Shania Twain 1997 Junos

Logan Staats Audition on the Launch

What an awesome performance!

Logan is the first winner of The Launch. The show's first episode aired in Canada on Wednesday, January 10th on CTV (Canadian Television).   Shania Twain (also from Ontario) was the mentor.

The Launch, which takes place in Toronto, gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to break a new artist and create a new hit song.

A group of unsigned musicians are mentored by a panel of internationally renowned hit makers.  They sing 2 songs.  The first is their choosing (for their audition).  Then two artists are selected to move onto the next round where they will sing a second song; a song that's being introduced to the public for the first time.  The winner (selected by the panel) is chosen to record the new song.  The aim is to launch a new career and a new hit song.

Logan, who is from the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, performed a powerful, emotional rendition of ‘Beautiful War' by Kings of Leon.  It was breath-taking.  Logan is authentic, full of raw emotion and, he can sing! 

Michelle Morgan - Mi Madre, My Father

Michelle is currently starring in CBC television's Heartland, one of the most popular and successful Canadian TV Series of all time.

You can continue to support Canada's film industry by Clicking the link below to join the campaign to make Michelle's first short film!

Great White North Ranked Second

For a second year in a row, the Great White North was ranked second in the annual “Best Countries” survey from the U.S. News & World Report ( in conjunction with Young & Rubicam BAV Consulting and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania).

Switzerland edged out Canada for the number one ranking, scoring a perfect 10 while Canada took in 9.7 in overall scoring.

Congratulations TIFF!

In the span of 40 years the Toronto Film Festival has grown from a small local film festival into one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the world.  

TIFF was founded in 1976 at the Windsor Arms Hotel by Bill Marshall, Henk Van der Kolk and Dusty Cohl.  It was called the Festival of Festivals and ran from October 18th - 24th.   35,000 film goers watched 127 films from 30 countries.

Although Hollywood studios initially withdrew their submissions from TIFF believing that Toronto audiences would be too parochial (narrow-minded, small-minded, provincial, narrow, small-town, conservative!) for their products TIFF continued to concentrate on bringing the best films from around the world.

Now TIFF is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually.  The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival was held from 7 to 17 September 2017.  There were 255 feature-length films, 84 short films, 147 world premieres, 57 Canadian films  (including co-productions) consisting of  28 features and 29 shorts.

We Matter Campaign Launched

Here's another amazing reflection of  Canadian ingenuity and heart.

In 2016 Kelvin Redvers and his sister Tunchai (from Hay River, Northwest Territories) launched the "We Matter" campaign for Indigenous youth.

Kelvin and Tunchai started a website and twitter account and began collecting video messages of hope and encouragement from Indigenous Canadians all across the country!

Their goal is to create awareness of the struggles facing Indigenous youth in Canada and to reduce the number of Indigenous suicides.

Step by step guide of how to open an account with Tangerine and Receive FREE $50

You need to open your Tangerine account with a MINIMUM OF %100 DOLLARS to get your free $50.00.  That's all!

The sign-up process only takes a few minutes, but it will take 5 – 7 days for your account with Tangerine to be fully active.

This is all you need to set it up.  

1. Your social insurance number. 


2. Your street address, phone number, and email address.
   
   
3. A cheque from your current bank account.


4. A pen. 


5. Your smart phone.

Step One:

 

Open up the TANGERINE homepage and click on the SIGN UP link (top right hand side).

Step 2: Pick your account type

You can spend some time browsing the different account types if you want, a generic chequing account is a good choice.  Once you’re all set up you can find the ones you like and open a few more accounts.  Once you select an account lick on the “enroll now” button.

Step 3: Fill out the form

After telling them that you’re not a Client you'll be sent to the standard form page where you will fill out (i) your name, (ii) social insurance number, (iii) date of birth, (iv) phone number, (v) mailing address, (vi) email address, (vii) PIN, and a few more details (for legal purposes):  industry you work in, occupation and your Orange Key/Code.

IF YOU WANT YOUR FREE 50 DOLLARS: THIS IS THE MOMENT TO PUNCH IN YOUR ORANGE KEY/CODE

Step 4: Prove you are who you say you are

You have a choice.  There are a few options.

