By: Vanessa Polojac
Fresh off the release of their sophomore album, Moon Milk, L CON had a chance to stop by Hamilton to play a sold-out show at HAVN alongside Coszmos Quartette and EONS while promoting their new music across Canada.
The Silhouette sat down with the band tor talk about their LP, touring life and sexism within the music industry.
“L CON is a produced, fluctuating project which always has me and it’s just an umbrella for making things that I am interested in,” explained front woman Lisa Conway.
“The album has a lot of people on it. Right now, Andrew Collins is playing bass and bass synth with us and Jordan Howard is on guitar.”
For Conway, music has always been a part of her life.She has been the vocalist of bands such as The Owle Bird; but feels the most musically artistic through her latest project L CON.
“I have been making music for a really long time under a lot of different names. The Owle Bird was a specific group of people; Jordan actually played guitar in that band as well. It seemed like I needed a new start and it just sort of naturally evolved,” said Conway.
Since dropping her first LP, The Absence Of, with The Owle Bird in 2008, the music industry has changed, and so has Conway’s writing style.
The punk-rock sound of The Absence Of turned into synth and techno a cappella tracks in Moon Milk.
“I am always trying to make things that challenge me as a musician and as an artist. In the past I have been doing a lot of things with strings and voices without a lot of electronic elements with more acoustic elements… it’s all about staying inspired. I really am inspired by bands that are pushing the elements and are experimental,” explained Conway.
The lyrical inspiration for Moon Milk comes from a collection of 12 short stories written by Italo Calvino called Cosmicomics.
Each song on the album is based on and named for a story within the collection.
“I was doing a song writing residency in New Brunswick and it was the first residency that I [had] ever done. I was really nervous that I wouldn’t write any new songs and I was recently introduced to Calvino’s writing; he wrote really beautiful stories," reflected Conway.
"I thought it would be a interesting exercise to write a song for every story and the album took off from there.”
Conway also addressed the discrimination that female musicians still face in 2016. She explained with passion the struggles she faces with being a woman trying to break into the male dominated music industry.
“As a woman in the music industry a lot of people make assumptions about you and I found especially as a vocalist I get pegged as somebody who just sings; who doesn’t know anything about recording or production," said Conway.
"I think it is really important to be brave and feel they are talented… In bands it is a very white dude scene and in techno music as well. There is not a lot of women in the studio and that needs to change.”
Together with Andrew Collins, Conway created Moon Milk in her very own studio: Wildlife Sanctuary Sounds. Since then, the work has gotten recognition from The Ontario Arts Council and is now available to purchase online and in local record stores now.
By: Vanessa Polojac
Despite only forming in 2015 Toronto based post-punk band Casper Skulls has already caught the attention of Buzz Records and newspapers like the Toronto Star. The band’s debut EP Lips and Skulls consisting of five tracks including their single “Devotion” will be released on Oct. 28.
Neil Bednis (vocals/guitar), Fraser McClean (bass), Melanie Gail St-Pierre (guitar) and Chris Anthony (drums) all came together because of their deep love and interest for music, including the exploration of punk and proto-punk culture and history.
While lead vocalist Neil Bednis hopes to stay true to the band’s roots, he is eager to explore Casper Skulls’ new direction.
“Me and our guitar player Mel; we were dating. I didn’t have a band or anything and she was interested in playing music so we decided to start a band together. We got Chris and Fraser involved because Chris put out an ad on Kijiji looking for people to play with and we responded to that ad. Chris was friends with Fraser and he invited him to play,” explained Bednis.
In 2015, the band released the songs “King of Gold” and “Mink Coats” which each received critical praise and coverage from Toronto music journalists, but the band noted that they will be heading in a new direction for their first upcoming EP.
“Those songs were very basic but they are both very lyrical. We kept that lyrical aspect to this day. On the EP we kind of explore more with different guitar tunings and melody. The stuff we’re writing now for our full-length album is a lot more inspired by pop music.”
The progression and shift to the sound of their music had a lot to do with the musical influences of the band members.
