Walking down the street, kicking cans Looking at the billboard – also-ran Summing up the people, checking out the race Doing what I’m doing, feeling out of place
What’s up, y’all? It’s ya boy mophead. First and foremost, I forgot to post what was added to Libretime last week, so I have some catching up to do here.
Sludgehammer
Antechamber
Metal
CanCon
Jean Leloup
L’etrange Pays
Traditional
CanCon
Allison Lupton
Words of Love
Folk with Elements of the Irish
CanCon
Carl Chesna & Co.
Prayer to the Black Madonna
Alterna-Folk/Americana/Rock
No
Vonreason
Boughs & Eros
Folk
CanCon
Basic White
The Second Half
Rock
CanCon
Lungbutter
Honey
Indie Rock
CanCon
Rhett Repko
Lately Baby – Single
Rock
Unknown
City on Down
Used to Be Young
Alternative/Synth-Pop
No
THNDR
Plus
Electronic
CanCon
Sunday Brave
Taking Over
Alternative
No
Mark Schirmacher
Bird in Your Tree
Pop
No
Everett Bird
People Person
Indie Rock
CanCon
Chastity
Death Lust
Indie Rock
CanCon
The Blaze Velluto Collection
Weatherman
Indie Rock
CanCon
Avi Granite 6
Orbit
Jazz
CanCon
Nicholas Krgovich
Ouch
Indie Rock
Unknown
Ways in Waves
Bloodless Arches
Rock
CanCon
Bleeding Horse Experiment
Going South
Rock
Unknown
Jo Passed
Their Prime
Indie Rock
CanCon
Julian Taylor Band
Avalanche
Rock
CanCon
Deer Tick
Hit Kringles
Rock (Christmas)
No
Vintage Lapointe
No Forgiveness Within Me
Unknown
Unknown
Matthew Chaim
Homemade
Unknown
Unknown
John Paul Kleiner
Intercity
Rock
CanCon
Big Little Lions
Alive and Well
Country/Folk
CanCon
Tracy Lynn
The Young Old Woman
Country/Folk
CanCon
Cliff Grant
Sweet Lover Woman
Indie Rock
No
John Lewitt
All Good Things
Country
No
Steve Poltz
Shine On
Pop
No
Among the Automated
Schematic
Electronic
Unknown
Benedikt
Fascia
Alternative
Unknown
Eric Chenaux
Slowly Paradise [EP]
Indie Rock
CanCon
Dorjee Tsering
Thank You Canada
Traditional
CanCon
Omhouse
Eye to Eye
Rock
CanCon
Jay Ross vs. Teekay
Str8 6 Shoota EP
Rap
NSFR (likely)
CanCon
The Faps
Grimelda
Punk
CanCon
Barbara Lica
You’re Fine
Jazz
CanCon
Various Artists
New Soul
R&B
CanCon
Backstabber
Conspiracy Theorist
Metal
CanCon
Emily Jean Flack
Throwing Shapes EP
Country/Folk
CanCon
Anything But
Do or Try
Rock
CanCon
Les Lepages
There’s Two Sides to the Story & Then There’s the Truth
Country
CanCon
Sabo Forte
The Most Obvious Loophole
Hip Hop
NSFR
CanCon
The Steady Rebels
Common Ground
REggae
CanCon
Gen Gorman
For a Friend
Rock
Tracks 5 contains the word “sh*t” in the opening second
CanCon
Astin Clark
Love & Self-Loating
Hip Hop
NSFR
CanCon
Bloom Filter
Bloom Filter
Metal
CanCon
Adrian Underhill
CU Again
Alternative
CanCon
Haviah Mighty
Flower City
Hip Hop
NSFR
CanCon
Honey Beard
Dreamless Sleep
Alternative
CanCon
Kubla Khan
One of These Days
Alternative
CanCon
Busty and the Bass
Uncommon Good
R&B
CanCon
Ramon Taranco
Desperate Love and Devil Can Blues
Blues
CanCon
Warcall
Invaders
Metal
CanCon
Mary-Catherine Pazzano
You’re Gonna Hear From ME
R&B
CanCon
Shadow of Whales
What we Do
Rock
Unknown
The Real McKenzies
Two Devils Will Talk
Punk
CanCon
Saltland
A Common Truth
Indie Rock
CanCon
Dante Mantas
Midnight Sun
Pop
CanCon
Eamon McGrath
Tantramar
Folk
CanCon
The New Customs
All Walls Fall
Rock
CanCon
Rory Taillon
Only Whispers
Alternative Folk
CanCon
The Utilities
Heavy South
Folk
CanCon
The Velveteins
Slow Wave
Indie Rock
CanCon
David Mott & Vinny Goila
“Have You Heard?”
