Access Copyright congratulates the appointment of the Hon. Pablo Rodriguez as Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Access Copyright congratulates The Hon. Pablo Rodriguez on his appointment as Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism.

As the head of the Department of Canadian Heritage, Minister Rodriguez will be responsible for directing the federal government’s cultural priorities, including the ongoing Copyright Act review, modernizing the Copyright Board of Canada and implementing its renewed vision for Canada’s cultural policies.

Minister Rodriquez brings a well-honed perspective to the importance of ensuring Canadian creators and publishers are fairly paid for the use of their works. As a member of the legislative committee that reviewed Bill C-32, the precursor to the Copyright Modernization Act, he was attuned to the concerns of creators and publishers over the addition of education as an allowable purpose under fair dealing.

After the passage of the Act in 2012, creators and publishers have seen a dramatic decrease in the amount of royalties they receive for the copying of their works which represents a significant threat to their ability to continue to create Canadian content for classrooms.

“The Copyright Act review and the federal government’s commitment to transform the Copyright Board represent an important opportunity to ensure that Canadian creators and publishers will continue to have the chance to contribute to our cultural economy,” said Roanie Levy, Access Copyright’s President & CEO. “I look forward to working together with Minister Rodriguez to encourage implementation of initiatives that will provide for fair compensation to creators and publishers.”

Access Copyright also expresses our gratitude to The Hon. Mélanie Joly, who was appointed as Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, for her tireless efforts at Canadian Heritage and her conviction that supporting Canadian creators should be a primary focus of our cultural policies.