Canadian Heritage committee  I would say that's something. We issue licences for non-commercial radio, very small licences. All of them are lower than 1.25%, but we issue licences. It's our right because we have the right to issue licences. They may be small amounts, but, at least, for the use of the music, our members are paid under the law.

Canadian Heritage committee  No, we went through the Copyright Board, but we still discuss those kinds of things. Our point is that we receive fair value. We understand that small radio stations don't have the financial ability that the large radio stations have, but we prefer to negotiate to have the right instead of an exception.

Canadian Heritage committee  When you talk about today's social networks, you have to understand that a concept called user-generated content has been introduced into Canada's Copyright Act. Some intermediaries, social media in particular, are subject to exceptions under the act. That's one of the things we would like to change in it.

Canadian Heritage committee  Note that, in Europe, the European Commission is amending its directives to give copyright collectives more power in dealing with the web giants. It intends to limit certain statutory exceptions to enable copyright collectives to compel certain intermediaries to pay their fair share and thus reduce the value gap.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, committee members. We come before you today on behalf of SODRAC, an organization engaged in the collective management of copyright and reproduction rights for its member authors, composers, music publishers, and creators of artistic works. In so doing, we facilitate the use of our repertoire of works on all distribution platforms so that the work of our members is fairly remunerated.

Canadian Heritage committee  Twenty years ago when there were albums, there were 13 to 15 songs on an album. Whether it was 20,000, 50,000 or 100,000 albums that were sold, people were making a living out of 15 times the number of albums. It was 8.3 cents for a song on an album. That was almost a dollar as an author-composer.

Canadian Heritage committee  —or 15 times as many just to be equal to where you would have been in the past. Then obviously you make revenues out of broadcast, performing, and all of those things. That's why, as an education question.... This is mainly what we do: we educate people on this.

Canadian Heritage committee  I definitely agree with what was said on private copying and training. However, we also have to look at all the studies that have been done. In many other countries, studies were done. For example, in England, there was a study conducted with Google on illegal services. Actually, rather than use the word “illegal”, let us say services for which music is being used without rights being granted.

Canadian Heritage committee  My colleague talked about the resources of the board, an institution set up by the government, is an excellent platform compared with what we find in other countries. Other countries, for example England, came here to see what the Copyright Board does. The board is an organization which establishes the value of a copyright, when the parties cannot arrive at an agreement, which is an excellent thing because it allows people to pursue things further.

Canadian Heritage committee  Absolutely.

Canadian Heritage committee  I think Brad spoke in detail a little bit more about the private copying that we're involved in. Brad and I are both on the Copyright Board as members of the board. As I mentioned, private copying is one issue that is really being looked at in Europe, not being weakened but being stronger for the Europeans that we work with, and the value of the private copying for the creators, performers, songwriters, and record labels as well, because it brings money directly into the hands of those who have created the works.

Canadian Heritage committee  With your permission I would like to add something. There have been several discussions in universities in Quebec about student work and plagiarism. You are a lawyer. When I was young, we were told in grade school that copying from a book was plagiarism. Plagiarism, intellectual property and music are all related.

Canadian Heritage committee  It seems these days that consumers have increasing access to legal services. What has transpired over the last 10 years has been at the expense of the recorded music market, by which I mean producers, artists, performers and creators. Consumers are the ones who have benefited. This is a major phenomenon.

Canadian Heritage committee  I have the papers that have been asked for, the translation. Mr. Chair, I am very pleased to be here today to speak on behalf of the SODRAC. Thank you for inviting me to participate in your review of the Canadian music industry. A copyright collective society like ours is first and foremost an economic advocacy tool used collectively by authors, composers and publishers.

Bill C-11 committee  We don't see that the law creates value for the creators. You create value for part of the ayants droit—