Last week, the Vancouver Sun ran a lengthy article on the music industry. It was a reasonable piece – comments from CRIA, CIRPA, and many artists presented some (though not all) perspectives. That said, CRIA's Graham Henderson provided comments that merit a response. According to Henderson:
We want laws that offer choice. Right now we don't have any choice and we want the ability to be able to try our business model in a digital environment and have at least the majority of people respect our wishes, recognizing all along that there are going to be people who take from us.
Leaving aside the fact that much of the copying that Henderson characterizes as "taking from us" is covered by the private copying levy that has now generated nearly $200 million since the CPCC began collecting the levy in 2000, CRIA is effectively saying that the only way the industry can offer digital music online is with DRM supported by anti-circumvention legislation. Anyone with even the slightest familiarity with digital music in Canada recognizes that this is utter nonsense.
