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The AIH Transcript For July 19, 2021

[hosts]Susan Bonner, Chris Howden[/hosts]

SUSAN BONNER: Hi, I'm Susan Bonner, sitting in for Carol Off.

CHRIS HOWDEN: Good evening. I'm Chris Howden. This is “As It Happens”.

[music: theme]

Prologue

CH: Tonight:

SB: Freedom fighter. An epidemiologist in England explains why she thinks today's light-hearted reopening under the banner of “Freedom Day” is actually lethal.

CH: So close, yet so far. after seven months away, the captain of HMS Halifax says it's tough to be stuck on board their ship in Halifax because of a positive COVID case on board -- but the crew is banding together.

SB: First on the ice. Edmonton's Luke Prokop makes history as the first openly gay active player under contract to the NHL-- but a friend says hockey still has a long way to go before it's truly inclusive.

CH: Faster, higher, stronger and in more languages. CBC TV will be broadcasting the Tokyo 2020 Olympic opening ceremony in eight Indigenious languages for the first time. We’ll hear from one of the hosts.

SB: Taking care of bizness. The late Biz Markie once called himself the class clown of the rap business -- but he schooled more than one generation in how to become a legend by being yourself.

CH: And the twist is the twist. Seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador call on their premier to allow double-vaccinated residents in retirement homes to dance with each other -- a message they sent via dance.

CH: As It Happens, the Monday edition. Radio that knows sometimes you got to shake things to shake things up.

[music: theme]

Part 1: U.K. Reopens, Hockey Player Comes Out, NL Nursing Home Dancing

U.K. Reopens

Guest: Dr. Deepti Gurdasani

CH: Today, England is lifting or relaxing nearly all its remaining COVID-19 regulations, despite soaring numbers of infections across the country -- with more than 54,000 new cases recorded on Saturday alone. It's a milestone proponents are referring to as "Freedom Day." And that's clearly how many of the young people visiting newly-reopened nightclubs felt about it.

SOUNDCLIP

MAN: It's been a year-and-a-half, and now, we're all just ready to dance. I've had my vaccines. I want to have a good time, Hun.

MAN#2: I'm so excited, so excited. I can't wait for it!

WOMAN: It's a sigh of relief after such a long time just to have freedom.

CH: Some young Brits, speaking with the CBC's Dominic Valitis about England's reopening today. Dr. Deepti Gurdasani is a senior lecturer and epidemiologist at Queen Mary University of London, and one of the signatories of a letter in The Lancet, urging the U.K. government to rethink its approach. We reached her in Cambridge.

SB: Dr. Gurdasani, we just heard from a few young people in the U.K. who see today as a long-awaited chance at freedom. How do you see it?

DEEPTI GURDASANI: I mean, I certainly don't see it as freedom. I think many, many people are concerned. We've sort of opened up in the middle of a raging pandemic, at a point where you're having about 50,000 cases a day and 700 people being admitted to hospital every day. And, you know, it's very likely that this whole freedom narrative will be quite short-lived because even our chief medical officer says that we might be heading towards another lockdown. And it's certainly not "Freedom Day" for people who are vulnerable and immunosuppressed. So, I think it's certainly a very concerning period here.

SB: The U.K. has one of the highest vaccination rates going right now. Why are so many people still getting COVID?

DG: So only 54 per cent of our entire population is vaccinated. The majority of young people and children are not vaccinated. And we know that much of the infection right now is happening in secondary school children and young adults. And, you know, this level of vaccination is not adequate to control the virus. We've seen that even in Israel, which has higher levels of vaccination than us and is now dealing with a rapid surge of the Delta variant, which is more transmissible. So it's become very, very clear that we need much higher levels of vaccination. And alongside that, we need to really contain the virus to protect particularly our young.

SB: What do you say to the argument that while vaccines may not be preventing new infections in the U.K., there is a reduction in... in the death rate?

