Live8 and Poutine? Not so tasty.

Here's a wonderful post by one of our wonderful regular readers. Let's just call him Stinks. He also said to disregard his awful spelling because we're all wankers and wouldn't know good spelling if it called us on the phone and tried to sell us a subscription to the National Post... ok, I made that part up...

Yet again, Canada knows how to screw up a truly worth while cause and make itself look like the insignificant country it is.

Live 8, a signal to G8 countries to actually get their finger out and help out poorer nations...and Canada chooses to go all Canadian on it.

Now, quick qualifier here...you know I love Canada...but...

When world class cities poor on pressure, they poor it on. Before Live 8 even had a chance to tune a guitar string, the prospect of so much anti-European government ill-feeling going on pressured European governments to forgive millions in third world debt. Hopefully (and quite possibly) the message that will come from having internationally recognised bands all playing on this day will spark further generosity. Years of fucking over other countries has got to make European governments feel a little guilty, right?

Which brings us back to Canada. Having promised Bono a substantial amount of money 2 years ago and then not delivering even 1% of that sum to assist in African AIDS prevention, Canada does have a certain amount of face to save here. Sure, historically Canada has not as much as stepped on another country's toe-shadow, but their about turn on promised funding while carrying a $12 million+ surplus is a little smarting.

So what do they do...stage an event in front of the seat of power like in all other countries (not counting America - who I have an entirely different rant for)? Nope, Ottawa cannot handle it (serves Canada right for picking a capital city the size Ajax). Next up, the biggest city in the country...you would think they would be pulling out all the stops to put it here...but no. They award the concert to Barrie. Barrie. Yeah you heard me right.

Now, I do realise the world does not revolve around Toronto, but please, lets face it, when it comes to playing on the world stage - Canada really does need to put as many shiny bells on as it can. And more shiny bells than any other country in order to combat the image gap that Canada has globally to countries like France.

This event was always going to be inferior to Europe's shows and true to form, Canada's participation in the global event will only ever be mentioned in passing abroad. No pictures from the Canada show will be beamed in Germany, but you can bet your gummy bears we'll be saturated with Rome's!

Having the event in Barrie will not help increase the exposure of what Canada is doing anywhere but in Canada. Hmmm, a camera can scope from internationally renowned band playing NEXT TO the Coliseum or some two-bit band no none-Canadian has heard of playing next to Blue Mountain. I can just see it now, a billion foreigners with puzzled expressions in their living rooms wondering where the mountain is!

Having only Canadian artists play the event will condemn it to further obscurity outside this fair land. I mean, the Bare-naked Ladies, Bryan Adams, and the Hip are hardly top drawer artists outside of Canadiana.

Bryan has not had a European hit since "Everything I Do" (and most people want to kill him for inflicting that one on them) and NO ONE knows the Hip outside of Canada. Sorry...they may have played the soundtrack to your college lives, but if anyone from England heard the Hip they would just think they were ripping off REM (who, coincidentally are playing the London event). And that takes me to my second point, every other country has a number of bands hailing from countries other than those they are playing in. Canada. Ha! Way to increase awareness for an international problem by having only participants from one country! Go Team Canada.

If Martin turns round and coughs up a huge wad of squids, then I will happily eat these words and repay work for the flat screen monitor I would have munched through in doing so. The greater good would have prevailed...

...but just once, Canada...don't you wish that this country lived up to its potential? Flying under the radar is great, but let it be out of choice rather than poor decision making.