“When we were starting off we were influenced by bands like Sonic Youth and The Replacements. But now we have been listening to a lot of different genres. I listen to a lot of hip-hop and Mel listens to a lot of classical and ambient music. Recently, I’ve been rediscovering bands I liked in high school like The Smiths and New Order. Those are probably our biggest influences right now,” shared Bednis.
They have already debuted the first single off of their EP called "Devotion." A song that explores what it means to bind you to something whether it’s a person or an idea.
The song previews similar themes on the rest of the EP, which largely references I Dreamed I Was A Very Clean Tramp, the autobiography of 70s punk icon Richard Hell.
Casper Skulls also gained some notoriety through some of the hyper-local political commentary that was laced into their songwriting.
The group themselves called the song “Mink Coats” “a bilious eulogy for Toronto’s Rob Ford years.” The band are students of the political tradition of punk-music and culture and students of the genre's signature abrasive sound.
“To be a relevant artist you have to be saying something and saying something of the time. I find that the best music doing that now is hip-hop like Kendrick Lamar… The reason those guys are remembered is because they were saying something political.”
The band will be heading to Chicago, Illinois on Nov. 19 to headline a show at the Downstairs, but not without stopping by Hamilton at the Casbah on Nov. 7.
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
If one more person tells me to posthumously respect Rob Ford I’m going to lose it. Even if we disregard him lying about smoking crack, he was objectively a bad mayor. He was accused of drinking in his city hall office, verbally and physically abusing his staffers, and frequently missing work. This is a man who said that he felt sympathy for cyclists, but stated that their deaths were “their own fault at the end of the day.” He claimed that he “didn’t understand a transgender … is it a guy dressed up like a girl or a girl dressed up like a guy?” and that Asian people “sleep beside their machines” and “work like dogs” (I believe this was an embarrassing attempt at a compliment). Here was a man who — as mayor of Toronto — skipped the pride parade almost every year of his term, despite the flag raising taking place directly outside his office. This list is by no means exhaustive.
Despite his controversial history, there have been calls to memorialize Ford. A poll demanded a statue of him in Toronto. His casket was displayed for visitation with an honour guard in city hall for the week before his full funeral procession. This is completely unprecedented for a mayor who did not die while in office.
This level of respect for the dead is selective. Media outlets had no problem portraying Michael Brown or Trayvon Martin — Black unarmed teenage boys — as suspect or criminal after they were killed. I’m willing to bet that Fidel Castro or Robert Mugabe will not be gifted with sympathetic eulogies. Who we choose to honour posthumously has nothing to do with reputation or controversy. If it did, Ford would not be viewed as a remotely sympathetic figure. It has little to do with lifetime achievement, as Ford’s state funeral is eclipses other former Torontonian mayors, including others who were significantly more effective at their jobs.
I can’t even begin to fathom how it feels to prematurely lose a parent. However, dying does not absolve you of your sins.
Posthumous respect is dependent on race and power. Would we have cared about Ford’s death if he had been a crack smoking racist office worker? How would we have treated Ford if he was a criminal Black mayor? We seem to only be comfortable respecting the dead when they are powerful White men, regardless of virtue. This begs the question, why do we feel the need to absolve him in the first place? Do we feel sympathy for his family? Do we feel guilt for the ways we treated Ford when we was alive? We have nothing to gain from rehabilitating Toronto’s most infamous mayor, yet we have everything to lose. What does it mean when a city that prides itself on diversity and acceptance gives a full funeral procession to a racist homophobe? Why are we more sympathetic towards him than we are towards the people whose lives he negatively affected?
No one should have to suffer the impact of cancer the way the Ford family has. I can’t even begin to fathom how it feels to prematurely lose a parent. However, dying does not absolve you of your sins. In the age of information it is often easier to cling to uncomplicated narratives: a man is dead and he has left behind a family and a legacy. We feel we ought to mourn. Forgotten are the consequences of his actions. Behind every one of Ford’s ignorant comments was very real prejudice that directly impacted his constituents. His death has not changed this. Even if we can reverse the damage he has done, I will continue to speak ill of the dead.
Photo Credit: Maclean's
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
By: Jennifer La Grassa
Escape rooms, ping pong bars, board game cafés and now paint lounges — unique social activity locations seem to be in great demand.
