Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Superfans screamed in adoration as hitmakers Alanis Morissette and Bryan Adams were ushered into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame on Saturday in a star-packed celebration.
Some of the country's best-known musicians gathered to honour the pair, along with fellow 2022 songwriting inductees Jim Vallance, Daniel Lavoie and David Foster at Toronto's Massey Hall.
And throughout the night, a theme of collaboration emerged as several creators explained that songwriting was rarely a practice done alone.
In the case of Adams, his longtime friend and oft writing partner Vallance wasn't just acknowledged for his contributions, he was a fellow inductee, which left Adams feeling chuffed.
"Songwriting for me has always been a team effort," he explained while accepting his honour
"And the thing that makes me most happy about tonight ... is seeing my great friend Jim Vallance be properly honoured."
Vallance met Adams at a Vancouver musical instrument shop in 1978, which marked the start of a fruitful partnership.
Morissette took a moment during her acceptance speech to recognize the mentors that helped elevate her early career, including American songwriter Glen Ballard who co-wrote on her career-defining "Jagged Little Pill" album.
"The best part about songwriting for me is being in a room and feeling safe," she said of her experience.
"When I write it, it's for me," she added. "But then when I share it, it's yours, it's for everyone else to interpret."
Her influence was felt throughout the night as generations of female artists spoke about Morissette's influence on them.
The most touching was 19-year-old American pop singer and actress Olivia Rodrigo, who spoke about how Morissette changed her life with both her music and her mentorship. The two first met on a Rolling Stone photo shoot last year.
"Even more than your long list of musical achievements, I look up to your character and kindness most of all," Rodrigo told her.
"I'll carry the advice that you've given me for my whole life."
Before the speeches began, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame event opened with a performance by Deborah Cox, who brought the house down with a rendition of Foster's "I Have Nothing," written for Whitney Houston on "The Bodyguard" soundtrack.
It earned the Toronto singer an extended standing ovation -- the first of many for the performers who each offered shining takes on a variety of the honouree's songs.
For Morissette, Grammy winner Alessia Cara pulled out a harmonica to carry "Hand it My Pocket" to its powerful finish, a last-minute touch that she added during soundcheck.
Serena Ryder channelled her own angst in a rendition of "You Oughta Know" that saw her bounding across the stage as she belted out the lyrics.
"How do you do that every night?" a bewildered Ryder posed to Morissette, who was seated in the audience.
Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger gave his fist-pumping interpretation of Adams and Vallance's "Summer of '69," while a medley of "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" and "Straight from the Heart" by Corey Hart left some women shouting his name as often as they were cheering for Adams.
"The Canadian industry, music and so many people made a big fuss about you and I being these rivals," Hart told Adams from the stage.
"I don't know, maybe there was a tiny shred of truth to that, but I can tell you tonight ... that from day one I already had the deepest respect and admiration for you, sir."
Songwriter Daniel Lavoie rounded out the inductees. He was honoured for rising from roots in Dunrea, Man. to becoming one of the most prominent French-Canadian writers, working with Celine Dion, Luce Dufault, Roch Voisine and Lara Fabian.
The evening closed with another of Foster's songs leaving an emotional impact on the crowd.
Generations of Canadian stars, including Andy Kim, JP Saxe, Charlotte Cardin, and Divine Brown, gathered on the stage to offer a new take on his 1985 charity single "Tears Are Not Enough," originally performed by a supergroup known as Northern Lights.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2022.
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly Knight, a Grade 4 student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.