It’s clear around the world that, anything that can be digitized – music, movies, software, books and more – is under unprecedented threat from theft and abuse. From a Canadian business standpoint, these threats compromise Canada’s future economic growth in a global, knowledge-based economy. This has also led to an erosion of respect for “products of the mind”, undermining values like honesty, fair play and respect for property that are core to our society.
As President of the Canadian Recording Industry Association and previously as an entertainment lawyer, Graham Henderson has witnessed first-hand the destructive impact of music file-swapping on artists and the recording industry. In his speech, he will outline how weak copyright protection discourages investment and innovation that are essential to Canada’s future prosperity in a knowledge-based economy – far beyond the entertainment industry. Citing new research, he will shed light on the threat to social values, particularly among younger Canadians, posed by a “free-for-the-taking” Internet culture.
To secure a strong future for Canada’s culture, values and economy, Henderson is calling for stronger federal copyright legislation and other initiatives that better protect and promote intellectual property in the digital age.
CRIA promotes the interests of Canadian record companies and their partners, the artists. CRIA represents more than 95 per cent of all records produced and sold in Canada.
