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The AIH Transcript For January 12, 2021

[hosts]Carol Off, Chris Howden[/hosts]

CAROL OFF: Hello, I'm Carol Off.

CHRIS HOWDEN: Good evening, I'm Chris Howden, this is As It Happens.

[Music: Theme]

Prologue

CH: Tonight:

CO: Keep off trucking. A spokesperson for the trucking industry wastes no time telling us that a cross-border vaccine mandate for her colleagues could mean delays for consumers.

CH: In the line of duty. A Haitian journalist tells us about the moment two of his friends were gunned down while reporting from outside Port-au-Prince -- and says if he'd been there, he'd likely be dead too.

CO: Tricks of the trade. China may not be happy that Canada is talking trade with Taiwan, but our guest says the tale of the two Michaels taught us it's a mistake to be too dependent on Beijing.

CH: Peart pressure. A Rush fan is honouring the band's late drummer Neil Peart in suitably rhythmic form -- a 24-minute, 175-song mashup that's sure to drum up support.

CO: Mosh pet. We hear from a Newfoundland dog owner whose pooch has a penchant for dance -- and whose headbanging is particularly fetching.

CH: And… wild moose chase. Well, there wasn't much of a chase -- but since moose don't understand stairs, wildlife officials in Colorado had to tranquillize a reluctant male, and carry it out of the basement it had fallen into.

CH: As It Happens, the Wednesday edition. Radio that knows that sounds like a load of bull.

[Music: Theme]

Part 1: Truckers Vaccination Deadline, Canada Taiwan Free Trade, Newfoundland Dancing Dog

Truckers Vaccination Deadline

Guest: Shelley Walker

CH: The federal government is delivering a message to cross-border truckers: get vaxxed, or park your rigs. Starting this Saturday, truck drivers crossing into Canada from the United States must be vaccinated. And if the drivers are Canadian, and they don't have their shots, they'll have to quarantine. But the Canadian Trucking Alliance says that 10 percent of Canadian truckers are still unvaccinated. The association is pleading with Ottawa to delay the mandate -- warning of delivery disruptions if it comes in as planned. Shelley Walker is a trucker and the president of the Women's Trucking Federation of Canada. We reached her in Baden, Ontario.

CO: Shelley, what do you think the effect will be if we have this mandate come into effect on Saturday for trucking?

SHELLEY WALKER: Well, we're going to see a supply chain crisis that's even larger than the one we're currently in.

CO: Give us some details?

SW: Well, I'm sure everybody's been out to a store lately and you're noticing there's a lot more empty spaces, less meat on the shelves. Trucks move everything that's in your house. There isn't anything in your house that doesn't move by truck. So if we lose 10,000 drivers to this mandate, there's 10,000 less people to move freight around. So that means there's going to be less food on the shelves. It's going to be a fuel crunch problem. It's… the list goes on.

CO: Okay, well, you know, the federal government, who is putting this… this mandate into effect, they say they're not anticipating a significant disruption. What do you say to them?

SW: They need to come take a step and live in my world, right? They're very off-based on this. They can be so wrong. It's unbelievable. I… every time I see a comment about that coming out of the federal government, I really just sit here and shake my head. I can tell you right now if we did a survey of 181 drivers, all drivers, from coast to coast, and 56 per cent of them are willing to quit their jobs before they're going to get vaccinated.

CO: Whaaat?! That's very high.

SW: It's a high number. I think the government is off on their numbers. Being in the industry and actually being a driver on the ground, I think we're really in for a wakeup call. Or I should say the government’s in for a wake-up call.

CO: Can you give us an estimate as to how many drivers you think are going to be crossing the border or should be crossing the border who are unvaccinated?

SW: I have no idea the exact number, and I don't think anybody has an exact number on that. I can tell you that for the last week here now and every day, my phone rings off the hook. It's drivers calling me wanting to know what do I have to do at the border? What's going to happen? I'm not vaccinated. You know, are they going to put me in a quarantine hotel? Am I going to get a fine? Drivers just don't know what to expect.

CO: When you talk to the drivers who are unvaccinated, what do they tell you as to why they haven't got the jab?

SW: For some of them, they've been crossing for over two years. Why do I need it now? I haven't gotten COVID. People don't seem to understand drivers, we work alone. We come into very, very little contact with another human. You have more odds of catching COVID from the grocery store clerk or the pharmacy clerk or going into a restaurant than you do getting it from a truck driver.

CO: They are crossing a border. They are… they're moving around, they're out there. And are you worried about them for getting Omicron or getting a variant of… of the disease? Do you worry about the drivers?

SW: I always worry about drivers. And you know, early on in the pandemic, we did have drivers that got COVID. They did reach out to me and I helped a few drivers get back across the border safely and into treatment and the stuff that they needed. So it is a serious concern. But when this first started, drivers didn't have any access to hand sanitizer or gloves or even a washroom, right? So we had to learn to adapt and very quickly. The drivers are very safety conscious when it comes to all this stuff. They don't want to spread it, they don't want to get it, but they also believe they have the right to choose what goes into their own body.

CO: And do you try to persuade them to get the jab?

SW: We give them all the information that we've been given. We work very closely with Driver Check to ensure that drivers are getting accurate and correct information. But there's also miscommunication with the medical exemptions, so drivers not understanding what they have to do for that? Where do they go? We also have female drivers that are going through IVF treatment, who cannot have the vaccine because it causes inflammation. So they've already spent $30,000, $40,000, $50,000 trying to have a child and are not about to throw that all away to take a vaccine.

CO: There are some of the companies… we spoke with a Montreal-based company that was offering a $10,000 bonus to drivers who got vaccinated before mid-January. Do you think that the companies themselves are doing enough to incentivize the workers? To encourage them to get vaccinated?

SW: There are some companies. I mean, that's probably one of the only ones in Canada that I've heard of that's given out that kind of money. You know, some companies have given a $400 or $500 incentive. Some have paid for the time off for people to go and get vaccinated. Most have just been really focussing on sharing the information from Public Health.

CO: There is already a big shortage of truck drivers, isn't there, crossing that border?

SW: Yes, we already have a shortage of skilled drivers.

CO: I think the number is 2,3000 jobs are vacant?

SW: That's the estimates coming out of trucking and Truck Canada, yeah.

