Mounties charge dealer over sales of U.S. Dishes

[nobody@cypherpunks.ca (John Anonymous MacDonald)]

By Robert Brehl - Toronto Star Business Reporter 

Canada's satellite wars have heated up with the first dealers of the U.S.
DirecTV dishes being arrested and charged under the federal
Radiocommunication Act.

``Iraq doesn't allow its citizens to have satellite dishes either,'' said Stan
LeBlanc, a dealer in Yarmouth, N.S., who was charged.

``Never thought I'd see the day when 12 or 15 Mounties would storm into
my building because I'm selling things the public wants.''

LeBlanc was charged this week after Royal Canadian Mounted Police
raided his electronics store Nov. 13 and seized 83 access cards for
DirecTV set-top boxes, some computers, cash and two satellite dishes.

The Mounties have raided dozens of satellite dealers from coast-to-coast,
except in Ontario, since June.

Now formally charged are LeBlanc; his father, Ray Sr.; and David Lloyd
Williams.

LeBlanc said the access cards were not the so-called pirate cards that allow
viewers to watch DirecTV programming for free.

The cards seized require customers to have U.S. addresses for DirecTV
bills, he said.

The dealers have been charged with possessing and selling equipment that
decodes encrypted satellite signals.

LeBlanc said he has seven competitors in Yarmouth that also sell U.S.
satellite dishes, and none was charged.

``When they raided me, they even parked in one of my competitor's parking
lots under a sign advertising the 18-inch dishes,'' LeBlanc said.

Last month, Industry Minister John Manley issued a warning to satellite
dealers and TV viewers that selling or using U.S. dishes could be illegal.

Canada is estimated to have more than 200,000 U.S. dishes.

Three Canadian firms have been licensed to offer direct-to-home satellite
service, but none has yet launched.

RCMP officials in Nova Scotia could not be reached last night.