Mr. Del Mastro, please.
Evidence of meeting #10 for Canadian Heritage in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was content.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #10 for Canadian Heritage in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was content.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to both witnesses for your patience, for hanging around a little late, and for some pretty interesting presentations, frankly.
Mr. Anderson, I'm sure you're probably aware that a number of the things you said today are controversial within the arts community, that things such as BitTorrent sites are actually not well spoken of amongst art communities primarily because of how they're currently being used.
Just so I can understand your recommendation a little bit, because you talked about government support for the arts, would you see that as a replacement for the past models, the economic models of the industry? Certainly, BitTorrent sites and some of those operations are cannibalizing those revenues.
1:10 p.m.
Founder and National Coordinator, OpenMedia.ca
I'm sorry. Would I see what replacing models of the past?
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Is that some part of your suggestion: government support, government grants? Is that how you see replacing the revenues that are lost through the cannibalization by some of the BitTorrent sites?
1:10 p.m.
Founder and National Coordinator, OpenMedia.ca
I think we need a mixed approach. I don't think it's that controversial, at least with the major artist groups I've talked to. They think the Internet should be open. They don't like things being taken, but they want an open Internet. They don't want BitTorrent to be discriminated against because they often use it. As an artist myself, I use it for legal purposes.
In terms of replacement of the revenue loss, I think that Michael Geist, in his presentation to you guys, threw out some statistics about how the markets are actually doing well. So there's not a net loss there necessarily; it's just that there's just more sharing. You could argue that there's more money to be made by performances and otherwise.
I would say we need a mixed approach. We need government to step in and stimulate, and to help out the small guys in some instances, as I argued. There's online advertising. There's a market-based approach. Charlie has put forth the levy approach. There are other approaches, with levies and things like that. I think a mixed approach is what we need.
I don't think we want to be blocking online services. People want open access to all that the Internet has to offer. That should just be the base point and then we'll work from there.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
Thank you very much.
We have dwindled around the table, but I do thank everyone who participated and asked a question. I must say that I found this presentation very interesting.
I used to be in the decorating business, and I can remember when our company came out with, “Here's your room and you can paint your walls this colour”, and so on and so forth--
1:10 p.m.
An hon. member
You made a lot of money.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
We never made any money on that, but as that has progressed now, you can place furniture and do all those types of things. Everything is just exploding.
Again, thank you very much for attending today and thank you for your candid remarks.
The meeting is adjourned.