Page Turners of 2024…so far

In 2023 I set a goal of reading 30 books, I met and exceeded that by reading 31.  I set the same target for this year.  As I reach the one third mark of the year how am I doing?  Well, I’ve completed 12 books and started reading “The Next Age of Uncertainty” by Former Governor of the Bank of Canada, Stephen Poloz, it’s my 13^th read of the year.  I am two books ahead of my goal.  Here is quick look at those 12 books.

As I look back to the past few months of reading, I’ll bunch a few books together, the first, the political and historical  books, here are three books: The Duel, Steve Paikin’s John Turner and the Biography of Senator Marie Charrette-Poulin.  

Of these, “The Duel” was my favourite.  It highlights how successive governments can work together and how they don’t.  From the Liberal PM Louis St. Laurent to Conservative Diefenbaker and Liberal Lester Pearson, there are threads to link each of the governments.  Author John Ibbitson take us from the earliest of Canada’s 13^th and 14^th Prime Ministers.  Here is a Steve Paikin interviewing the author on the TVO show The Agenda, https://www.tvo.org/video/the-making-of-modern-canada.

I really enjoyed this, the playing off of each PM was fascinating.  What would a Harper vs. Trudeau version of this look like?  

Speaking of Paikin he does a good job of telling the life story of another Prime Minister in John Turner in An Intimate Biography of Canada’s 17^th Prime Minister.  Turner was a victim of circumstance of Pierre Trudeau coming out of Lester Pearson’s shadow in the Liberal leadership of 1968.  Those years of the late 60’s and early 70’s were golden years to be a Liberal in Canada.  There were many liberal bright minds who all could have served as PM after Pearson.  Turner had to wait until both Trudeau Sr. and Jean Chretien served to take his turn as PM. In this account of Turner’s life, we learn more about the Turner-Mulroney battles on Free Trade, elections, and the debates. We also read of his loyalty to the party and previous leader, even though it may have cost him the election in1984.

In “She Dares to Succeed: A Biography of the Honourable Marie-P Charrette-Poulin”, Fred Langan shares the story of a Senator and her rise through self-determination, hard work, kindness, and the appreciation of others.  I’ve known the Senator for a few years but got to ‘know’ Marie through this book;  Her trials, tribulations, and successes personally, professionally, and politically send a message that to succeed you must persevere and push on in what you believe.  On personal note, some of the accusation made of the Senator by the government cause me extreme discomfort and disappointment and disillusionment. 

The next stack of books would be under ‘autobiographies’, Here I have Bernie Taupin’s Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton and Me;   Draft Day: How Hockey Teams Pick Winners or get Left Behind by former NHL GM Doug MacLean and Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator  of Nike by Phil Knight.  

I picked up Draft Day after hearing him on the podcast “The Steve Warne Project”.  Steve Warne is an Ottawa broadcaster most known for his time on TSN1200.  It was a good read and the behind the scenes in hockey was fascinating to read.   A must for the hockey fan, especially while playoff are taking place.

Shoe Dog was recommended to me, and from the start this memoir read like a movie about a man (Phil Knight) with a dream and not allowing any country, person or other shoe stop him from what he truly believed in.  The determination of Knight was undeniable from the moment he realised what he was meant to do.  If you’ve never believed that hard work brings good luck and good luck comes to those that work hard, you must read Shoe Dog.  This will be one of my top reads of the year.

I wondered when, after Elton John published “Me” I might be able to read Bernie Taupin’s take on the rise the two of them experienced. Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton and Me takes us behind the glamour of the 70’s and into a life fans of Elton never knew.  Taupin’s ride into fame not unlike Elton’s, each had demons they fought through.  Looking at life from backstage, as Taupin did was a unique look at the learning, the work, the songs, the fame, the loves he experiences.  

His tale seemed a bit darker and that was entirely expected as Taupin was the ‘writer’ of the pair and he use of words was more descriptive, for the better days and the bad.  I felt this was a realistic telling of what being a star was really like in the 70’s and 80’s with the booze, drugs and the life of a rock star.  Like Shoe Dog, this is top shelf book for my books of 2024.

Alright, in a few words here are my thoughts of the other six books I’ve read so far this year.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann, like Shoe Dog is the story of true-life events and is the basis for the heralded move of the same name.  Killers of the Flower Moon tells the story of the deaths members of the Osage nation in Oklahoma who became rich in the early days of oil in America.  The investigations of the US Marshall into the killings are the early days the FBI.  Read this book and then watch the movie.

Signal Moon (Kate Quinn) and A Very English Murder (Verity Bright) are period mysteries that were enjoyable.

Simple Lies another from David Baldacci I’ll keep reading his books as long as they remain page turners.

Librarianist from Canadian author Patrick deWitt, a story of…wait for it, Bob Comet, a Librarian .  I wish there would have been a turning point somewhere in the story.  Even the greatest surprise in the story didn’t affect the life of Bob.  Maybe the idea of The Librarianist is some lives just don’t have exceptional turning points.  I will give this to The Librarianist,  is a well written and I always felt the need to carry on until the end.