CO: And so what do you think if… do you think that there will be a number of truckers who will not be driving after this comes into effect?

SW: I already know drivers that have quit already now -- 50 of them right off the top of my head.

CO: And you said at the beginning that you invite the government to come down here to see what you see and learn what you're learning and experiencing. What would you want them to know? What… what is going on in your world that you want other people to know?

SW: Drivers… what people don't understand is drivers live a pretty lonely, existent life in that truck. And so there's already a lot of, you know, issues that we have to think about and the stress levels that we deal with just dealing with day to day traffic, weather conditions. Now we're… you know, we're adding all these mandates and public health things. And this is closed, and that's closed to them, and they don't have access to a washroom. So there's a lot of very different aspects for a driver compared to, you know, somebody that's going to an office every day to go to work. You know, the federal government, we need to have somebody come out of that government and they need to go spend some time in a truck. They need to actually see what's going on out there in the world as a driver sees it and experiences that on a day-to-day basis because then maybe they would appreciate the fact of what drivers do. And you have to remember at the beginning of this pandemic, you classified drivers as a hero for still being out there and still keeping the economy going. And now they're classified like they've always been, as just irrelevant to society.

CO: Do you think that they should be regarded the same way as… as frontline health workers are? And given exemptions, given concessions that they're getting in health care?

SW: Yes, I do. Because people need to remember that every medical supply that's hitting any of those hospitals if a driver doesn't bring them to them, they don’t have it.

CO: Shelley, I appreciate speaking with you.

SW: Thank you, Carol.

CO: Thank you.

CH: Shelley Walker is a trucker and the president of the Women's Trucking Federation of Canada. We reached her in Baden, Ontario.

[Music: Indie pop]

Canada Taiwan Free Trade

Guest: Mario Ste-Marie

CH: We're finally getting a glimpse of Canada's new China policy. For nearly three years, the Trudeau government was focused on securing the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Since they were freed four months ago, foreign policy types have been waiting to see what comes next. Now the Globe and Mail is reporting that a multi-billion dollar Indo-Pacific strategy is in the works. And, on Monday, Canada's Trade Minister, Mary Ng, announced that she's begun talks towards a bilateral investment agreement with Taiwan. That may not seem like much. But Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China, and the talks are more than the Canadian government was willing to contemplate during Mario Ste-Marie's time as our top diplomat in Taipei. Mr. Ste-Marie was the Executive Director of the Canadian Office in Taiwan between 2015 and 2018. We reached him in Magog, Quebec.

CO: Mr. Ste-Marie, what do these talks with Taiwan tell you about the Trudeau government's new approach to Beijing?

MARIO STE-MARIE: It tells me that they probably made their own realization that they have interests beside China. And Taiwan represents quite an interesting economy, and you could almost say a country now to develop further trade investment relationships.

CO: But when you… when you were there, when you were our top diplomat in Taiwan, there wasn't an appetite for this, right? I mean, this… do you think this is because of the Michaels? Because of how China has been so aggressive? Do you think that that is what's changed this approach now to try and have some sort of a free trade agreement, possibly, with Taiwan?

MS: So there was, yes, a strong interest from the Taiwanese, and we could see the benefits on our side here. But there was no political will to go ahead because, at that time, I guess the government didn't want to do anything that could upset the Chinese. And even more when the two Michaels were kidnapped. So it was obvious that they were not going to do anything that could put in danger or upset the Chinese at that time. But now, that to my consideration is resolved. And they see the benefit of diversifying their interests in Asia. Then Taiwan is just obvious because, first of all, they have a very good connection with China. That could be surprising despite the political situation. But one of the best ways to do business in China is going through Taiwan. And plus, it's a democracy. It's a safe place to do business. And the rule of law is applied. So there's all these good reasons why it makes so much sense to… to attract more investment and trade relationships with Taiwan.

CO: But we know that China doesn't want this to happen, right? So this is perceived, including by China itself, the spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry has responded to this initiative by saying that China opposes official contact and agreement of official nature between countries having diplomatic ties with China and the Taiwan region. As you know, China doesn't regard Taiwan as a nation, but as a province, an extension of itself. So is this really… is it entirely about developing trade with Taiwan or is Canada, with this, sending a message that it plans to play hardball with China?

MS: I wouldn't say that. I wouldn't go that far. I think the government realized that it's in its interest. And it's… it's a good approach to diversify their interests. So I don't think that in a trade point of view, for instance, that there would be much change with China. But yes, it's shows certainly some courage to put Canadian business and economic interests ahead. And courage to face some strong comments from China. But Canada would not be the first country to have an investment or trade agreement with Taiwan. And by the way, Taiwan is already a member of the World Trade Organization, so Canada is in full right to have a trade and investment agreement with Taiwan.

CO: Now, but this is… the Globe and Mail, Robert Fife, is reporting that this initiative with Taiwan is part of something, a proposed multi-billion-dollar Indo-Pacific strategy. This is a strategy that would shift Canada's reliance from China and move into, as you say, building trade relations with other parts of the region. But it seems to be in the way it's being described as a kind of a diplomatic way of saying we're going to trade with everyone but China. Or this particular strategy is a way of saying, yeah, everyone in except for China. And so, what do you think of this idea of this Indo-Pacific strategy?

MS: Well, I think it makes… it makes sense. You know, we have to keep in mind that Canadian export to China is only four per cent of total Canadian exports. Sure, it's important for some commodities, but globally it's only four per cent. And… and you look at the Indo-Pacific region together, it should include Sri-Lanka and India and the Asian countries from Southeast Asia. It's a total of over two billion people. So it is important. And, of course, China will take it, I would say personally, but it really makes sense in some cases and point of view to invest more in the Indo-Pacific region. And if the benefit is to be a bit less vulnerable to the type of bullying and behaviour that China seems to like to demonstrate when they are not happy, well, that would be just a positive for Canada.

CO: And what signal do you think it sends to Canadians about how we're going to be treating China and the region?

MS: Well, we'll see. But, you know, if in fact, you know, there's an agreement signed with Taiwan, and if in the future you see more engagement with Taiwan, for instance, with the minister visiting Taiwan or meeting a Taiwanese minister, it would certainly send a signal that Ottawa is willing to take some heat from China and to show the courage to put ahead the economic benefit that it's looking forward with these… with these agreements. So I think that would be positive. I think it's time to do it. And it would probably call for more respect from the Chinese [chuckling] because that's pretty much the way they operate.

