TORONTO – A broad spectrum of Canadian artists ranging from global icons to emerging talents are supporting the call for Canada’s private copying levy to be saved and modernized through changes to new copyright legislation currently before Parliament. 

Legends including Anne Murray, Stompin’ Tom Connors, Andy Kim, Tom Cochrane, Lawrence Gowan, Carole Pope and members of Triumph have signed a joint letter in support of the private copying levy to Industry Minister Tony Clement and Heritage Minister James Moore, along with contemporary sensations Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, Metric and The Tragically Hip. Rising stars including Sophie Milman, Eva Avila, Serena Ryder, Sarah Harmer, Kathleen Edwards, Hawksley Workman, Jacob Hoggard and Royal Wood are also signatories of the letter.

“This shows that artists at all stages of their careers support the Canadian private copying levy and that they understand the importance of the compensation it provides to creators when their music is copied. They believe that a copy is a copy, and that regardless of how one gets made, artists should get paid when their music is used in this way,” said David Basskin, member of Canadian Private Copying Collective Board of Directors.

More than 350 artists signed the letter, which calls on Bill C-32, The Copyright Modernization Act, to be amended to extend the private copying levy (currently applied to blank media used to copy music like CD-Rs) to MP3 players.

“By leaving the private copying levy as is, applying to blank media such as CDs, you obviously recognize that these copies have value. Why would you not take the technologically neutral approach and extend it to MP3 players? Just because it is easy to make digital copies of our art, does that mean that they are worthless? MP3 players are this generation’s version of blank media. A copy is a copy and the principle of fair compensation for rights holders should apply whether the copy is made onto blank media or MP3 players,” the letter says.

A copy of the letter and the full list of artists who have signed it can be found here.

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For more information contact:

Alison Thompson
CPCC
tel. (416) 486-6832, ex. 221
email: [email protected]