Murder Most Royal (Her Majesty the Queen Investigates #3) by S.J. Bennett is the third in a series and was published after the death of the Queen.  I’ve groewn fond of this series and look forward to the fourth “Death in Diamonds” reaching Canada soon as Bennett takes the storyline back to 1957 and the early years of her reign.

Now back to reading book 13, “The Next Age of Uncertainty” by Stephen Poloz.

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Thank you for reading this post; to catch all my posts and be notified as new ones come up, please follow me on WordPress.  I can be found on X @robertdekker & @RedHrtBlueSign and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rob.dekker.54.  If you prefer email, please contact me at rdmedia@bell.net.

A Notable Budget

I have been really paying attention to federal budgets for nine years since I started working on Parliament Hill.  All the budgets I have been a part of have been delivered by a Justin Trudeau government from either Bill Morneau or Chrystia Freeland.  Besides the first budget in 2016, which was to be a modest deficit, the budget delivered last week was the other most notable budget.  Notable not for the content as there was no surprise factor; but rather the tone to which the Deputy Prime Minster delivered the budget the to the house.  There are three reasons for this.

First, it seemed to be a political budget, delivered for political purposes.  Let’s be honest here all the financial aspects of the budget were delivered weeks ahead of the official tabling of the budget.  Anything that was financial was delivered in the manner expected and to the desired audience.  This was a political budget; it targeted the Conservatives in every manner and deed.  The message made in a series of questions, here are a few:

What kind of country do they (the top 1%) want to live in? 

Do they want to live in a country where kids go to school hungry? 

Do they want to live in a country where we make the investments we need in health care, in housing, in old age pensions, but we lack the political will to pay for them and choose instead to pass a ballooning debt on to our children? 

Do they want to live in a country where the only young Canadians who can buy their own homes are those with parents who can help with the down payment?

Do they want to live in a country where those at the very top live lives of luxury but must do so in gated communities behind ever-higher fences using private health care and private planes because the public sphere is so degraded and the wrath of the vast majority of their less-privileged compatriots burns so hot?

If this were a call and response to every Liberal MP, the caucus would respond with a resounding “NO”.  Previous budgets from this government would have been peppered with questions where “Yes” would have been the desired response. The government has gone full negative on how they might see a different Canada, perhaps one like the America in Margaret Atwood’s Handmaids Tale.  You would not have seen this is the Liberals were in a better position to remain as the government.

Second, this is an election budget.  Promises made in Budget 2024 were made so Canadians might see the outcome what the government intends before the planned October 2025 election.  Budget 2024 needs the time of a year or so if the houses will be built.  An election budget in 2025 will have no effect on voters after nine years of stunted growth, reduced productivity, high inflation, and another increase of $19 in the carbon tax to $95/tonne.  

Lastly it is seen as a ‘cut and run’ budget that could determine the Prime Minister’s future and his plans to lead the Liberals in the next election.  It’s the last chance for Trudeau to be persuaded to leave and for the Liberals to have a leadership.  

After this budget, there are no more rabbits they can pull out of a hat to reverse the polling and thinking the Liberals will be kicked out on their carbon tax derrieres in 18 months.  It wasn’t a pretty budget; it was a budget of a bleak future if the Liberals don’t win in ’25.  The dark side of the Liberals have given us their messaging, will Canadians heed their warning?

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Thank you for reading this post; to catch all my posts and be notified as new ones come up, please follow me on WordPress.  I can be found on X @robertdekker & @RedHrtBlueSign and on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/rob.dekker.54.  If you prefer email, please contact me at rdmedia@bell.net.

My Fave Five Songs for March

Another 30 days, many songs (a couple that will show up next month) and it all comes down to 5, these five.  I didn’t mean to, but there is a certain UK feel to this month’s Fave Five.

Dive: Holly Humberstone

I last featured a Holly Humberstone tune in my Fave Fave in February with Del Water Gap on “Cigarettes & Wine  and back in October 2023 with “In Your Room”. She is back and has a new EP titled “Work in Progress” and the single off this is “Dive”.  

Humberstone’s song writing is on point once again and here she’s expressing hope in a relationship, nothing that I heard in the LP “Paint My Bedroom Black”.  Humberstone is taking advantage of the spotlight and giving us her best – and I am loving this.  Female angst and hope for love, or at least some liveable form of a relationship are here and for all of us. 

Humberstone is the next great female singer out of the UK, challenging Elle Goulding for the crown.  I can’t promise Humberstone won’t show up in a future Fave Five, but three songs since October is a record for me.

Heaven: Niall Horan

“Heaven” opens with a wave of Brian Wilson type harmony that the former One Direction member rides throughout the song.  Horan proves that Harry Styles is not the only 1D member that deserves the success Styles has achieved.

I love the vocal arrangements and the infectious chorus that are reminiscent of any classic Beach Boys hit, including ‘God Only Knows” where Horan starts the chorus with the words ‘god only knows’.  “Heaven” taken from the LP “The Show” has been a hit in Europe and the album has topped the charts in Europe and hit #5 in Canada and stalled at #2 in the US.  

This just might be my favourite of the Fave Five this month.

