Aside from these formal support programs, foreign investment policies promote the maintenance of a Canadian-owned publishing sector. Additionally, a new regime on parallel importation of books, introduced in the revisions to the Copyright Act in 1997, permits exclusive distributors of books to derive the full benefits of their distribution contracts. These revenues are traditionally reinvested in the publication of new Canadian-authored titles. The Copyright Act is also part of a legal framework which establishes the economic and moral rights of writers and other artists, and ensures that they receive payment for the use of their works. The writing and publishing sector in Canada is vitally important in making our voices heard.
Canadian books allow their readers to view places, events and issues through Canadian eyes.
Canada's writers and publishers continue to face challenges posed by our open market, our proximity to the United States, the undercapitalization of our firms and increasing competition from multinational companies. However, Canadian cultural initiatives will continue to help publishers meet these challenges. We can look in a magazine and see ourselves. Canadian magazines and newspapers interpret the world from a Canadian point of view, and provide a forum for Canadian ideas and information. The federal government has been involved for a long time in ensuring that a viable, genuinely Canadian magazine industry can be sustained.