Thank you very much, good evening.
Thank you for inviting me.
I address this committee from the position of an author who has been involved in publishing since the 1960s, both as writer and as publisher, and who has lived from the proceeds of writing--fees and royalties--since the early 1970s.
I am in the 10% of North American authors who live from writing. Even those within that 10% often end up with tiny incomes. The loss of a thousand dollars is significant to them.
A writer with a salaried position at a university may have a different view. I frequently allow free use of my copyrights. When I make such gifts, that is my choice.
One, I will speak only about the extension of fair dealing to include education, however interpreted.
Two, I am in favour of cheaper education for students. But if cheaper education is a public good, all should contribute, not just authors.
Three, removing authors' copyright for education, without compensation or choice, would not be fair dealing. It is not fair--why only authors?--and it is not dealing. It takes two to deal.
Four, a copyright is property. It can be owned, sold, licensed, and inherited. There are only four ways in which property can be removed from its owner without consent: one, theft; two, expropriation, which does however include some payment; three, confiscation, as from criminals; and four requisition, as in a war.
If this copyright property grab is confiscation, what criminal act has the author committed? If requisition, what is the war? If theft, those authorizing the stealing should be charged. If this property grab is expropriation for the public good, as in land or highways, etc., the public should pay.
Five, the author will be compensated, we are assured. How? There is no mechanism proposed and no recourse for unfairness except through the courts. Given what I have said about tiny incomes, it is obvious that authors could not afford this, whereas big educational institutions, floating as they do on public money, can.
Six, finally, if the government can snatch the property of authors in this way, without consent or payment, who and what will be next?
Thank you.