I will soon be going to Canada and plan to buy a latop there. Preferably with no OS. So far, the only site I've found is http://www.tigerdirect.ca/ that offers that. Does anyone know of anything similar so I can compare them?

http://www.TheLinuxStore.ca Not sure if there is a no OS option, though.

AFAIK, by law, a computer distributor is required to remove any OS installed in a computer and rebate to the customer the value of the liscensing cost of the OEM installed OS, if said customer chooses NOT to buy a computer with, for example, MS Windoze on it. I think this is what you are getting at?
For example, a friend of mine was rebated $50.00 for the included cost of liscensing the WnXP which had been installed on his new computer, and the OS was subsequently removed before his purchase, and he was sold an 'empty' computer.
I don't recall where he bought the machine, but it was not mail-order. Are you planning on buying in-store? Or mail-order?
I supose it doesn't matter, but you shouldn't have any trouble finding a good computer store here in Canada.
Just incase you wind up in Nova Scotia, be sure to check out Mystery Byte Computers on the St. Margarets Bay Road, Halifax. I'd bet dollars to donuts that they would be able to supply you with a great computer, and probably OS-free. Who knows, they may even mail it to you ??
They're online, and you'd likely find them using Google, with a query like:
Halifax Nova Scotia Mystery Byte Computers
Or something similar.
Welcome to Canada, btw!

How can we get this law in the US?
Do you know any other countries with similar laws?

I am not certain of the specifics as far as which countries, no. However, it isn't just a thing on a per-country basis. It has more to do with copyright licensing, in this case, Microsoft's copyright and licensing of its products for home use.
I mean, a company or store can't 'force' anyone to buy microsoft software, simply because it happens to be pre-installed in a machine.
The customer is legally entitled to purchase the machine without the software. Whether a store cooperates is another matter, however, if they want your business and want to sell you a machine, they will usually comply, in which case, by law, they must remove the software if YOU choose not to buy it, because the STORE would be violating the law by giving the customer software they havent paid for simply because the store staff were simply too lazy to remove it.
The store does not get the money for the Windoze OS which makes up the part of the purchase cost of the machine; Microsoft does. The store therefore has nothing at all to lose, by selling you an empty machine; only Microsoft does. They lose the approx. $50.00 home-licensing fee which you are now not paying, because you choose to not use ther software.
One would do well I guess, to research Software licensing with regards to OEM computer software in their own country, but remember this part: regardless what country you live in, if Microsoft sells products there, then their OEM licensing fees are part of the cost of a machine, and if a store wants to sell you a machine, they stand to lose or gain nothing by selling you the machine with or without Microsoft stuff in it.

Check this out for one person's experience of getting a refund from M$:

http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/01/03/227237

Sadly http://www.thelinuxstore.ca/ only offers 1 laptop and 1 Desktop. I wrote them an email about ordering a customized laptop, but have yet to get a response. As to doing the refund thing... let's just say I don't want to do that. I'm thinking if Dell starts offering more of their products without an OS or Linux, I'll buy one from then. But until then...

@ Cybergal.. Nice to see you again, you were among the first to say hello when I first joined LQ

Interesting article you linked to in your post. Not really too much of a hassle in my opinion, but the main difference with Mr. Mitchells story is that the customer had to actually buy the machine and take it home, rather than having the refund processed/taken care of in-store.
The situation varies of course, from retailer to retailer, but hopefully not many people have to go through all the steps outlined in the article, mainly the photographing and all that, just to get the Windoze tax returned. It indeed can be expected to be a hassle, as is a telephone conversation of this nature with any big business.
Theoretically, the customer is always right; too bad this isn't the case in reality much of the time, particularly when dealing with a monopoly via telephone!
Sasha

I don't now of any comparisons but Tigerdirect.ca Rocks. That is how I get my PC parts.

I'm pretty sure if you call up Dell, they'll remove Windows for you, and knock the price down by a bit. It might take some time to get the right person on customer support (Someone who knows how to handle the refunds and such) because the majority are there to handle the mass-but-simple questions like "My Internet isn't working!".

Don't bother asking on their site. Due to a jerk company, they can't mention Linux or alternatives to Windows on their site. You'll definately need to call them up, and mention when ordering that you don't want Windows. If they refuse to give you a refund, either be patient and visit one of those stands in malls and stuff, or go buy from someone else. TigerDirect is good.

http://www.cyberlogic.qc.ca/en/home.aspx
http://www.netdirect.ca/products/ibm_notebooks.php

Here's a couple links to Canadian companies that offer PC's with Linux OS's.
I emailed Canada's MDG Direct also, they offer full customization and same day pickup or shipping of PC's and laptops, built to purchaser specs. They claim to do anything, but fail to mention on the website whether one can get an OS-free computer, and there are MS images everywhere.
If they write me back, I'll post the results here.

Thanks, I've looked at those, although they don't see to offer much on their sites.
BTW, I still thelinuxstore.ca still hasn't responded to my email for a custom notebook. I already wrote them twice now...

Ya, MDG Direct hasn't replied to my email either... <scratches head>

MDG will NOT sell a system without the MS bundle.
I have been harassing them for two years about this, since I don't use any MS software at all.
[ it took sending them an email with a cc to the BBB to get a response from them about this.~evil grin~ shot their reputation with the BBB since I waited a year before sending the second email with the cc to the Better Business Bureau. ]


most small computer shops here in Canada don't include software on a new system.
Here in Vancouver I would go to Vastech, good prices and they happen to be the only shop I have seen offer a system with Linux.
[ I recently bought a dual core amd system from them, $578 and change ]
a lot of small shops around here are offering "Vista Ready" Acer laptops for around a grand, but they come with XP Media Center.
[ Acer then offers a free upgrade to Vista Home, with a $12.00 shipping charge for the cd ]

Generic Computers, http://genericcomputer.bc.ca is slightly easier to find their shop, and is only a bit more expensive than Vastech.

Good for you Jaqui. BAD MDG. Then again if you look at there adds thay keep saying Microsoft and Windows all over the place. As I said before I use Tigerdirect.ca and it is good.

Another thing I noticed about MDG is what is with there adds. I was wathcing a Late Night Movie on CBC and every addbreak had to have 1 mdg add and it took up most of the add time. What the hell is MDG paying CBC?