Moral and patrimonial rights both fall under the heading of major rights. Moral rights,
however, and one component of patrimonial rights, namely the exclusive property right, are
preeminent. Thus, they give the author an inalienable status and insure his private,
personal and monetary rights are respected even if he/she has entrusted the administration
of his/her repertoire to an administration entity or an agent.
In other words, the author is always involved, at least partially, in the management of
major rights.
Theatre
Major rights refer to anything connected with:
- public performance of an entire play when it is played together with the dramatic
action, costumes or the set of that work;
- public reading of a play;
- the complete filming of a work (on film or video);
- the recording of a work in its entirety;
- publishing : publishing of the play;
- adaptation of a play into novel, a ballet argument, a scenario...
Music
Major rights refer to anything connected with:
- public performance of an opera, operetta, musical comedy or some similar complete work
insofar as it consists of lyrics and music expressly composed for that work and when it is
played together with the dramatic action, costumes or the set of that work;
- the complete filming of a work (on film or video);
- the recording of a work in its entirety.
Additional information: Canadian League of Composers
(CLC)
Literature
Major rights refer to anything connected with:
- publishing of a literary work;
- adaptation of a literary work (play, film or TV scenario, musical comedy, ballet
argument...).
Additional information: UNEQ
Visual arts
Major rights refer to anything connected with:
- public exhibition of a work.
Additional information: RAAV
Minor rights
Minor rights highlight the author's right to remuneration resulting from patrimonial
rights. Generally managed by an administration entity to which the author has given all or
part of his repertoire.
In other words, the author does not take part in the management of minor rights.
Theatre
Minor rights refer to anything connected with:
- photocopying;
- recording excerpts of plays not exceeding 15 min.
Music
Minor rights refer to anything connected with:
- performance of excerpts from an opera, an operetta, a musical comedy;
- recording, marketing and broadcasting of arias from operas, operettas or songs from
musical comedies.
Additional information: SOCAN
Literature
Minor rights refer to anything connected with:
Additional information: UNEQ
Performance rights (plays)
Performance rights, a component of major rights, refer to the performance of a play, in
whole or in part, before an audience, whether admission is charged or not.
Performance rights are rooted in patrimonial rights (exclusive proprietory right and
remuneration right) as well as moral rights.
Performance rights, among other things, entitle the author to have a say in the selection
of the director, actors, decorators, lighting designer... This prerogative is founded in
moral rights and is such that the author cannot delegate it entirely to a management
entity.
Performance rights (music)
Performance rights refer to the public performance of an opera, operetta or musical
comedy, in part or in full, with or without the lyrics. Performance rights are equally
applicable to major and minor rights.
Additional information: Canadian League of Composers
(CLC) et la SOCAN
Extension rights
In theatre, refers to holding over a play or, also, a reprise of that play. At present,
Canadian law does not recognize extension rights.
Derivative rights
Refer to anything connected with the marketing of a work such as sale of tee-shirts,
calendars, pins...
Neighbouring rights
Concern, for now, artist performers and sound recording producers. Consequently they
concern radio and businesses using sound recording.
For more information :