The Review of the Canadian Music Industry
In December 2013, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage moved to undertake a Review of the Canadian Music Industry, as per Standing Order 108(2).
As per the standing order, the purposes of the review were the following:
- inform Committee members of the details and impacts of the government support on Canadian music, as well as the creators and entrepreneurs who create and distribute music in Canada
- determine how funding is allocated
- and finally, establish whether the government support is meeting objectives laid out for it, and to make recommendations to the government on how it might strengthen support for Canadian music, and report its findings to the House.
The meetings began in early March 2014, with key industry players providing testimony on some of the challenges and opportunities they are facing. Originally expected to last for no more than 7 meetings, the Committee has extended its sessions to hear from a wide range of stakeholders, and is expected to table its report and recommendations by spring or summer 2014.
CIMA's Participation
On March 25, CIMA President Stuart Johnston and Chair Shauna de Cartier (Six Shooter Records) had the opportunity to represent the interests of the Canadian independent music industry to the Committee. Their statements were focused around the following:
- Emphasized the economic impact of the independent music industry in Canada.
- Articulated that access to capital is the number-one issue facing the small-businesses that discover and develop Canadian artists, arguing that governments are important partners in providing the necessary seed capital.
- Discussed the need for ongoing support for marketing, production and promotion that is necessary to help the domestic, independent businesses companies with the larger multinationals.
- Presented the argument that government needs to be a partner in enabling the independent music sector to access foreign markets, as well as to provide assistance in production and marketing
- Shauna provided the story of Six Shooter Records as a case study in how government-funded initiatives, like FACTOR, are instrumental in creating sustainable Canadian-based infrastructure for a vibrant cultural industries sector in Canada.
Review of the Canadian Music Industry: Report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage June 12, 2014
On June 12, 2014, the Standing Committee issued its recommendations, pursuant to its mandate via Standing Order 108(2). In total, the Committee held 14 meetings on the study where it heard from 82 witnesses and receiving 15 briefs including testimony from CIMA (see above for more details).
The Committees report focuses on 5 key themes:
- Digital distribution and streaming
- Music education
- Music tourism
- Current funding future investment
- FACTOR/Musicaction
Click here for full-text of the report.
Want to Keep Track of the Proceedings? We Can Help!
Meeting 13: March 4, 2014
Witness: Jean-Francois Bernier & Sophie Couture, Department of Canadian Heritage
Resources: Transcript, Audio
Meeting 14: March 25, 2014
Witnesses:
Alain Lauzon, Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada
Victoria Shepherd, Connect Music Licensing
Brad Keenan & David Faber, Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, Recording Artists Collecting Society
Solange Drouin, Association quebecoise de lindustrie du disque, du spectacle et de la video
Stuart Johnston & Shauna De Cartier, Canadian Independent Music Association
Bob DEith, MusicBC
Resources: Transcript, Audio
Meeting 15: March 27, 2014
Witnesses:
Elizabeth Bihl & Jodie Ferneyhough, Canadian Music Publishers Association
Gilles Daigle, Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada
David Murphy, Professional Music Publishers Association
Herve Dery & Cecilia Muir, Library and Archives of Canada
Scott Hutton, Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission
Resources: Transcript , Audio
Meeting 16: April 1, 2014
Witnesses:
Natalie Bernardin & Benoit Henry, Alliance nationale de lindustrie musicale
Greg Johnston & Jean-Robert Bisaillon, Songwriters Association of Canada
Martin Smith, Gospel Music Association of Canada
Shawn Cooper, Volu.me
Andreanne Sasseville & Paul Cunningham, Sirius XM Canada
Vanessa Thomas, Songza
Meeting 17: April 8, 2014
Witnesses:
Alan Reid, MusiCounts, Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
As Individuals: Brett Kissel & Louis OReilly, OReilly International, Inc.
Ian MacKay, Re:Sound
Sebastien Nasra, Avalanche Productions and Sound Publishing
Richard Petit & Annie Morin, Artisti et Union Des Artistes
Resources: Transcript, Audio
Meeting 18: April 10, 2014
Witnesses:
Pierre-Daniel Rheault, Société professionnelle des auteurs et des compositeurs du Québec
Mark Tetrault, Canadian Federation of Musicians
Luc Fortin, Guilde des musiciens et musiciennes du Quebec
Mike Tanner, North by Northeast
Riley OConnor & Ken Craig, Live Nation Canada
Patti-Anne Tarlton, Ticketmaster Canada
Resources: Transcript, Audio
Meeting 19: April 19, 2014
Witnesses:
Brian Hetherman, Cerberus Management & Consulting
Serge Sasseville & Christian Breton, Quebecor Media Inc.
Steve Jordan, Polaris Music Prize
Mark Monahan, RBC Ottawa Bluesfest
Greg Klassen, Canadian Tourism Commission
David F. Goldstein, Tourism Industry Association of Canada
Resources: Transcript, Audio
Meeting 20: May 1, 2014
Witnesses:
Dominique Jutras & Claude Fortier, Institut de la statistique du Quebec
Steven Kane, Warner Music Group
Simon Mortimer-Lamb, Nettwerk Music Group
Alain Chartrand, Coup de Coeur francophone
Francois Bissoondoyal & Rosaline Rico, LEquipe Spectra
Resources: Transcripts, Audio
Meeting 21: May 6, 2014
Witnesses:
Zachary Leighton & Gregg Terrence, Canadian Independent Recording Artists Association
Andrew Mosker & Mary Kapusta, National Music Centre
Eric Albert & Mathieu Peloquin, Stingray Digital
Jason Kee, Google Canada
Justin Erdman, Deezer Canada
Resources: Transcripts, Audio
Meeting 22: May 8, 2014
Witnesses:
As Individuals: Jim Vallance, Paul Hoffert
Stephanie Moffatt & Mylene Fortier, MoFat Management
Jean Surette & Richard Hornsby, Music NB
Stephen Carroll, Manitoba Music
Resources: Transcripts, Audio
Meeting 23: May 13, 2014
Witnesses:
Susan Wheeler, Duncan McKie & Allison Outhit, FACTOR
Pierre Rodrigue & Louise Chenail, Fondation Musicaction
Francois Bissoondoyal & Louise Chenail, Fonds RadioStar
Graham Henderson, Music Canada
Sylvie Courtemanche, Chip Sutherland & Alan Doyle, Radio Starmaker Fund
Neill Dixon, Canadian Music Week
Resources: Transcripts (TBA), Audio
Meeting 24: May 15, 2014
Drafting Instructions for Analysts for the Report
Resources: Transcripts (TBA), Audio