Option One: 

 

You can either mail the cheque to Tangerine, or you can use the Tangerine smart phone app, take a picture of it and send it.  The app works with most of the major phones: Android, Windows, and its fruit friend Apple, and Blackberry.   It will walk you through the process of taking the picture. It’s super easy.

IF YOU SEND A CHEQUE BY MAIL: Make sure  you include your client number in the memo section, or they won’t know what your cheque is for.

Benefit of sending a cheque :

With your cheque you’re not only proving your identity, you’re linking your current bank account with your new TANGERINE account - creating a bridge between the two of them, so you can transfer money back and forth with ease.

When you’ve finally decided you want to move all your banking over to your new account… it’ll be a simple push of a button.

Option Two:  

 

Go to a Tangerine bank (with valid ID) and give them your cheque.

 

Step 5: Wait for Approval

If you sent in a cheque:  It shouldn’t take longer than 5 – 7 business days for the fine people at Tangerine to verify your identity.

After that you’ll be good to go!

If you have any questions, let me know.

Wendy Crewson

Wikipedia-Commons

Canadian Actress, Producer, Activist

Wendy Crewson is one of Canada's most talented and enduring Female Actors.

In addition to her many Hollywood roles Wendy has worked extensively in Canada, winning multiple Gemini Awards for her work in Canadian TV series and Canadian TV movies.  

Wendy is an outspoken advocate for Canadian film and television.

She's received the Gemini Humanitarian Award --- The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) Award of Excellence in 2007 --- the Earle Grey Award for lifetime achievement in Canadian television in 2016 --- and was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame (2015).

Shania - Canadian Music Hall of Fame

Coronation Street - Canadian Connection

CORONATION STREET is the longest running TV drama in Canada!  It's been on Canadian television for nearly 40 years.  Entire families  - as well as members of the Canadian Navy ! - regularly watch the show together.

 

Every year Coronation Street is celebrated at the British Isles Show in Toronto!   During the 3 day celebration thousands of Canadians line up (for up to 5 hours) just to get a few moments with the cast members!  And every year hundreds of Canadians visit Manchester to see and walk down the streets where the show is filmed!

Canada is part of the British Comonwealth but is there more to this connection?

Shania Twain - 2003 Canadian Country Music Awards

2003 Album of the Year

Up! (Shania Twain)

2003 All Star Band - Fiddle

Cory Churko (Shania Twain)

2003 CMT Video of the Year

I'm Gonna Getcha Good (Shania Twain)

2003 Female Artist of the Year

Shania Twain

2003 Top Selling Album of the Year

Up! (Shania Twain)

CBC - Home Fires (Series) (1980-1983)

Home Fires was a dramatic CBC series about a Toronto family during the first two years of World War II.  The show ran from 1980-1983.  Back then there weren't many Canadian TV shows or movies and those that did make it to air were seldom critically acclaimed to put it mildly.  

Home Fires was different.  It was special.  Perhaps I was intrigued with the show, in part because it was centred in Toronto and dealt with real-life issues facing families during the war, but no doubt it was also due to the cast and production.  

Home Fires introduced me to the talented Canadian actress Wendy Crewson (who played the daughter Terry).  I often mentioned the show to friends and family for years afterward.

Many times I've wished CBC would show it again... I'd like to see it in a new unit of time.

 Home Fires Cast - Lowe Family:

Gerard Parkes (as Dr. Albert Lowe in the new CBC series Home Fires)
Kim Yaroshevskaya (as Hannah Lowe),
Wendy Crewson (their daughter Terry),
Peter Spence (son Sydney) and
Sheila Moore (Lowe's nurse, Marge Brower)

(Wendy Crewson also played Kate Armstrong, one of the four War Brides on CBC)

Learn More

Juno Awards 2012

The 2012 Junos were held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada with William Shatner as the host!  Blue Rodeo was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

The JUNO Cup was held at the Steve Yzerman Arena in Nepean, bringing NHL alumni, artists and entertainers together in support of MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with CARAS!!

