If you are familiar with Into the Void – then you might be prepared for From the Void. I will push the boundaries and conventions of radio every Tuesday night. While preparing for this show I realized that this isn’t going to just be a show about Experimental music, it’s going to be experimental radio. You won’t know what has been pre recorded or is happening live. You won’t know if it is original or if it’s a top 40 band. You won’t know if you are getting older or getting younger. Time doesn’t exist, sound is subjective and taste isn’t even a consideration. The best part about sounds from the void is you won’t be able to hear it…unless you are already in the void.
From The Void is Experimental Music — soundscapes and audio experiments to lose your mind to.
From The Void airs on Tuesdays from 10:00pm to 11:00pm.
The music scene in Rockwood, with Ian Reid. Better Man Today is about Woody’s jump into full-time music writing and performance at the age of 44. The album ideas came from the process of thinking about leaving his day job. The songs were written with Matt and Chris Gormley. The album’s six songs were written in three days by Woody, Matt, and Chris at a cottage retreat. The producer is Carl Jennings of Freedom Train. The four are amazing on stage, but most of Woody’s performances are solo.
Woody held Drive-in concerts during the pandemic with EJSE Studio and Anthony Andrews of Party Cinemas. Headlining Jim Cuddy, and bringing local talent like Sohayla Smith, whos’ been featured on Radio Waterloo‘s Musician’s FAQ. Woody also did online concerts with Zoom for Weight Watchers, which really expanded his fan base. Covid was successful in that regard; Woody lets the universe look after things. Live concerts are a different thing, but some of the same people are in the audience — Woody met some people in person that he’s previously met online. Playing upcoming concerts in Kitchener for the first time at Rich Uncle Tavern and Fall’s Road Pub.
Introducing I Am Enough, which was originally labelled Am I Enough?. One of the few songs Woody wrote solo. This should be out in a seven-song collection in October or November; just awaiting the submission process from FACTOR.
The last line of the song answers the question “Am I Enough?”. Woody doesn’t read music, but works with musicians who are fluent in music, and they write their own parts. The songs benefit from the extra creative input. Woody did learn to read music twice before, but his passion is singing and writing, not musical theory. Carl Jennings is Woody’s musical producer at Westmoreland Studios who drills Woody through vocal takes and who is an amazing bass player.
Upcoming gigs in Kitchener are solo, but on 8 July 2022 at Stonewall’s Restaurant the gig is a trio with Matt and Chris Gormley. Woody has been very busy now that post-Covid bookings are coming back. Playing nursing homes, other gigs, sometimes six or seven a week. Much more fulfilling to work for yourself playing music than being at an office job. Russell Scott helped Woody make the decision to be a musician full-time, along with the support of Woody’s wife.
There is Woody Woodburn merchandise: The Woody Hoodie! The VW microbus artwork is by Woody’s uncle, and there’s musical merch too. The merch is a small part of the revenue stream, the gigs are the main income. Woody hasn’t fully accepted that people want to wear his logo and merchandise, although he’s coming around to telling people they might enjoy his music. There’s some streaming revenue, all done through CD-Baby, which also does social media posting, distributing to other outlets. Woody is quite happy to get his music heard by other people on free streaming sites. People are buying CDs and probably don’t even have a CD player, but they’re supporting Woody’s music.
Introducing Dad, released on Father’s Day for Woody’s dad.
A tough song for Woody to get through, but Woody’s Dad is his biggest fan. Woody varies his set list depending on the crowd’s vibe, sometimes Dad is an opener, sometimes it’s a finale. Woody can gauge the vibe by audience response, people coming up and talking. Every venue is different, even when the audience is unresponsive Woody approaches it by believing something amazing will happen, and it usually does. Some gigs are for playing the bills, and Woody plays cover songs the audience knows. But Woody tells the story of quitting his day job, and here’s the song he wrote about it. And Woody puts his own spin on cover songs.
Is Better Man Today a concept album? In theory; it’s about what’s important in life. Most of the songs come from Woody’s experiences, the feelings from within. But there’s one different song, a party song on the EP, but it’s still a meaningful song about the writing trip to the cottage. Woody doesn’t write traditional love songs. There is a theme that runs through all songs. The party song is Bottle of Rum.