Over reading week, myself and a few friends went to one of Paintlounge’s downtown Toronto locations. My housemate and I had become obsessed with the idea of social painting after watching fashion blogger Tess Christine vlog about her painting experience. Within the short time that I discovered Paintlounge, I began to see friends on my Instagram feed posting about their adventure.
Paintlounge is exactly what it sounds like, a small lounge area with a café and a painting section filled with easels, brushes, paints and fresh white canvases, all ready for the beginner or expert painter to get down and dirty. The walls, stools, easels and painting smocks are splattered with paint — whether deliberately done or by mistake, the ambiance it created assisted my ability to immerse myself within the role of a creatively troubled painter.
We had signed up online for the “Winter’s Night” class, a moderate level adult painting workshop. Right at the beginning, the instructor told the class that she would not be walking us through the painting process step by step, which was great as it allowed everyone to work at their own pace. Instead, the instructor provided us with her expert advice, like which section of the painting to start with, the paint brushes we would want to use and the colours that matched those in the sample piece. Her words of advice were to get creative, the end goal didn’t have to be identical to the sample painting. My internal mantra was “you paid $40.00 for this Jennifer, don’t screw it up.”
Even without an artistic bone in my body, the final product didn’t turn out as bad as I feared. By the end it wasn’t even about the painting, it was about the experience as a whole. Performing a creative activity within a social setting was extremely therapeutic. After the first few brush strokes, I suddenly felt at ease and became fully absorbed in the painting process. The many mistakes I made along the way were laughed off amongst my friends and after almost three hours we stepped back from our easels to admire the paintings that we had collectively created.
Looking back, the experience has helped me appreciate the current fad of adult colouring books serving as stress relievers. Colouring and painting engages areas of the brain that deal with problem solving and organizational processes, along with the motor cortex. As well, it’s known to help reduce anxiety and employ positive thinking.
If Toronto is too far, a number of similar sessions are hosted in numerous cities, including Hamilton, called “Paint Nite.”
So McMaster, I urge you to put away the books, the phone, the laptop and the problems of your everyday life and sign up for a therapy session at the Paintlounge in exchange for the bar or pick up a colouring book if you lack the motivation to go to the gym. Creative or not, your mind will thank you for the artistic break.
Photo Credit: The Urban Craze
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
When I first met Jazz “Jacuzzi La Fleur” Cartier in 2014, he was still relatively unknown to those not tapped into the Toronto rap scene. In the crowd waiting to get into the A$AP Ferg show, my eyes would have been drawn to Cartier even if a mutual friend hadn’t quickly introduced us. The rapper was sporting a murdered-out fishing vest with what I think were Gucci loafers, and naturally stood out from the masses.
At age 22, Cartier comes off as a man beyond his years both in his lyrics, and in casual conversation. The son of two parents whose nomadic careers led them across the world, Cartier moved around a lot in his youth. By the time he was 16 Cartier was living on his own in his native Toronto, and dealing drugs to get by. A club connoisseur, Cartier could be regularly seen enjoying the nightlife downtown.
His first album, Marauding In Paradise, is an expression of these dark influences. The cover artwork references the Adam and Eve creation story, and in many ways the album’s release saw Cartier reinvent himself from a guy people knew for his drug-induced debauchery to a promising musician. It was a difficult path, with the album taking many different shapes since work began on it in 2011, but one that saw Cartier come into his own as an artist. Cartier wasn’t alone in his development, as his long-time friend and executive producer of MIP, Lantz, has been working with him since they were teenagers.
While I wanted to profile him before the album dropped, things never seemed to pan out. When I finally get the chance to reconnect with him, it’s through a FaceTime call he takes from a studio in Toronto. While Cartier is polite throughout and eloquent in his responses, he shows little interest in reflecting on past achievements for too long and seems to be itching to finish up press and start recording.
Aware of the platform Marauding In Paradise has given him, Cartier exudes a businesslike urgency about what needs to be done to take his career to the next level. The discipline he’s shown in this past year is something he sees as a product of the maturity that he picked up living alone and continually working towards something that he takes seriously, unlike some people who take up rapping as a hobby after they’re done school and stuck in their parent’s basements.