DG: Yes, I mean, that's certainly the case. Vaccines have sort of weakened that link between, you know, cases and deaths. But we are still seeing deaths increase. And we're still seeing hospitals getting fuller and fuller. And we already have hospitals that are having to cancel routine operations and care for cancer patients and are struggling to deal with the huge backlogs that have accumulated over the last two waves. And, of course, those are not the only impacts. We know that this is not just a virus that causes acute infection. It causes chronic illness in many. And we do expect that as millions of young people get infected over the coming weeks, we will see hundreds of thousands of people with the consequences, which is long-COVID. And a proportion of those will sadly go on to develop chronic disabilities. And we don't know how to treat these yet.

SB: You and other critics from the scientific community have described this reopening plan as murderous and diabolical. Those are strong words.

DG: Yes. I mean, those are words used by current, former advisers of governments across the globe and leading international scientists looking at the U.K. because there is global concern about this. Essentially, our government appears to be going for this strategy where half of our population is protected through vaccination. And the idea appears to be to let the rest of the population get infected and develop immunity through infection when we could be actually protecting people with vaccination. So I think those statements are accurate because this is deeply immoral, reckless and unethical.

SB: Now, in contrast, the prime minister, Boris Johnson, his argument seems to be, if not now, full reopening, then when? Here's a little bit of what he was saying to reporters yesterday.

SOUNDCLIP

BORIS JOHNSON: We're going tomorrow into Step 4. We're doing a big opening up. And that's quite right. If we don't do it now, then we'll be opening up in the autumn, the winter months when the virus has the advantage of the... of the cold weather. We lose the... the precious fire break that we get with the school holidays. We don't do it now; we're going to ask ourselves, when will we ever do it? So this is the right moment, but we've got to do it cautiously.

SB: What's your response to the prime minister's argument and his call for caution and personal responsibility?

DG: So I think first, that argument makes absolutely no sense from a scientific perspective. I mean, to ask people to accept mass infection with hundreds of thousands of people developing long-COVID and hospitals becoming full now versus winter makes absolutely no sense. Because that doesn't account for the fact that we could do a lot to mitigate what would happen in winter. And one of the things we could do is actually vaccinate our adolescents rather than infecting them. We could make classrooms safer with investment in mouth and ventilation. We could give boosters to those with waning immunity over winter. But our government doesn't seem to be willing to do any of those things. And we are being presented with this false dichotomy of two bad options and asked to accept one of them. Clearly, you know, if we wait a few weeks longer, we can vaccinate more people and protect them. And the second question about be cautious is ridiculous. How can a clinically vulnerable person who cannot mount a response to vaccines be cautious as they go onto transport when nobody is wearing masks? So crowded workplaces where there's no masks or ventilation. How can a child be cautious when it enters a crowded classroom of 30 people with no ventilation, social distancing or masks? Infecting millions of children to prevent a surgical winter, I'm sorry, is not a sensible option to do that. And this situation will get much, much worse if we manage to evolve a new variant because of the high levels of transmission we are allowing alongside a partially vaccinated population. But our government is doing absolutely nothing to prevent that eventuality.

SB: Could the consequences spread beyond the U.K.?

DG: Yes, I think it's entirely possible. Our own scientific advisers have warned the government that allowing high levels of transmission to continue alongside a partially vaccinated population creates the grounds for variant adaptation towards escape against vaccines. And worse, if such a variant were to evolve, it would not only put our entire strategy, which is very focussed on vaccines backed by seven months or so, but it would have impacts across the globe. It's a strategy that could have devastating consequences internationally, but nothing is being done to actually prevent that outcome.

SB: What are you advising the people you care about to do?

DG: I mean, I'm advising them to shield as much as possible. But, you know, it's not possible for everyone. And, you know, to wear masks, particularly in the indoor areas, but also in outdoor, crowded areas. And I'm asking them to continue with social distancing and avoid crowded environments as far as they can and get vaccinated, get both their doses if they're eligible. But that's all we can do to protect ourselves because the government is not taking any steps to protect us.

SB: Dr. Gurdasani, thank you so much.

DG: Thanks for having me.

CH: Deepti Gurdasani is a senior lecturer and epidemiologist at Queen Mary University of London. She was in Cambridge. And you can find more on this story on our webpage at: www.cbc.ca/aih.