CO: We'll leave it there. Mr. Ste-Marie, I appreciate speaking with you. Thank you.

MS: You're welcome.

CH: Mario Ste-Marie was the Executive Director of the Canadian Office in Taiwan between 2015 and 2018. We reached him in Magog, Quebec.

[Music: Instrumental]

Newfoundland Dancing Dog

Guest: Carol Tibbo

CH: When Georgia's song comes on, it looks as though she is transported to another place and time. Possibly a dance party where she can show off her moves. And likely where she is not a dog. Georgia is a three-and-a-half-year-old sheepdog who lives in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. And she loves to dance. We reached Georgia's owner, Carol Tibbo, in St. John's.

CO: Carol, since this is radio, we need you to describe what Georgia's dancing looks like.

CAROL TIBBO: [chuckling] Okay, so Georgia's dancing; Georgia tends to rock when she dances, she moves her front legs a lot, and she rocks a little bit back and forth. And moves her head, gets into the beat.

CO: Does she have favourite songs?

CT: She doesn't have favourites, but we often wonder that. The first time we saw her dance, it was a Keith Urban, so kind of a more fair song, a bit rockish. But she danced from everything to old standards, Frank Sinatra, Bryan Adams. [CO chuckles] Currently, she has a rap song out there. So yeah.

CO: And you say she likes to rock. How many… I mean, literally, rock back and forth. Does she have any other moves?

CT: She does move those front legs. She lifts them up off the ground, and, you know, she's back and forth with those feet, [chuckling] yeah.

CO: Now, she's three-and-a-half years old. So when did you first notice that she had this ability to dance to the beat?

CT: When she was a puppy. We would see her doing this and, you know, notice there was music on, but we never really thought anything much of it. But then there was this one moment when it was pretty clear to us that she was in time with the music, and that was the first time that we were like, this dog is dancing. It's not something that she does every single day, but she does it frequent enough that, you know, we're pretty sure that she's dancing to the music. [barking in the distance]

CO: Is that… that just can't be Georgia! She's a sheepdog! So who's that?

CT: [chuckling] That's our other dog, who's not in the limelight right now. [continuing to chuckle] That's our other dog?

CO: Who is… what's… what's his or her name?

CT: That's Lola. She is a small dog. She's a Havanese.

CO: And Georgia is not teaching her how to dance?

CT: No, she does her own tricks. [chuckle]

CO: Okay. Well, maybe… maybe she'll be in the limelight soon, and Georgia will have to step aside?

CT: She's the small dog, so she's the boss.

CO: Oh, Okay, I see. Now, you've had a lot of response from people. You've been posting these dances, and of course, everybody needs something right now to perk up their spirit. So what reaction have you had?

CT: Well, when we post one of the videos of her dancing, [Lola barks] we have… we have some followers on Instagram, and they will often share that, oh, Georgia's dancing again. That makes me so happy. This made my day. This made my weekend. [barks] It's a really good feeling to even just know that someone smiles because of something that you posted on social media.

CO: Now, you know some of these dancing animals, we've covered them on As It Happens. That will come as no surprise to people, but they're… one of their favourites was there's a cockatoo that would dance to Elvis Presley. Did you ever see that one? A beautiful dancer.

CT: Yup! That's one of my favourite videos. Yeah, that's one of my favourite videos. Every time that one pops up, I just have to watch the whole thing, and I just love it.

CO: And we have spoken with pet owners in the past whose animals had an affinity for dancing to our theme song on As It Happens, and I'm going to just play a bit. We had… Pickles was one, and he liked to sing along, so let's have a listen to that dog.

SOUNDCLIP

[Sound: The AIH theme song as Pickles barks to it.]

WOMAN: How's that?

MARY LOU FINLAY: Oh, that's lovely. What a beautiful voice. I don't think I'll ever hear the theme again without hearing Pickles lovely soprano.

WOMAN: [laughing] Yes.

CO: So that was from 2005, Mary Lou Finlay interviewing Pickles the dog singing to the theme song. So do you think that maybe you can get Georgia to groove to the tune of As It Happens?

CT: Let's try it out! [laughing]

CO: Or maybe you can get Lola to sing it.

CT: Yeah, no, I think that… I think maybe what we'll do is we'll have to have Georgia have a listen to that one and see what happens… As It Happens.

CO: Well, if it happens and you record it, let us know, and we'll… we'll put it up for people to see.

CT: We will!

CO: Thanks, Carol.

CT: Okay. You're welcome.

CO: All right. Bye-bye.

CT: Bye.

CH: Carol Tibbo is the owner of Georgia the dancing sheepdog. She was in St. John's in Newfoundland and Labrador.

[Music: Indie rock]

Moose In Basement

CH: You already know what you've been hearing from downstairs. The thumping, the scratching, the snuffling, the loud flatulence. But it's still a shock when the pest-control guy comes up the stairs and tells you, "Yep -- you got moose." It's an increasingly common problem. Insofar as it never happened before, and now it's happened once. In a home in Breckenridge, Colorado. When Parks and Wildlife officers arrived, their training enabled them to quickly confirm that there was, indeed, a moose in the basement. An investigation revealed that the moose had been hanging out outside when it had fallen through a window well covered with snow -- at which point it was confused to find itself hanging out inside. Now, this was all helpful information. But understandably, everyone, including the moose, felt the moose should not be in a basement. And that's where things got tricky. Because moose don't really "get" the concept of stairs. So it refused to go up them to get back outside. So the wildlife officers tranquillized the animal and carried it outside -- after first removing its antlers. Which sounds brutal, but isn't: right around now, its antlers would have fallen off anyway, only to grow back fresh in the spring. The moose is fine. But probably a little grumpy. So everyone in the vicinity in Colorado, keep an eye on your basements. Because mad moose travels fast.

[Music: Ambient]

Part 2: Montreal Haiti Journalist Killed, Neil Peart Tribute

Montreal Haiti Journalist Killed

Guest: Jérémy Dupin

CH: It was a gruesome attack that left two journalists dead and their family and friends heartbroken. Late last week, Haitian journalists, John Wesley Amady and Wilguens Louissaint were gunned down on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. They had been returning from an interview with members of a local gang when armed assailants opened fire. John Wesley Amady worked for a Montreal-based radio station. Jérémy Dupin was a friend and colleague of the reporters. We reached him in Boston.

