More from the CRIA appearance before the CRTC:
"COMMISSIONER ARPIN: Mr. Henderson, as you know, the Commission is trying to apply national rules and that means that the same standard will apply in French Canada as in English Canada. Have you thought how the smart 40 percent will work in French Canada?
MR. HENDERSON: I think we are not necessarily thinking, am I correct, that this would apply in Quebec. There are very different standards for the performance of French language music in Quebec. I wouldn’t advocate a smart 40 for Quebec.
MR. ZOLF: Just to reiterate that, Commissioner Arpin, the bonus system that CRIA came up with was really calibrated for – the objective of it was to focus on the English market and based on its experience in the English market. If the Commission would want CRIA’s views on that, we would be happy to do some thinking and provide it.
COMMISSIONER ARPIN: Surely we will like to get your comments, because obviously when it comes time to make our own decision we will like to see what you have been able to come up with.
MR. HENDERSON: I think the situation in Quebec is measurably different.
COMMISSIONER ARPIN: Oh, it is.
MR. HENDERSON: I looked at the Commission’s Public Notice in effect as a call to arms to English Canada, because the development of new and emerging talent in Quebec is substantial, significant, noticeable, measurable, everything, and we had not done that. So I feel that all of us on this side.
COMMISSIONER ARPIN: But your members’ companies are trying to promote Canadian emerging and new artists all across the country.
MR. HENDERSON: Yes.
COMMISSIONER ARPIN: Not only in nine of the provinces and three of the territories.
MR. HENDERSON: Our members? Well, in fact, in Quebec our members have very little involvement."
Canada, minus that big Francophone hole
How magnanimous of Mr. Henderson to suggest that the Quebec music industry is more successful at developing talent than CRIA companies are. Maybe after Celine left there was nothing for the CRIA companies to strip mine for in Quebec. It is sad really that their map of Canada has such a gaping hole. Maybe the association should change its name as it evidently is NOT supporting a “Canadian” recording industry at all.
“Maybe the association should change its name as it evidently is NOT supporting a “Canadian” recording industry at all. ”
It’s not a Candadian recording industry or even a recording industry it represents 4(have they merrged down to 3 yet?)companies. noone else, anss certainly not the artists it claims to.
development of new and emerging talent i
> I looked at the Commission’s Public Notice in
> effect as a call to arms to English because the
> development of new and emerging talent in Quebec
> is substantial, significant, noticeable,
> measurable, everything,
This is reaaaaaally funny.
New and emerging talent is flourishing in quebec not because of the various parasites who sit on the various boards and definitely in spite of the industry.
There are no more than 70 new songs on the quebec airwaves each year because of the abuse of the wording of the law. That is how 50% of french airplay comes from just top 10 artists…the faux rockeurs who sings ballads, the bimbo du jour and pop sacharrine stuff done en francais.
If you play 10 artists, 10 times a day is that the same as playing 25 artists 4 times a day? You fulfill your obligations while playing the same artists doing the same songs in a limited range of music. Until loopholes like this are closed, the laws are useless and benefit the few.
The Francofolies which is the biggest french music festival in the world is the perfect example: 90% of the local artists there will never be heard on the radio.
When a Cowboy Fringant phenomenom hits, people can claim that the scene is nurtured but sucess is achieved in spite of, not because.
In this system, a self produced band like Montreal’s La Chango Family can tour this country and europe on their own, win awards at Montreux Jazz and be on compilation albums in France and Spain and have a nice international career yet never qualify for grants which are automatically given to the big labels. (I love the fact that they bootleg their own upcoming cd’s to raise money for their tours)
Never mind that the video outlets often sit on the very commitees that decide which bands will get video production funding making the whole incestuous relationshop even more distateful.
Just like the magazine scams where multimillion empires like McLeans and Quebecor can get millions in subsidies and papers like recto-verso (which was a workers paper for over 68 years) lose their measly 25,000$ and disappear, the system if made to benefit few.
That said, hearings like this remind us that we live in two distinct countries and the divide is huge. Quick,…name a french artist who has crossed over in english canada (not Celine)…even better….name me a francophone band that has toured english Canada. i dont mean the odd canada day gig or other one-two shot visits.
Even for Les Cowboys Fringants (there is no english canadian equivalent…the only thing I could compare it too would be Phish down south) who have shattered all attendance records in the province, their career stops right at the Ontario border, hence so does their politics. Canada, has nothing to offer them.
Everywhere in the word, music unites people…in Canada, it keeps them apart.