In an era of rampant illegal file-sharing, many Canadian musicians struggle to earn a living. A new private member's bill that would increase the price of an iPod could put more money in their pockets. There's just one problem: No one wants to pay more for their gadgets.
NDP MP Charlie Angus's bill extends a levy on blank cassettes and discs, instituted in 1999 when these were the primary means of disseminating copied music, to digital audio players such as the iPod.
Proceeds from the levy had been the second largest source of revenue for musicians in Canada (after royalties collected primarily from radio airplay). But as sales of blank tapes (with a levy of 24 cents per tape sold) and CDs (a 29-cent levy) plummet, returns to musicians have fallen, from $39.4-million in 2004 to $29.3-million in 2008. Today, most people don't copy music by burning a CD, but by downloading: from an iPod, a hard drive or the Internet itself. The levy will soon be an anachronism, leaving more artists in the lurch.
James Moore, the Heritage Minister, has undertaken to "fight this new tax every single step of the way." The government argues it has already injected money into the Canada Music Fund. Consequently, taxpayers are already giving musicians more money than the existing media levy does.
There is no really satisfying means for supporting Canadian music in an era of easy downloading. Digital locks on media files stifle creativity but can be circumvented by the mischievous few for profit. Making Internet providers stop every illegal download would suffocate the Internet. Yet while it may be impractical to prosecute illegal downloaders, theft is theft and it should not be condoned.
Mr. Angus has rightfully acknowledged his bill will likely not go far since it involves financial changes and must be supported by the government, but said he was hoping to open the debate. In this case, a debate on that most rarefied of creatures, a private member's bill, is the best outcome.
Mr. Angus also tabled a motion that would expand the Copyright Act's definition of "fair dealing," allowing the reasonable use of copyrighted materials for innovation, research and study - a welcome move.
These moves have had to fill the void because the government has not yet delivered its promised reform of Canada's copyright regime. Its present policy is cautious and not forward-looking.