Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good morning and welcome, gentlemen.
Since I probably have less than five minutes to ask some questions, I want to go back to two specific issues.
First of all, I feel that anyone who calls royalties taxes is being intellectually dishonest. That’s like contravening minimum wage legislation and saying that increasing the minimum wage is a tax imposed on companies. That scares people too.
As to the question asked by the member on the government side about the $126 million, that's already proof that, when the government prepares a bill, it does not consider all its potential impacts once it is implemented.
I think he wanted Mr. Pineau to give him the figures because the government probably had not done its job.
The objective of the act was to ensure that the knowledge economy, broadcasters, consumers and creators get their money’s worth in an equitable way. The media have changed so quickly.
Let us remember that, at the first meeting of the committee when the ministers came, we clearly saw that innovation and technology played a major role; they pretty much came first. If the government went further, technology should allow creators to be compensated appropriately. They would just have to adjust the technology so that creators can be remunerated accordingly.
The question I ask myself is this. I have looked at most of your recommendations. They have to be adjusted for international treaties. On some points, doesn't the government go beyond international requirements? Are there any places in the world the government should follow and get some ideas on how to compensate its creators properly?