“A lot of people still live at home with their moms. Not to discredit them, but you can’t really flaunt independence or exude some kind of character when your whole support system is based on the fact that you have stable living conditions at home. I think living on my own since I was young has given me a bigger perspective on life. I see things a lot differently now,” said Cartier.
Much has been made of Drake, who lived with his own mom in Toronto’s opulent Forest Hill neighbourhood during his early days as an artist, so one can understand why Cartier would seek to subconsciously distance himself from the so-called “6 God”. While Toronto is now a household name thanks to Drizzy’s exploits, the picture many have of the city is at odds with the grittier version Jazz has been living, far from the reaches of the city’s north end.
One similarity that Cartier has with Drake is a close relationship with his favourite producer. Where Drake had 40, Cartier has Lantz. The latter duo can be assumed to be on much more personal terms as they’ve been working together since they were 15, and it shows. With MIP coming off as a polished debut, Cartier is eager to see where their professional relationship takes them.
“If something were to ever happen to Lantz, it wouldn’t be the same. As long as he’s breathing and I’m breathing, I think we’re gonna be working together. It’s even hard for me to work with other people now because I’m just so used to our relationship and how fluently we work… He’s the furthest thing from a yes-man and I’m the furthest thing from a yes-man, so we get at each other a lot. He’s the kind of guy I can text at 5 a.m. with a random idea.”
Keeping things in-house is the utmost priority for Cartier at the moment. In an era where rapper’s personalities are normally diffused throughout a massive homogenous crew, Cartier’s brashness and single-handed commitment to his own vision is refreshing. You know that when he tweets something, it hasn’t been watered down and you can appreciate him for his willingness to stick his own neck out.
Given the nature of his songs, where crazy parties and ensuing late-night trysts figure prominently, one could wonder what his recording process is like. Cartier is quick to denounce the idea that he indulges in any drugs while behind the mic or on stage.
“Everything I talk about is usually just from going out at night. In the studio, and when I perform, I keep things one hundred percent professional. I don’t drink before I get up on stage so I can keep a clear mind. Now, I’m in the studio every day, so I don’t have time for parties. I’m like full straight-edge,” said Cartier.
The music industry is fickle in its propensity for casting aside artists as quickly as it hypes them up, but Cartier doesn’t appear to be putting himself under pressure to release a quick follow-up only to sacrifice losing the fans he gained from his intense first-person narratives.
“This year I was just starting out, but next year I’m gonna snap and I’m gonna make sure the wave is felt, because I’m not content with staying where I’m at right now.”
Unwilling to speak on a solid release date, Cartier simply smiled and said his sophomore record would come out “when it’s ready and the time’s right.”
Cartier often calls his own number on tracks and says his own name in the midst of spitting bars like he does on MIP-standout, “Switch.” If he continues to thrive at the same quick pace, he’ll soon have arenas full of people shouting along with him.
It’s always a pleasure to hear the passion in a person’s voice when describing something they love. It’s even better when a group expresses that same passion. This is exactly the case with Goodnight Sunrise, a Toronto band currently on a tour of Eastern Canada to promote their new record, Deal With It.
I got to catch up with the members of GNSR recently during the drive between two of their shows. Their enthusiasm for music was infectious even when running on little sleep and not nearly enough coffee.
Interestingly, neither David Kochberg nor Vanessa Vakharia, the band’s guitarist/vocalist and keytarist/vocalist, respectively, came to music at a young age. “My parents made me take piano lessons against my will,” Kochberg explained.
Paul Weaver, the band’s drummer, however, got an earlier start. “I got into rock and roll because of my mom. My mom was super badass and she used to buy me cool records. And my parents used to truck me around to like, Pearl Jam concerts,” he said.
Vakharia had a similar experience to Kochberg growing up. “But when I was in high school I got really into becoming Britney Spears and I tried out for Canadian Idol three times in a row, stood in line for 10 hours and got rejected after the first note… I really wanted to be a pop star,” she explained.