CO: Jérémy, first of all, I'm so sorry for your loss.

JÉRÉMY DUPIN: Oh, thank you.

CO: How difficult has it been for you to try to piece together what happened to these two journalists in Haiti?

JD: Well, I don't know much than what many people know. Because when that happened, I was already away because I left Haiti on Christmas Eve. So that was the last time Amady and I and Wilguens actually took me to the airport after an assignment. And that… that was the last time we all see each other.

CO: Did you have a sense that they were working on very dangerous stories? Because these were journalists who were known to be quite fearless, who went into places where others wouldn't go, right?

JD: Yes, yes, they were working… they were working on this story. And, I mean, actually, it's a story that we were working on. So I do know the… the risk that they were working through. And I can say, if I was in Haiti, most likely I would have been there too. Because I knew the story that they were working on and I was working on that story as well with them.

CO: This was a very dangerous part of Port-au-Prince that they were in. Tell us where they were and what they were trying to find out?

JD They were in La Boule. They were in La Boule, and they went to interview one particular gang that’s stationed up there. And apparently, on their way back they met with… I mean, it's like they came from it's like an enemy territory. And they met that other gang that didn't give them the chance to leave. Because despite they were begging for their life, they were begging for grace, explained that they were journalists, they assassinated them anyway because they were coming from that other rival, you know, like rival gang territory.

CO: And so, just tell us a bit more about the two reporters. Tell us a bit about Amady? What was he like? You worked with him for a long time?

JD: Well, I know… I knew Amady and Wilguens since I'd say 2014-2015, but we start working together two years ago. So since then, there were, you know, become part of my, you know, my crew, my production crew, even if they were still freelancing. So, you know, little by little, we become not only colleagues, but very, very close friends. And we develop this… you know, this brotherhood relationship. Honestly, Amady, is this, you know, fearless… like fearless journalist that, you know, always, always ready to go. Like always is a, you know, very, very smiley person. Very, very happy. So Amady is like, you know, he has this sense of generosity, which is unbelievable. Wilguens is like, you know, the youngest amongst us, almost 22 years old. You know, we develop like big brother, younger brother relationship. I would receive a text from him every morning, like, when I'm in Haiti and when we were working on something. It's like every morning by 6:00-7:00, I know I'll have a text form from him.

CO: Amady was a Montreal journalist. He was working for… in addition to working with you, he worked with… He reported for Radio Écoute FM in Montreal. These men were taking enormous risks. It's very dangerous, as you well know, to work as a reporter in Haiti. Why was it important to them? Why… why were they willing to go into these really dangerous places?

JD: It is the kind of instinct that, you know, that they have when they believe that a story has to be told, and they took the risk. You know, I am the same kind of person, and that's what I can only say that I am… I am lucky that I wasn't in Port-au-Prince at the time because it's the most likely I would have been there. Unfortunately, Haiti, is this kind of place. The situation is like going from bad to worse because it's like every day, every week, you heard of a new gang take place, a new gang occupy a new place.

CO: And, as you point out, it was already dangerous before the most recent events, which was in July, the assassination of the president. And so, we've seen these gangs gain tremendous strength, right? And so, the story that they were working on was the killing of a police inspector. Is that right?

JD: There was this… the killing of the police inspector that happened a few days ago, but we were working on another… it was another story with two that was actually on guns trafficking in Haiti, so the story was much more in-depth. It is very unfortunate that those gangs have got so much power lately. And you don't, unfortunately, see any will or any leadership to try to contain that situation and to try to pacify this place to make it a more livable place.

CO: So what are the chances that the people who… who killed these two journalists will be arrested and charged?

JD: Zero. Zero. Amady and Wilguens, as all the other journalists that, you know, has been assassinated, and any other one that will be assassinated in the future, there is no chance. There's zero chance anyone will be brought to justice to respond to what they do.

CO: Jérémy, I'm so sorry again for your loss. And I appreciate you telling us the story. Thank you.

JD: Thank you. It's my pleasure. Thank you.

CH: Jérémy Dupin was a friend and colleague to two reporters who were killed in Haiti. We reached Mr. Dupin in Boston, Massachusetts.

[Music: Ambient]

No10 Garden Party

CH: The invitation went out to more than 100 staffers. They were welcome at a garden party. There would be socially distanced drinks. BYOB, mind you. Not a good look for Downing Street staff to be caught boozing on the taxpayer dime, after all. Although it's really not a good look to have been caught at all. After all, the party occurred in May, 2020 -- when Brits were banned from meeting with more than one person from another household, outdoors. In the end, there are believed to have been 30 people in the British Prime Minister's garden -- Boris Johnson and his wife among them. The revelation is just the latest in a series of stories about apparently illicit gatherings involving the PM. Today, Mr. Johnson apologized but stopped short of admitting any wrongdoing. Which wasn't good enough for opposition leader Keir Starmer.

SOUNDCLIP

KEIR STARMER: After months of deceit and deception, the pathetic spectacle of a man who's run out of road. [cheering of agreeance] His defence… his defence that he didn't realize he was at a party. [laughing in the crowd] It is so ridiculous that it's actually offensive to the British public. He's finally been forced to admit what everyone knew. That when the whole country was locked down, he was hosting boozy parties in Downing Street. [crowd cheers and says "yes"] Is he now going to do the decent thing and resign? [ cheering]

SIR LINDSAY HOYLE: Prime Minister.

BORIS JOHNSON. Yeah. Well, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the… the point that he's making about the event that I attended. I want to… I want to repeat that I thought it was a work event. [crowd does not like that] And Mr. Speaker, I regret… I regret very much… I regret very much that we did not do things differently that evening. Mr. Speaker, as I said. And I take responsibility, and I apologize, Mr. Speaker. But as for… as for his… his political point, I don't think that he should pre-empt the outcome of the inquiry. He will have… he will have a further opportunity, Mr. Speaker, I hope, to question me as soon as possible.

SLH: Keir Starmer.