Jazz
Unknown
Dom Mar KZ
Destiny
Rock
CanCon
Next up, here is tonight’s Horizon Broadening Hour:
Tracklist:
Manitoba Hal – 30 Odd Days
Manitoba Hal – When Leadbelly Walked the River
Unfaithful Servants – Baracuda
The Marrieds – Lying Next to Me
Katherine Fischer – Mess for Two
Son Roberts – Not ‘Nuff Night
The Bluesland Horn Band – Stone Man Blues
The Sturgeons – Drunk On Wine
The Black Fever – Marketing
Eamon McGrath – Yellow Sticker on an Empty Fridge
Eamon McGrath – This Town Dies When Festival Season Ends
Deep Cover – Nature Makes a Scene
Bridal Party – Jukebox Cutie
Science is Fiction – Getting Late
Fred Fortin – Redneck (Microdose)
Bretton Lee John – Hospital Coffee
Ken Stead – Be Peaced
The New Project Alternative – Sunshine & Lies
Carter & the Capitals – The Roller
Andre Akinyele – Call Me
Busty and the Bass – Dance With Someone!!! (Live from London)
Busty and the Bass – Dead Poet
Mary-Catherine Pazzano – Manhattan/New York State of Mind
Exdream – $exdreams$
Josh Ritchie – Paid What I Owe
Ostrea Lake – Grind Your Teeth
Adrian House – Short Back & Sides
Shotgun Jimmie – Tumbleweed
The Jump Off – Pasture
The Fizzgigs – End of the World
Rachelle Van Zanten – Peace for the Children
Heads up that The Horizon Broadening Hour is not on next week, so see y’all in the new year!
Over 200 people went to Waterloo City Hall on Tuesday December 19 to sing for peace. The ‘Mennonite Day of Action Hymn Sing for a Ceasefire’ was put on by the group Mennonite Action, which says it is a movement of Mennonites who believe they have a responsibility to speak out for peace and justice.
Sam Ramer of Mennonite Action talked about the purpose of the hymn sing and why they are focusing on Palestine.
But Mennonite Action’s event was not only in Waterloo. On December 19, over two thousand people came to sing hymns in 42 cities and towns across North America.
Thank you to A.S. Compton, for permission to play their recording of the hymn sing on the show.
Tensions simmered when the topic of A Better Tent City (ABTC) came up at the last Waterloo Regional Council meeting of 2023. ABTC is tiny home community in Kitchener that currently houses 50 chronic homeless people.
On one side were those who supported the motion from Councillor and Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic which granted $236,390 for the next two years to ABTC. On the other side were those who said the grant was unfair and inequitable.
Several Councillors insisted the wording of Councillor Vrbanovic’s motion be removed as they felt it was insulting to staff. Another criticism arose because six other groups had been denied original funding but did not afterwards ask Council for money, some councillors felt this was unfair and inequitable
Despite the criticism, Council carried Councillor Vrbanovic’s motion granting ABTC $236,390 for the next two years
Cambridge – Joined by 4 city councilors on December 19th, Cambridge mayor Jan Liggett voted against a motion to investigate the plausibility building affordable housing in raised buildings above city owned parking lots.
The motion, brought forward by ward 7 councilor Scott Hamilton was supported by all the delegates who presented at the meeting including resident Matthew Rodgers, the advocacy groups “Citizens for Cambridge”, “For the City”, and “Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard”, and as stated by councilor Earnshaw, the Cambridge Business Improvement Association was also on board.
Despite strong support for the motion from delegates, and the voting support of councilors Kimpson, Earnshaw, Roberts, and Hamilton, the motion was ultimately defeated, wIth Mayor Liggett suggesting churches should be converting their own parking lots for housing. Before calling the vote, Liggett stated that voting “no” does not mean that a councilor is against building affordable housing.
On October 18 of this year, the House of Commons unanimously passed the right to repair amendment under the Copyright Act (Bill C-244). The bill, originally tabled by Cambridge MP Bryan May, will allow the circumvention of a technological protection measure (TMP) so long as it is for diagnosis, maintenance, or repair purposes.
TPMs are meant to protect proprietary information or software, but they also inhibit an individual’s right and ability to repair any device that they own, and so often devices end up in landfills. Waste diversion concerns are among the key reasons for this amendment, as is the expense that repair places on people.
