lobby money to be on the other side of this issue every time.

[–] adespoton 1 points 4 days ago

Yes… but most of that lobby money is American, and is currently otherwise occupied.