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August 30 Canada's Health Care SystemI have a number of American friends who are talking a lot about health care these days (perhaps unhappy with their own system) and are asking me about Canada's system. I'm not an expert but can give a simple rundown of how it works. Interestingly, one of the first Canadians to suggest such a system was Dr. Norman Bethune who is, even today, considered a hero by most Chinese who are required to learn about him in school (but China, like the U.S., doesn't have a public health care system). The Canadian who really pushed for such a system, however, was a politician named Tommy Douglas. On a side note, Douglas' first daughter, Shirley, married famous Canadian actor Donald Sutherland, making Tommy Douglas the grandfather of actor Kiefer Sutherland.
Tommy Douglas became premier (leader) of the province of Saskatchewan, the first to adopt a public health care plan. Although Douglas devised the plan, it was his successor, Woodrow Lloyd, who launched it in 1962. Saskatchewan doctors were very pessimistic about it, fearing a loss of income and that the government would interfere with medical decisions. Despite many reassurances from the government and proponents of the system, the doctors went on strike. Gradually though, the province worked hard to gain the doctors' trust. The federal government observed the province for a couple of years to see how the new system went and were pleased with the results. Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson (Nobel Peace Prize winner for his handling of the Suez crisis) was the one who launched the system nationwide in 1966.
So, how does it work? First of all, public health care is different from the public education system. In the latter, public schools are paid primarily from taxes. From what I gather, this is the same in both Canada and the United States. Elementary and Secondary public schools, therefore, are free (no tuition). Canadian health care, however, is an insurance system. But the insurance isn't private; it's public. In other words, the insurance isn't provided by businesses looking to make profits. The reason why Canadians never bought into this should be pretty obvious. Private insurance means that the company has the authority to refuse providing reimbursement for medical services based on particulars in the plan. They are out to make a profit, so obviously they're going to do everything they can to find a legal precedent to deny the coverage. For other kinds of insurance (fire, auto), this is usually acceptable to people. But when it comes to a person's health, which is absolutely vital, such a system would be seen as evil.
Canadians believe, in principle, that health is not only a vital need of individuals, but of society as a whole. If a country's population is sick, the country will suffer because the workforce is impaired. This is why the education system is paid for by taxes; it is in the best interests of the government or nation to have an educated population, because this will benefit the country economically, scientifically, artistically, and otherwise. Likewise, it is in the best interests of the government to have a healthy population, for the exact same reasons.
So, Canada's health care uses public insurance; namely government insurance. Every Canadian pays some $50 a month, and whenever he sees the doctor - for any reason (check-up, surgery, what have you), he doesn't have to pay. No questions are asked. No forms are filled out to determine whether or not a particular procedure or reason for visiting the doctor / hospital will be covered. Everything is covered. The department of health consults everyone's income tax files as well, because, if a person has low income, their rate of insurance is cut. So, instead of paying the 50-some-odd dollars per month, they pay, say 20 dollars. If a person's income is below the so-called poverty line (around $20,000 annual income), then the insurance fees are entirely waived.
Yes, there are some glitches and problems with the system, but, on the whole, most Canadians are happy with it.
Now, having said that, Canadians still have to pay for their prescription medicine. And any treatments outside general medicine are not covered, such as cosmetic ("plastic") surgery. Also, dental and optical services are not covered. Last month I had my teeth cleaned at the dentist's and it set me back 200 bucks. Even worse was getting a new pair of glasses which set me back $725 ($100 for the eye exam, $100 for frames, and $525 for lenses). Most Canadians accept paying for this stuff though because these things aren't as vital.
I can understand that many Americans are terrified of health care reforms in their country - just as Canadians were in the beginning. Part of it is a trust issue. Government has throughout history demonstrated that it is untrustworthy (as have corporations). When you delve into any new system - especially when it is a vital thing like health - it's scary. It's never been done before. "What if this happens or that happens". If the U.S. government is smart, it should say, "Look, let's just try this out and see how it goes. If it's a disaster then we can always go back."
One last point is that many Canadians are anti-American and don't want to see the U.S. adopt a system like Canada's. As a result, Canadians (who, in reality, love Canada's system) go down to the U.S. to go on the air (TV or radio) blasting Canada's health care system to scare Americans away from it. They want Canada to stand alone in a civilized world. Perhaps we will. August 28 Discipline The Chinese WayI have been teaching English in China for several years now which is more than most expatriates can stand. Chinese employers should be grateful if a foreign teacher ends up staying for a full year. What's the problem? Well to quote Lando in The Empire Strikes Back, as we are told things from our employers piece by piece over the course of the first few months, we often find ourselves mumbling, "This deal's getting worse all the time!"