Murray Zink is the founder of 4RepairKW and the UW Repair Hub and has been promoting repair for many years. CKMS News talked to both Bryan May and Murray Zink.
So whatever you say It’s all fine by me Who the f*ck anyway wants a Christmas tree? Cause the snow keeps on fallin’ Even though we were bad It’ll cover the filth We should both just be glad
Waterloo Region residents will know the site of their new hospital by spring, according to the presidents of local hospitals.
The presidents, Ron Gagnon, Hospital President and CEO, Grand River Hospital, and Mark Fam, President, St. Mary’s Hospital, updated Kitchener City Council on the plans for a new hospital and new hospital system in Waterloo Region.
They are waiting for site selection to be finalized and for approval from the Ministry of Health before proceeding to the next phase of planning in spring 2024. The next phase will consist of functional programming, which determines what programs and services will be accommodated in the new facilities, and what resources are required to make that happen.
The main priorities currently are to identify the preferred site for the new hospital and to create a vision for working together in shared facilities.
This year has been another year full of frustration, if not outright despair, for housing in Waterloo Region. But at the all-councils meeting on December 15, Build Now Waterloo Region offered some hope.
Build Now Waterloo Region is a new local collaboration of for-profit and not-for profit groups which was announced back in July. The objective of the coalition is to build 10,000 non-market and perpetually non-profit homes by 2030.
Philip Mills, the chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, one of the central players in this initiative, updated the all-council’s meeting on this ground-breaking project.
Of these 10,000 homes, 7,000 will be available for purchase and 3,000 will be available for rent. A one bedroom home is set to sell for $280,000, a two bedroom for $330,000 and a three bedroom for $400,000. This project will specifically prevent ‘flipping,’ investment property acquisition, or other profit-seeking schemes.
Of the three firework celebrations allowed in Kitchener in 2023, Diwali fireworks drew the most complaints, leaving Mayor Berry Vrbanovic to speculate if this reflects less tolerance in the community towards the Hindu festival.
Other councillors believed it was more of a lack of education by both those setting off the fireworks and those calling the bylaw office to complain. To counter this, new fireworks regulations include a comprehensive education campaign to educate residents and an increase in the number of bylaw enforcement officers on duty from two to eight for firework days.
Councillor Ayo Owodunni announced that 184 complaints were made to the bylaw office regarding fireworks in 2023, with Diwali accounting for 63 of these, Victoria Day, 54 and Canada Day, 32. Complaints are likely underreported as email/phone complaints after the fact are not included in these totals.
The motion introducing these new regulations about non-compliance with city’s fireworks regulations was carried.
What’s up, y’all? Another week coming to an end, another Horizon Broadening Hour. I am changing these posts a bit: I will be posting a stream link as well as the soundcloud, if you cannot wait until 10:00 PM.
Tracklist:
Vintage Lapointe – Travels from Winnipeg
Robert Ross – Jack Daniels
Frantically Atlantic – Carleton County Girl
Zachary Lucky – Raining in December
Doug Smith – Pub with No Beer
Jessica Rhaye & the Ramshackle Parade – One More Cup of Coffee
Billy Oxkidd – Hot Pants (You Got It)
Billy Oxkidd – Slipping Away
Chron Goblin – Giving In To Fun
Adrian Chalfour – The Collapse
The Golden Seals – Idiot Kid
Danny Blueberry – One Bedroom Apartment Blues
Matt Zaddy – Little River
Foreign Diplomats – How Cool is That?
Jason Doel – …Long to Reign Over Us…
Nathan Shubert – A Thought, Persisted
Kathryn Ladano – Masked
Justin Wright and Kate Maloney – Flutes
Hellrazer – Necropolis
Greber – Backhanded Interest
Pyramids on Mars – F-22 Raptor
Ooluu – Tickbait
BornBroken – No Stranger to Failure
Waterloo – On December 11th, following discussion, presentations, and legal clarifications, the first stages of a 12-tower development on the former Kraus Flooring factory lands in North Waterloo were approved through a unanimous vote from city councilors. With support for the project and the necessary changes to the site’s zoning and by-laws, the developer can move further into project planning.
This show features clips from the council meeting, focusing on updates to the original 2021 site plan, the status of a pedestrian bridge over the adjacent highway, and questions about promises for affordable and attainable housing in this purpose built rental development which features a proposed total of 5,452 bedrooms in 3,353 residential units.
