Yes, I would like to add something on the question of reproduction rights. I do not know whether you want me to talk about that, but there are four things I would like to say on the subject of mechanical reproduction. There are half-truths and things being half-said here. We are going to try to tell you the whole truth, and after that you can make up your own mind.
First, when broadcasters have access to content the first time, when they receive a record, they do not pay for it. All the record producers that I know—and I have been involved in ADISQ for 20 years, so I have known many—send records out to radio stations free of charge. So, from the outset, it is incorrect to say that they pay for the content. Second, radio stations do pay for reproduction on a medium. Why has the right of reproduction expanded to this point? Some would say it was the authors and composers, who used to be the rights holders who exercised the right provided in the law. So they went to the Copyright Board and asked for a tariff, which they obtained, and obviously that generated a royalty.
The record producers who have a reproduction right under the Copyright Act, which performers do not have at the moment, exercised that right only four or five years ago, and that ultimately led to a payment. This is not a payment that will double again in three years or eight years. Now, the rights of the authors and the rights of the producers have been exercised, and that comes to a total of $21 million. I think that is very clear. That amount is not going to increase or double again in eight years. That is why there is the impression that it has increased.
I would like to say one final thing. On the question of reciprocity, perhaps if we look at the United States, certainly there is not much of a balance of trade on our side in English. In French, France recognizes these rights. Authors, producers and performers receive royalties under reciprocity. The reason money is sent elsewhere is so that our artists are able to receive money when they work outside Canada. That is called reciprocity. We treat other countries well so the other countries will treat us well. So that has to be considered when we look at the $21 million.