She added that one night she confronted a band playing at a bar. “I was like, you guys would be so much better with female harmonies…and then they asked me to come jam with them the next day.” That became the first band Vakharia was part of. “We found David on Craigslist and we were in this other band for a few years and then we started Goodnight Sunrise.”
The creation of the band’s songs is a group effort. “Usually what happens is either David or I will come up with a chunk of a song, like a riff or a melody…and we’ll bring it to the other person,” Vakharia explained. “Then we’ll bring it to our bassist or [Paul] and they’ll really put the meat of the song together… but it’s mostly me and David writing the lyrics.”
Goodnight Sunrise’s genre is difficult to pin down as it combines its members’ varied musical interests. Kochberg is a fan of classic rock, while Weaver has been influenced by Alice in Chains and 90s grunge, along with his classical jazz training. “I love rock, but really I grew up listening to pop and house music,” Vakharia said.
Despite their differences in musical inspiration and preference, Kochberg, Vakharia and Weaver all agree on their favourite performance as a band. They played the first day of Turtle Music Fest in Parry Sound this summer, and while their performance went well, Vakharia explained that things took an unexpected turn.
“After we played, everything went to shit. The festival got cancelled,” including the sets of the two headlining bands, I Mother Earth and Our Lady Peace.
“So on Sunday at 3 p.m., we were still in town [with] all these people in Parry Sound who wanted to party…We ended up providing the gear for I Mother Earth so they could play a show at the local bar and the agreement was that since we brought all the gear, we would get to open for them.”
The crowd was appreciative and enthusiastic.
“No one was too cool to dance that night,” she said.
If you’re not familiar with Death Grips, maybe it’s for the best. I mean, unless you enjoy riding an emotional rollercoaster, Death Grips is not the artist to let into your heart. In July of last year, the industrial hip-hop group posted a photo of a napkin announcing their disbandment, which spread like wildfire. There was suspicion, of course, but announcing something so serious with such a blasé attitude is not out of character for a band like Death Grips. They had said that they wanted to go out on a high note – albums such as Exmilitary and The Money Store were praised and overplayed – and fans found this justification to be legitimate, however unfortunate.
Soon after it was found that the news of their breakup was a rumour (started by the band themselves), a tour was announced. I was among the lucky ones to procure my ticket within the first ten minutes that they went on sale.
Given all of the hype surrounding their breakup and the fact that they haven’t toured since 2013 (after cancelling dates from last year), I was expecting a lot out of their Toronto show. What I got instead was the most dangerous crowd I had ever found myself drowning in and drowned out sound that was better quality the farther you got from the stage. The former surprised me, since it was an all-ages show – meaning that with younger people in the audience, it wouldn’t carry as much serious energy – and the latter annoyed me, since the Danforth Music Hall is supposed to have fantastic acoustics, given how popular of a venue it is. There isn’t room to complain about the set list, though. The docket of songs left nothing to be desired.
The show opened with “Takyon (Death Yon),” which was a strong starting point, given its popularity and punchy rhythm. The rest of the set was ideal – there were about five songs from each of their albums. Fan favorites, such as “Get Got,” “Guillotine,” and “I’ve Seen Footage” were on the list and executed beautifully by MC Ride. “No Love” was extended by a few minutes with Zach Hill’s drumming, which was perhaps the highest point of the show.
The show ended rather early (10:30 p.m.), and without an encore. Really, such would be expected, given that it was an all-ages show, and because an encore isn’t something in the nature of Death Grips’ persona.
At the end of it all, I’m glad to say that I was able to witness MC Ride in a shadowed silhouette, throwing all of the energy I had only heard recorded up to that point, into a physical form that was as strong as I had imagined. Having Zach Hill accompany MC Ride was a blessing, and I can’t imagine the experience being as potent without him. Despite my gripes with Death Grips, ultimately, I’m glad that they showed up at all.
Odin Cafe and Bar
514 King Street E
Odin is a Nordic-inspired cafe and bar that boasts a no-fuss menu of seriously good coffee. This is not a place where you will find a venti no-whip, no-foam vanilla latte with a shot of raspberry. The cafe boasts a generous selection of classic java beverages by day, and wine and beer by night. You will find yourself enjoying the drink in your hand as much as the crisp, white angles of its intricately designed interior. Pair their smooth-as-satin filtered coffee with their soothing aesthetics for the ultimate coffee-consuming experience. If you are a coffee aficionado, Odin is your godsend.