KS: The prime minister is a man without shame. [crowd cheers "here"] The public want answers to their questions. Hannah Brady's father, Sean, was just 55 when he lost his life to COVID. He was a fit and healthy key worker. I spoke to Hannah last night, Prime Minister. Her father died just days before the drinks trolley was being wheeled through Downing Street. And last year, Hannah met the prime minister in the Downing Street garden. She looked at the prime minister in the eye and told him of her loss. The prime minister told Hannah he'd done everything he could to protect her dad. Looking back, what Hannah told me last night was this: she realizes that the prime minister had partied in that same garden the very day her dad's death certificate was signed. What Hannah wants to know is this: does the prime minister understand why it makes her feel sick to think about the way that he's behaved? [crowd cheers "here"]

BJ: Mr. Speaker, I sympathise deeply with… with Hannah, with people who have suffered up and down in this country during the pandemic. And I repeat that I wish things had been done differently on that evening, Mr. Speaker. And I repeat my apology for all the misjudgements that may have been made that were made on my watch in No10 and across the government. But I want to reassure the people of this country, including Hannah and… and her family, that, Mr. Speaker, we have been working to do everything we can to protect her and her family.

CH: Part of an exchange between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Keir Starmer during Prime Minister's Questions today.

[Music: Jazz]

Neil Peart Tribute

Guest: Brandon Toews

CH: Um, a certain percentage of you are about to start furiously air-drumming.

[Music: A medley of Rush songs with the drumming of Brandon Toews above it]

CH: Twenty-four-year-old drummer Brandon Toews, playing along to three Rush songs there. And if hearing that brief snippet made you think, "I'd like to hear a lot more of that" - you are in luck. That was just a tiny excerpt of what might be one of the most ambitious medleys of all time: elements from every song ever recorded by Rush -- all 175 of them, in chronological order of release, retooled into a streamlined 24-minute-long package, with a tight focus on the performances of legendary drummer, Neil Peart. The project is a tribute to Mr. Peart. We reached drummer Brandon Toews in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

CO: Brandon, what possessed you to decide to play and record every rush song ever in one medley?

BRANDON TOEWS: Yeah, so we were coming up on the second anniversary of Neil Peart's passing, and I wanted to do something, first of all, that had never been done before. But also something that really honoured Neil's legacy as a drummer and as a member of the band Rush. And this was something that had never been done before. So I took the… the challenge upon myself to attempt to do it. And that's the video that you see out right now.

CO: But we're talking about decades of music, right, from Rush?

BT: Forty years.

CO: And some really, really difficult drum parts.

BT: Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's… they definitely aren't easy. And anyone who knows Neil or knows of Neil or even just the band Rush, they were known for making some pretty complex and challenging music. And they really developed an incredible fanbase around… like a cult following sort of around their music because it was so different and so unique. But clearly, it stood the test of time, and they're still… they're one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

CO: And as far as the cult status, Neil Peart especially, right? I mean, '70s and '80s, every garage and basement had some teenager trying to play those parts. [chuckle]

BT: Exactly. [chuckle] Absolutely.

CO: So he… and he was called "The Professor" by many people. What influence did he have on drumming?

BT: I mean, he wasn't your typical rock star drummer that stereotypically you would read about in books and then hear about videos. He was definitely an academic, and he was an intellectual. And that came across in the lyrics that he wrote. It came across in a way that he constructed and composed his drum parts so thoughtfully. Like every… every detail that went into those parts was chosen for a reason, and that just seems to be the nature of how he was wired as a person. But I think that's why he left such a legacy for drummers and musicians for decades was because he was different.

CO: You forgot to mention that he published books.

BT: Absolutely. Yeah, yeah. He… um… I believe he has like seven or eight books out now. I know I've read a few of them of. But yeah, he… he was the primary lyricist for Rush, and a lot of people don't… don't realize that or haven't recognised that.

CO: We're talking about the recordings, but the actual performances, when you saw them, were… what was central to Neil Peart's performance was the huge drum kit, right? I mean, it was like a whole stage just of his… his parts of his kit. So just describe some of that?

BT: Yeah, for sure. So kind of what we did in the video, to play all of those songs back to back in chronological order from 1973 to 2012, obviously, Neil's drum kits changed over the years. So when I was performing this medley in the studio, I had to have access to all of those different pieces and sounds. So the kit that you see in the video is actually a little bit bigger than what Neil even had, just because it had everything on it.

CO: But that was… that was a kind of a thing in the '80s, wasn't it? The kind of Spinal Tap thing, but most of it was just for show. He actually used all those pieces?

BT: Exactly. Yeah, there's… I mean, there's so many drummers… you can see music videos from the '80s, and there's so many drums and cymbals on these drum kits, but rarely did everything get used. And every single piece that Neil had on his kit was there for a reason. And that's because Neil approached this music as… as a composer, as a drum set composer, and there is a reason for all of it.

CO: Rush would play these three-hour-long shows, and he would be playing all that kit all the time. What was it like from your own point of view? How much endurance did you have to have to do this?

BT: Yeah, absolutely. It's… I mean, when I was playing with 24 minutes of parts that Neil created. And I'll tell you, by the end of that, that was pretty, pretty exhausting. It's… it was definitely an endurance challenge, something that I wasn't used to doing. And what's even more amazing about this is Neil was in his 60s. And on their last tour, the R40 tour, he was still playing for three hours straight these parts that were so physically demanding, and that's just an incredible feat that he was able to do that for 40 years, even up to that age.

CO: You did all of this over a 10-week period. Did you get sick of Rush?

BT: [laughing] I can't say I got sick of them, but I feel like I was pretty done with that medley by the 10-week mark. I mean, I'm a huge Rush fan, and I would often just take a break from listening to that medley we built and just listen to the full studio versions. Because in that medley, there's only five to 10 seconds of each song. But obviously, every one of those songs is… it could be up to 20 minutes per song. So sometimes I gave myself a break, and because it was… it was a lot of work to… to listen to all of that for so long. But that's what it requires to learn it. That was really the only way that I could piece this together and actually reach the goal of filming it by September.

CO: What reaction have you had to mash-up of all the Rush drum solos?

