Officer Columns, Vice President from Canada

Alan Willaert – AFM Vice President from Canada

New Hope for Labour and the Arts Under Canada’s Liberal Government

December 1, 2015

Labour and the Arts Under Canada’s Liberal Government — One of my duties as AFM Vice President from Canada is to sit as a Vice President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). In that capacity, I attend the executive committee meetings. At the last gathering, those in attendance were treated to a question and answer period with Canada’s new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

Trans-Pacific Partnership—Harper’s Deal with the Devil

November 4, 2015

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has eclipsed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as being the new “gold standard” of global trade. And while it may take years to sign, ratify, and implement, the final agreement remains carefully under wraps. Once signed, the TPP will become the world’s largest economic trade agreement, encompassing more than […]

Be Careful What You Sign—They Don’t Care About You; They Want Your Song

October 5, 2015

Musicians want their music out there to be heard, everyone knows this, but be careful what you sign with companies because they want your song…not you.

Unity Conference Offers Valuable Union Insights to Attendees

September 3, 2015

The annual Canadian Conference, which took place in Windsor, Ontario, August 7-9, was special this year as it was a Unity Conference, held in conjunction with the Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians (OCSM).

International Federation of Musicians: Lessons Learned from Musicians Unions from Around the World

July 1, 2015

The International Federation of Musicians in Helsinki brought home the importance of having ongoing relations with the other musicians’ unions in the world.

Statistics Canada’s Report on the Economics of Canadian Culture

June 30, 2015

Statistics Canada just released a paper that outlines the Provincial and Territorial Canadian Culture Satellite Account (PTCSA). The PTCSA provides measures of the economic importance of culture (inclusive of the arts and heritage) across Canada in terms of output, gross domestic product, and employment, for reference year 2010.

Copyright Extended and Anti-Union Bill C-377 Moves Forward

May 28, 2015

Prior to May of this year, the copyright on sound recordings in Canada extended 50 years after release. In a surprise move, the Harper government, without any public consultation or discussion, moved to extend protection to 70 years as part of the budget.

Canadian Boycott of Crown Cans

May 1, 2015

Members of United Steel Workers Local 9176 have been forced on strike for close to 18 months at Crown Holdings in Toronto, Ontario. Crown is one of the largest beverage and food can manufacturers in the world. Originally known as Crown, Cork & Seal, the company is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and operates approximately 149 […]

99 Problems with the Music Industry

March 25, 2015

I recently ran across an article by Paul Resnicoff, entitled “99 Problems with the Music Industry,” and while written some months ago, it has an interesting perspective on the current state of affairs

New Business Model = Same Demons

February 25, 2015

Citing the unfair split of revenues and lack of artistic control, today’s musicians shun the ubiquitous control of yore by the “majors,” and desperately attempt to validate their music by declaring themselves an “indie.”