February 15, 2024
Send a Letter to Your Member of Parliament!
As you may know, The Writers' Union of Canada (TWUC) has long lobbied for a substantial increase to the Public Lending Right (PLR) budget, which has simply not kept pace with the growth of Canadian books in our libraries. Visit the Union’s PLR advocacy page for background on this issue.
During the last election, the government promised a minimum 50% increase to the program budget. The mandate letter for the Minister of Canadian Heritage reflected that promise as well. As we enter PLR payment season, it’s time to remind government of their promise.
The Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP), in partnership with l’Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL), has launched a letter-writing campaign aimed at reminding Parliamentarians about promised increases to all public funding for the book industry. Your Union joins with the ACP and ANEL in this reminder to Ottawa, and urges all members to take advantage of the ACP’s automated letter template tool to send a note to your Member of Parliament.
The letter-writing tool uses your postal code to determine which MP gets your note, and the template itself is editable. You are encouraged to add your own personal thoughts about support for the writing and publishing sector to the letter, and TWUC strongly urges you to add a message about the Public Lending Right Program budget.
Things you might want to say:
- Canadian authors have seen the real dollar value of average PLR payments decrease by almost 50% since the program’s launch. What’s more, title restrictions have been introduced to make the inadequate budget stretch further.
- This government has promised to increase the program budget substantially, but that promise has not been fulfilled in successive Federal Budgets.
- The Writers’ Union of Canada calls on the government to double the PLR program budget from $15 million to $30 million in order to make up the immediate shortfall between books in the program and available funds. Furthermore, we ask the government to commit to annual increases tied to program growth.
The ACP is happy to have writers use their template to send letters. Spend as much or as little time on it as you wish, but please do send a letter if you can.
Thank you!
Calling all book lovers, publishing professionals, and champions of Canadian writing!
Stronger Together
TWUC’s advocacy is most effective as the collective voice of Canada’s professional authors. We are stronger together. If you are not already a member of TWUC and are working as a writer, consider joining the Union. If you wish to support TWUC’s advocacy outside of membership, consider donating to the Union.
TWUC’s advocacy is most effective as the collective voice of Canada’s professional authors. We are stronger together. If you are not already a member of TWUC and are working as a writer, consider joining the Union. If you wish to support TWUC’s advocacy outside of membership, consider donating to the Union.