[music: indie rock]

Hockey Player Comes Out

Guest: Brock McGillis

CH: The year may be 2021, but coming out is still a historic move in the National Hockey League. And today, 19-year-old Luke Prokop is making history. The player from Edmonton was drafted in 2020 by the Nashville Predators. Soon he'll be heading to his first camp with the team, making him the first player under contract to an NHL team to come out as gay. Brock McGillis knows what that's like. He was one of the first openly gay players to play pro when he came out in 2016. And he has forged a friendship with Mr. Prokop. We reached Brock McGillis in Toronto.

SB: Brock, what does this day mean for you personally?

BROCK MCGILLIS: For me, it's a moment of reflection on my coming out -- definitely brings back some memories. Today means celebration. Celebration of Luke, celebration of the queer community, celebration of the advancements we're going to make in this sport.

SB: What kind of conversations have you had with Luke as he was making the decision that he wanted to come out as a gay man?

BM: So Luke and I have talked pretty consistently over the last month or so, and I just talked to him about life, some of those things that people won't really understand, like hiding who you are in a locker room and having to hide, texting somebody you're dating or... or things like that because nobody knows other than you, and just trying to prepare him for what I went through, the whirlwind of coming out, and what he's experiencing now. And it's a journey that you can try and prepare for, but you never fully can. The amount of emotion and relief and it's... you can't put into words.

SB: Well, you mention a journey and... and whirlwind. It's a big decision for anyone, I imagine, but especially a 19-year-old who has just been drafted to the NHL. Were you worried about what this would or could mean for him mentally and emotionally?

BM: I think the toll mentally and emotionally that he's been going through is probably worse than anything that will happen from this. I mean, hiding it and... and having to deal with that every day of not knowing who knows and who doesn't and is so taxing. It's a burden that you're carrying around. I equate it to having 100-pound weights on each shoulder.

SB: But if it's so taxing and so much of a burden, then why hasn't it happened sooner?

BM: Well, I think for exactly that reason. It is so taxing and such a burden that many people either leave the sport or hide their sexuality because they fear that it will be worse if they do come out. Or they've experienced so much homophobia and homonegative language in locker rooms that they just leave the sport fully or self-loathe to the point that they lie about who they are. And they... I mean, for myself, for the longest time, I wouldn't even acknowledge that I was gay to myself. I didn't accept myself. So I dated women because I refused to believe in it. But if we look at the reality of society, I mean over 20 per cent now of the population identify as LGBTQ2+. So there's... there's a lot of gay players in hockey. And... and they are either hiding or not living as their true selves or refusing to accept and acknowledge who they are.

SB: You mentioned that today is a celebration. What do you think this will mean for kids who are just getting into the world of hockey?

BM: I think it's too early to tell. You know, I think it's an opportunity for each league, each association, each governing body right up to Hockey Canada to reflect on what they're actually doing to try and make the culture safe and equitable for all to make it a safe space for the LGBTQ2+ community. From my perspective, they're not doing enough. And I've reiterated this to many of them, and nothing changes. So reality is, for every Luke, I get hundreds, if not thousands of kids coming to me who are quitting.

SB: Now, officials with his team, the Nashville Predators, say they're proud of him. They talk about his bright future. And yet, you say you don't think enough is being done. What do you think it might be like for Luke on the ice?

BM: I think people are going to go out of their way to be inclusive towards Luke on the ice because of the visibility he's gotten today. And because he's an NHL draft pick. So I think, you know, the road for Luke may be a little easier than a kid who may not have the same skill set. You know, I think hockey people are actually good people. They just don't realize that their actions and behaviours are impacting so many and haven't changed yet. And that'll hopefully come. I mean, you look at his team alone. They've been incredibly supportive, the Nashville Predators. And yet, they have a partnership with Chick-fil-A, who is an anti-LGBTQ2+ corporation. They fund anti-LGBTQ2+ bills in America. So there are steps that have been taken, I think on individual basis, they are inclusive. I have a lot of people who support me, but I don't think the culture as a... as a whole has evolved.

SB: Luke has said that he thinks coming out as a gay man is going to make him a better, more confident hockey player. What do you think of that?

