Industry Committee on May 7th, 2018

Evidence of meeting #106 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was content.

On the agenda

Statutory Review of the Copyright Act

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Donna Bourne-Tyson University Librarian, Dalhousie University, Chair of the Board of Directors, Council of Atlantic University Libraries

H.E.A. Eddy) Campbell (President and Vice-Chancellor, University of New Brunswick

Terrilee Bulger Co-owner, Nimbus Publishing

Teresa Workman Communications Manager, Association of Nova Scotia University Teachers

Lesley Balcom Dean, Librairies, University of New Brunswick

Andrea Stewart Board of Directors Liaison to the Copyright Committee and Director of Libraries and Educational Technology, Council of Atlantic University Libraries

Scott Long Executive Director, Music Nova Scotia

David Westwood President, Dalhousie Faculty Association

James Lorimer Treasurer, Canadian Publishers Hosted Software Solutions

Andrea Bear Nicholas Professor Emeritus, St. Thomas University, As an Individual

5:20 p.m.

Executive Director, Music Nova Scotia

Scott Long

This issue is macro. It's worldwide. It's going to require international co-operation. Europe seems to be more on the cutting edge of this and leading the way, so I think Canada needs to look at what's happening in the European Union as well.

5:20 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

This almost follows, in some ways, a trade agreement, with intellectual property, and sharing, and so forth.

Here's the thing, though. The argument is that it's a platform for sharing so you can expect to use it to grow your potential base. Is it just the base fact, which seems to be consistent with what I've just seen, that the royalty level or compensation has grown so little compared to its overall value? Is that really what's up? It hasn't kept pace, from the perspective of artists, to be anywhere near reasonable in terms of the original agreement, the expectations on signing up, and the use of material versus the net return and the wealth that's being generated.

5:25 p.m.

Executive Director, Music Nova Scotia

Scott Long

Absolutely, you're just describing what the value gap is essentially. You talk about the love-hate relationship as well. There's a saying in the music industry now that you could die of exposure. You need to have it up there. You need to have your music up on YouTube. You need to have your music playing on all the streaming services. Although you're not getting much pay for it, you're getting all this exposure. That's wearing thin for artists.

5:25 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Yes, if there's zero compensation coming back, it doesn't matter how popular you are. The reality is that you can't carry on. It just seems that the balance has been struck there.

That's all the questions I have, Mr. Chair.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Dan Ruimy

Well, then, that brings us to the end of our second panel. I want to thank everybody for coming today and contributing to this conversation on copyright.

We will adjourn for the day. We will be back at 7 p.m. for our open microphone.

Thank you to all our panellists and to all our watchers out there and at the back of the room.