We all love to watch shows and movies, who doesn’t? I would say that visiting a movie theatre with friends and family and lying back, relaxing, and binging a very much loved series are two of the most common North American pastimes. And now, wonderful TV services are trying to combine both into one glorious package, hence the on demand movies and streaming services like the popular Netflix. Now, I believe that every country, though unrealistic it may sound, is entitled to all of the same videos, shows, and movie content places like the United States are able to watch. Alas, there are religious, cultural, and rights to streaming aspects that do not make this a possibility to all worldwide.

I was however extremely disappointed a couple years back right after we purchased Netflix in my household to find out that Canada and the United States have nearly two entirely different video choices. I know I might seem a little bit biased in supporting Canada’s rights to have equal rights to video streaming services but with Canada and the United States being next-door neighbours, I find it a little hard to believe that something could not be worked out.

Now, those not living in Canada would probably say that, from their brief experience using Canadian Netflix, they found a whole lot of content they cannot find available on other streaming services elsewhere. To those foreigners, I say NAY to your opinions, every last one of them. If Canadian Netflix is to foreign Netflix like an elephant is to a cat, then American Netflix to Canadian Netflix is like 7 elephants to a butterfly. My friends, do you know how fast content arrives on Netflix? I would say as soon as it hits the shelves as a DVD. You would expect that everywhere if not in Canada. For Canadian Netflix, it takes literally an ETERNITY for new content to arrive, and when it does, it is some of those boring old 20th century movies that adults like to re-watch to bring back memories!

Now, there is an explanation for all of this injustice among us. Basically in the simplest way I could possibly explain this, each television program and movie is licensed by its owner in different regions. Now, when Netflix wants to license a movie for Canadian viewing, another Canadian company already has the rights to it, thus Canadian Netflix has less of what we want. Since literally no one watches old movies anymore, Netflix is able to license those old movies other services don’t want to. Since Netflix is based in America and because of its popularity there, shows come to them more easily.

No you might be wondering, “Why can’t people just license the same thing at the same time?” Honestly, I ask that question to myself a lot to be truthful. It just isn’t that easy friends, and until the day when we can, as the great Bob Marley sang, “Let’s get together and be all right!”, we Canadians are just going to have to accept our mediocre roughly 3,600 titles to the Americans whooping over 10,000 titles. Of course, that is if you want to play fair.

The number of Canadians that are finding ways to cheat themselves into the vast empire known as American Netflix is rapidly growing. Theses citizens are angry to have to pay the same price, probably even more because of Canada’s weakening economy, for a service only to have less of more than half of the Americans’ content. The way this trickery works is those who were smart enough to find the site providing illegal access need to download this plug-in or add-on or whatever we call it nowadays. Once downloaded, the user can access not only American Netflix but dozens of sights with blocked content on Canada. Oh do not even get me started about the other blocked sites. Anyways, by disguising their IP address with a VPN, users are Able to trick Netflix into thinking they are from America.

Now, Netflix knows what is going on and do not condone it. They have even threatened to crack down on fake Americans, threatening to disable accounts. So what? Canadians will either make another account or turn to other streaming services like Crave TV or the new Shomi service. Canadians frankly do not care if they are breaking the law to watch their shows and movies even if it is illegal. They will keep doing it, I guarantee you, until Canada can receive as many shows as the United States.

Netflix says that the more Canadian customers they get the easier it will be to license the content the Canadians want. I just don’t see Canadians turning to Netflix for a long-term reward like so. We want the content NOW! If you delete our accounts for trying to watch American Netflix, fine then. You just lost yourselves some customers and money from your pockets. So Netflix, as my mom just loves to say in my tight situations, the ball is in your court. What you decide to do with it is entirely up to you.

Boyson-Angelous