Blood Orange: Freya Ridings

“Blood Orange” is the title track for Freya Ridings’ second album.  Ridings is another UK singer and if you haven’t captured the essence of Anne Lennox from the opening notes of this song, go back and listen again.  

Freya struck it big with her self-titled debut LP in 2019 as it went top 10 in several European countries and added a couple top 10 singles.  

The irresistible vibe of “Blood Orange” is energetic, and her vocal performance catches you and takes you on the ride much like the aforementioned Annie Lennox and classic Aretha Franklin (yes, that’s a bold claim – but I stand by it!)

I can’t wait to hear more from Freya and would love to see her on stage on this side of the Atlantic.

Sometimes You Lose Before You Win: Bryan Adams

From the movie “Office Race”, Bryan Adams comes to us with a new song, one of two on the movie soundtrack.  Chances are you’ll hear this song more than you’ll even hear about the movie.  Adams teams up Eliot Kennedy, a Sheffield UK songwriter/producer and takes us back to the days of his albums “Reckless” and “Cuts like a Knife”. 

“Sometimes You Lose Before You Win” may not be the best of Adams, but it certainly shows he still has the song writing chops to create three and a half minutes of toe tapping and head swaying music, and it made it to one of my fave five this month. If you like, here’s the link to the video, and again I’ll say it again, you’ll hear more about this song that the move; https://youtu.be/a57Dpmdeusk?si=7Ver2xL6Scvv2RLX

Why Does it Always Rain on Me: Travis

Screenshot

This song takes me back to Albert Hammond’s 70’s classic “It Never rains in California”, it has since the first listen.  There is really no connection to the two songs other than the mention of rain and similar sentiment of the songs.

This song, while new to me is quite old, first released in 1999 by Travis, not a person, but a band from Scotland.  The song briefly charted in the US and Canada, but its real fame was in the UK.  It was a top 10 hit the year of its release and was ranked #62 in the top 100 songs of the 90’s in the UK.  

I tried to find a way not to have this as a fave five, because of its age, but alas I couldn’t let go of the song, I think you’ll have the same problem.

There you have it, the Fave Five March, here’s the link to my Spotify playlist:

Something new for you, for you’re looking for some recommendations for albums, here is what I’ve been streaming and spinning this month, Deeper Well by Kacey Musgraves, Carter Country by Beyonce and Eternal Sunshine from Ariana Grande.

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Thank you for reading this post; to catch all my posts and be notified as new ones come up, please follow me on WordPress.  I can be found on X @robertdekker & @RedHrtBlueSign and on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/rob.dekker.54.  If you prefer email, please contact me at rdmedia@bell.net.

Playing Dominos in Ottawa Centre

A little news scoop by the Kitchissippi Times Editor Charlie Senack on March 14^th has created a game of political dominos in Ottawa Centre.  Senack reported that Ottawa Centre NDP MPP Joel Harden filed his papers to run as the Federal NDP candidate for Ottawa Centre in the next federal election now expected to be October 27, 2025 following the tabling of C-65 an Act to amend the Elections Act.   Here’s a link to the scoop, https://kitchissippi.com/2024/03/14/joel-harden-submits-papers-to-run-federally-for-the-ndp-in-ottawa-centre/.

Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com

This one little news scoop may have every party at every level in the Parliamentary Precinct riding of Ottawa Centre scrabbling; dominos are going to fall. 

Domino #1 Joel Harden does win the nomination for the federal campaign expected in 2025.  What becomes of his role in Queens Park, does Stay on as MPP until the federal election.  To date Harden has not spoken publicly about running federally, he won’t do that until the NDP accepts his papers and allows him to seek the federal NDP Nod. At that time he’ll be forced to answer why he is making the jump from Queen’s Park.  

Considering he’ll want as much time to campaign as possible, the latest he remains as MPP could be the summer of 2025.  Voters in Ottawa Centre will not support their MPP campaigning to be their MP.  One last consideration here is Harden’s future as the MPP if he does not win the Federal NDP nomination; does he walk away from Queen’s Park before the 2026 Ontario General Election?

Domino #2 We might assume there are not others interested in battling for the federal NDP nomination, but we cannot think former Somerset Ward Councillor Catherine McKenney will not throw their hat into the ring.  One very strong argument for McKenney to take the NDP nomination is the ties they had to Ed Broadbent, Ed and Catherine worked very closely together when Mr. Broadbent was the Ottawa Centre MP.  McKenney will have closer ties to the National wing of the party than Harden will.  

Domino #3 Considering Harden does win the nomination for the federal election, McKenney will be there for the provincial by-election that will come when Harden resigns his provincial seat, but McKenney will have to get the nomination first.

Domino #4 Following up on Domino #3, with Harden’s provincial seat up for grabs this will be a hard-fought nomination battle with not only Catherine McKenney, but Capital Ward Councillor Shawn Menard likely to be strongly urged to seek this nomination.  This has the potential to set up some sort of decision for the City of Ottawa if Menard succeeds provincially as the next City of Ottawa elections are not due until 2026 and the Capital Ward seat at the Council Table could be vacant.

