[d at DCC] CPCC Levies

[Darryl Moore]

I've now read several comments at various blogs about the new CPCC levy 
proposal. Michael Geist makes a very good point in his blog when he says

"Establishing a levy on these devices is likely to regularly miss the 
target as the tariff definition - 'a medium that is designed, 
manufactured, advertised and primarily used for copying sound recordings 
of musical works and is capable of being used to play sound recordings 
of musical works' - will catch devices it shouldn't and miss those that 
it should. "

http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/1671/1/


This brings me to Russell McOrmond who says in his blog:

"The levy is both too large and doesn't cover the activities that most 
Canadians think it does. If the levy should be kept (and I think it 
should),"

http://www.digital-copyright.ca/node/3698

But according to Michael (and I agree with him) targeting this levy 
properly is going to become harder and harder. I do not agree that any 
levy should be put on blank media. I should not have to pay to transfer 
my music from one media to another that should be "fair use" and that is 
what we should be fighting for. Not expanding this levy as Russell would 
have.

As far as managing the P2P file sharing that happening on the Internet, 
I think we simply have to accept it. Why is it assumed that artists need 
compensating for this? There are plenty of other opportunities for 
commercializing their talent. CD (which wont go anywhere soon) live 
gigs, band paraphernalia, and licencing for other commercial works give 
lots of opportunities for musicians to make their money.

Small bands will make no less, and so what if the big bands and record 
companies make a few million less. Better that they should get an income 
more proportionate to average folk then I should be forced to pay for 
something I don't want.

I would be interested to hear Russell's justification for keeping this levy.