This sure sounds like a Cape Breton traditional song. Woody has a family connection to Cape Breton — people here ask “Are you from the East Coast?” but people there say “You’re not from around here…”
Woody broke a guitar string playing Bottle of Rum, the weather, humidity and air conditioning isn’t good for guitars. Woody’s guitar needs some service from Folkway Music, Woody’s guitar shop.
Woody’s music room is sparse, other rooms are in use for other things. Woody wants to have a proper at-home studio. There’s a piano, but Woody’s only had one piano lessons from local musician Andrea LeBlanc of My Living Room Live.
Woody covers his upcoming events, several at breweries which have become popular recently. Then Woody plays some music to take us out while Bob gives the end credits.
CKMS Community Connections Hour One airs on CKMS-FM 102.7 on Monday from 11:00am to Noon, and Hour Two airs on Friday from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.
The setlist for this show follows these great photos from local K-W 1980s concerts, retrieved from the University of Waterloo Library, Special Collections & Archives. From the K-W Record Photographic Negative Collection.
Click on thumbnails to see full images!
Teenage Head at Bingeman Park roller rink 23 May 1980
The whole gangFrankie Venom aka Frank Kerr, a great performer. RIP
Gang of Four at Super Skate Seven 5 March 1983
Jon King on vocals, Andy Gill on lead guitar (RIP), Sara Lee on bassThe riveting Jon King, always energetic, always freneticSara Lee on bass (rejoined Gang of Four for their 2022 tour – other collaborations include Robert Fripp’s League of Gentlemen, the B-52s, Indigo Girls, and Ani diFranco)
UB40 at Super Skate Seven on 9 March 1984
the full crew, photo credit Bernard WeilEarl Falconer on bass, Robin Campbell on guitar, photo credit Bernard Weil
Bob Jonkman is joined by Dr. Erin Dej, Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University, Dr. Laura Pin, Assistant Professor in the Political Science Department, also at Wilfrid Laurier University, and Lesley Crompton, who works with the Unsheltered Campaign at the Civic Hub in Waterloo Region. They discuss the impending eviction of the people at the Victoria/Weber encampment, direct aid, government responsibilities, housing policy, and the role of academia.
A community fridge facilitates access to high quality food. It is open 24 hour a day, 7 days a week and available to anyone who needs food at any time. Donations of fresh food or non-perishable items are welcomed.
Kitchener
The Kitchener Market Map
300 King Street East
Kitchener, Ontario
Waterloo
Cafe Pyrus Outpost Map
120 Roger Street
Waterloo, Ontario
Dr. Erin Dej introduces herself, explains the role of critical criminology in social justice issues, and begins to explain the Point-In-Time count when technical difficulties arise.
Dr. Erin Dej explains that what is happening in Waterloo Region with homelessness is happening across the country, and across the world. The Point-In-Time count shows a doubling of homelessness since 2018. Part of that is due to Covid, but there are a variety of factors that contribute.
Dr. Laura Pin introduces herself, and explains how Political Science influence policy action around social issues and homelessness.
Lesley Crompton introduces herself, and the Unsheltered Campaign which has been filling gaps in social services for food, water, sanitary facilities, and shelter. Talking to people with lived experience, and gathering stories. Identifying the “hidden homeless”, people who are not registered with the municipality for the shelter system. Extended families are excluded, but may have some of the same issues. The Point-In-Time count had to be done by the municipality in order to get funding from other levels of government, but contracted the service out to the assistive organizations like Unsheltered Campaign. There are issues dealing with the macro issues because so much attention is focused on the micro issues.
17m43s
Direct aid provided by eg. Unsheltered Campaign, Going Mobile KW, 519 Community Collective provide food, food ingredients, and food preparation for people who have food insecurity. It is difficult to prepare a variety of meals from supplies from the food banks; it does not provide the recipients with the choice of what to eat. There is no confirmation of need, no means testing; treating people with dignity. Are people satisfied, well-nourished? It’s difficult to say. Is this Canada’s “Social Safety Net”? Aid agencies need a “Billing For Filling” initiative, billing the state for filling the gap. This goes back to social policy, social assistance for people who have disabilities or are unemployed; the rates are not enough for people to afford shelter and food. The single rate for Ontario Works (OW) is $750/month; the Ontario Disability Support Program is about $1150/month. These are not livable, humane rates.
