Canadian musicians create consumer-friendly coalition

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4/27/2006 8:13:45 AM, by Ryan Paul

A group of popular Canadian musicians have established (PDF) the Canadian Music Creators Coalition (CMCC) in an effort to sway public policy in a direction that they believe is beneficial to consumers. Concerned by highly restrictive DRM technology and the escalation of lawsuits that target consumers, the CMCC wants to promote intellectual property law reforms that will prevent the recording industry from trampling on consumer rights:

Multinational record labels are vocal in their desire for changes to copyright laws that would facilitate lawsuits against our fans and increase their control over the enjoyment of music. To our alarm, the labels advance these demands not merely on their own behalf, but in our names as necessary for the well-being of individual Canadian musicians in the digital age. Today the people who actually create Canadian music are speaking out for themselves.

Artists do not want to sue music fans. The labels have been suing our fans against our will, and laws enabling these suits cannot be justified in our names. We oppose any copyright reforms that would make it easier for record companies to do this. The government should repeal provisions of the Copyright Act that allow labels to unfairly punish fans who share music for non-commercial purposes with statutory damages of $500 to $20,000 per song. ... If there is a threat to Canadian artists, it is not p2p downloading or sharing music but lawsuits brought by the recording industry against our fans.

Artists do not support using digital locks to increase the labels’ control over the distribution, use and enjoyment of music or laws that prohibit circumvention of such technological measures. The government should not blindly implement decade-old treaties designed to give control to major labels and take choices away from artists and consumers. Laws should protect artists and consumers, not restrictive technologies. Consumers should be able to transfer the music they buy to other formats under a right of Fair Use, without having to pay twice.

arstechnica.com



Related article on p2pnet:Canadian musicians vs Big Music.

[garmabeaneth]

same related story
http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2006/04/2709.cfm

Canadian Musicians Create Coalition To Lobby For Their Rights
Thursday April 27, 2006 @ 07:30 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

Steven Page

A number of Canadian musicians concerned that their views on copyright legislation and government cultural policies aren't being represented by existing music industry associations have launched their own organization.

The Canadian Music Creators Coalition's founding members include the Barenaked Ladies, Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, Chantal Kreviazuk, Sum 41, Stars, Our Lady Peace's Raine Maida, The Rheostatics' Dave Bidini, Billy Talent, The Weakerthans' John K. Samson, Broken Social Scene, Sloan, Andrew Cash and Bob Wiseman.

"The first thing that we want to accomplish is to let our fans know that CRIA's efforts to speak on our behalf are incorrect," says Barenaked Ladies singer/guitarist Steven Page, the coalition's spokesperson. "They're not speaking on our behalf."

CRIA is the Canadian Recording Industry Association, a non-profit trade organization that was founded in 1964 to represent the interests of companies that create, manufacture and market music. It's dominated by the four major record companies (EMI, Sony BMG, Universal and Warner), and that only increased earlier this month after six key independent labels (Anthem, Aquarius, The Children's Group, Linus, Nettwerk and True North) resigned from the association because they didn't believe that CRIA was properly representing them.

CRIA was very involved in lobbying for new copyright legislation that was supposed to be tabled last year, but was scuttled because of the election. It's now campaigning the Conservative government to change existing laws. "When those companies only put out less than 10 per cent of Canada's new music every year, how can they actually be speaking for us?" asks Page.

"It doesn't make sense that an international label should be dictating what Canadian cultural policy is. This is an opportunity for Canadian artists to have a voice, not only in Ottawa, but amongst themselves. We need to figure out what we want from our copyrights and creations. We need to start talking to each other without being steered by spin."

The coalition will encourage the federal government to support Canadian artists through such avenues as the Canada Music Fund and FACTOR, invest in music training and education, create limited tax shelters for copyright royalties, protect artists from inequalities in bargaining power and make collection societies more transparent.

The CMCC is against the music industry suing fans who share music for non-commercial purposes and record companies' use of digital rights management systems that it believes increases labels' control over the distribution, use and enjoyment of music. "We're all sick of this nonsense with DRM," insists Page.

"It's not doing what the labels want it to do and it's making legitimate music purchasing a frustrating experience for everybody. To buy a CD and to have it not work in your car stereo or not work in your computer or not work in iTunes means that you didn't really buy that music. The coalition believes that if you buy a piece of music, you should be able to listen to it and use it wherever you like."

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Copyright Petition Presented to the House of Commons

Lost amid the coverage of the creation of the Canadian Music Creators Coalition, was the presentation of a copyright petition this week before the House of Commmons. James Rajotte, a Conservative MP from Alberta and rumoured chair of the Industry Committee, presented the petition with the following comments:

"Mr. Speaker, it is my honour today to present a petition on behalf of hundreds of Canadians across the country with respect to the Copyright Act. The petitioners wish to properly recognize the careful balance between the rights of creators and the rights of the public, including viewers, readers and listeners.
The petitioners call upon Parliament to ensure generally that users are recognized as interested parties and are meaningfully consulted while proposed changes are made to the Copyright Act and to ensure, in particular, that any changes at least preserve all existing users' rights."

While it is terrific to see Canadian musicians taking a stand, it is equally important for individual Canadians to speak out on the copyright issue.
michaelgeist.ca

[garmabeaneth]

i liked TBN before.. but today.. the sit in my heart as canadian heros!

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i liked TBN before.. but today.. the sit in my heart as canadian heros!

Who's or what does TBN mean Garmy?

[garmabeaneth]

oops my bad TBNL = The BareNaked Ladies

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oh them.

[nesman]

I've only heard it as BNL. I was confused too.

I'm glad that they're ok with me testing their music before buying it.

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The bare naked truth on music file sharing

A conversation with Steven Page of Barenaked Ladies about why Canadian music fans who share files are not thieves.

Garmy, I hope you enjoy that conversion with Steve Page.
Yes that's cool that the BNL don't care about people sampling their music by downloading a few songs before buying the CD.

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Here's a link to the CMCC's website.
Download and listen to the Press Conference at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern Monday, May 1 here.

[garmabeaneth]

Canadian Hero's!!

True North, Strong and FREE!

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Steven Page on Canada AM
It's in .mov format so you need quicktime or Quicktime Alternative to watch it.

Also another interview with him on CBC The Hour.

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CTV:Canadian musicians denounce suing music fans
CBC:Music fans not the enemy: artists' coalition