Delegates included site owner Richard Boyer of 65 Northfield Drive Inc, consultant Chris Pidgeon of GSP Group, and Waterloo resident Ashwin Annamalai. Councilors Hanmer, Bodaly, Roe, Freeman, and Vasic also spoke, as did Mayor McCabe.
Take time to see the wonders of the world
To see the things you’ve only ever heard of
Dream life the way you think it ought to be
See things you thought you’d never ever see
The last episode of 2023, and it’s a tear-jerker! Playing tunes that have a particularly special place in my heart, songs that speak to me about the nature of life, love, and relationships. Hope you enjoy and see you in the New Year!
Change – Big Thief
illicit affairs – Taylor Swift
Graceland Too – Phoebe Bridgers
Tonight Tonight – The Smashing Pumpkins
The Place Where He Inserted the Blade – Black Country, New Road
Margaret Jackson from Amnesty International‘s local KW chapter Group Nine talks to Bob Jonkman about this year’s Write For Rights campaign, describes some of the cases that are being written about, the petition to BC premier David Eby about the criminalization of the Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders, and gives some info on joining the Group Nine chapter.
Margaret Jackson tells us about Write For Rights, focusing on ten cases for this campaign, sending a blitz of letter to government and other people involved in human rights abuses. This has been quite effective; half-a-million letters for each case can’t be ignored. Margaret tells us the details of some of this year’s cases. In some cases the letters get sent to the individuals directly, sometimes they go to a local Amnesty office and are forwarded to the recipient. These letters are always appreciated.
24m38s
Margaret reads her letter to David Eby, premier of British Columbia and former KW resident, to express her concern over the criminalization of the Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders.
Margaret tells us how the Write For Rights works. It’s at the Kitchener Public Library, downstairs in meeting room D. People can sign pre-printed letters, add an illustration or other artwork on a postcard. The Group Nine chapter will take care of mailing them out.
39m05s
This year Margaret wrote the standard letters, based on ideas of what should go in the letters from the Amnesty International campaign. Margaret adds that these letters come from Kitchener-Waterloo, and adds some information about each case to help the people who come in. The last in-person Write For Rights was in 2019, the past two years it was held as a ten-day e-mail blitz. The letters were printed, signed, and dropped off in a mailbox at a member’s house. This year there’s an e-mail letter sent to the government of Tunisia. Letters don’t have return addresses, but people are encouraged to sign their name, city, country, and postal code.
43m53s
For people who can’t come to the library there are online petitions at https://writeathon.ca, all of the information is available there. You can contact local chapter Group Nine at groupnine9@gmail.com and they can send you a package of case letters. The mailbox is still available at the member”s house until 15 December 2023.
47m32s
Margaret tells us that the letters are generally received well, because Amnesty International has a good reputation world-wide; people trust the information they get from Amnesty. There is nothing Amnesty can do in the way of applying economic pressure or sanctions; but perhaps local chapters can apply pressure to their local governments to act.
50m08s
Group Nine meets regularly on the first Tuesday of the month at Conrad Grebel college. There are speakers, either from Group Nine or from other agencies. Group Nine also participates in local events, like the Multicultural Festival and the Waterloo Pow Wow. Group Nine consists of about twelve core people, another 20 who help out at events, and a large number of people who are signed up for their e-mail list. People can get involved by sending an e-mail to groupnine9@gmail.com to come to the meeting. There is no cost, but people who make a donation become Amnesty International members and get to vote at their annual general meeting. Group Nine was the ninth group in Canada, now there are hundreds of groups. Margaret gives a bit of history of Amnesty International.
56m45s
Margaret recaps the info for Write For Rights and 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 alternate Fridays from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.
Waterloo City is moving closer to loosening restrictions on front lawn grass, making way for increased naturalization.
After three years of responding to neighbours’ complaints about the length of her grass to bylaw, Waterloo resident Masha Kuznetsova asked Waterloo City Council on Monday night for changes to Bylaw No. 2011-123, the Lot maintenance bylaw.
She asked the city to increase grass height of up to 40 cm (15.7 inches) and to reduce the requirement for a buffer strip around a naturalized area. Currently in the city of Waterloo, the maximum allowed grass height is 20 cm (8 inches). While the current buffer strip regulation is 1 metre, proposed changes to the by-law would reduce the buffer strip to 30 cm (11.8 inches).
Staff explained they receive about 400-800 long grass complaints per season.
