Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thanks to everyone for their presentations.
By way of introduction, let me give you a quick editorial on the review of the Copyright Act by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.
Our basic objective is, as a minimum, to take a favourable approach to copyright. As a result, our job is not to offer a bargain to consumers, but to ensure that Canadian, Quebec and aboriginal cultures continue to flourish.
We must remember that our primary objective is to safeguard copyright. Let me share an anecdote with you. Maybe you know the exact amount, but I think it’s important to mention the numbers associated with the success of Happy by Pharrell Williams. By the way, that song is part of the catalogue that was just acquired by Sony from EMI—it was reported in the news this morning. Copyright and dissemination rights on streaming services have earned Pharrell Williams something like $60,000 or, let’s say, $200,000 at most. But while Happy is a huge international hit, much bigger than Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road has earned 100 times more.
What I am getting at is that creators now earn micro-pennies on streaming services. We have a great responsibility as a committee. To be honest, let me say right away that, politically speaking, this issue is like a glass full of gravel, a mouthful of sand. It is very dry and very complex. The public does not understand much about these issues. Moreover, there are not a lot of political gains to be had.
This is the right thing to do.
But doing it will be difficult.
In that context, can you illustrate the hot issues you told us about earlier? You said that the only hot issue that everyone agrees on is the Copyright Board of Canada.
I will start there, but, if possible, could you send us, ideally in writing, a list of the hot issues? Personally, I have been interested in this issue for a long time and I am familiar with it. But even I find it a hornet's nest. A series of issues is involved and they seem very theoretical to us. That is why I wanted to tell you the Pharrell Williams story because it gives you an idea of the extent to which things have changed.
Through you, Madam Chair, I would like to ask Ms. Théberge to send us a list of hot issues.