Canadian musicians are leading the way in music reform, with Barenaked Ladies Steve Page fast becoming their official spokesman.

Last week came the news that BNL, Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, Chantal Kreviazuk, Sum 41, Broken Social Scene, Stars, Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace, Dave Bidini of Rheostatics, Billy Talent, John K. Sampson of Weakerthans, Sloan, Andrew Cash, and Bob Wiseman, co-founder of Blue Rodeo, had formed the Canadian Music Creators Coalition.

They were concerned, "with the prospect of record-label lawsuits against MP3 file sharers, and the continuing march toward greater restrictions on the use of music," says BNL's Steve Page in a National Post OpEd.

"We know that record companies and music publishers are not our enemies," he says. "They are often run by people who love music and are passionate about the promotion of Canadian culture.

"Much of their lobbying, however, is not about protecting artists or promoting Canadian culture. It is about propping up business models in the recording industry that are quickly becoming obsolete and unsustainable. It is about preserving foreign-based power structures and further entrenching the labels' role as industry gatekeepers. Their lobbying efforts are focused on passing laws that restrict artists' ability to take control of their own music, reach their fans in more direct ways and earn a decent living from music without sacrificing their autonomy."

Page then emphasizes three points originally raised in the announcement of the coalition's creation, in the group's first white paper, and again in a CTV interview, namely that he and his colleagues had, "identified three simple principles that should guide copyright reform and cultural policy".

First, we believe that suing our fans is destructive and hypocritical. We do not want to sue music fans, and we do not want to distort the law to coerce fans into conforming to a rigid digital market artificially constructed by the major labels.

Second, we believe that the use of digital locks, frequently referred to as technological protection measures, are risky and counterproductive. We do not support using digital locks to increase the labels' control over the distribution, use and enjoyment of music, nor do we support laws that prohibit circumvention of such technological measures, including Canadian accession to the World Intellectual Property Organization's Internet Treaties. These treaties are designed to give control to major labels and take choices away from artists and consumers. Laws should protect artists and consumers, not restrictive technologies.

Third, we strongly believe that cultural policy should support actual Canadian artists. We call on the Canadian government to firmly commit to programs that support Canadian music talent. The government should make a long-term commitment to grow support mechanisms such as the Canada Music Fund and FACTOR, invest in music training and education, create limited tax shelters for copyright royalties, protect artists from inequalities in bargaining power and make collecting societies more transparent.

Reactions to the new coalition have been, "incredibly positive," says Page.

"Dozens of additional Canadian artists, including Randy Bachman, Sam Roberts, Feist and Blue Rodeo's Greg Keelor, have all jumped on board. Music fans across Canada and around the world have expressed their support as we repair the bonds between artists and their fans.

"The 'products of the mind' for which the record labels claim to seek protection are the products of our minds. The legislative proposals that would facilitate lawsuits against our fans or increase the labels' control over the enjoyment of music are not made in our names.

"It is the government's responsibility to protect Canadian artists from exploitation. This requires a firm commitment from Industry Minister Maxime Bernier and Canadian Heritage Minister Bev Oda to programs that support Canadian music talent and a fresh approach to copyright law reform. The continued growth of Canada's vibrant music scene requires policies that priorize musicians, not outdated business and the corporate bottom line."

Also See:
National Post - A Barenaked guide to music copyright reform, May 1, 2006
creation - Canadian musicians vs Big Music, April 24, 2006
white paper - 'Fans who share music aren't thieves', April 26, 2006
CTV interview - BNL's Steve Page on suing fans, April 27, 2006