Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm very interested in following up on this discussion on collective licensing and the need to find revenue streams for artists in a digital age.
At the National Post, which doesn't often pat the NDP on the back, they were talking about Minister Moore's comments about the levy. They said that while “we're on the fence” about the levy, they were not on the fence about “the government's nonsensical, 'Boo! Hiss! No new taxes!' response...which is just dumb...”.
The Edmonton Journal said they felt that updating the levy was “a perfectly reasonable compromise”, but that “to hear the Harper government tell it, it's the Boston Tea Party circa 2010”. They went on to say that Minister of Industry Tony Clement was “misrepresenting its contents” and said, “Heritage Minister James Moore--who you might think would defend creators--also distorted” this “suggestion”.
The Edmonton Journal went on to say, “The Tories are clearly playing pandering politics; let's hope the other opposition parties--and independently-minded Conservatives--sign on to a thoughtful compromise that upholds the basic Canadian values of straight dealing”.
Why do you think this government and this minister, the consumer minister, have taken it upon themselves to come out so hard in attacking the right of artists to get paid for copying?