24m30s
At the Waterloo Region Council Meeting on Tuesday, 7 June 2022, there was a call for additional funding from higher levels of government. Housing requires intergovernmental relations and multiple levels of government to manage. But at the regional level there are lots of things that can be done, eg. a regional encampment protocol. While there is a need for additional funding, it’s not an excuse for making use of the powers the regional government has for taking action. Beyond food, there are other issues that require support. Shelter support for families in motels are the same facilities used for people displaced from encampments, but this does not work for many people. Waterloo Region contracts out these services to aid agencies. Lesley Crompton says we need an Auditor General to ensure that there is more public accountability and transparency between the Region and its service providers to ensure they’re doing what we think they’re supposed to be doing — Lesley doesn’t think they are.
29m21s
There are upwards of 50 people living at the Victoria and Weber encampment. Regional Council seemed sympathetic, but not motivated to help. Premier Doug Ford has said that for people in this situation just need to get a job. But Dr. Dej says that lots of people in this situation have a job! They’re working, but it’s not enough to pay the rent. For those without work, it is difficult to get a job. How do people without a job get a bus pass to find work? How do they get equipment like steel-toed boots needed to get a job? How can people try to get a job when they’re in an encampment, likely sleep deprived from being in the same area with 50 other people, concerned for their safety, and unable to get good rest from sleeping on the ground. And even when people on social assistance do get work, their earnings are clawed back at %50, an effective tax rate much higher than anyone else has to pay. The provincial government is cutting its sources of revenue (license plate renewal), federal government isn’t pursuing foreign holdings tax which could be used to invest in affordable housing and social housing. Dr. Pin says that at the local government level, a vacant home tax or foreign ownership tax could raise revenues for social programs. People are working part-time, employers cutting hours to minimize benefits. But even people working full-time at minimum wage earn only about $2000/month before deductions, yet rents are around $1600/month. If we took an approach of housing as a human right it shouldn’t matter whether people work full-time, part-time, if they need child care, or if people have a disability and can’t work — people still have a right to decent and affordable housing. The Region of Waterloo’s housing policy has put forward a human rights approach to housing; the federal government in its national housing strategy has also put forth a human rights approach to housing. But how can we make this a lived experience for people experiencing homelessness? Yet the Region of Waterloo Council has not advanced this into a formal motion.
35m30s
International Human Rights declaration indicate that people are not to be evicted from their housing, or even encampments. What legal ramifications are there for municipalities that break the International Human Rights declaration? Dr. Dej says that federally this has already been adopted. Yet municipalities don’t follow it. Instead, municipalities are adopting a criminalizatin of homelessness, and even a militarization of the efforts to evict people from encampments. We do have a national protocol for homeless encampments in Canada to follow for removing people from encampments developed by the former UN Rapporteur on Housing, Lailani Farha and Dr. Kaitlin Schwan that tells municipalities how to do it within our international human rights obligations. Recognize that people don’t want to live in encampments, they want to be housed. The challenge is that following this protocol takes time, but people want quick fixes. Yet removing encampments is not that quick fix people are looking for, it’s not going to end homelessness.
38m06s
Lesley Crompton points out that people need more than just housing: They need wrap-around services such as cooking instruction, a social structure, mental health issues that need to be addressed. Some shelters have zero-tolerance for violence. But what is violence? Someone speaking exteremely loudly may be considered violent, and get evicted. At motels used for housing, the staff are not able to deal with mental health issues. People need on-going supports, but some municipal housing staff think that merely providing housing is enough. What can academics do to influence the outcome of the pending eviction? Dr. Pin recognizes her privilege; people from the region connect with her in ways that they don’t connect with people on the ground. The 30 June deadline for evicting people from the Victoria and Weber encampment is artificial, the site is not needed for construction until the fall. Dr. Pin suggests we push back against that deadline to give people more time to discuss with decision makers as to what they need. Dr. Dej suggests that we push as hard as we can to make sure that the voices of the people in the encampments are the ones that are heard. She has received criticism about the Point-In-Time counts and other academic pursuits, that money spent on academic studies would be better spent on housing directly. But there is a lot of power in that data, it can convince people in ways that people might be convinced otherwise. For example, Dr. Dej has researched, rigorous data that supports Lesley’s statements on the need for ongoing services. Use this as clout to amplify the voices of people on the ground.
