Canadian Heritage committee  In terms of people outside of Canada, one of the virtues of a system such as the PLR system for that type of copyright is that then agreements can be signed with other countries that have a similar system in place. Then Canadian artists are recompensed for use of their material in the other country, and artists from that country are recompensed for the use of their material in Canada.

Canadian Heritage committee  Well, I think we need to distinguish between kinds of uses. One is the kind of use where it's appropriate to have a one-on-one contract with the creator. So, for example, if we're doing an exhibition of an artist's work, a solo exhibition, then that's something that should be worked out between the museum and the artist.

Canadian Heritage committee  The advantages are what I said in my presentation, which is that it minimizes the transactional costs and that it recognizes the value to the public of what writers do. In line with what our other presenter has said, the value of cultural work often goes beyond what creators are paid for when it's first created.

Canadian Heritage committee  Speaking for museums, again, talking about the two types of relationships, in terms of paying an exhibition right or proper exhibition right to artists, that is actually policed through the funding system. If we were not paying proper exhibition fees to artists, if we were not having proper contracts with artists, that would be known to our funders and we would be chastised for that, or our funding would be refused.

Canadian Heritage committee  The model I mentioned of PLR is one that has definitely been used in many other countries. I think one of the challenges for finding models in other countries for issues like exhibition right is that Canada has actually been a leader in exhibition right internationally. I think other countries are looking to us to see how we move forward with that and how it might develop over time.

Canadian Heritage committee  I think the key point we're trying to make is the necessity of the various channels going forward at the same time, because one will affect the other. What we're concerned about with museums is that a copyright change that doesn't consider the impact on institutions may have unintended negative effects, not just for institutions, but for artists.

Canadian Heritage committee  The public lending right is an example of that, because of the way it's structured, yes. It does not apply an undue administrative or financial burden on libraries, but it does direct funds to writers and illustrators, etc., for the use of their work in public libraries. We're saying that a comparable system could be applied to some types of copyright for public museums and art galleries.

Canadian Heritage committee  Did you want to answer that, Moira?

Canadian Heritage committee  May I also add that putting collections online is a challenge, unless there's a mechanism, like the PLR mechanism, that allows artists to be recompensed for the use of their work without it being an administrative and financial cost to museums.

Canadian Heritage committee  I think it probably affects visual artists the way it affects other creative individuals. I'll say that I am a writer myself, so I'm a creator in that realm. I know that the rise of digital technologies has entirely changed the landscape that existed for recompense for creators based on previous copyright models.

Canadian Heritage committee  I think there are a number of models that have been proposed. For example, modest charges could be applied to the means of access to the Internet and might then be redistributed in a way similar to what I described for public lending right. It's important. Any such program needs to be modest in the individual charges, so it's not a heavy burden on consumers.

Canadian Heritage committee  I have to preface this by saying that it's not something that we've examined in any detail in our organization.

Canadian Heritage committee  I see no objection to it. It sounds in line with what we're recommending. That's what we said in our presentation. Much of what artists do is a public good and the value of it to the public is not fully represented by the compensation they receive. In keeping with that, the tax policy should reflect a recognition of that contribution that is made by creative artists to Canada.

Canadian Heritage committee  Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for having us, Madam Chair. The Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization represents more than 85 art museum directors who lead a diversity of visual arts institutions across Canada, from sea to sea to sea. It is a lean organization, with a volunteer board and one employee, our executive director, Moira McCaffrey, who is with me today.