There is supposed to be a partnership in EFL/ESL schools in China. The foreign English teacher works with the Chinese English teacher to teach the classes. The latter focuses more on maintaining order in the classroom (as this is pretty much impossible for the foreign teacher who can't speak Chinese) and supports the foreign teacher. They plan the classes together. The Chinese teacher advises what might be too difficult for the children or too easy, keeps attendance records, explain to the children how to play a game, what to do in their workbooks, what they need to bring to class, what the classroom rules are, and so on. The foreign teacher focuses mainly on the teaching itself. It is a brilliant collaboration and works well.
At my school, however, there was a looser collaboration last term. The foreign teacher taught by himself and the Chinese classroom teacher attended the class, to help with discipline, and to get an idea of what was going on, so she could review by herself the next day. We recommended to the administrators that the collaboration be tighter, as outlined above. But things went very much in the opposite direction. We found out today (just four days before we commence teaching for the new term) that there will no longer be any assistance from Chinese teachers. The foreign teacher will be alone with the kids in the classroom and will be responsible for everything.
I don't know how comfortable the parents will be with having one teacher who can't speak any Chinese alone with their kids in the classroom. But, having by now gleaned the way things are done here, I know that the parents were never consulted before the decision was made, their permission wasn't obtained, and they are probably completely ignorant of the new arrangement. Of course the foreign teachers themselves were never consulted about this. Chaos is a much sought-after and cherished state of environment. I'm now wondering how to maintain order in the classroom without being able to speak Chinese and the children knowing little English. Perhaps I should do things the Chinese way...
EAT THE COCKROACH!
Last term, the kids were acting up. Fortunately in this class, the Chinese teacher was in attendance. There happened to be a dead cockroach in the classroom. The Chinese teacher asked me for a tissue. I gave her one. She used it to pick up the cockroach. From my limited understanding of Chinese I could understand what she told the kids. "If you don't be quiet, you must eat this cockroach!" she shouted. The kids fell into immediate silence but I could also tell by their facial expressions that their stomachs were churning. One girl kept talking. The Chinese teacher shouted at the top of her lungs at her, "I mean it!" She began to cry. The teacher put the cockroach a centimetre away from her lips and said, "If you cry, you must eat it". She stopped crying. The teacher placed the roach on a shelf facing the kids at the front and center of the classroom as a reminder.
In Canada or other western countries, a teacher who did this (although there are no cockroaches in Canada - substitute a spider) would, I'm sure, be fired or at least threatened to be. But, hey, it's China, a much freer country! But I'm terrified of cockroaches myself, so I don't think this approach would work for me. Let me think of another strategy...
BANG THE TABLE
Some Chinese teachers will bang the table with their hand when the kids are acting up. During one class when I was alone in the classroom with the kids I tried it. Afterwards, one by one, the kids went up to the table and banged on it with a facial expression as if to say, "This is fun!" I ended up teaching them to bang on the table. This didn't work.
SLEEP IN THE WASHROOM
At a kindergarten in Shanghai, one of the kids would come home very sad everyday. She was terrified to go every morning. Her mother wondered what was going on, so she used technology as her ally, and planted a recording device in her daughter's sweater. When the child came home from school, the mother listened to it and was horrified to find that the teachers were scolding her all day long (simply because she was crying) and forced her to sleep in the washroom. The mother marched down to the school the next morning, grabbed the teachers and went into the principal's office. She gave the teachers a chance to admit what they did first, asking them if they had scolded the girl (repeating the words they used) and had forced her to sleep in the washroom. The teachers denied it. Then the mother pulled out the tape recorder and played it back to the teachers and principal. "You must pay me 90,000 yuan (about 15,000 CAD) or I'm going to put this on the internet with your school's name." They gave in to the blackmail and paid her. She put it on the internet anyway. So, I guess I can't force any kids to sleep in the washroom, speaking of which...
GOING IN ONE'S PANTS
Last term, during a class at which I was alone with the kids in the classroom, one of them kept shouting at me something in Chinese. I didn't understand. I told her "Ting bu dong!" (I don't understand). But she kept saying it. All the other kids pointed to her and shouted at me the same words. I told them all to be quiet. About ten minutes later, the same girl started bawling and another - her friend - ran out of the class to fetch an "ayi" (caretaker). The ayi came in with a mop and a rag. Apparently the girl had been telling me that she had to use the washroom very badly. She ended up going in her pants. Did the kindergarten take a hint that it is unwise to leave a foreigner, who can't understand Chinese, alone in the class with the kids. Nooooo!
I expect this school term to be completely chaotic. But that's the way the Middle Kingdomers like it. Will keep you posted on the happenings. August 27 20th Golden Melody Award WinnersThis is old news. I was so busy with my holiday in Canada and my series on Canadian music that I neglected to post the results after the nominations (http://peltonator.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!184A2363AD187F54!3886.entry) to Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards. I'll recap the nominees for selected categories and mark the winner.
