Officer Columns, Vice President from Canada

Wait … Fake What?

March 1, 2023

For the past 18 months, the National Music Centre (NMC), an organization based in Paris, France, has been involved in a study on the manipulation of listening on music platforms. The first of its kind, the research has gathered data on the extent of fraudulent or fake streams. After years of suffering due to file […]

D’Juno?

February 1, 2023

One of the core services of the Federation is collective bargaining, headed by our national offices or within the locals. In Canada, locals have autonomy to bargain within their jurisdiction. Exceptions to this are the events which move from province to province on a yearly basis. To provide continuity, the Canadian Office is responsible for […]

Update on Bill C-11

January 1, 2023

As I reported in October, a last-minute amendment to Bill C-11, the proposed update to the Broadcasting Act removed the application of Status of the Artist legislation from online undertakings. In other words, the ability for artists’ unions to compel big tech to bargain collectively was suddenly excised. The bumbling and embarrassed excuses from the […]

Wooden You Know It … Canadian Office Lobbies for Less Restrictive Pernambuco Regulations

December 1, 2022

As a member of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM), Canada was asked to participate in lobbying our government representatives who are attending the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to vote against a proposal by Brazil (CoP19 Prop. 49) to move Pernambuco trees from Appendix II to […]

More Silly Rabbits and Wily Coyotes

October 1, 2022

As I write this, Canadian locals have just attended a presentation by Lisa Freeman, executive director of the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC). My sincere appreciation goes out to Freeman, who took the time to apprise those in attendance on the status and short-term objectives her team faces in anticipation of pending updates to Canada’s […]

Paying the Price for Union Strength

September 1, 2022

At the risk of being repetitive, I must lament at hearing nonmember musicians (and a disturbing number of members) parroting the corporate slogan: “perhaps there once was a need for unions, but not anymore.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Giving any credence to that statement is a recipe for disaster. Corporations, or any […]

Silly Rabbits and Wily Coyotes

August 1, 2022

Bill C11, the online streaming bill, passed its third reading in the House of Commons and has now landed in the Senate for approval. If passed, the bill would compel streaming platforms, such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Spotify, and others to add more Canadian content, or in the wording of the bill, “contribute in […]

Canadian Bargaining Roundup

June 1, 2022

“Apparently, some believe musicians are unworthy and should be afforded less rights than movie stars’ dog walkers.” As the sixth wave driven by the Omicron variant begins to fade, hope springs eternal that life may soon return to whatever normal will be. Bargaining with employers has been particularly difficult, since two-dimensional negotiating via zoom is […]

Denial Is Just a River in Egypt

May 1, 2022

For those who still believe conditions in the workplace are something you’re entitled to, you may be surprised that unfair labour practices (in Canada) were only defined and prohibited in 1938! While the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century gave birth to the labour movement in Europe and North America, there were many significant events […]

Union Thugs or Your Best Friend?

April 1, 2022

The pandemic has, among many other things, caused musicians to explore alternatives to live music, one being a pivot to digital. However, in doing so, members have often thrown caution to the wind and not bothered to cover their recordings with obligatory (and protective) agreements and report forms. Moreover, the desire to stay relevant with […]