Sarah Harmer: singer-songwriter and activist

Music on Sunday @ The Reaction

By R.K. Barry

A few years back I was involved in organizing a fundraiser for a candidate running for the Canadian Parliament from a riding (district) in Toronto. The candidate in question was my lovely wife, Marilyn Churley, who by then had already had a distinguished political career as a member of provincial parliament in Ontario over a couple of decades and as a cabinet minister for a part of that stretch.

Marilyn decided it was time for a change, and although the campaign was ultimately unsuccessful for a number of reasons I won't bother to go into here, it was quite a ride.

The fundraiser was billed as a celebration of Marilyn's 20 years of public service. A number of Canadian celebrities were on the program, including politicians, journalists, musicians, and actors (such as Shirley Douglas, a famous Canadian actress who is the mother of actor Keifer Sutherland and the daughter of Tommy Douglas, the man considered to be the father of Canada's wildly popular government health-care system -- all information for any American who might be reading this).

A highlight of the evening was a few songs offered by celebrated singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer, who had done some important environmental work with Marilyn and was supporting her in the campaign. Unfortunately, the videographer was not able to patch into the soundboard, so the audio is from an open-air microphone. Still sounds pretty good.

I love Sarah Harmer's music. Beautiful voice, beautifully crafted songs.

At one point, the camera breaks away from the stage to take some audience shots. Marilyn is the one in the orange dress at about the 2:25 mark. As an added point of interest, a few moments later the camera is on Jack Layton, leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada (a left-wing social democratic party), which, if polls hold, might have an electoral breakthrough on May 2nd, the day of the upcoming federal vote. In this case a breakthrough would mean supplanting the Liberal Party of Canada as official opposition, still behind what is likely to be a continuing conservative government. Jack is the one in the dark jacket and white shirt at about the 7:30 mark. Again, all Canadians would know this, but Americans are, alas, less likely to follow the exciting world of politics north of their border.

Not that you were asking, but you won't see me in any of the shots because I was in the shadows stage managing, which is typically where I like to be.

Anyway, back to the music. Sarah did a great job, as always. Some of you will notice that the MC is Jian Ghomeshi, formerly of the singing group Moxy Früvous and more recently of CBC Radio's Q.

Here's Sarah on stage that night:

(Cross-posted at Music Across the 49th)

And it's Ignatieff...

By Michael J.W. Stickings

As expected, Canada's Liberal Party selected a new leader today, and, just as expected, that new leader is:

Michael Ignatieff.

Actually, he's just the interim leader -- a leadership convention is scheduled for May -- but, with his main rival, Bob Rae, having pulled out of the race yesterday, there's nothing really "interim" about it. It is Ignatieff who will lead the Liberals through these politically turbulent times, with Parliament set to resume sitting at the end of next month and the Conservatives' budget set to be introduced shortly thereafter. The convention will be a formality.

For my thoughts on Ignatieff, whom I did not support for the leadership, preferring Rae, see here.

Canada’s Liberals set to pick new leader, likely Michael Ignatieff

By Michael J.W. Stickings

If you're interested, my latest piece at The Guardian on Canada's rather exciting political situation was posted this morning:

Ignatieff’s moment.

It looks like the new leader of the Liberal Party will be former Harvard professor and noted international relations expert Michael Ignatieff.

Ignatieff was first elected to Parliament in 2006 -- from a suburban Toronto riding into which he was parachuted, much to the displeasure of some of the locals. Although a relatively new politician, he is seen by many Liberals as the party's saviour, and, indeed, he tends to carry himself with an air of detached (and arrogant) statesmanship.

The question is whether he'll be able to guide the party, currently in opposition, a distant second to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservatives, through these rather turbulent and partisan times. He would certainly boost the party's credibility, as well as its poll numbers (at least short-term), but I have my doubts. While his academic credentials are impressive, his positions on such matters as pre-emptive war and torture, both of which he has defended in terms of his "lesser evil" theory (as in, they're lesser evils than, say, terrorism), are, to put it mildly, controversial. Furthermore, it's not clear what he stands for other than wishy-washy centrism and the advancement of his own political career.

My clear preference is former Ontario premier Bob Rae, a far more progressive and democratic figure than Ignatieff. But Ignatieff has the overwhelming support of the Liberal caucus and the decision could come as early as tomorrow.

**********

UPDATE: Rae has pulled out of the leadership race, throwing his support behind Ignatieff.

Said one "senior Liberal," quoted in the Star, "[Ignatieff] could've well won, but leaping for the reins of power without giving the grassroots a voice -- these are people who are going to do your organizing and legwork for the party. It says the party can't move, can't be nimble. It's very dismaying."

I agree.