BT: Honestly, it's been overwhelmingly positive. I know it's anytime you release a tribute., it's… it's always interesting because people can take that as this is something that's shining light on me. It's a piece that isn't about Neil, it's about me. But what was so cool to see is that all of the Rush fans out there and music fans saw beyond that and actually saw my intention behind this video, which had nothing to do with me. It was all about a tribute and bringing honour to the legacy that Neil created. These are parts that I performed in this medley, but Neil was the one who actually created these parts. So it's been really cool to see the music community respond so positively.

CO: Well, I have a feeling that we're going to be playing a bit of Rush, [laughing] and a bit of Neil Peart right now.

BT: I love it!

CO: But it's great to talk to you, Brandon. Thank you.

BT: Yeah, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

CO: Bye.

BT: Bye-bye.

CH: Brandon Toews is a drummer and project manager with the music education program Drumeo. We reached drummer Brandon Toews in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

[Music: Disco?]

Part 3: Montreal Potato Donation, Met Opera Weekend

Caveman Bill

CH: For the past 20 years, Bill Donaldson has lived in a cave in Dawson City, Yukon. He lives there by choice, and he's got a pretty good set-up. There's a bed, a desk, a wood stove -- and he's got lots of episodes of Dexter to watch. If you feel like you've been struggling with the extreme isolation brought on by COVID, "Caveman Bill", as he's known, has some tips for you. He spoke with the CBC about how he ended up in his cave and why he loves it so much.

SOUNDCLIP

BILL DONALDSON: In the beginning, I never really planned on spending the winter there. But then, as now, there's kind of a housing crisis in Dawson. And I couldn't find a better place, and so I just kind of battened down the hatches and got myself a wood stove. And, you know, what do you know?! It worked! [chuckling]

GEORGE MARATUS: What's cave life like?

BD: You know, fundamentally, it's not that much different than life anywhere else. You know, the river is a little bit close and can come to visit at times. And, you know, I occasionally get some critters walking by. And I do the same things, you know, other people do. You know, I cook my dinner, I got a bed, and I got, you know, a workstation. And, you know, it's, yeah, not much different than… if you… if you look at people living in an apartment building, for example, it's basically just a bunch of stacked up caves, concrete caves, except they're in a city. You know, so it's not really much different from that.

GM: Simple living is… is kind of the way you live your life and have been for… for four years. So many people don't know how to live that way anymore, and now they're being forced to. How can one do that?

BD: Take the time to do things. Like nowadays, in a fast-paced world, everybody, you know, you know, got to do this, got to do this, you know, we're stuck in that hamster wheel of necessity. We're chasing goals that we can't attain, you know? Slow down a little bit, you know, take an hour or so to make dinner. Get into thinking about the things you really need in your life, you know? Because a lot of the stuff people chase in society like money and prestige, you know, sometimes the harder you chase it, the more it'll elude you.

GM: On that note, what are the top five things for you for a happy life? For Caveman Bill, what… what do you need?

BD: Well, peace of mind, I think, is important. And, you know, of course, obviously, you know, a warm place to sleep and food in your belly. Friends, I guess hope. So many people live their lives without hope. And I think being able to hold on to some kind of hope is essential.

CH: That was Bill Donaldson -- known as "Caveman Bill" -- speaking with CBC Yukon producer George Maratus.

[Music: Folk jig]

Montreal Potato Donation

Guest: Mac Watson

CH: For Prince Edward Island's potato growers, the last couple of months have been tough and frustrating. In November, the Canadian government suspended trade of fresh potatoes from P.E.I to the US -- after warts were discovered in two fields. It's a fungus that can affect yields, but doesn't harm human health. The bad news for farmers made Quebec's Mac Watson want to do something to help. His efforts culminated in thousands of bags of potatoes being delivered to the Welcome Hall Mission in Montreal this week. Mr. Watson is a retired geologist. And he's in Montreal.

CO: Mac, I'm looking at a picture of a warehouse aisle in Montreal filled with 5,000 bags of potatoes. What was it like for you to see all those spuds?

MAC WATSON: Oh yeah, wasn't that beautiful? It was such a great story that she… Alison did. And it was… so many people have picked up on it. It's just… it's just, you know, she did a great job with it.

CO: But a great job as a journalist with a great story, which is [both chuckle] you. You're the story here, your efforts. How did you come to decide you wanted to… to… to put this together? To help the P.E.I. potato growers?

MW: You know, it's well known over the last month or so or maybe two months, I don't know, that the potato farmers were going to be shut out of the U.S. And, you know, I wondered how… how can I do something to help? And I know… right away, I said, well, I'll buy a trailer load. Now, how do I go about putting it all together? Well, I know Sam Watts at the Welcome Hall Mission, and I've donated there over the years. So I spoke with him, and Sam thought it was a good idea. So then I didn't have any contacts in P.E.I., and then I contacted my friend, Senator… ex-Senator Mike Duffy. And Mike was able to come up with a number of, you know, very quickly for me a telephone number. And I contacted the chap by the name of Mark Phillips. He's with the P.E.I. Potato Marketing Board. And so then I put those two guys together, the Potato Board and… and Welcome Hall. And now they needed money. [chuckling]

CO: Right! Okay, well, we should take this a bit more one step at a time. [chuckling] So you got… you put this together. The Senator, former Senator Mike Duffy, helped you to put these two parts together, which were the people of Montreal at the Welcome Hall Mission, who needed food.

MW: Yes.

CO: And you, who had all these potatoes in. So how did you get the potatoes from P.E.I. to Montreal?

MW: Well, they shipped them in a trailer load, you know, there's 5,000 bags of potatoes shipped in one load. So that's… what's that? I think 50,000 pounds of potatoes. It was a… it was a… certainly, from the photograph, it was a great load.

CO: It's no small potatoes, is it? [laughing]

MW: No, no small potatoes.

CO: And so… and who paid for it? How much did that cost to make… do that shipment?

MW: Well, it costs $13,000. I did it with… by selling or donating shares to Welcome Hall that I had a large capital gain on. So I just took… donated those shares. And Welcome Hall, in turn, they sell the shares. And with the proceeds of the… of the shares, then they were able to turn around and organize or pay for the shipment, and… and it was on its way. So this… and it all happened very quickly. You know, I just thought of this… I just came up with the idea about three weeks ago, and --

CO: And now, here all the potatoes are in the warehouse.

MW: Yeah, yeah.