The Dirty Bird Chicken + Waffles
79 Kensington Avenue
Do you enjoy fried chicken? Do you enjoy waffles? Put them together and you have yourself a delectable marriage of flavours and textures that will give you an unprecedented sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. The neutral, industrial vibe of the restaurant appropriately compliments the deliciously fried grub, all served on shiny metal trays. You have a choice of ordering only their famous chicken and a side, but most come to this joint for “The ODB,” a piece of fried boneless dark meat chicken on top of a maple, buttered waffle. Other highlights include “The Dirty fries” and their waffle ice cream sandwiches. Dig in.
Bang Bang Ice Creamery
93 Ossington Avenue
Be ready for a wait! Since Bang Bang entered the Toronto food scene a few years back, the line has not shortened much in front of this Ossington staple. Made in-house, the bakery and ice cream production happens in the back. When you enter, you are greeted by a menu that spans the length of the shop’s back wall. At the front is a complete display of Bang Bang’s famous cookies (vegan included), ice cream puffs, and Hong Kong style waffles (a must try), but most come for the ice creamery’s renowned ice cream sandwiches. Time passes quick in line because you will be spending most of it deciding between the plethora of ice cream and cookie flavours. They even have a birthday cake flavoured cookie…need I say more?
The Rooster Coffee House
479 Broadview Avenue
The Rooster Coffee House is one of the homiest coffee houses in the city, rife with board games and familiar neighbourhood faces who treat the cafe as their second living room. The vintage suitcases and sleek bar stools gives off a cool but comfortable vibe. Besides the decor, Rooster also serves delicious coffee, including their own specialty roasts. From espressos to custom blends to one of the best hot chocolates in the city, this coffee house will satisfy anyone from the biggest coffee nut, to people stopping in from a break outside at the adjacent Riverdale Park. The park features rolling hills, soccer nets, and a breathtaking view of the Toronto skyline that accompanies frisbee games and casual picnics. Head over to the Riverdale neighbourhood, it will allow you to kill two birds with one stone.
Andy Warhol Exhibit
77 Bloor Street West
Canada’s largest Andy Warhol exhibition has landed in Toronto, smack-dab in the middle of one of the city’s most extravagant, Warhol-esque neighbourhoods: Yorkville. Entitled Andy Warhol Revisited: A Mirror for Today, the exhibit will run from July 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015. Curated by Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Ron Rivlin, who owns much of the over 120 original prints and paintings being displayed, the works include some of Warhol’s most famous pieces from the “Campbell’s Soup Cans”, “Marilyn Monroe” and “Elizabeth Taylor” series. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for youth and students. Stop by for a great show by the legendary pop artist.
Harbourfront Movie Screenings
235 Queens Quay W
Toronto’s Harbourfront during the summer is abuzz with uproarious energy from the throngs of locals and visitors enjoying a nice day by the water. This stretch of Queens Quay West is one of the most popular spots in the city, rife with shops, restaurants, and cafes. During this time of year, Harbourfront is the location of choice for a variety of events and activities organized by the city, numerous organizations, and the Harbourfront Centre. One such event is free movie screenings every Wednesday evening. Named “Free Flicks,” this is Toronto’s only summer-long waterfront film series. Some films included in the line-up are Raising Arizona, Boy, and The Descendants. Check out their website for the full schedule and prepare yourself for a film viewing accompanied by a serene Lake Ontario at dusk.
15 percent of Toronto residents and six percent of Hamilton residents will be ineligible to vote this municipal election. These are residents who pay taxes, participate actively in civic life and care about the communities they live in. Quite often, they are also the ones who need social services the most in a concentrated period of time.
These are the permanent residents of Canada – those slowly walking the path from immigrant to citizen. They are legal, landed immigrants who live in Canada for four years before applying for citizenship, an application process that sometimes takes multiple years.