Domino #5 Yasir Naqvi, the current MP for Ottawa Centre has faced Joel Harden before.  In 2018 Naqvi was a popular local MPP running for a party with an unpopular leader and Premier.  Joel Harden prevailed, now Harden is seeking a potential second chance at running against Naqvi as an incumbent.  In 2025, Naqvi will seek a second re-election federally in the riding. As everything sits now (in 2024) Naqvi is a popular MP running for a party with an unpopular Prime Minister.

Domino #6 The Ontario Liberal Party will have to move up their calendar for a provincial candidate.  With either McKenney or Menard on the orange sign though, the Ontario Liberals will still be going up against the Ontario Juggernaut of the NDP.  I say that because I’m not convinced Harden is as endeared to the Federal NDP membership to the same level McKenney night be.  The wildcards for the Ontario Liberals are Liberal Leader Crombie and NDP Ontario Opposition Leader Marit Stiles; The performance of these two leaders will play into the outcome of any Provincial By-Election, by that I mean whoever stumbles first or worst will affect their local candidate. The newly elected Executive of the Ottawa Centre Liberal Provincial Association should have this at the top of their “to do” list.

Dominos #7 to ?? Go to the Federal and Provincial Political Parties that need to take advantage of the shake-up that is could be taking place in Ottawa Centre.  The Ottawa Centre Conservatives have been in a search for a candidate for months, but now the potential for an Ontario by-election means the Ontario PC Party is also now looking for a candidate as will the Greens of Canada and Ontario.  

This one little scoop has caused so much consideration in one riding.  I have either run or managed a campaign for the Ontario PC’s in Ottawa Centre since 2011, the type of confusion that could be coming in the electoral district means every party has a shot at winning.

Let the dominos fall as they may.

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Thank you for reading this post; to catch all my posts and be notified as new ones come up, please follow me on WordPress.  I can be found on X @robertdekker & @RedHrtBlueSign and on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/rob.dekker.54.  If you prefer email, please contact me at rdmedia@bell.net.

Thank you, Prime Minister

I thank Prime Minister Brian Mulroney for making me the Canadian and the Conservative I am today.

I officially joined the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in the leadership race of 1993, I bought a membership and supported Kim Campbell in her leadership campaign.  I supported Ms. Campbell as I thought she would be the one to continue the legacy of Brian Mulroney, I also wanted to support the Ms. Campbell’s campaign to be Canada’s 1^st Female Prime Minister – Canada was ready for this!

I met Canada’s 18^th Prime Minister once; it was Fall of 2022 when he spoke at an event at the Canadian War Museum to commemorate the Veterans of the Persian Gulf War.  Mulroney was the Prime Minister that sent Canada to that war and in the last few years he was part of a campaign to have the Persian Gulf War Veterans reclassified as ‘war veterans’ and not ‘duty of service’ veterans.  

His vocal and active support for these veterans is just one of several reasons why I have the respect and gratitude I have for Brian Mulroney.

I watched both leadership campaigns Mr. Mulroney ran for the PC Party of Canada, I admired his confidence and his humility.  He was the type of political candidate I sought to become, and did not come close to being, but no one can become Brian Mulroney.  There can only be one.

Mulroney proved Canada was a country to be proud of and a country to be respected internationally.  I was in my 30’s when the GST was put in place, and I understood what it was there and was happy to see a government policy be clear as to what its function was.  In this case the GST was to go towards the national debt.  In 2022-23 the GST brought in $45.4B, the 2023 budget document does not state if the current government applied this to the debt.  It would be a shame if this was not being done.

Mulroney’s international stature is a source of Canadian pride, he stood up to the US and UK on apartheid, he rebuilt our relationship with the US and from that was successful with reducing Acid rain and increasing trade with our neighbour to the south.  He increased Canada’s influence in the Francophonie.

His belief Canada as a whole is better with Quebec is reflected in both the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords.  I was disappointed when neither passed.

More than a week after his death, much has been said about his tenure of Prime Minister, what he did nationally and internationally and how these values he 

Prime Minister Mulroney will be lying in State in Ottawa March 19^th and 20^th before his funeral in Montreal on Saturday March 23^rd.  I will be in line to pay my respects to one of Canada’s greatest nation builders.   

Thank you, Prime Minister, I am who I am, I have done politically what I have done, I am working where I am and I am the type of Canadian I am because of you.

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Thank you for reading this post; to catch all my posts and be notified as new ones come up, please follow me on WordPress.  I can be found on X @robertdekker & @RedHrtBlueSign and on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/rob.dekker.54.  If you prefer email, please contact me at rdmedia@bell.net.

My Fave Five Songs for February

Another month and another five fave songs.  I got lucky this month as I earned one extra day with these five songs, that have the theme of being ghosted or mention a ghost. Funny how that works out some days.

Come Out: Aysanabee & Raye Zaragoza

‘Come Out’ was released on Ishkode Records, a label focused on indigenous voices co-founded by Ottawa folk singer/songwriter Amanda Rheaume.  Aysanabee is a fast-rising Indigenous artist and along with fellow Indigenous artist Raye Zaragoza bring us a song of love searching to be found once again.  

Aysanabee commented on ‘Come Out’ “often times you write a song with another person and it’s for one artist ort another.  This one had deep connection to us both”  The two share song-writing credits with Belinda Huang and Evan Pang.

