Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you for that. I can maybe sum it up by saying that the users control what they're saying online, but the companies and the platforms are controlling what they see. We're also hearing the assertion that a lot of the regulation proposed in the bill doesn't apply to platforms but is actually applying to the content directly.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you for that.

Canadian Heritage committee  In what ways specifically would Bill C-11 be starting to move that conversation forward to make sure we're moving into the 21st century here?

Canadian Heritage committee  I appreciate that. You said artists are actively engaged themselves as digital creators. I would like to ensure this is not an “us versus them” debate between traditional artists and digital creators. People are saying these traditional legacy players don't have a presence online and that the traditional industry is living in the past and that digital creators are the future.

Canadian Heritage committee  You talk about looking for the next songwriter. We've heard stories of the few who have had tremendous success online, but we know that, overall, for the majority of artists, it's almost impossible to make a living through social media and online streaming. The majority of Canadian creators on YouTube, for example, make less than the median of the average artist.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you to all of our witnesses, both here and online. I will begin by talking to Ms. McGuffin from Music Publishers Canada. We've heard, as recently as today, from witnesses that CanCon definitions are outdated, and they do need to be reviewed. Can you talk about how our online streaming act, Bill C-11, is already starting to redefine CanCon, and what the new criteria of that bill must be to consider this redefinition?

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you. As a follow-up, we talked about the arts moving over to streaming and how the growth of industry has certainly benefited the platforms. You mentioned some of the international artists, but not all artists are experiencing that surge in revenues. Would you agree that a larger fund available to Canadian artists, especially if there were extra contributions from foreign-owned streaming giants in addition to the funding that traditional Canadian companies are already contributing...?

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to thank all of our witnesses. I appreciate their time and their being here. I would like to continue the conversation with Mr. Rogers, but I first want a chance to talk to the independent broadcasters group, specifically Mr. Fortune. There have been some voices claiming that the online streaming act would somehow give some sort of unprecedented control over what content we see online.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you for that. I will turn to Mr. Rogers from Music Canada, representing Sony, Universal and Warner. Thanks again for being here. We spoke briefly about the Canadian content rules for traditional radio and how it has supported our artists over the years. In your opinion, would the music industry be the same if we had not supported Canadian artists with the CanCon rules we had on traditional radio?

Canadian Heritage committee  Would you be okay if that funding came from the online broadcasters?

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you. I believe that is my time, Madam Chair.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you to all of our panellists. This has been highly informative and it has met all of our expectations. I appreciate it. I'll start my questioning with Madame Paré and Madame Desrochers. Conversations are happening. We just referred to CanCon. Conversations are happening with regard to redefining the definition of CanCon in this bill.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much. To follow up, the picture that you paint is quite prophetic. The fact that Quebec has done a commendable job of supporting artists over the years honestly shows that we support the strength of how we get more of what we support. When we support our artists, they thrive and we all benefit.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you. Maybe I could turn to Mr. Cox and Mr. Hirsch. We haven't heard from the Quebec English-language Production Council for a bit. What will the challenges be as a cultural sector to make sure that overlooked minority voices can be heard, so that we can ensure a true picture of our culture and identity here in Canada and keep our sense of belonging?

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you. I believe you mentioned that the main gateway to music is YouTube, yet very few artists are making a living from YouTube. We're also seeing a public that's increasingly more dependent on online social media platforms and those streaming services. What about the artists and creators who have that presence online?