Canadian Heritage committee  I think vetting is a big part of any funding program. You have to know that your funds are going to the right place and being used in the appropriate manner. I think FACTOR has a long, positive history. They have always had good juries, a good board, and good administration. My criticism of FACTOR, if any, is: when do you stop funding?

Canadian Heritage committee  You might be asking the wrong person. I grew up in the 1960s and 1970s and there was no funding back then. I'm perfectly happy without funding. It wasn't easy then, and it's not easy now. But I'm biased on the topic. Paul would maybe have some further thoughts on that. As I mentioned in my presentation, I think funding in most cases is life support.

Canadian Heritage committee  That was a FACTOR number, I believe, or that was testimony from one of your other witnesses. Was that the number? Was it 93% of FACTOR funding? We might want to make sure we're on the same page with that number.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, and that's where I got the number as well, so we'll go with that. Established artist—the word “established” speaks for itself. Again, at what point do you cut the umbilical cord? At what point do you have artists just go on and get along with their careers without government support at some level?

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much. My first paying job as a musician was nearly 50 years ago, in 1965. Since then, I've worked in many sectors of the music industry. Most of my success has been as a songwriter, but I've also been a studio musician, a band member, a producer, an arranger, an audio engineer, a publisher, and a recording studio owner.