From a slow build at the start ‘Come Out’ echoes the feelings of a couple taking slow steps in recognizing the meaning their love has for each other.  ‘Come Out ‘starts out as a tentative request to the other and ends as an urgent need to be in each other’s arms.  

As my first experience listening to Aysanabee and Zaragoza, I can’t wait to explore from these artists.

Turn the Lights Back On: Billy Joel

There is something to be said for familiarity and how that brings joy.  That’s how I feel about this new Billy Joel song. I can’t tell you how it feels to hear this man’s voice with new material again.  It was debuted with a live performance at this year’s Grammy awards.  

Songwriter Freddy Wexler brought this song to Joel to finish and record.  The release of ‘Turn the Lights Back On’ was a two-year journey.  In an interview, Joel says the result was a recording he liked the sound of his voice, something he’s struggled with for a while.

The result is a new Billy Joel in the vein of his many classics.  At the time of this writing the song cracked the Top 10 AC charts and was working up the Hot 100.  This month I couldn’t get enough of this song.   It’s my hope that we’ll hear this song all over the radio and in a year’s time Joel will be accepting a Grammy for ‘Turn the Lights Back On’.

Cigarettes & Wine: Del Water Gap (feat. Holly Humblestone)

I normally do not know who the artist is for a song when browsing for new music.  LOL That was the case for Cigarettes & Wine.  Hearing this for the first time there was a familiarity to it.  

This is a great song both in with performance and the song writing, it never lets you down; it is heaven in your ears.  You’ve seen my write about Humblestone before, but Del Water Gap is a ‘solo project of musician Samuel Holden Jaffe and yes that does sound very confusing.

The disappointment I have with Cigarettes & Wine is that while Humblestone is a featured artist (and songwriter), she takes the song over.  I am not sure what happened, but the final mix of this song leaves Del Water Gap  sounding more like the featured singer with Humblestone talking over as the lead.  It was unfortunate because his vocals initially led me to this song, and I would’ve liked to hear more of Del Water Gap in the final mix.

That being said It is a good song and that’s why it’s one of the fave five’s. 

Conversation: Busby Marou

Busby is an Australian Duo formed by Thomas Barou and Jeremy Marou.  ‘Conversation’ is a single from their 2023 Lp “Blood Red”.  Whistling and hand claps, you can’t resist that.   Busby Marou is a multi-nominated and multi winner of Australian music awards and are known for their country/roots/indigenous music.  There’s indication that they’ve every toured outside of Australia, New Zealand which is unfortunate.

‘Conversation’ is a head nodding (not head banging) song that’s easy to wrap your ears around.  Not unlike Ed Sheeran, this duo sounds like band you’ll bring a blanket and listen to on a beach as the sun goes down.  The vocals are complementary to each other and there’s as easy sway to how this sounds, it lingers after the last of the 3:15 has ended.

Texas Hold ‘Em: Beyonce

There was an inkling this was coming when Beyonce came to this year’s Grammy’s sporting a white cowboy hat. Now Beyonce has a county hit that has spawned a TikTok dance sensation with people of all ages line dancing to ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’. 

You can’t deny the hook that catches you here, even non-Beyonce fans can’t fight the  embrace ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ puts themselves in.  I found Texas Hold ‘Em’ lyrically fascinating and throws down lines like “And I’ll be damned if I can’t slow dance with you
Come pour some sugar on me, honey, too.  It’s a real-life boogie and a real-life hoedown, Don’t be a bitch, come take it to the floor now” like a Nashville pro.

I think this song has legs and like Miley Cyrus’ ‘Flowers’, Beyonce with ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ will be one of THE songs for we’ll be hearing this a lot this year.  I am so excited get this song on the turntables and on the dance floor. 

There they are, my Fave Five for February, I’m sharing my Spotify play for these five songs playlist.  Here is the link to my Spotify Fave Five for January Playlist, I hope you enjoy listening to these as much as I have, https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4pJGYpuzqhrrnmGLWl9YSB?si=afbf534ef6674e2d

Did you have any favourites from February?  Please share them with me and the readers of #RedHeartBlueSign.

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Thank you for reading this post; to catch all my posts and be notified as new ones come up, please follow me on WordPress.  I can be found on X @robertdekker & @RedHrtBlueSign and on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/rob.dekker.54.  If you prefer email, please contact me at rdmedia@bell.net.

Nick Vandergragt: A voice silenced (too soon) but forever remembered

In the 4^th week of January, Nick Vandergragt, surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren took his last breath in Victoria BC.  It was a long journey to get here and there was so much optimism that his death would not be the outcome.  Nick’s death was the result of a freak fall while working on his boat, Summersong, the boat that was to take him and Alison on their next worldly adventures.  Oh the stories that we would have read if Nick and Alison had been away at sea. 

Like many in Ottawa, we knew Nick as “Nick at Night”, talking politics and current affairs on CFRA.  I met Nick on a couple of occasions, both were while I was running for provincial office.  Unlike now, CFRA once had local hosts that talked to local people who wanted to discuss local issues.  During campaigns he welcomed all candidates of all parties to sit with him and have their 15 minutes on-air.  I had my on airtime with Nick during the 2011 Ontario General Election.  Over his time on CFRA he must have interviewed hundreds of municipal, provincial, and federal candidates.