Coronation Street - Canadian Connection

Canadians love Coronation Street.

 

In Canada there are Corrie Chat Rooms, Corrie Pings, Corrie Clubs. If an episode of the show is not going to be broadcast in its regular time slot for any reason CBC television is swamped with calls from irate fans!

Canadians are Corrie Crazy (I'm not one of them).  Could it be, at least in part, due to a little known fact concerning Coronation Street's direct Canadian connection?

David Suzuki - Professor of Zoology at U.B.C.

David Suzuki was hired as a professor of zoology at the University of British Columbia in 1963 and remained there for almost forty years (until his retirement in 2001). From 1971 to 1972 Suzuki hosted a series of half-hour, weekly shows called Suzuki on Science on CBC Television. Filmed in Vancouver, the show featured interviews with scientists.

Famous Canadians Last Names Start with Letter "C|

Famous People born in Canada who have last names starting with the letter "C".   If you are looking for someone and didn't find them here you could find them under a specific category.

 Cameron, James
 Cammalleri, Mike
 Campbell, Colin
 Campbell, Neve
 Candy, John
 Canyon, George
 Cardinal, Tantoo
 Cariou, Len
 Carr, Emily
 Carrey, Jim
 Carson, Jack
 Cattrall, Kim
 Cavanagh, Tom
 Cera, Michael
 Chante, Keshia
 Chaykin, Maury
 Cheecho, Jonathan
 Cheevers, Jerry
 Chong, Tommy
 Christensen, Hayden
 Ciccarelli, Dino
 Clark, Terry
 Clark, Wendel
 Clarke, Bobby
 Clayton-Thomas, David
 Cochrane, Tom
 Cockburn, Bruce

 Coffey, Paul
 Cohen, Leonard
 Calantonic, Enrico
 Connors, Stompin Tom
 Crewson, Wendy
 Cronenburg, David
 Cronyn, Hume
 Crosby, Sidney
 Cullis-Suzuki, Severn
 Cummings, Burton
 Curtola, Bobby
 Cuthbert, Elisha

 

Kate Middleton - Canadian Connection

Kate Middleton's Canadian connection traces back to her late grandfather Peter Middleton, to whom she was quite close.  Her grandfather (who recently passed away)  was a former Second World War Mosquito pilot. 

Peter Middleton made two trips to Canada during his youth. He visited Quebec, when he 17 years old, on a "school empire tour party!" in August 1939, and he served at least two years at a Royal Air Force base in Alberta.

Toronto Ranks #2 in the World

Did you know a report - by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and the Partnership for New York City - that looked at 26 of the world's top cities, identifying greatness in terms of growing, retaining and attracting talent and ranked Toronto as the second-best city in the world for business, life and innovation.

The fourth edition of Cities of Opportunity has New York leading the study, which analyzes and ranks how 26 global centers of finance, business and culture perform across 10 key indicators. Although New York topped the list it is followed closely by Toronto, San Francisco, Stockholm and Sydney — "cities more notable for quality of life and balance than global business dominance."

Famous Canadians - Last Names Start with Letter "M"

 MacDonald, Flora
 Macdonald, John A.
 MacInnis, Al
 MacKenzie, Giselle
 MacNeil, Rita
 Madden, John
 Mahovlich, Frank
 Mahovlich, Peter
 Maida, Raine
 Mandel, Howie
 Marshall, Amanda
 Massey, Raymond
 McAdams, Rachel
 McBride, Bob
 McCormack, Eric
 McCulloch, Bruce
 McGarrigle, Anna
 McGarrigle, Kate
 McLachlan, Sara
 McLauchlan, Murray
 McLuhan, Marshall
 McNeil, Suzie
 Mehta, Depha
 Mercer, Rick
 Messier, Mark
 Michaels, Lorne
 Mitchell, Joni
 Mitchell, Kim
 Mitsou
 Mochrie, Colin
 Monteith, Cory
 Montgomery, Lucy Maud
 Moore, Greg
 Moranis, Rick
 Morrissette, Alanis
 Moss, Carrie-Ann
 Mowat, Farley
 Murray, Anne
 Myers, Mike
 Myles, Alannah