Describe your background and industry experience, and explain how it will help you contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?
I have been a SOCAN member since 1984, when I was just starting out performing on stage. For more than forty years, I have worked as a music creator in various capacities (screen composer, songwriter, and producer), which has allowed me to closely witness the profound transformations in our industry and its models of creation and distribution.
I have composed and produced music for over 100 hours of film and television productions, I’ve written and co-written charting songs, and produced albums that have won the Félix Award for Best Album in their respective musical categories. My work has earned me several nominations as well as four wins at the Gémeaux Awards, as well as other distinctions in Canada and internationally, including the SOCAN Award for Television Music (National). Above all, these experiences have shaped a concrete and lasting understanding of the professional, economic, and creative realities faced by members.
Having worked across different aspects of our trade, live performances, recording, and screen music, I have developed a cross-sector perspective on the issues surrounding copyright, the compensation of creators, and our industry’s ongoing adaptation to technological change. I strongly believe that SOCAN’s strength lies in attentive, informed, and balanced representation of the diversity of its members.
Having grown up in both English and French, I fully identify with Canada’s two cultural realities. This dual perspective informs an approach grounded in listening, dialogue, and the pursuit of solutions that bring people together.
I now wish to put my experience and commitment to work in service of the Board of Directors, contributing, with rigour and collegiality, to a strong, proactive SOCAN focused on the future of the creators it represents.
In your opinion, what issues will be most important to SOCAN members over the next three years?
My vision of priority issues (2025–2028)
I believe two fundamental issues will define the future of SOCAN members over the next three years:
The impact of generative artificial intelligence: AI is already a tangible reality, increasingly embedded in many productions and occupying a growing share of distribution platforms. The issue goes beyond technology, it is existential. We must establish a framework that protects human originality under copyright and ensures that these new tools do not dilute the value of our repertoires.
The true profitability of digital creation: It is essential to address the financial imbalance imposed by streaming platforms. As it stands, the massive distribution of works generates only minimal income for creators. SOCAN must lead the charge in advocating for fairer distributions, so that digital success translates into tangible economic viability for those who create the music.
Obviously, the challenges are many, but I firmly believe that open and ongoing dialogue among us is key to building a strong, unified position. It is through this solidarity that we will turn these changes into opportunities for long-term sustainability.