CFRA at the time Nick and other locals were on air was a meeting place to talk local news, politics and share opinions.  He was famously known as the host of Nick at Night and Sunnyside Nick. As CFRA became more of a Bell Media station, evenings became more of a satellite station for radio shows and sports, the local voices were silenced.  

After CFRA, Nick went online and continued his on-air presence with the Nick and Joe Show, Joseph Ben-Ami co-hosted with Nick.  The loss of local voices on-air has a direct link to the slow decline of radio across the country.  I am sure if he were here today he would have a lot to say about the recent losses of great radio personalities in Ottawa and across the nation.

I only knew Nick from the edge of his life, so my remembrances are few.  I reached out to a few people I know knew Nick much better than I and asked for their stories and remembrances of Nick.  Here they are.

Beth Trudeau

I first talked to Nick on CFRA when he was Nick at Night on Friday nights on CFRA radio.  His Conservative values and respect of veterans was a major attraction.  He always had a historical story or a joke to tell.  He continued this when he became Sunday morning Sunnyside Nick.  

I think I first met him in person at a Free-Thinking event that was regularly held at the National Archives.  It was thanks to Nick that many groups fighting for Canadian rights and freedoms, were given a voice.  In return, Nick was asked to speak at events such as Ontario Landowner meetings and even Emceed the Canadians for Language Fairness annual St. Patrick’s Day brunch, several times.  He was very much a friend of mine and a champion of those fighting for our God-given rights and freedoms.  

He will be sorely missed.  May he rest in peace.  

Debbie Jodoin

When meeting Nick you were immediately met with man of understanding, curiosity, warmth, and compassion. 

He had wonderful voice and mind for Talk radio. There was not a subject he didn’t take on and those who listened to his show felt they were listened to and their issues addressed . Even if you disagreed, he was still open to hear your side.

I was fortunate to get to know Nick, his beautiful wife Alison, and children. Exploring their farm and life meant much to me and others that were fortunate to be welcomed to their home . Nick has gone on his journey alone but will always be remembered 

Ron Barr

I got to know Nick through my association with the Greater Ottawa Truckers Association and my political advocacy that aligned with this true patriot. Recently, I was able to help Nick and Alison wrap up matters in Eastern Ontario so they could set sail into retirement, but unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned. God bless this unique soul; he gave so much and expected so little!

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Over the Family Day weekend the Funeral Mass for Nick was held in Killaloe Ontario, about 2 hours west of Ottawa,  The church in Killaloe was filled with friends new and old from across Canada, his radio days, his navy days, as they shared their sadness with Nick’s family.  He touched so many people and they all came out for one final goodbye.  

“A fair wind, a following sea”

Photos courtesy of Danno Saunt

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Thank you for reading this post; to catch all my posts and be notified as new ones come up, please follow me on WordPress.  I can be found on X @robertdekker & @RedHrtBlueSign and on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/rob.dekker.54.  If you prefer email, please contact me at rdmedia@bell.net.

Bernie vs. Elton

February 2024

The fall of 2019 saw Elton John publish “Me” an autobiography.  Almost 4 years later (2023) Bernie Taupin released his autobiography “Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton & Me”.  Was this going to be the battle of who told their collective story better?  

Anyone who is a fan of Elton knows the story.  The lads met after Bernie answers an advertisement in the New Musical Express for Liberty Records, and submits lyrics, or as he refers to them to Elton as “fanciful, whimsical, touches of psychedelia and traces of Hobbitism”.  Between Me and Scattershot fans now have an almost full picture of the life of a very successful songwriting team.  It comes down whose story do you like better?

Fans will tell you they don’t care; they like them both in fact both remain true to the story of the pair laid out in ‘Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” chronicling life before the US breakthrough and ‘The Captain and the Kid’ when they arrived in LA for the Troubadour debut.

So, to compare the two we look at the books from different perspectives. First, the writing style.  There is a definite writing style difference.  In Scattershot you notice right away the lyrical way the book reads.  It was a joy for me to read the book and notice the words Bernie uses.  As an example, the word ‘satorical’ shows up more than a few times, it’s a word Taupin uses in song lyrics.  The style Taupin uses to describe his lyrics is what I would describe how he has written the book. Me certainly doesn’t have the literary flair of Scattershot.  

Musically, Elton and Bernie are on the same page celebrating and panning the same albums.  Both write lovingly of the early years 1970-75 and the era of rediscovery in the early 2000’s when the albums ‘Songs from the West Coast’, ‘The Diving Board’ and ‘The Union’ (with Leon Russell) were very well received and they are very critical of some albums from the 80’s and 90’s.  You have to wonder in the years of overindulgence in alcohol and drugs that music stilled flowed, even though it was mediocre (except for a few flashes of brilliance).

Both books included the Elton/Bernie story, but each focused on the lives each lived, it is something both mentions.  It is here that the books stand out differently.  With Me Elton goes deeper into headlines of his life we read and heard about.  Of course we rrad about Elton’s success with movies and the tremedous success of “Rocketman”.

