Bill C-32 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session) Committee on Dec. 13th, 2010

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

--and I'd like you to back it up. Can you explain to me what it means; why 85%?

[Douglas Arthur Brown]

What I can explain is that because 85% of the revenues are generated from education, any amendments to the bill that lessen what they are able to bring in, to benefit creators like me, could lessen the revenues at the end of the day.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

That doesn't sound quite as firm as you were in your opening statement, that you stand to lose up to 85% of your income.

[Douglas Arthur Brown]

I do stand to lose up to 85%, according to what Access Copyright says.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

According to what they're telling you--but what did they explain? Surely you asked them, when you decided to use this in your opening statement, to account for that 85%.

[Douglas Arthur Brown]

Well, I take them at face value. They're very honourable. And when they talk about “up to 85%”, that wakes me up.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

So when they said that, you didn't say, “Oh, my gosh, I could lose 85% of my income. Why is that?”

[Douglas Arthur Brown]

Of course I asked that.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

What did they say?

[Douglas Arthur Brown]

I didn't ask them specifically; I got the material from them.

I think you're putting too much of an onus on me, in that sense. I was told that I could potentially lose 85% by the collective agency that represents my best interests.

I do not question every single item that comes my way. They are acting in my best interest. I would have to have just cause to decide to be suspicious.

I think that answers the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gord Brown]

Thank you very much. That will be the last word.

Thank you very much to our witnesses today.

[Proceedings continue in camera]