Also in the meeting the city’s transportation services presented new boulevard garden guidelines which will allow for increased naturalization in lawns and on boulevards throughout the City of Waterloo. In addition, the city parks department kicked off the park’s urban forest management strategy by examining rules regarding trees on private property.
What’s up, y’all? You know what time it is. First, new music added to LibreTime since last week:
Jeremie Albino
Hard Time
Indie Rock
CanCon
Bernice
Puff: in the Air Without a Shape
Electronica
CanCon
Single Mothers
Through a Wall
Punk
CanCon
Anba Tonel
Bellegarde
Other
CanCon
Tampa
Belated Love
Rock
CanCon
Real Ponchos
Sunshine
Other
CanCon
Atlas: Empire
The Stratosphere Beneath Our Feet
Rock
No
The Weight Band
World Gone Mad
Rock
No
Billy Oxkidd
Slipping Away
Country
CanCon
Fabrizio Cammarata
Lights
Indie Rock
CanCon
Yukon Blonde
Critical Hit
Indie Rock
CanCon
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan
Dirt
Indie Rock
CanCon
Bears in Hazenmoore
Atlas
Indie Rock
CanCon
Foxhart Fishman
Watch it Grow
Indie Groove Pop
CanCon
Jesse and the Dandelions
Give Up the Gold
Indie Rock
CanCon
Noah Zacharin
a STARTLE of WINGS
Folk
CanCon
Dana Sipos
Trick of the Light
Country/Folk
CanCon
Roots Noir
Elevate
Reggae
CanCon
Ben Kunder
Better Human
Classical
CanCon
Brother Leeds
Brother Leeds
Rock
CanCon
Cal in Red
On the Dance Floor
Synth-Pop
No
Waves that Stray
Waves that Stray
Alternative
Unknown
Murray Little & Friends
Lines of Time
Country/Folk
CanCon
Urkmisher
Urkmisher
Rock
CanCon
Body Lens
Body Lens
Rock (presumed)
Unknown
The Forks
Round the Bend
Indie Rock
CanCon
High Parade
The Ocean
Indie Pop/Shoegaze
CanCon
Farewell Stanleys
New Love
Pop
Unknown
Jason Doell
… Amid the Cannon’s Roar
Other
CanCon
Ensign Broderick
Ranger
Indie Rock
Unknown
Road Waves
Red Sun Rising
R&B
CanCon
Fitness
Dash-ing
Punk
Unknown
Daedbeat & Camara
Trinity Thirty
Indie Rock
CanCon
Lucid Diversity
Lucid Diversity
Folk/Country/Celtic/Bluegrass/Gospel/Blues
CanCon
Matt Steele & The Corvette Sunset
Half Girl Half Ghost
Rock
CanCon
George McMullen Trio
Boomerang
Other
No
Calpurnia
Scout (EP)
Indie Rock
CanCon
Haley Blais
Let Yourself Go (EP)
Indie Rock
CanCon
Quinn Pickering
Baby Blue
Rock
CanCon
Pretty Archie
Hanging On
Country/Folk
CanCon
Coma Cinema
Loss Memory
Indie Rock
No
And here’s this week’s Horizon Broadening Hour:
Tracklist:
Mallsex – Thousand Yard Stare
Twink & Moths and Locusts – Year of the Muskox
Atsuko Chiba – Captain Colair
Pink Noise – Goodbye Charlie Brown
Fly Pan Am – Grid/Wall
Gone Cosmic – Misfit Wasted
Emile Bilodeau – J’ai Vu La France
Safia Nolin – J’ai Demande a la Lune
Andrew Vivona – Sunrainday
The Ennis Sisters – Sunken Garden
Gentlemen of the Woods – Beat-up Shack
Amy Nelson – How Do You Paint an Old Fence?
Heather Bambrick – Pat Murphy’s Meadow
Chocolat – Jazz Engage
JV’s Boogaloo Squad – Market Research
Chandelle Rimmer & Tom Van Seters – Moody Hues
The Romance of Improvisation in Canada – Club Café Tango
John Macmurchy’s Art of Breath – WTF
Hard Rubber Orchestra – Movement III (feat. Norma Winstone)
Steve Haines and the Third Floor Orchestra – Harvest Moon (feat. Becca Stevens, Chad Eby and Joey Calderazzo)
Peach Pyramid – Wear Sunscreen
Family Video – Forever Changes Overnight
The Small Glories – You Can’t Be High
The Shang – Whatever Happened to Carol Wayne?
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