Scattershot, is something completely new, we never knew almost much about Bernie  Unless you dug for the information. you never knew of Taupin’s 3 failed marriages before the relationship with his current wife Heather for more than 19 years..  

His life as a travelling literary troubadour, settling in LA, the Ranch, the Rodeo Cowboy life, the “Farm Dogs” and success as an artist are all new and surprising.  While Elton talks about his drug addictions, Taupin writes about the drinking to excess, and how he managed to stay away from drugs.  He writes that his love and discipline of writing would never allow him to venture down the road his musical partner ventured.  

Scattershot is defined as covering many points in a random way.  Scattershot is not written in a random way, but certainly covers many points of his life, the people, the experiences, the heartbreak and love, and the music.

There is a common thread between Me and Scattershot, the subtitle of ‘music, life, Elton and Me’ describes the intertwining lives these two have had since the fall of 1967. 

Consider their path is a line they’ve travelled together, they have veered away from each other, intersected and crossed many times and ultimately end up together again.  In between point A and Point B are detours, winding roads, hills and valleys, personal self-destruction, and rediscovery.  It was if their lives together were fated to be this way. 

Me ends with Elton starting his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour and Scattershot finishes with the tour completed, though it does not write much about the tour itself.

Of the two books, Scattershot is the more surprising if only as I mentioned earlier, we learn so much about Bernie Taupin, “Me” confirmed what we knew and gave us the background to what fans had put to memory.

As a final thought having read Scattershot, I’m going to be taking careful attention to the words Elton sings, especially the albums through the 80’s to present as they will be reflecting Taupin’s life, the ups, and the downs.  Now I might have a clearer picture of what those words mean.

If you have read Me, I highly recommend Scattershot, if only to learn more about Bernie and to get a backstage view of a beautiful musical friendship.

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Thank you for reading this post; to catch all my posts and be notified as new ones come up, please follow me on WordPress.  I can be found on X @robertdekker & @RedHrtBlueSign and on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/rob.dekker.54.  If you prefer email, please contact me at rdmedia@bell.net.

My Fave Five Songs for January

January’s gone and it was a month file the Christmas music and playlists away for another 10 months.  January also brought new music to the top of the charts after weeks of see Mariah Carey, George Michael Brenda Lee dominate the playlists and charts with Christmas hits of yore.  

So, back to January and the five songs that had my ear buzzing.  Because of the Christmas jam going on there are a couple of tunes that debuted in December that were a foundation for my new year new month listening.  Without further delay, here are my 5 Fave Songs for January ’23!  A quick note, 3 of the five are from artists aged 75 and older…but the music will fool you!

Now and Then by the Beatles

Yes, this song was released in November and likely should have been part of my November Five, but life and work got in the way of that happening.  The only real attention it got from me was the purchase the 10” vinyl single.  

Now since January, “Now and Then” has been played every day (by me).  It deserves to be played and has become an earworm that pops in whenever feels like it.  I like the idea that the Beatles had one more song in the can for us – the nostalgia is huge here. The good thing is “Now and Then” does stand on its own merit and is a damn good song.

Depending on You by the Rolling Stones

To be perfectly honest with you, I’ve had the Lp “Hackney Diamonds’ on constant play since it was released.  The lead single “Angry” was in my Fave Five for October (insert post link).  “Depending on You” became a favourite off the Lp after a few listens.  “Depending on You” invoked memories of “Wild Horses” and “You Can’t Always get what you Want”.  

“Depending on You” has Jagger once again creating outstanding lyrics, so while ‘Wild Horses” is a song about a younger Jagger and youthful desires, “Depending on You” is a mature Jagger who sings “I’m too young for dying and too old to lose”.  The Stones here have created a bridge from the 1970’s to 53 years later with “Depending on You”  I’m prepared to be on this bridge for some time.

Olive Tree by Peter Gabriel 

I/O from Peter Gabriel and from the start this was a Lp Listen, I would listen through all 12 tracks.  I really paid attention to this after listening the Beatles podcast “Nothing is Real”, in the year end edition the hosts agreed I/O was an underappreciated record.  From that  I paid more attention this this.  It was released in a Bright-Side Mix and a Dark-Side Mix.  I stuck with the Bright-Side Mix.

Within the album “Olive Tree” always makes me perk up and listen when the horns make an appearance.  Sort of in the same what they might have done with “Sledgehammer”.  The bridge to the chorus here is the difference between a good song and much better version of it.  It is reminiscent of the use of horns on the Phil Collins solo hit, ‘Something happened on the Way to Heaven’ it is an energy boost to the tune.

Yes, and? from Ariana Grande 

Bam! One day there’s a rumour of a new Ariana Grande single and Boom, “yes, and?” Is here!  “yes, and” lit up the charts and soared to the top of the Billboard in its first week of release.  It’s catchy, danceable with dance moves we can copy.  It’s the rebirth of the 90’s dance floor hit!