Album of the Year Nominees
If One Thing Is Important (如果有一件事是重要的), Sandee Chen (陈珊妮)
Don't Want to Let Go (不想放手), Eason Chan (陈奕迅) 100 Ways of Living (100种生活), Crowd Lu (卢广仲) We All Lay Down in the End (最后只好躺下来), Stanley Huang (黄立行) Capricorn (魔杰座), Jay Zhou (周杰伦) And the award went to...
Song of the Year Nominees
"Hold You Tightly" (甲你揽牢牢) from Hold You Tightly, Jody Jiang (江蕙)
"The Next Dawn" (下一个天亮) from The Next Dawn, Claire Guo (郭静) "100 Ways of Living" (100种生活) from 100 Ways of Living, Crowd Lu (卢广仲) "You're Not Truly Happy" (你不是真正的快乐) from Poetry of the Day After, Mayday (五月天)
"South of the Border" (国境之南) from the Cape No. 7 Soundtrack, Van Fan (范逸臣) "Fragrant Rice" (稻香) from Capricorn, Jay Zhou (周杰伦) And the award went to...
"Fragrant Rice" (稻香) from Capricorn, Jay Zhou (周杰伦)
The Other Winners
Video of the year: "Mr. Magician" directed by Jay Zhou Best Composition: Crowd Lu, "100 Ways of Living" Best Lyrics: Wu Yuxuan, "In the Trollycar" Best Arrangement: Martin Tan, "As Love Begins to Mend" Best Album Production: Chen Jiannian, Nanwan Sisters Self-Titled Album Best Produced Single: Wang Zhiping, Guo Wenzhong "Gaze" Best Male Mandarin Singer: Jay Zhou, Capricorn Best Female Mandarin Singer: Sandee Chan, If One Thing Is Most Important Best Band: Mayday, Poetry of the Day After Best Performing Group: Nanwan Sisters, Nanwan Sisters Self-titled Album Best Newcomer: Crowd Lu, 100 Ways of Living New Site LaunchI've launched a new website. It's called the Canuck Caboose:
Peltonator's will continue to be my main site and will be mostly about life in China. I will be moving blog entries that are Canadian-related from Peltonator's to the Canuck Caboose, including my recent entries on the history of Canadian music. From now on, new blog entries on Canadian-related issues will be posted on the Canuck Caboose, and all other entries, especially those related to life in China will be posted here on Peltonator's. Blogs related to both countries, such as my series on the history of the Chinese Canadian community, will be posted on both sites. August 25 CANADIAN Music Part 12A: Mid-70s OverviewIn the mid-70s, the world was being swept up in ABBA fever. Canadians were taken up in this whirlwind as well but another foreign band became Canada's favourite and was by far more successful in Canada than in another other country. Its name was Supertramp. Canada's love affair with Supertramp was to continue on until its retirement in 1982. Two of the band's albums were to reach diamond status. In terms of homegrown talent, the mid-70s was one of the most productive periods in Canadian music history. There were so many big names and hits in Canuck music that, to avoid lengthy blog entries, we’re going to have to do separate major profiles for groups and soloists. The biggest year of the decade was 1974. Three of the Top 10 songs of the year (including #1) were by Canadian artists. But let’s begin with 1973.
1973
The two biggest Canadian songs of the year we already mentioned: "Last Song" by Edward Bear (#16) and "Danny's Song" by Anne Murray (#50). The third biggest was by a short-lived outfit called Skylark ("Wildflower" - #52). The most significant thing about this Vancouver-based band was that one of its members went on to become an internationally famous music producer and composer, responsible for smash hits from such artists as Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Chicago, Josh Groban, and many others. His name? David Foster. We will profile him later on in a special entry dedicated to Canadian music producers.
Debuting in '73 was the brother / sister team Les Seguin (Marie-Clarie and Richard). Another duo were one-hit wonders' Gary and Dave who scored with “Could You Ever Love Me Again”. They were fairly popular in Europe but left the music business to become airline pilots. Another short-lived outfit was the Defranco Family, comprised of five Italian-Canadian siblings. Their debut single "Heartbeat, It's A Lovebeat" reached #3 on the Billboard charts and sold 2 million copies. They were also successful with "Abra-Ca-Dabra" and "Save the Last Dance for Me".
There were two big rock groups who emerged this year. The first of these was francophone band Harmonium, one of the biggest of all-time. Three of their albums appear on Bob Mersereau's "Top 100 Canadian Albums". The other band was Chilliwack, named after a medium-sized city in British Columbia. Chilliwack who grew out of a 60s band called The Collectors made the Top 10 in '73 with "Lonesome Mary". They scored several more hits in the decade and reached #1 in the early 80s with "My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)".