In a survey done by Forum Research, a Toronto-based research firm, it was found that 53 percent of Torontonians aren’t comfortable with giving permanent residents the right to vote at the municipal level.
Last June, the City of Toronto Council recommended that the province inquire into giving permanent residents voting rights in municipal elections. However, so far nothing has been done on this issue.
Organizations that focus on civically engaging immigrant and diverse groups in politics have continuously recommended that municipal voting rights be extended to permanent residents.
Many, like Doug Ford and John Tory, think that giving PRs the right to vote would make Canadian citizenship less special. This is a misguided argument, founded more than anything else in an irrational fear of immigrants having a voice. There are other things exclusive to Canadian citizenship that don’t include the right to vote, such as a passport and government security. And don’t worry, Fords and Torys of Canada, permanent residents will never outnumber bigoted individuals like yourselves.
There’s a reason advocacy groups have only been targeting the municipal level for now. Some national decisions are understandably kept exclusive to citizens. However, politics at the municipal level are different. They don’t need to exclude a group that plays a crucial part in the communities that are represented. All decisions made in City Council only affect the city itself and its active residents.
Several political scientists, such as Ryerson’s Myer Siemiatycki, have studied the inclusion of immigrants and diverse communities in local elections, and have concluded that extending municipal voting rights to permanent residents is an important step in including diverse and disadvantage communities in the local process. Diverse communities are often disenfranchised in municipal elections. If they hold less clout than other groups, some campaigns will fail to canvass to them for strategic reasons.
Additionally, Siemiatycki argues that including non-citizens in the voting process creates a sense of belonging for newcomers that puts to practice much of what Canadian cities showcase as their approach to new immigrant incorporation.
The inclusion of permanent residents will increase the diversity of municipal voters, giving certain ideas a louder voice, and in some cases giving more strength to disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
It will also keep the municipal government accountable to newcomers whose local councillors are their first encounter with Canadian politics. Living actively in their wards but being constantly ignored in decision-making can be disheartening and disappointing as a first introduction to politics. Wards where a lot of new immigrants reside often fail to meet the needs of their residents, perpetuating cycles of poverty and insecurity.
The right to vote at the municipal level would give new immigrants a say in their city, neighbourhoods, services, and children’s schools. It would also force political candidates to actively listen to their voices.
Permanent residents shouldn’t be denied their democratic right to vote because the public is uneducated about what their inclusion in politics would mean. As Evelyn Myrie, former director of the Hamilton Civic Inclusion Council, points out, the voting majority has always been uncomfortable with extending voting rights to less privileged groups for no particularly good reasons. It’s time to stop denying civic-minded individuals the right to be heard.
By: Rachel Katz
When The Silhouette interviewed Scott Helman about a month ago, he had officially released three songs. On Oct. 14, he released his first full EP, Augusta.
The seven-track record is impressive. From beginning to end it is 26 minutes, and every second is compelling. From the opening beats of “Bungalow” to the final lines of “Somewhere Sweet,” Helman has established himself as a musical force. From the quiet, intense “Machine” to the wild, meandering “Tikka,” he has proven himself an artist constrained by neither genre nor subject matter.
In many ways, the album is nearly perfect. It has the right mix of catchy beats and mellow sounds, and Helman can definitely write. His lyrics are hilarious, honest, and heartfelt all at once, and they make listening to Augusta an intimate experience. My one problem with the music is the use of an electric drum kit in some songs. No synthesized drums match the power of a real drum kit, and in some cases, it takes away from the music. But that’s a fairly minor problem, especially for a first album.
I fell in love with Augusta for two reasons. My working knowledge of music is slim, but when an artist is so captivating and shows so much promise that even I can tell how much potential he or she has, I take note, and in the time I’ve been listening to him, Helman has always proven himself to be skilled and charismatic.
Once I recovered from the initial “wow” factor of Augusta, I asked myself why I couldn’t stop listening to it. I realized that Helman’s music sounds familiar, not because we are both from Toronto, but because you can actually hear the vibrancy of the city in his music. Happiness, sadness, heartbreak, and anger are artfully arranged together, and maybe it’s just my way of being homesick, but when I listen to Augusta I feel like I’m home.
