Thank you.
What artists want is to communicate with those who want to enjoy and use their work.
As proposed, Bill C-11 invites litigation in many areas. The burdens of litigation bring fear, confusion, and unintended costs—costs this government and the people of this country will bear. They could create problems where none need to exist and could delay the progress that has been made in best practices.
Will Bill C-11 enable transformative works and alternative distribution networks, as well as provide streams of remuneration through digital reproduction in collective societies? You need to answer that question.
The norms that underlie copyright should be the ones that enable Canadian culture to flourish, help artists make a reasonable living and reach an audience at the same time—not as an either/or proposition—allow for less restrictive personal and educational reuses, and maybe, take a step away from intellectual property solely as commodity exchange and towards meaningful cultural conversations.
Thank you.