CBA Urges Canadian Heritage to Reject Amazon.com's Application to Establish a New Business in Canada
Monday, March 08 2010 @ 06:53 PM PST
*8 March 2010 – Toronto* – Last week Canadian Booksellers Association (CBA) was alerted to the fact that Amazon.com had lobbied the government asking for a review of the Investment Canada Act so they could establish a new cultural business in Canada. Subsequently, the following announcement appeared on the Privy Council Office website:
“Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, considering it in the public interest, on the recommendation of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, pursuant to section 15 of the Investment Canada Act, hereby orders that the investment by Amazon.com, Inc. to establish a new Canadian business carried on by Amazon Fulfillment Services Canada Inc. be reviewed.”
CBA immediately sprung into action. CBA has written to the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, asking his government to reject Amazon.com’s application to establish a new cultural business in Canada. Copies of CBA’s letter have also been sent to the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada and the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry.
CBA contends that allowing Amazon to operate a business within Canada would contravene the Investment Canada Act which requires that foreign investments in the book publishing and distribution sector be compatible with national cultural policies and be of net benefit to Canada and the Canadian-controlled sector.
CBA President Stephen Cribar argues that Amazon’s entry into Canada would detrimentally affect the country’s independent businesses and cultural industries: “Individual Canadian booksellers have traditionally played a key role in ensuring the promotion of Canadian authors and Canadian culture. These are values that no American dot.com retailer could ever purport to understand or promote.”
CBA urges the Canadian government and the Department of Canadian Heritage to continue its support of our unique cultural perspective by placing reasonable limits on American domination of our book market and rejecting Amazon.com’s current application.
If you agree with CBA’s point of view on this issue, we urge you to write or email your local MP, as well as any of the following government officials to let them know how this would impact your business and your community. Please copy CBA on all your correspondence.
Whether you agree or disagree with the opinion of the Canadian Booksellers Association, we strongly encourage you to write to both the CBA and your local MP about this very important issue.
*Government of Canada Contacts*
The Honourable James Moore
Minister of Canadian Heritage
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
The Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Industry
minister.industry@ic.gc.ca
*Find your Member of Parliament using your postal code*
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC
*CBA Contacts*
Stephen Cribar
CBA President
scribar@uwo.ca
Susan Dayus
CBA Executive Director
sdayus@cbabook.org
Tag: canadian booksellers association cba amazon investment canada act heritage
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