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The Canadian Booksellers Association (CBA) has written to the country's government asking it to reject Amazon.com’s application to establish a fulfillment operation in the Canada saying that it would detrimentally affect the country’s independent businesses and cultural industries.
Last">http://www.thebookseller.com/news/114195-amazon-seeks-permission-to-open... week The Bookseller revealed that Amazon had applied to the government to open a "new Canadian business", a significant step up for the company which sells books through its domain Amazon.ca but can only deliver them via a third-party.
In the letter the CBA argued that allowing Amazon to operate a business within Canada would contravene the Investment Canada Act which requires that foreign investments in the book publishing and distribution sector be compatible with national cultural policies and be of net benefit to Canada and the Canadian-controlled sector.
CBA president Stephen Cribar said that Amazon’s entry into Canada would detrimentally affect the country’s independent businesses and cultural industries: "Individual Canadian booksellers have traditionally played a key role in ensuring the promotion of Canadian authors and Canadian culture. These are values that no American dot.com retailer could ever purport to understand or promote."
The CBA said it wanted the Canadian government and the Department of Canadian Heritage "to continue its support of our unique cultural perspective by placing reasonable limits on American domination of our book market and rejecting Amazon.com’s current application".
The letter has been sent to James Moore, minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, with copies sent to Stephen Harper, prime minister, and Tony Clement, minister of Industry.
Amazon has not commented on the application beyond an initial confirmation to The Bookseller. Amazon's proposal was issued on 27th January, and it could take 45 days for the government to assess whether it breaks Canada's tough cultural protection rules, which are designed to prevent American influences from overpowering Canada's culture. Last">http://www.thebookseller.com/news/114330-canadas-largest-bookseller-seek... week Heather Reisman, chief executive officer of Canada's largest bookseller Indigo Books & Music Inc, sent a letter to the minister of Culture asking for clarification of the government's position on foreign ownership in the book sector.