The Marvellous Message of the One Love Manchester Concert

I must admit I'd never heard of Ariana Grande before the terror attack in Manchester two weeks ago.

And neither had I heard of many of the young artists who performed at her One Love Manchester benefit show yesterday evening.

Ariana Grande returned to the Manchester stage two weeks after a suicide bombing killed 22 victims at her concert in the city, singing upbeat and motivational pop anthems as the audience cheered loudly for the singer.

But despite feeling a bit old, I quite enjoyed the show, and I have to agree with the Globe's John Doyle.

The New Canada and the Two Justins

As I try to remember all the things that happened in this wild and crazy year that was both our nightmare and our salvation, two things keep jumping out at me.

One, how low Stephen Harper and his ghastly Cons did drag us and our democracy, and shame us in the eyes of the world.

And two, how quickly Justin Trudeau has been able to improve our image abroad. 

By letting the world know that the Canada they once knew and admired is back, and just as good as they always imagined...

Stephen Harper's Humiliating Weekend

Golly. It must be a case of reverse voodoo eh?

The more pins Stephen Harper sticks into his Justin Trudeau doll, the more Justin laughs.

And the more Great Macaca Leader squeals.

Stephen Harper and the Two Justins

OMG. Or should that be Baby Baby? What are Stephen Harper and his absurd Cons doing to our country?

For there was Great Musical Leader today, too busy to meet with the premiers, but not too busy to hand out royal bling to Justin Bieber.

While in the House of Commons the Con chorus wailed pathetically: The other Justin is bullying Alberta !!!!! WAAAAAAAH !!!!!!!! 

Justin Bieber and the Bullies

I watched the Juno awards last night and I thought it was a fabulous show. 

I loved the street party in St John's, and although my favourite band Billy Talent didn't win best single, and Michael Buble is a just a little too mellow for me, I thought he was a classy winner.

“I love you from the west coast to the east, black, white, rich, poor, gay, straight, thanks for the support.”

And although I have to admit that I would probably like Justin Bieber more a lot...if I was fourteen... I think he's a talented and very together Canadian kid.

And nobody deserves this.

It's so disgusting and cowardly it almost makes me vomit. It takes a lizard's brain to be homophobic and misogynistic at the same time. 

But that's why I hate bullies eh? That's why I write about them all the time even though almost nobody cares.  

And that's why I love K'naan, the Somali Canadian artist who closed the show last night with a version of this song of peace, love, diversity, and RESPECT.

Because when I listen to it I believe we can change the world...



Here's to those Canadian artists who even in the dark days of the bully Harper regime are giving us something to be proud about.

Justin don't listen to the bullies.

Here's to that better world...