CO: Now, it just… it's just, we'll just point out for people, which is important in case they're wondering about this, these were perfectly good potatoes, right? This… this…

MW: Oh, absolutely.

CO: This wart was found in a few farms that had nothing to do with this… the potato crops that were to be exported. This is why the P.E.I. farmers were so upset about this.

MW: Exactly.

CO: They had the biggest crop they've had in history, it seems, and so perfectly… perfectly good potatoes, right?

MW: Exactly, exactly. And it's probably only from two fields rather than a few fields. I think it's only I think they said only two fields, so.

CO: That's right, two fields. Now, what is the Welcome Hall Mission going to do with all those potatoes?

MW: Well, they feed, I believe they put out 1,200 meals a week. And then they have a grocery store where they give… people have cards, actually have their own… because they have 2,500 people on their list, they have a card. And they can go in once a week, and they can get their groceries, and it's all free. So I would think this load of potatoes would probably go out the door well within… within a week or two. So then we'll need more.

CO: And are you planning… planning to… to arrange to have more delivered.

MW: I'm hoping to inspire other people to do likewise. And Sam was just telling me this morning that he's getting donations coming in right from Nanaimo, Calgary, Ottawa, all over the country. So this… somehow this story has got around.

CO: Now and you… so other people might pick up what you're doing in Montreal. But I'm wondering, you know, the cost of food is skyrocketing, right? It's difficult for so many families, right?

MW: Exactly.

CO: Do you think that your success helping the both the P.E.I. potato farmers and the hungry, can you… do you think this can be repeated elsewhere in Canada?

MW: Oh, I don't see any… I don't see why not? I mean, I think we could do it right in Toronto. Actually, I have a friend in Toronto that he's about to do the same thing with… with a group in Toronto. I forget the name of the charity or the food bank there, but --

CO: Don't worry about it. No, but it's good. So you're… so Toronto and elsewhere. I mean, there are all kinds of places where you've got --

MW: Ottawa, Ottawa. Definitely Ottawa, yes. And you know, any large city. Now, the further away you go, I guess, you know, the shipping would probably get to probably too much. But certainly up to Toronto wouldn't be any problem.

CO: And have you heard anything from the P.E.I. farmers about your gesture?

MW: Well, they're certainly very happy. I've heard from people in the Marketing Board. And hopefully, there'll be many, many trailer loads coming out of P.E.I.

CO: Well, it certainly is an inspiration, Mac. And I appreciate what you're doing and for speaking with us. Thank you.

MQ: Thanks. Have a good day. Bye now.

CO: You too. Bye-bye.

MW: Bye.

CH: Mac Watson donated potatoes from P.E.I to the Welcome Hall Mission in Montreal. That's where we reached him.

[Music: Folk]

B.C. Peacock

CH: He was among the most prominent residents of the BC community of Naramata. He was often spotted around town, sporting his beautiful iridescent feathers. This week, that resident -- a peacock named Kevin -- was found dead in someone's yard. Now, only one of the birds -- whose name is Peter -- is left in town. Peacocks have been in Naramata for over a decade -- at times, frustrating some residents who weren't too fond of the excrement or their scratching of vehicles. But tributes have been pouring in for Kevin. Karla Kozakevich is the Naramata representative for the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen.

SOUNDCLIP

KARLA KOZAKEVICH: The peacocks have really grown into being our community mascot. And the one that passed away, effectually known as Kevin, and he's had other names. I used to call him Percy til I learned that the community changed his name or named him Kevin. Kevin was right on the main street of Naramata, on Robinson, quite frequently. So visitors could see him every time they came right down into the village core. He was often outside The Grape Leaf restaurant. And… and if you stopped to see him, he would often do his dance for you. He would shake his feathers and spin around in a circle. He was very friendly with all of the visitors and locals.

CHRIS WALKER: And what happened to Kevin?

KK: Well, we don't know for sure. Something got him, possibly a bobcat. I'm not sure if it's coyotes? But we have had many bobcat sightings recently throughout the village, so we do think it was a bobcat. I did receive a message on Monday morning from a resident letting me know that he had found the remains of a peacock in his yard. People are very sad. I've been following the comments on Facebook, and not… not just locals. Were seeing messages from people quite far away who are visitors to the community who are very sad that he's gone, and we know that that just leaves one peacock remaining at this time.

CW: Now, is there… do we know how Peter is reacting to this?

KK: I don't know. Kevin, he always lived… he would roost at night right above our Okanagan Regional Library branch. So he was… he would live above the library. And I would come out from the seniors' home next door late at night from some public meetings. And he would sometimes he'd really startle me with his call. But I've often heard him and the other peacock calling back and forth to one another, but they definitely had their own territories in the community.

CH: Karla Kozakevich is the Naramata representative for the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen. She spoke to the CBC's Chris Walker today on Daybreak Kelowna.

[Music: Ambient]

Met Opera Weekend

Guest: Zachary Woolfe

CH: I don't know what your weekend plans look like during the Omicron era -- but I think it's fair to say that for many of us, the schedule is packed with a whole lotta nothing. Still, last weekend, New York Times classical music editor Zachary Woolfe had an extremely busy weekend to remember. Between Friday night and Sunday afternoon, Mr. Woolfe attended four complete operas presented by the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Centre. That's about 12 hours of opera -- including intermissions -- in a 48-hour period. We reached Zachary Woolfe in New York City.

CO: Zachary, what is it like to watch four complete operas in two days?

ZACHARY WOOLFE: [laughing] It is… I mean, it's a pleasure, obviously. I mean, my job is always fun, but to kind of get to do projects that push me a little bit, even as a spectator, are really enjoyable. So it's a lot of time in a seat, but it is a pretty exciting prospect.

CO: But what's it like to watch four complete operas in two days in the midst of a pandemic?

ZW: First of all, it's an achievement for the Met to be doing. And that is the reason that I wanted to do it now is we at the Times had published a story at the end of last week about the sort of combination of restrictions and luck by which the Met has managed to stay open at all, while Broadway shows and ballet and festivals have closed left and right. And not only are they staying open, but they're kind of doing it, as I wrote with an exclamation point, which is to be using the kind of immense backstage resources and their Sunday matinees, which are relatively new, they began just before the pandemic, to put on four different titles in the course of a weekend. And so, it is an amazing… it was amazing even before the pandemic, and it's sort of an amazing spectacle now, even if everyone in the theatre is masked and vaccinated. And even though a cough that you hear to your left has obviously kind of taken on a different resonance than it did before the pandemic, [CO chuckles] it is a comfortable… I feel comfortable and safe there. So it's just kind of you're in wonder that they're that they've been able to manage it.

