Federal MP Charlie Angus's private member's bill to extend the blank cassette and CD levy to digital audio players such as the iPod is a truly inspired move and would certainly provide much needed support to the creators of music whose works are often illegally copied and distributed using the Internet (A Musical Divide - editorial, March 19).
While Heritage Minister James Moore may view this levy extension as a new tax to fight against, a more enlightened view would be to call the extension an effective way to support Canada's composers and lyricists, and an enlightened means to ensure that we have access to music that is written by and for Canadians.
Music is everywhere in our lives these days, yet it becomes increasingly difficult for the writers of music to make a living from their art. Why isn't the federal Heritage Minister representing, supporting and championing Canadian culture as a first priority?
School of Music, Queen's University