1974
"We had joy. We had fun. We had seasons in the sun." These words typified the year, and the song that housed them, after spending four months on the charts, was not only the biggest of the year but also of the decade; it sold 11 million copies worldwide making it one of the most successful singles of all-time. Previously, we'd mentioned the Poppy Family, consisting of a husband-wife duo who scored two big hits. After their divorce, the husband—Terry Jacks—embarked on a brief solo career, which yielded this one lone hit. It won a Juno Award two years in a row for best-selling single, resulting in Winnipegger Jacks himself being awarded with male artist of the year in 1974. After the success of "Seasons in the Sun", Jacks moved on to producing for such artists as The Beach Boys, Nana Mouskouri, DOA, and the aforementioned Chilliwack.
The third biggest song of 1974 was Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown" and the ninth was Paul Anka's "You're Having My Baby". Andy Kim and Joni Mitchell had big hits this year with "Rock Me Gently" and "Help Me" respectively.
The Guess Who scored a hit with "Clap for the Wolfman" (#68 of the year). As we'd mentioned, Randy Bachman had left the group. And what was good ol' Randy up to? Forming his own band. The early 70s was a time of sappy, soft rock, which wasn't for everyone. The last echoes of harder rock that had dominated the 60s faded out with the retirement of Creedence Clearwater Revival in '72. But Randy Bachman picked up the slack that same year when he, with brothers and friends, formed Bachman-Turner Overdrive. They began recording in 1973 but it took a year before radio began airing their gearhead, workingman rock. Were they popular? You bet. Their rock anthem "Takin' Care of Business" continues to be popular today and finished the year '74 in 66th spot. They did even better with the song that launched arena rock, always a favourite at roller and skating rinks—"You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet"—the 16th biggest song of the year.
Canadian news anchor Byron MacGregor read a newspaper editorial written by Gordon Sinclair about the United States which garnered such a huge response that he was asked to record "The Americans" over the soundtrack "America the Beautiful" performed by The Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The record became a big hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard singles chart and #1 in Canada. It finished the year '74 in 67th place. It was re-released in 1979 after the Iran hostage crisis and in 2001 after the 9-11 Attacks. The recording has sold over 3 ½ million copies and all of his proceeds have been donated to The American Red Cross.
1974 was also the year that saw debuts from new age guitarist (one of the best in the world) Liona Boyd and TV show host, singer, and teen idol Réné Simard. Italian Montrealer Gino Vanelli realized his breakthrough with "People Gotta Move".
1975
Paul Anka, teamed up with Odia Coates, continued his comeback with three huge hits: "One Man Woman/One Woman Man" (the biggest Canadian song of the year), "I Don't Like To Sleep Alone", and "(I Believe) There's Nothing Stronger Than Our Love". Bachman-Turner Overdrive also scored a hat trick with "Hey You" (2nd biggest Canuck tune of the year), "Roll On Down the Highway", and "Quick Change Artist". The Stampeders had two big hits: "New Orleans" and "Hit the Road Jack". Quebec's Michel Pagliaro scored an English hit with "What the Hell I Got".
The one big newcomer that year was Hagood Hardy. "The Homecoming", an easy listening tune of great beauty, was the third biggest Canadian hit of the year. Hardy was born in the U.S. as his mother was an American citizen. After studying at the University of Toronto, he played the vibraphone in jazz clubs before recording solo works. Later on, he scored the music for CBC-TV's "Anne of Green Gables" series.
1975 also saw the debut of one of the most popular singers of the late-70s, Dan Hill. This year he scored a moderate hit; his "You Make Me Want to Be" broke into the Top 30.
1976
Not much was going on in '76. There were only four Canadian hits that made the year-end Top 100. The most significant occurance was the disbanding of The Guess Who and frontman Burton Cummings embarking on a solo career, his first hit being "Stand Tall". Outside the realm of pop, however, some big names at this time: celebrated jazz trombonist Rob McConnell, classical pianist and composer André Gagnon, Nova Scotian female country singer Carroll Baker, and earthy folk singer Stan Rogers. August 19 Back in ShanghaiBack in Shanghai now after a 30-day holiday in Canada.. I arrived yesterday after a 12-hour flight. Here are some tid-bits:
1. Air Canada has done well with modernizing their aircraft. They have a video-on-demand feature. There are LCD touch screens on the back of every seat. Stored are a database of movies, music, games, news, and TV shows. You can choose what you want to watch or listen to. What really impressed me was the fact that they include Canadian movies, episodes from Canadian TV series, and Canadian music. Nicely done!
2. I've learned that many Canadian TV series are being broadcast in the U.S. This is something new. Apparently it started during the writers' strike in Hollywood. Networks were looking for alternative shows to air and realized that production values of Canadian TV series were much higher than they expected. One of the Canadian shows aired in the U.S. became one of the most popular of the year. It's called "Flashpoint" I believe. Another change is that American shows that are shot in Canada are no longer pretending to be shot in the U.S.. For example, a show that is shot in Toronto is declaring itself to be about life in Toronto, not in New York or some other U.S. city.
