SALXCO.COM To Whom It May Concern, As the Chief Operating Officer of SALXCO | XO, I’ve had the opportunity to work with and help break some of the biggest artists in Canada including The Weeknd, Belly, Nav and many others. I’ve had the privilege of working in the industry I love for over 20 years, and in that time, I’ve watched artists transition from rapping on the streets to releasing music to fans all over the world. What we started so many years ago as a local Canadian label, has become a global music company with touchpoints all over the world. This is largely due to our global mindset.

The rise of online music consumption and digital streaming created an opportunity for artists and fans to truly connect with one another from across the world, without any gatekeepers deciding who and what gets played. And one of the most rewarding parts of my job is watching my artists and their music flow locally and globally. But when I look at Canada’s approach to supporting the creation of Canadian culture, I’m deeply concerned. Looking at the current text of Bill C-11, it’s clear to me that this Bill will not help emerging Canadian artists to breakthrough into the mainstream consciousness.

Instead, it puts the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) between labels and audiences, dictating how, where and to whom our artists’ content is promoted and shared. Add on to this the complex Music, Artist, Performance and Lyrics (MAPL) points system that your music has to adhere to, and it’s clear that this system will stifle creativity, innovation and authenticity - the key ingredients needed to develop new Canadian artists. Today, engaging directly with audiences in a dynamic, free-flowing exchange is fundamental to being discovered in the modern moment.

Everyone in music knows that when users participate with our music – that is, in part, by creating their own versions of videos or user-generated content - this is how artists become global superstars. It’s also an incremental and sizable source of revenue for artists. Empowering a regulator to alter outcomes of this organic exchange and revenue stream harms both artists and their fans. When the Chair of the CRTC tells the Senate that he wants platforms to ‘manipulate’ their algorithms, we should all be concerned.

Compromising how fans and artists authentically connect on online platforms hurts growth and revenue, cuts the creative cord between them, and will make it harder for artists to find and build their fan base. Even more concerning, is that legislation like this could set a global precedent that’s mimicked in other countries. As a Canadian, I know better than anyone that access to a larger audience is critical in order for an artist to find success. Prioritizing Canadian audiences would hurt artists, not help them.

Growing up in Canada and working closely with emerging Canadian artists, I understand the struggle to break through, and the need for supportive legislation to help make this happen. But let’s be clear - Bill C-11 will not help the Canadian music industry. It will set us back, making it even harder for the next generation of stars to build a fan base or garner global recognition. There are more substantial ways to grow the music industry in Canada, and we’re happy to discuss these options.

When Nav released his self-titled debut mixtape online, he had the power of global platforms to connect his music directly to fans, and kickstart his career as an international sensation. In June of 2022, Nav reached a milestone of SALXCO.COM billion views across the globe on Youtube. If Bill C-11 were to pass as written, I can’t help but wonder if the next Canadian sensation would be able to break through. Our asks are simple. First, content created by fans - user generated content - should be excluded from this new bill as it offers only downside for artists and their fans.

And second, put stronger protections around algorithms to ensure the CRTC doesn’t interfere with how music lovers discover artists and how artists connect with their fans. These steps are essential to ensure that Canadian artists, like artists around the world, can avail themselves of the power and opportunity that open, global platforms provide to all of us. Lindsay Unwin Chief Operating Officer SALXCO | XO