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MetroVanIndependent.com
October 2015
editorial
Music and politics – Canada’s strange bedfellows
By Yul Baritugo
There are over a hundred anti-Harper
protest songs in YouTube alone ranging
from a sweet anti-pipeline ditty to a 4-year
old jazz-inspired song Steve it’s Time to
Leave to hard core songs such as “Vote
that Fucker Out”.
Then it all happened one more
time when an Ottawa folk singer and
Environment Canada scientists landed
in hot water for leading an anti-Stephen
Harper sing-a-long. He was sent home on
leave and is the subject of a government
investigation after he wrote and performed
a politically-motivated folk song about
Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Music and
politics are indeed strange bedfellows.
The song, Harperman, was put on
YouTube and Vimeo in June and features
Tony Turner, a scientist with Environment
Canada, leading a dozen other people in a
rendition of the folk song, which calls for an
end to Harper’s tenure as prime minister.
The song is clearly anti-Harper and each
verse and chorus ends with “Harperman,
it’s time for you to go.”
The song was viewed initially 50,000
times but YouTube appears to have taken
down the video.
But since the video was uploaded,
the website Harperman.ca has become a
resource for anti-Harper articles, and those
behind the website say they are working on
making t-shirts. The group has also set up
an Indiegogo campaign to fund a crossCanada sing-along.
Though Turner is a public servant he
has also been a stalwart of Ottawa’s folk
scene for over a decade, according to his
website. Should public servants be allowed
to be politically active?
Public servants are allowed to be
politically active, thanks to a 1991 Supreme
Court ruling. But Turner has since resigned.
Just recently legendary rocker Neil
Young praised another Canadian country
rock band Blue Rodeo for coming out with
an anti-Harper song.
Blue Rodeo’s new song, titled Stealin’
The song is clearly
anti-Harper and each verse and
chorus ends with “Harperman,
it’s time for you to go.”
Tony Turner with his guitar.
Yukon Blonde
All My Dreams, minces no words in making
a target of Prime Minister Steven Harper.
Blue Rodeo is a Canadian country rock
band formed in 1984 in Toronto, Ontario.
They have been signed with Warner Music
Group since their debut album, Outskirts,
in March 1987. Including Outskirts, they
have 13 full-length releases along with
multiple solo albums, side projects, and
collaborations.
In a news release, Blue Rodeo’s Jim
Cuddy said of himself and bandmate Greg
Keelor: “Blue Rodeo does not always speak
with one voice. However, we feel collectively
that the current administration in Canada
has taken us down the wrong path. We do
not seem to be the compassionate and
environmentally conscious nation we once
were. As respectful as we are of the variety
of opinions held by our audience, we felt it
was time to speak up and add our voice to
the conversation.”
The song is available as a free download
and has racked up more than 76,000 views
“Blue Rodeo does not always
speak with one voice. However,
we feel collectively that the
current administration in
Canada has taken us down the
wrong path. We do not seem
to be the compassionate and
environmentally conscious nation
we once were. As respectful as
we are of the variety of opinions
held by our audience, we felt it
was time to speak up and add
our voice to the conversation.”
- Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy and
bandmate Greg Keelor
on YouTube as of Tuesday afternoon.
Two other Canadian indie bands have
teamed up to release a song urging citizens
to vote anything but Conservative in the
upcoming federal election.
The description for "Land You Love"
asks Canadians to "vote to avoid another
tragic Harper government."
St. John's Hey Rosetta! and B.C.'s
Yukon Blonde sing lyrics referencing the
country's "holy rolling hills" and asks
listeners "to fight for the land you love."
The video ends with Hey Rosetta's
Romesh Thavanathan holding a sign
saying "Anything But Conservative," and
Vancouver-based Yukon Blonde's James
Younger raising another with the hashtag
#ImagineOct20th, referencing a series
of concerts organized by Stars' Torquil
Campbell.
Organizers are putting together the
concert series to encourage youth to vote
out Harper's Tories. Performers include
Feist, Dave Bidini and Dan Mangan.
The video's description also points to
VoteTogether.ca, a strategic voting initiative
also designed to oust the Conservatives.
“The Voice of the People, by the People,
for the People.”
Luisa Marshall
Steve Marshall
Publishers
Yul Baritugo
Editorial Consultant
[email protected]
Kim Mendez
Arts Director
Bert Morelos
Photographer
Luisa Marshall
Advertising & Marketing Head
[email protected]
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