Date: 20000828
Docket: A-51-99
CORAM: THE CHIEF JUSTICE
LÉTOURNEAU J.A.
NOËL J.A.
BETWEEN:
CANADIAN RETRANSMISSION RIGHT ASSOCIATION
ASSOCIATION DU DROIT RETRANSMISSION CANADIEN
Applicant
AND:
SOCIÉTÉ DES AUTEURS, RECHERCHISTES,
DOCUMENTALISTES ET COMPOSITEURS
Respondent
- and -
LA SOCIÉTÉ DES AUTEURS
ET COMPOSITEURS DRAMATIQUES
and COPYRIGHT BOARD CANADA/
LA COMMISSION DU DROIT D"AUTEUR
and THE WRITERS GUILD OF CANADA
and THE DIRECTORS GUILD OF CANADA
and L"ASSOCIATION DES RÉALISATEURS
ET RÉALISATRICES DU QUÉBEC
Interveners
Heard at Ottawa, Ontario, Monday, August 28, 2000
Judgment delivered from the Bench at Ottawa, Ontario, Monday, August 28, 2000
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY: LÉTOURNEAU J.A.
Date: 20000828
Docket: A-51-99
CORAM: THE CHIEF JUSTICE
LÉTOURNEAU J.A.
NOËL J.A.
BETWEEN:
CANADIAN RETRANSMISSION RIGHT ASSOCIATION
ASSOCIATION DU DROIT RETRANSMISSION CANADIEN
Applicant
AND:
SOCIÉTÉ DES AUTEURS, RECHERCHISTES,
DOCUMENTALISTES ET COMPOSITEURS
Respondent
- and -
LA SOCIÉTÉ DES AUTEURS
ET COMPOSITEURS DRAMATIQUES
and COPYRIGHT BOARD CANADA/
LA COMMISSION DU DROIT D"AUTEUR
and THE WRITERS GUILD OF CANADA
and THE DIRECTORS GUILD OF CANADA
and L"ASSOCIATION DES RÉALISATEURS
ET RÉALISATRICES DU QUÉBEC
Interveners
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT
(Delivered from the Bench at Ottawa, Ontario,
Monday, August 28, 2000)
LÉTOURNEAU J.A.
We are satisfied that the sole issue that the Copyright Board (Board) decided in these proceedings is the designation of the Canadian Retransmission Right Association as the collective society from which owners of copyrights in texts used in the production of television programs produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) or by the Société de télédiffusion du Québec (STQ) could make a claim for a share of royalties paid for the retransmission of distant signals. Although the Board noted that it was not required to proceed with a designation that is based on claims that are patently unfounded, it did not make any findings with respect to the validity of the claims advanced by the respondent on behalf of copyright owners pursuant to subsection 76(1) of the Copyright Act, R.S.C. 1985, chap. C-42, as amended by S.C. 1997, c. 24, s. 50. We are of the view that, in coming to its conclusion, the Board made no error which warrants our intervention.
For these reasons, the application for judicial review will be dismissed with costs to the respondent only.
J.A.