The Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) announced that 19 organizations support extending the Canadian private audio copying levy to include MP3 players, cell phones, computers and other devices capable of storing digital audio.
For more information visit: www.cpcc.ca
Unedited press release follows:
ARTS ORGANIZATIONS JOIN FORCES TO SUPPORT CANADIAN MUSIC RIGHTS HOLDERS IN CALL TO MODERNIZE PRIVATE COPYING LEVY
Toronto (ON) – A total of 19 arts organizations have come together in support of the campaign to ensure that Canadian songwriters, recording artists, publishers and record labels continue to receive compensation when private copies are made of their music.
Both French and English organizations, including ACTRA, SOCAN and Union des Artistes, have signed a joint letter to Industry Minister Tony Clement and Heritage Minister James Moore, the two ministers responsible for Bill C-32, the Copyright Modernization Act. In the letter, the organizations denounce the proposed legislation’s failure to provide a mechanism to compensate creators when their music is copied onto MP3 players like iPods.
The organizations support the efforts of the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) to have the new legislation amended to provide compensation to rights holders for copies of their music made on to MP3 players.
“We agree with the CPCC that the exclusion of compensation to creators for the copying of sound recordings onto these devices as proposed in Bill C-32 is unjustifiable,” the letter says. “Given the reality of technology and usage in the modern world, a Copyright Act that effectively says that our creative work is valueless in this process is unacceptable.”
The full letter and list of signatories follows.
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November 2, 2010
The Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Industry
Government of Canada
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
The Honourable James Moore
Minister of Canadian Heritage
Government of Canada
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
Dear Ministers;
As strong supporters of the principle of efficient and effective copyright laws that will be the underpinning of a digital society based on intellectual property and which will contribute greatly to Canada’s prosperity in the 21st Century, the undersigned organizations are strongly supportive of the position of the Canadian Private Copying Collective with regards to compensation to songwriters, music publishers, artists and record labels for use of their works. The issue that is of major concern is that of a levy on Digital Audio Recording devices (DAR) such as MP3 players.
We agree with the CPCC that the exclusion of compensation to creators for the copying of sound recordings onto these devices as proposed in Bill C-32 is unjustifiable.
Given the reality of technology and usage in the modern world, a Copyright Act that effectively says that our creative work is valueless in this process is unacceptable.
We concur completely with the arguments and concerns expressed by the CPCC and are totally supportive of their representatives and lobbying in this regard.
Yours Sincerely,
Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists National
ARTISTI
Association québécoise de l’industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la vidéo
Canadian Actors’ Equity Association
Canadian Artists’ Representation
Canadian Conference of the Arts
Canadian Federation of Musicians
Canadian Independent Music Association
Canadian Music Publishers Association
Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency
Musicians’ Rights Organization Canada
Professional Music Publishers Association
Quebec Collective Society for the Rights of Makers of Sound and Video Recordings
Regroupement des associations d’artistes en arts visuels du Québec
Société professionnelle des auteurs et des compositeurs du Québec
Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada
Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada
The Writer’s Union of Canada
Union des artistes
cc: Charlie Angus MP
Robert Bouchard MP
Marc Garneau MP
Carole Lavallée MP
Brian Masse MP
Pablo Rodriguez MP
Eric Baptiste Chief Executive Officer SOCAN
Gerald Beaulieu President CARFAC
Lyette Bouchard Executive Director SOPROQ
Mario Chénart President SPACQ
Ferne Downey President ACTRA National
Solange Drouin Vice-President of Public Affairs and Executive Director ADISQ
Alain Lauzon General Manager SODRAC
Raymond Legault President UDA
Lise Létourneau President RAAV
Duncan McKie President CIMA
David Murphy President APEM
Marie Denise Pelletier President ARTISTI
Alain Pineau National Director CCA
Caroline Rioux Vice-President, Operations CMRRA
Len Lytwyn Executive Director MROC
Arden R. Ryshpan Executive Director CAEA
Catharine Saxberg Executive Director CMPA
Bill Skolnick Vice-President Canadian Federation of Musicians
Deborah Windsor Executive Director The Writer’s Union of Canada