My “tell” that I really like a song is when I am swaying my head and moving in my desk chair at work – “yes, and” did that from the opening beats.  Can say one thing though, one word – ok maybe two…. Madonna and “Vogue”.  I’m just saying that “yes, and?” with Vogue is going to be a dynamic mix on the dance floor!  I am very excited to see where the new album “Eternal Sunhine” takes us and taking clubbing  on this new single.

Beautiful People (Stay High) by The Black Keys 

I was a fringe Black Keys listener due entirely to the fact one half of the Black Keys (TBK), Pat Carney, is married to Michelle Branch.  I’ve written more than a couple time about her on this blog in the past.

On my Spotify ‘new releases’ playlist last week I saw TBK had a song and left it at that.  I went, as per usual, to the playlist and let the music flow.  I would stop when a song caught my attention and check out the artist.  “Beautiful People (Stay High)” plays and stop in my tracks and have to see who this is is!  

The Black Keys has really hit me with this, it’s got the familiarity of the 70’s – maybe something like Three Dog Night paired with the energy of U2’s “Beautiful Day”.  I am not disappointed with this at all! 

There you have it, my Fave Five for January, I’m sharing my Spotify play for these five songs playlist.  There were a couple of other songs that were on the outside but deserving of being a Fave Five for last month – they may show up on this month’s fave Five, as they say, “stay tuned”.  Here is the link to my Spotify Fave Five for January Playlist, I hope you enjoy listening to these as much as I have. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3VLbCQ577agwusiBkGbahW?si=b10f0b0bebbb422b

Did you have any facvourtites from last month?  Please chare them with me and the readers of #RedHeartBlueSign.

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Thank you for reading this post; to catch all my posts and be notified as new ones come up, please follow me on WordPress.  I can be found on X @robertdekker & @RedHrtBlueSign and on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/rob.dekker.54.  If you prefer email, please contact me at rdmedia@bell.net.

My Favourite Things (of 2023)

What a year 2023 was, there were many good things about the year, here are some of the really bright bits.  Here today are my favourite things.

My turntable had a good year, especially since it came out of storage following the completion of our renovations.  

There were couple albums that really made my year.  The first as the issuing of Sheryl Crow debut album on vinyl, The Tuesday Night Music Club.  I’ve always thought this is one of the best debut albums ever and I’m happy I picked this up and can now play this regularly.  Another favourite that got much time spinning was Taylor Swift Midnights, yep Taylor Swift, this was good.  A final favourite was The Beatles’ Revolver.  This 1966 release is never old, it was the beginning of the Beatles expansion into more creative writing and producing.  It also has one of George Harrison’s best songs ever…Taxman.

I did a lot of reading last year, with 30 books going from the want to read pile to the read bin. My best read goes to David Hepworth and Abbey Road, The Inside Story of the World’s Most Famous Recording Studio.

More than just about the Beatles, but they are in it a lot, this is about the beginning of the recording industry; movie music, Pink Floyd and The Dark Side of the Moon and the evolution of recording and staying one step ahead of everyone else. Next up is Washington Black by Isa Edugyan, Isa is becoming one of my favourite authors. This is a story of slavery and freedom earned that many want to take a way. You are transported from Africa to Bahamas to the Arctic and the UK through the eyes of one Mr. Washington Black. Quickly, a 3^rd book is The Measure by Nikki Erlick. The Measure is a whole new take on the question, “if you could know how your life would turn out would you want to know? “ If you want a fourth book, look for Greenwood by Michael Christie.

Heading back to Music, when it comes to songs in 2023, three, I’ll make that four  topped my person charts as was compiled for my 2023 Wrapped from @Spotify.  The four were divided by two artists.  Maisie Peters took my most favourite and third favourite songs with Lost the Breakup and Body Better, while in 2^nd and fourth it was Jisoo (of BlackPink) with Flower and BlackPink  Shutdown.  All it tells me is that when I hear something I like, I stick with it and put it on repeat.

Listening to albums this year, and I consider this a listening from track 1 to the last track as my guide. A couple really made an impression on me, Ed Sheeran with Autumn Variations and The Rolling Stones Hackney Diamonds. From start to finish both these albums kept my ear’s interests, there’s not a weak track on either of these. FYI The Stones are still rolling strong in 2024 with Hackney Diamonds.

Lastly, I expanded by list of podcasts that I subscribe to and with these three I rarely miss and episode.  The Daily from the New York Times is always current, it’s a good listen on any day.  In ’23 I have not missed one episode of The History of Rock in 500 Songs, the year ended with song 171, a 3 hour and 36-minute episode on Hey Jude by the Beatles.  The amount of work that is done by Andrew Hickey on every episode is simply tremendous.  I could not leave this section without mentioning my weekly need for the political insight, musings and cussing of Scott Reid, Jordan Leichnitz, Kory Teneycke with David Hurley on The Curse of Politics. I can’t decide if its more for the entertainment than information.

I hope you had a year of favourite things as well,  Please share them with me through any of the ways you can contact me below. 

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Thank you for reading this post; to catch all my posts and be notified as new ones come up, please follow me on WordPress.  I can be found on X @robertdekker & @RedHrtBlueSign and on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/rob.dekker.54.  If you prefer email, please contact me at rdmedia@bell.net.