3. I watched some sports while in Canada. Andy Murray became the first Brit to win the Rogers' Cup in tennis, and golfer Yang became the first Asian man to win the PGA tournament. He's South Korean.
4. While I was in the Vancouver area, the city broke the record for the hottest temperature. July 30, the temperature went up to 34.4 degrees, the hottest day in Vancouver's history. Apparently, Shanghai was much cooler than usual during this time.
5. I've been thinking that this site has become too widespread in content. It's supposed to be about a Canadian living in Shanghai but I've included a lot of info about Canada when the reader would expect more about experiences in China. So I'm considering launching a new site which would be all about Canada, moving my blog entries on Canada from Peltonator's to that new site, and keeping Peltonator's content more about China. Entries on both countries (such as my series on the history of Chinese people in Canada) would be duplicated on both sites. I haven't finalized this decision yet but will let you know once it is.
6. The western media often complains about China blocking certain websites. But I learned something interesting while in Canada. Chinese web-browser Baidu.com is blocked in part in Canada. Their search engine on MP3s is blocked in the west. For example, when typing in "Neil Young" into Baidu's MP3 search in China, many pages of resulting Neil Young songs are displayed with links to the sites that have them. But in Canada, when you go to the Baidu's MP3 search engine and type in "Neil Young" no results come up. Very interesting. August 17 CANADIAN Music Part 11B: Early 70s – In ProfileJean-Pierre Ferland
 Born: 1934, Montreal
Debut: 1959
Genre: Folk, Pop / Rock
Biggest Hits:
- "Feuilles de gui"
- "Je reviens chez nous"
- "T'es mon amour, t'es ma maîtresse"
- "Les Immortelles"
- "Fleurs de macadam"
- "Ton visage"
- "Rue Sanguinet"
- "Avant de m'assagir"
- "Le Petit roi"
- "Ste-Adèle P.Q."
- "Un peu plus haut, un peu plus loin"
- "Marie-Claire"
- "Quand on aime on a toujours 20 ans"
- "Androgyne"
The All Music Guide calls Jean-Pierre Ferland "one of the great singer/songwriter Quebec has produced, second only to Félix Leclerc and Gilles Vigneault". The Canadian Music Encyclopedia calls him "a romantic singer par excellence". While Ferland had already established himself as a singer in the 60s, he switched over to art pop/rock in the early 70s, releasing a pair of critically acclaimed albums.
Legend has it that Jean-Pierre Ferland attended Robert Charlebois' 1968 cult event, L'Osstidcho, and left in tears, acknowledging that the great Québécois chanson would never be the same. But Ferland himself began a major shift in musical style that culminated with the release of Jaune in 1970. Incidentally, this album appears as the only one from a francophone soloist in Bob Mersereau's "Top 100 Canadian Albums", resulting from his survey of 600 music journalists, deejays, retailers, and musicians of all ages from all over Canada. Ferland's aesthetic change was confirmed with his psychedelic rock release, Soleil, the following year.
Ferland began his musical career as a clerk for CBC Montreal in the 50s when his workmates encouraged him to develop his already-gifted vocal talent. After leaving his desk job, he began performing as a folk singer and made his TV debut in '59 as a singer on the show "Music Hall". In 1962, Ferland's song "Feuilles de gui" won awards at home and abroad (the grand prize at the Gala Internationale de la Chanson in Brussels). That year he performed a show in Paris and co-hosted a CBC program at home. In 1963, Jean-Pierre won the best singer prize at an international song festival in Poland. For the remainder of the '60s, he put on a number of concerts, performed on TV, and kept winning various awards. His "Je reviens chez nous" in '68 became a classic throughout the French speaking world.
In 1970, he performed at the International Expo in Osaka, Japan and released his celebrated album Jaune, which sold 60,000 copies in one year. One rock critic calls Jaune "a brilliant art rock album that redefined the Quebec recording industry; it is Quebec's own Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". In 1974, he recorded "T'es mon amour, t'es ma maîtresse" with Ginette Reno. In 1976, Ferland began working on films as an actor, writer, and musician, the first being Chanson pour Julie. With four other Quebec superstars, he performed in Quebec city during their Heritage Week and then in Montreal for the St-Jean-Baptiste celebrations. He was featured in a 1978 CBC English TV superspecial called "Between Chopin and William Tell".
During the 80s, Jean-Pierre Ferland slowed down as a composer and focused on hosting TV programs. He made a triumphant comeback in the mid-90s when he released Écoute Pas Ça, a critical and commercial success. Having composed over 450 songs and released over 30 albums, Ferland was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1996 and is now considered one of the best singer/songwriters, not only in Quebec but in the entire French speaking world. In 2007, he was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. He performed with Celine Dion on the Plains of Abraham in 2008.