CO: But not… it's not just that they have been able to stay open when others, like Broadway shows concerts, the Vienna State Opera was shut for a week. They've not missed a performance this season, as you reported. I mean, this is extraordinary!

ZW: It's amazing. I mean, the Met was very early about saying that they wanted to have a split among the people producing it, among backstage and the artists, a… really strict policies. They instituted vaccine requirements very early. And I've been backstage over the past few months to report stories, and the rehearsals have been masked. There has been, I think, almost universal masking, except when people are on stage. And when Omicron really began driving this massive surge, especially in the city, they added the sense that even in dress rehearsals, the singers, the performers would be masked. And so it's really only onstage and during performances that the masks come off. And the PCR testing, I think, is at this point happening three times a week for all performers. And they… they've been very, very proactive. So it's been a combination of those restrictions. And then, at a certain point, it is, as they admit, luck as well.

CO: [laughing] Well, and because you've been backstage at the Met, you know what it's like. It's just hundreds of people milling and just colliding with each other moving around. It's just a huge machine, isn't it? So they must have all these protocols in place. But, yes, luck is part of it. What other… how… how deep is their… is their stand-ins for filling in if someone does get sick?

ZW: That's the other aspect is that there are… and the fact that they're able to do multiple titles at a given time increases the number of people who are in New York singing opera at any given time. And so they're able to kind of grab replacements from other casts, especially when you're talking about repertory works. A lot of people have sung the title role in Rigoletto, versus who might have sung I do opera say. Or people have sung the roles in Marriage of Figaro. It's not… so there's… there's just a deeper bench than there are for a given Broadway show. And so, and it's also the stagings are a little less specific and often less new than a Broadway show. I mean, for a bunch of these things that the Met is doing, they're the same productions that have been up for years. And so it just makes the process of getting people as stand-ins much easier and raises the bar by which they would need to cancel.

CO: And I guess they've had to be quite innovative when, for example, when a wicked stepsister in Cinderella tested positive, what did they do in order to keep the show on?

ZW: [laughing] You had somebody who had not, I believe, had not danced on the stage of the Met in years come in. And because it's a role that combines singing with that production has a good amount of pretty specific kind of choreography and movement associated with it. And so someone basically learned at the very last minute the movement and the choreography, danced it on stage while another singer sang it from the wings. And so that was… I mean, I've of heard that happening on occasion elsewhere in the world, but it is a big rarity at the Met. But yes, anything to keep the show going.

CO: And just finally, because the same line-up of operas is playing the weekend of January 21st. What advice would you give to anyone who is going to attempt to do what you did?

ZW: [laughing] Well, a comfortable mask is now something that anyone needs for a lot of opera. So, yes, I mean, a comfortable mask is what I would say. And it's even possible the week… in a couple of weeks to add a fifth, because Sunday evening, there is a solo recital featuring a soprano. So an extremely intrepid person could add a fifth performance to their weekend, which… to which I would only say, yes. Very good luck.

CO: All right.

ZW: It will not be. It will not be me. [chuckling]

CO: That will go out to all the extremely intrepid listeners [chuckling] who might have a chance to be in New York on that weekend. And, Zachary, it's great to talk to you. Thank you.

ZW: Thank you so much.

CO: Bye-bye.

CH: Zachary Woolfe is the New York Times classical editor. We reached him in New York City.

[Music: Jazz]

Vancouver Storm Crow Manor Sale

CH: Jason Kapalka may be closing his doors, but the Vancouver bar owner says his patrons are still opening their wallets. Not to buy drinks, but to bid on items from The Storm Crow's impressive collection of science fiction and fantasy memorabilia. Mr. Kapalka says proceeds will benefit staff, and help cover the costs of the COVID-induced closure. And he says the community's response to the self-proclaimed "nerd bar's" final promotion has helped soften the blow of its closure. Here's what he told the CBC's Jon Hernandez about the items up for grabs.

SOUNDCLIP

JASON KAPALKA: This is our Han Solo in carbonate, which was, yeah, one of the earlier items we… we got. Up here is kind of the rancor, which is one of our custom… custom pieces that was made by, you know, some local VFX guys. And, yeah, it's a one-of-a-kind thing. It’s quite… I'm still pretty amazed at the detail on it. You can get it right up close and it's all the skin and stuff like that is very realistic. So it pretty much does look like a, you know, a taxidermied alien head, which is technically it's a baby rancor because a real rancor would be bigger, but it wouldn't fit if we'd done a full-scale one. We've a lot of autographs of different science fiction or fantasy, you know, actors and celebrities on the walls. Some of them we found at conventions or online, and some of them were from people actually hung out here. Probably my favourite one is Elijah Wood, who was in town for some film a couple of years back and would come in every weekend to watch Game of Thrones with a bunch of his pals. But I think the funniest time was when some people came in and they noticed he was sitting at a table underneath a picture of Frodo, and you saw these people coming and doing this double take as they saw, you know, Elijah Woods underneath this picture of Frodo. The reception from people has been kind of really great. It's been a lot more… a lot more bidding than we expected on some of the items. Some stuff, you know, is gone for way more than it's really worth. I think mostly because people just were waiting to kind of show some, you know, you know, loyalty to the bar and the staff here. So they bought things like the Jar Jar in a jar, which was ahead of Jar Jar Binks in a big jar of liquid. I think someone paid $350 for that, which is certainly more than it's worth. At one point, we were filling up with fluid and we were trying to figure out a way that we could actually maybe sell Jar Jar Jar fluid, where we’d sell shots of some sort of liquor out of it, and we did actually try it briefly. The problem we had was that it was just… it was just too disgusting looking and nobody bought it.

CH: [laughing] People may not have been willing to buy Jar Jar in a Jar shots. But they've been more than willing to support The Storm Crow's going-out-of-business sale. And Jason Kapalka says the memories are worth even more than the memorabilia.

January 12, 2022 Episode Transcript

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