43m33s
How does this get to the politicians who make the decisions? Dr. Pin has been inviting councillors and staff into the Unsheltered Campaign meetings to hear what community organizations have to say on the issue. Dr. Pin’s graduate seminar prepared a report on comparative encampment protocols from a human rights perspective to provide the Region with data on how difference cities have put forward protocols to manage encampments, and providing some analysis to determine which protocols are more consistent with a human rights approach. Building relationships and capacity at the Regional level to do that kind of analysis. What can ordinary citizens do? Lesley Crompton says to take time to understand, to talk to people at the encampments, to talk to people who have been working for the people at encampments. The Region’s capacity of outreach staff is very limited, and does not give enough time to spend with the individuals at the encampments. Get involved, so you can then speak to the Region. This is an election year, and while there are no Regional or City councillors on the same page as Premier Ford, it is time for a change. CARE (Coalition Against Removing Encampments) is a grassroots organization that looks at other social justice issues, a coalition of other organizations. Dr. Pin mentions the Social Development Centre and the Civic Hub WR for people who are interested in connecting in a immediate way. Challenge the stigma that’s presented to the people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, recognize that the people in encampments are our neighbours and community members.
49m23s
Bob thanks the guests, gives the credits for CKMS Community Connections, and introduces Dreamer by Rose Brokenshire.
Bob empties the last of the KWCon from his inbox to play all the latest new, local music. Also, Bob introduces Season three of She Is Your Neighbour
If you’re a local artist and want to have your work on the radio (music, poetry, short (or long) stories, comedy, radio theatre, &c) check out How To Submit Music and contact us at office@radiowaterloo.ca.
Today we’re featuring the new album Thieves Of Joy by The Soviet Influence, to be released on the first of May, otherwise know as May Day or Labour Day in other parts of the world.
What: Kitchener-Waterloo Rally When: 3:00pm – 6:00pm on Sunday, 1 May 2022 iCal Where: Waterloo Region Courthouse Location: 85 Frederick Street, Kitchener, Ontario Map Website: https://ofl.ca/event/may-1-kitchener-waterloo/
It’s time for a $20 minimum wage, decent work, affordable housing, paid sick days, well-funded public services, livable income support for all, climate justice, and an end to racism and oppression. Join us!
Other Resources
Jorts The Cat
Jorts The Cat
Jorts The Cat gets a mention at 17m00s in the podcast.
Local Music is Sexy – Austin Kleon Today we have nothing but KWCon music — music by musicians from Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Wilmot, Wellesley, Woolwich, and North Dumfries. All recent releases, too!
If you’re a Waterloo Region musician and want to get your music on the radio check out How To Submit Music and we’ll add it to our library!
Sometimes I wonder why do I worry about those things that you do
And then I see you late on a Saturday and I know that you’re right
If I had a job you could come and live with me and I would see you every night
If I was working you might come and live with me and I would see you every night
“What’s it all about?” they scream and then they shout
Don’t ask me, ’cause I don’t know
“What’s it all about?” they scream and then they shout
Don’t blame me, I told you so
Barbara Schumacher and Jim Stewart of the Waterloo Region Health Coalition join Bob Jonkman on a web conference to talk about the Ontario government’s creeping advances to privatized health care, the diminishing level of health care in Ontario compared to other provinces, ideas to improve public health care, the effects of having private hospitals, and an announcement of the upcoming Waterloo Region Health care Privatization Summit.
We had some technical difficulties during the live broadcast, but the podcast cleaned up nicely, although the web conference created some dropout in the audio at some points.
Introductions: Barbara Schumacher is a retired physician and the former Medical Director of the University of Waterloo Health Service; Jim Stewart is the chair of the Waterloo Region Health Coalition. WRHC is a chapter of the Ontario Health Coalition, a non-partisan public watchdog for health care. Provincial legislation is introducing privatization of health care by stealth; result of insufficient funding for the health care system. Canadian Doctors for Medicare has done studies of the administration of private health care: Canadian public health has half the administrative cost of private health care.