April Wine
 Formed: 1969, Halifax
Years Most Active: 1971-1984
Primary Members:
- Myles Goodwyn (vocals, guitars, keyboards; 1969-Present)
- Jimmy Henman (vocals, bass; 1969-71)
- David Henman (vocals, guitar; 1969-72)
- Ritchie Henman (drums; 1969-72)
- Jim Clench (bass; 1972-75)
- Gary Moffet (guitars; background vocals; 1973-85)
- Jerry Mercer (ex-Mashmakhan; drums; 1973-85)
- Steve Lang (bass, background vocals; 1976-85)
- Brian Greenway (vocals, guitars; 1977-85)
Genre: Rock
Biggest Hits:
- "Fast Train" (#23 Hit in 1971)
- "You Could Have Been a Lady" (#5 Hit in 1972)
- "Bad Side of the Moon" (#16 Hit in 1972)
- "Lady Run, Lady Hide" (#19 Hit in 1973)
- "I Wouldn't Want to Lose Your Love" (#17 Hit in 1974)
- "Tonight is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love" (#5 Hit in 1975)
- "Oowatanite" (#11 Hit in 1975)
- "The Whole World's Goin' Crazy" (#5 Hit in 1976)
- "You Won't Dance With Me" (#6 Hit in 1977)
- "Roller" (#24 Hit in 1979)
- "Just Between You and Me" (#6 Hit in 1981)
- "Enough is Enough" (#8 Hit in 1982)
- "If You Believe in Me" (#19 Hit in 1993)
Although this institutional Canadian stadium rock act never received a major Juno award (they were nominated eight times for Group of the Year), April Wine scored a string of hits in the 1970s and early 80s including 15 that made the Top 30 and 6 that made the Top 10. Their success rarely splashed over south of the border; their biggest U.S. hit—1981's "Just Between You and Me"—made it to #21 on the American charts. But they were always cherished at home in Canada with three platinum albums and three double-platinum. Known for their long song titles, April Wine is basically singer, songwriter, and guitarist Myles Goodwyn (b. Woodstock, NB, 1948), the only member who remained with the outfit throughout their career. Bassist Jim Clench left the band in 1975 to join Bachman-Turner Overdrive and later Loverboy.
April Wine formed in Halifax in 1969 before relocating to Montreal a few months later. They were able to quickly sign a deal with Aquarius Records and their debut came in 1971 with the moderate chart hit "Fast Train". The following year, they made the Top 5 with a cover of Hot Chocolate's "You Could Have Been a Lady", which made it to #1 in some cities / radio stations. 1975's huge hit "Tonight is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love" helped the album Stand Back to go double-platinum. In 1976, the concert tour promoting their album The Whole World's Goin' Crazy was the first to gross one million dollars. The album itself was the first Canadian release to go platinum simply on advanced sales orders.
In 1977, the band released their biggest-selling single—"You Won't Dance with Me"—which got them to open for the Rolling Stones in Canada and the U.S. as well as for Styx and fellow-Canadian band Rush. They broke into the U.S. Billboard charts in 1979 ("Roller") which helped their album First Glance become their first to go gold outside Canada.
April Wine entered the 80s with great confidence and released the album Harder … Faster with "I Like to Rock" and the new wave tinged hit "Say Hello". Both were popular on both sides of the border and the album achieved multi-platinum status remaining in the Billboard album charts for 40 weeks. They toured with Nazareth in the States. Bolstered by the hit "Just Between You and Me" (the band's biggest in the U.S.), the album Nature of the Beast went multi-platinum in both Canada and the U.S.
Animal Grace (1984) was to be April Wine's last album. But in 1992 the band reunited for a Canadian tour and recorded the hit single "If You Believe in Me" and the album Attitude.
Diane Dufresne
 Born: 1944, Montreal
Debut: 1972
Genre: Pop / Rock
Biggest Hit:
"J'ai rencontré l'homme de ma vie" (1972)
- 60,000 copies sold in Quebec
- 125,000 copies sold in France
Some Other Hits:
- "Chanson pour Elvis"
- "Tu m'fais flipper"
- "La Chanteuse straight"
- "Le Parc Belmont"
- "J'ai douze ans maman"
- "Pars pas sans me dire bye bye"
- "Turbulences"
_____________
The Canadian Music Encyclopedia writes of Diane Dufresne:
"The first female 'rocker' of the francophone world, Diane Dufresne became in France 'the image of modern Quebec, turbulent, delinquent,' penned the writer Jacques Godbout (Plamondon, un coeur de rockeur, Montreal 1988). Dufresne has often been compared to Édith Piaf for her sensitive and powerful performances. Nicknamed "La Diva" and "La Dufresne," she holds the Governor-General's Performing Arts Award (2001), and is a member of the Order national du Québec (2002) and France's L'Ordre des arts et des lettres (2000)."
