Fresh from alienating the research community with its plans to cut research hours at the library and archives to the bone, Library and Archives Canada has now extended its attack to Canadian artists and creators.
Canadian Artists Representation (CARFAC) and its collective licensing agency CARCC are distributing warnings about LAC's recent efforts:
"Library and Archives Canada is presently contacting a large number of visual artists with the goal of having them sign a contract in which they are asked to cede their copyright to the Canadian government in perpetuity.
"The pretext for this is the supposed need, for a specific project, to provide Library and Archives Canada, free of charge, with the right to make certain works that are in their collections available to students, researchers and the general public. The letter asks these artists to sign the contract and to return it as soon as possible - for some, the deadline is October 8th.
"WE DO NOT ADVISE YOU TO SIGN THIS CONTRACT, since it allows the federal government to strip you of what rightfully belongs to you.
"In fact, by signing this contract, not only are you signing away your copyright ownership on these works to the Canadian government and even renouncing part of your moral rights, but you will receive no financial compensation..... [B]y signing this contract, you would authorize the government to reproduce your works in any context they see fit, to exhibit them in public, or to present them on the Internet without paying you copyright royalties. In addition, by renouncing part of your moral rights, as is being requested, you would expose yourself to the possibility of seeing your works modified, distorted or mutilated, depending on the whim of a graphic designer employed by the federal government or a communications agency under contract with the government."
The Writers' Union and other artists' organizations gave significant support to academic scholars in their campaign to restore research hours. It would be good to see that support reciprocated here. But I'm not holding my breath.
Further information: carcc@carcc.ca