13m37s
Ontario is dead last among the provinces in funding public health care: fewest hospital beds, fewest nurses, and funding hospitals at the lowest rate of any province. We need to look for ways to invest in public health, not take funds out and drive them into profit-driven “Independent Health Facilities”. Federal health care transfer payments have dropped from 50% to 20%. There is a massive reduction in provincial health care spending. Federal government transfer payments are intended to administer a provincial health care system, not deliver health care. In 2019 the Ontario People’s Health Care Act created a super agency with powers to restructure the public health care system, now there is a patchwork across the province, different in Waterloo Region from Windsor, Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, Sudbury.
17m14s
How to make things better? Focus on public health care, we paid for this over decades, why throw it out? Comparing England, where NHS privatized, but the private company went bankrupt and left. How sustainable are private companies for delivering health care. But Scotland’s NHS rejected privatization and focused on public infrastructure and create a strategy for sustainability for the NHS in Scotland. As a result, Scotland is a world leader in reducing wait times, reduction of hospital acquired infections, and reducing re-admission rates. They used four strategies: 1) Redesign and transform capacity on population-based requirements; 2) Information (linked electronic health records); 3) Planning strategy, including continuous quality improvement; 4) Peformance Management Strategy, holding regional health units accountable when they don’t reach targets. Canadian Doctors for Medicare has a lot of studies on how our Canadian health care system can be reformed. Private health care is not the only alternative. Private clinics primarily focus on profit, that’s what they’re designed to do.
25m00s
On 1 February 2022 the Ontario Health Minister, Christine Elliot, gave a press conference where she said “Let independent health facilities create private hospitals.” This is an alarming announcement, it speaks to the complete coring out of our public hospitals, having them recall diagnostic and surgical services, to be reconstituted in private clinics. In private hospitals the simple procedures and uncomplicated patients get drawn in the private system, then the public hospitals are left with the more expensive cases requiring more intense professional care, so public hospitals have expenses that far exceed those of private hospitals. Private hospitals also pull professional expertise out of the public system, but since there will be no additional doctors it leaves public hospitals with fewer resources. Private hospitals only benefit people who can afford it; poor people will go to underfunded, understaffed public hospitals. Public hospitals have a flat-fee system to compensate doctors; all neurologists or all obstetricians are paid the same. In a private system there can be a differential fee scale according to expertise. The public system doesn’t reinforce holding on to quality, we see physicians with specialized skills move to the US, draining the public care system. But some Canadian physicians find the private system in the US burdensome (health insurance costs, tracking down overdue payments, take orders from health insurance corporations) so their ability to deliver high-quality health care is diminished significantly, and they return to Canada.
30m33s
WRHC is trying to warn the Region of Waterloo what is happening with privatization. They are holding an emergency summit on Tuesday, 5 April 2022, at 7:00pm register with Zoom. Speakers include Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition. Find out what’s happening so people can make a decision a the voting booth in June.
31m48s
Discussing the politics of health care. WRHC is non-partisan, but there’s no need to have a political affiliation, almost all parties support the public health care system. It’s not a political position, it’s a social position. Discussing the scope of health care delivery: Eye care, hearing care, dental care, pharmacare, and mental health care. “Health care above the neck.” Pharmacare on a large scale gets better competitive pricing, but the strong Pharma lobby is holding us back.
36m16s
Jim Stewart gives the WRHC contact info and Bob gives the credits as Extended Heatwarning plays out to the end of the podcast.
Hey y’all! Here’s our 3rd episode recorded March 6th. Songs for the end of the world! Sorry for the delay with the upload.
By mistake, we forgot to record our 4th show, which was songs for dancing by yourself (I know, I’m just as disappointed as you are), but we’re working on getting our setlist’s/playlists live so if you missed the show you’ll at least be able to see what was played. We got a good show lined up for next Sunday (1-2PM) so be sure to check that one out, but in the meantime here’s songs for the end of the world. Wam on!
From The Void is Experimental Music — soundscapes and audio experiments to lose your mind to.
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Season three of She Is Your Neighbour
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