Dufresne began singing lessons as a teenager in Montreal before heading to Paris to further her vocal training, joining singing groups, and study dramatic art from 1965-67. After returning to Montreal, she began collaborations with composer François Cousineau and lyricist Luc Plamondon, who later on wrote many of her most popular songs. After making some jingles, she released her debut album in 1972. Her first single "J'ai rencontré l'homme de ma vie" was a huge hit selling 60,000 copies in Quebec and 125,000 in France.
In many ways, Dufresne was the female counterpart of Robert Charlebois, presenting an unconventional, attention-grabbing style, singing in French Canadian street slang (joual), dressing in ravishing costumes, and belting out an amusing vocal technique. Due to the big success of her single, Diane opened for Julien Clerc at the Olympia in Paris, 1973 to mixed reviews.
By the mid-70s, Dufresne had moved to the forefront of Quebec pop stardom, with a trio of best-selling albums. In 1975, she scored another big hit single with "Chanson pour Elvis", and she put on a couple of big shows on the Montreal stage. Her works earned her a Jeune Chanson award and performed at the Élysée Montmartre in Paris in 1977. The following year, she returned triumphantly to the Olympia in Paris to major acclaim, resulting in two live albums. For the next two years, Dufresne appeared in a number of French TV specials as well as in the rock musical Starmania in 1979 Paris alongside several Quebec and French pop stars.
During the 1980s, Diane Dufresne became one of the most popular pop stars in France appearing a number of musicals. In 1984, she put on the eminent show "Magie Rose" before an audience of 55,000 at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. Her following show "Top Secret" garnered her a Félix Award for best pop show of 1987. She steamed ahead with further shows in Quebec (with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra), Japan, and Paris through the late-80s.
In the 1990s, after having severed collaborations with Plamondon in the 80s, Dufresne began composing her own songs. She was given a Félix Lifetime Achievement award in 2006. August 12 Canadian Neil Young to Receive Grammy in 2010Below is an article from The Canadian Press, 11 Aug 2009
SANTA MONICA, Calif. [U.S.A.] - Neil Young is finally going to be recognized by the Grammy Awards.
The Toronto-born 63-year-old, who has never won a Grammy, will be honoured as the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year with a gala dinner and a concert just prior to next year's Grammys.
The award, given by the MusiCares Foundation and the Recording Academy, which organizes the Grammys, recognizes artistic accomplishments as well as philanthropic work.
Young becomes the first Canadian to ever receive the honour, following such past winners as Bono, Quincy Jones, Elton John and Aretha Franklin.
Neil Diamond received the award this year and performed "Sweet Caroline" during the telecast.
The Grammys will be held on Jan. 29, 2010 in Los Angeles.
"It is an honour to celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Neil Young at our 20th annual MusiCares Person of the Year tribute," Recording Academy president Neil Portnow said in a release.
"Neil has set a standard of artistic integrity and iconoclastic creativity for more than four decades, and his achievements have been matched by his unwavering humanitarianism."
"He is a shining example of how music people offer their creative gifts to the world, and how they also give back through their commitments to charitable endeavours."
August 02 CANADIAN Music Part 11A: Early 70s - OverviewBy the 1970s, Canadians had had enough of their musicians taking the best of the nation’s music to the United States because they couldn’t earn a living at home. To discourage this, two significant building blocks in the development of the Canadian music industry were put in place. The first of these was the establishment of the Juno Awards. The televised annual ceremony, held amidst a gala of stars, gave out awards to the best in Canadian music.
The second building block, which has always been controversial, involved the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announcing new regulations governing Canadian broadcasting. The new rules required that 30% of the songs on playlists of Canada’s AM radio stations had to fulfill two of the following four characteristics: the music was composed by Canadians, the lyrics were written by Canadians, the music was arranged by Canadians, and the recording was produced by Canadians. The regulations were designed to compel radio stations to promote Canadian music.
Although some radio stations fulfilled the rules defiantly by playing the Canadian songs early in the morning or late at night, the new regulations allowed the Canadian music industry to really take off. The first artist to benefit from the new rules was the previously mentioned Anne Murray whose song “Snowbird” became an international multi-million seller. With the groundbreaking international success of The Guess Who, a number of acts who’d been ignored by radio in the 60s saw breakthroughs in the 70s (Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Edward Bear, Lighthouse, The Five Man Electrical Band, and The Bells).
Female Pop Stars
Besides aforementioned superstars Anne Murray and Ginette Reno, there were only three significant female artists in the period, and all of them arose in Quebec. Country singer Renée Martel had three chart toppers from 1972-1973: “Un Amour Qui Ne Veut Pas Mourir”, “Partir Au Soleil”, and “Si On Pouvait Recommencer”. Patsy Gallant emerged and released successful songs in both French and English. And, Diane Dufresne, the first francophone female rocker, launched a formidable hit in 1972 and then many more.
