We would be.
Good evening. Thank you again for this opportunity to speak. I represent the University of Winnipeg, which is a couple of blocks from here, in the heart of downtown, where I am the information and privacy officer and adviser to the copyright office. We do a lot with a little as you can see.
The University of Winnipeg is an urban campus of approximately 10,000 students. We are dedicated to ensuring students from a wide variety of backgrounds, regardless of financial means, are able to access high-quality post-secondary education. We have witnessed first-hand the digital disruption. The era of printed course packs is disappearing. Canadian students now require seamless access to a wide range of information on their laptops and smart phones delivered through digital platforms.
In response we have significantly increased our spending on library acquisitions, which have risen by 45% since 2012. Well over 80% of the spending is on database subscriptions and other digital resources. We have also invested in open access which enriches the student experience and fosters new creation.
However, rising costs for digital acquisitions have forced us to cancel other materials in order to balance slim budgets. To acquire the content our students require, we seek maximum value for money. In the face of disruption, flexibility is paramount. This is why universities must be able to select licensing arrangements that best support academic excellence and student success.
A print-based blanket tariff of limited repertoire is simply not good value for students. Such a tariff is also an inefficient means to support Canadian creators with considerable revenue going overseas. Tariffs must remain optional and without statutory damages for non-payment.
Another vital way to foster the success of Canadian students is through the maintenance of fair dealing, which enables the timely and tailored use of a vast array of published knowledge. While the overwhelming majority of content accessed by our students is paid content, fair dealing remains crucial for accessibility and affordability. Fair dealing for education must be viewed from the student perspective.
Last, we have also seen positive disruption led by Canada's indigenous peoples in their fight to protect traditional knowledge. We encourage this committee to explore legal structures that defend and foster indigenous perspectives of intellectual property.
Thank you.