Bill C-32 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session) Committee on March 3rd, 2011

Evidence of meeting #16 for Bill C-32 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session) in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was radio.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Bill C-32, An Act to amend the Copyright Act

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Sylvie Courtemanche Chair, Canadian Association of Broadcasters

Brad Phillips President, Vice-President of British Columbia Operations, Astral Radio, British Columbia Association of Broadcasters

Mike Keller Vice-President, Industry Affairs, Newcap Radio Inc.

Gabriel Van Loon Lawyer, Canadian Association of Broadcasters

Guy Banville Radio Consultant, As an Individual

Ross Davies Vice-President, Programming and Operations, Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc.

Paul Larche President, Larche Communications Inc.

11:50 a.m.

Chair, Canadian Association of Broadcasters

Sylvie Courtemanche

The current act treats reproduction as a right that is separate from the communication right.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

There are two different rights: reproduction and communication.

11:50 a.m.

Chair, Canadian Association of Broadcasters

Sylvie Courtemanche

Under the act, that's correct.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

You want to eliminate one.

March 3rd, 2011 / 11:50 a.m.

Chair, Canadian Association of Broadcasters

Sylvie Courtemanche

That's not what we want. Mr. Rodriguez, we're saying that certain reproductions are made for financial reasons. If I made a copy of a book and I sold it, that copy would earn me money. In that case, I would have to pay; that's obvious. However, we're talking about a technical reproduction on which I make no money. I'm not engaging in promotion by doing that; it's simply to facilitate matters.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

Nevertheless you need to do it in order to operate your business; you need that reproduction; otherwise you can't play music.

11:50 a.m.

Chair, Canadian Association of Broadcasters

Sylvie Courtemanche

I need music in order to play it, of course, but I consider it unheard of that this should apply to the act of changing formats, as Mr. Del Mastro said. If I buy a CD and I transfer it to my iPod, I don't want to pay a second time. That's a good analogy.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

You pay as little as possible.

11:50 a.m.

Chair, Canadian Association of Broadcasters

Sylvie Courtemanche

We pay $64 million a year; I don't think that's as little as possible.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

How much did you say?