Male Pop Stars
The men were more plentiful (haven’t things changed since the 90s!). We’ve already mentioned Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot who both dominated the airwaves in the early 70s. A number of other singers emerged, like Danish-Canadian Valdy who became the second most well-known folk singer after Gordon Lightfoot. R. Dean Taylor, whom American critics consider one of the most underrated acts ever to record under the Motown label also appeared. His “Indiana Wants Me”, which opened the decade, made the Top 5 south of the border, becoming one of the label’s first hits from a white artist. The following year, Taylor came out with “Gotta See Jane” which did even better in Canada, finishing as one of the biggest Top 40 hits of the year in his native Toronto.
Tex Lecor achieved international success with the Georges Langford song “Le Frigidaire”, which he, amazingly, recorded in five languages. The French version topped the charts in Quebec for five straight weeks. His “Quand Ca Ne Tourne Pas Rond” also did well. British-born Keith Hampshire never became a superstar but had two big hits in 1973: “Daytime Night-time” and his cover of Cat Stevens’ “First Cut is the Deepest”. Another import from the U.K. was Scottish-born Murray McLauchlan, one of the most significant folk singers of the 70s. He had a big hit in ’73: “Farmer’s Song”.
Donald Lautrec continued churning out French hits (he was the one who sang a French version of “Whiter Shade of Pale” called “Le Jour du dernier jour”. On Remembrance Day in 1972, Lautrec’s “Le Mur Derriere La Grange” peaked at #2 on the Montreal charts. 1972 also was a big year for Georges Dor. Not only did his “Pour La Musique” top the charts in Quebec, but CKAC radio designated Dor’s “La Manic” as the most popular song of the last fifty years.
The most significant male singer to breakout in the early 70s, however, was Jean-Pierre Ferland who released one of the greatest albums of the decade. (The All Music Guide calls him the third best French Canadian singer-songwriter.) Second only to him in the period was the real-life brother of hoser “Doug McKenzie” (eh), Ian Thomas.
Groups
The early 70s, like the late-60s were dominated by The Guess Who, naturally. Their “American Woman” was the 2nd biggest Canadian tune of the whole decade and they had five additional songs that made the yearly Top 100. Perhaps the second most significant band of the period was April Wine with three huge hits that decade (and a couple in the early 80s). Calgary’s The Stampeders also did well with three major hits, one of which was one of the biggest of the decade. Original Caste scored two major hits in 1970: “Mr. Monday” and “One Tin Soldier”. They disbanded the following year.
There were a couple of one-hit wonder bands that appeared. The first of these was Mashmakhan. Their “As the Years Go By” was the 10th biggest hit of 1970. The following year, gospel-ish Ocean came out with the third most successful Canuck song of the decade: “Put Your Hand in the Hand”.
To listen to samples of some of the songs mentioned above, and others of the period, click this link:
Mini Profiles:
The Stampeders
These guys had originally formed in the mid-60s as the Calgarian sextet, The Rebounds before reorganizing into a trio in 1968 Toronto. Their first charting single was “Carry Me” in 1971. Their follow-up, the same year, not only charted internationally but became one of the ten biggest Canadian songs of the decade—“Sweet City Woman”. It helped them garner Juno Award for Best Group of the year in 1972. Two major hits came in 1975: “New Orleans” and “Hit the Road Jack”.
Patsy Gallant
Patsy was one of ten children who all sang in a family group, The Gallant Sisters. She began singing when she was five. In 1967, she started a solo career, appearing in TV commercials and variety shows. Her debut album appeared in 1970 and she became, not only one of the few Canadians to have hits in both official languages (English and French) but also one of the few successful Canadian disco artists later in the decade. Patsy Gallant’s “Tout Va Trop Vite” reached No. 3 on the Canadian French charts in 1972. Later in the decade she had huge success with “From New York to L.A.”, and her “Sugar Daddy” was the best-selling Canadian single of the year in 1978. She won the Juno Award for Best Female Singer of the Year in both 1977 and 1978.
Ian Thomas
Ian came from a talented family. His brother Dave Thomas became a popular actor, starring in TV series like SCTV and Grace Under Fire, his most popular role being “Doug” of Canadian hosers Bob and Doug McKenzie (eh). Ian Thomas was more musically-inclined and started out in the band Tranquility Base at the turn of the decade. His debut album came in 1973 and produced the hit “Painted Ladies” which went to #4 in Canada and #34 in the U.S.. Several other Top 40 hits followed well into the 80s: “Liars”, “Coming Home”, “Hold On”, “Chains”, and “Levity”. We like “I Really Love You” (a 70s synthesizer ballad) and “Harmony”. Both received radio airplay.
We will continue with major profiles on three artists from the early 70s next…
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