BM: I agree there's a burden every time you go to the rink and you're... you're fearful and wondering what if? And... and that weight is exhausting. He's free of that now. And now, he can focus on his sport. He can focus on living his life. And ultimately, as long as he doesn't care what anyone thinks, then it doesn't matter. He can only control what he can control. And that's living as himself, loving himself as a gay man and working as hard as he can to be the best hockey player he can be.

SB: Really good to talk to you today, Brock. Thanks for making time for us.

BM: Awe, thank you.

SB: Bye-bye.

BM: Bye.

CH: Brock McGillis was one of the first openly gay pro hockey players. We reached him in Toronto.

[music: ambient]

NL Nursing Home Dancing

Guest: Renee Houlihan

SOUNDCLIP

[music: “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins/possibly not music to anyone under 40]

CH: "Footloose": the 1984 song that soundtracked the story of a young Kevin Bacon jumping around in a barn -- and convincing an uptight town to kick up its heels and overturn a ban on dancing. Well, nowadays, that song might be just a semi-embarrassing relic of the '80s. But to a group of seniors at Alderwood Retirement Centre, in Newfoundland and Labrador, it's never been more relevant. Because it's the music in a new video in which seniors and staff at the centre air-guitar, whip their hair, and dance. It's a fun video, with a serious message for their premier: let double-vaccinated seniors dance. Renee Houlihan is the Recreation Director at Alderwood Retirement Centre. We reached her in Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador.

SB: Miss Houlihan, tell me where the idea came from to use dance as a way for seniors to send their message?

RENEE HOULIHAN: We use dance because we wanted to illustrate, you know, even in the video, how joyful people are when they're dancing, how captivating it is, and how harmless and safe it is as well. So it seemed like a natural to choose, you know, “Footloose” for a dance... giving us a chance to dance protests.

SB: [both chuckle] And some of those seniors have some moves, don't they?

RH: Well, they were so funny. They were all like... because when some people do like the “Mashed Potato” and the “Chicken Dance”, then they were like, let's go on that Tiky thing where they have all young people dancing. I'm like, you talking about TikTok? They're like, yeah, let's go on TikTok! My grandchildren say there’s good dance moves there. [chuckling]

SB: [chuckling] Why exactly is dancing not allowed?

RH: Basically, we had some loosening of restrictions back in June. And the seniors were really, really excited because it's been a gruelling year-and-a-half for a senior with this pandemic, you know, across the globe, I'm sure. But, so when June came, they released... they loosened some of the restrictions. But the one that was still there was dancing is prohibited. And they just took an umbrage to that. They were like, they waited 16 months with no dancing and they love to dance. And the question was, well, here we are. We are doubly-vaccinated. We are in one bubble. We're in a town of 2,000 people. We are, you know, only about 30 to 35 people come to the dances. And they really just want to dance with each other. And they don't understand why, if not now, then when? If we're doubly-vaccinated and we're all in one bubble, what are we waiting for after 16 long months of keeping our… you know, ourselves planted in the chairs? Why?

SB: Well, how important is dance to the health of these... of these seniors?

RH: Well, you know, I always say dance and music in terms of being a recreational therapist are my best bang for the buck. They’re... this generation of Newfoundlanders in particular, they grew up doing lancers and square dancing and the jig and all... and the old fashioned Newfoundland waltz. I mean, we have dances that originated in Newfoundland. And the music and the dance really connects them to their past. It connects them to their youth. Physically, it's, you know, paramount that seniors move. I mean, I'm... I'm at a dance and the band is playing and I have people wanting to go up and dance and perhaps they have dementia and they don't remember that they're not allowed to dance. Do you know how heartbreaking it is to repeatedly go over and say to the them, no, no, you can't dance. Imagine looking at someone 101 years old and saying, no, I'm sorry, you can't dance. Like, that's a tough... that's tough, mentally, emotionally, physically, it's crucial for them to be engaged in this type of activity. I mean, you know, Susan, they're not going to take up, like, rock climbing or kayaking or downhill skiing. This is their medium of choice for expressing themselves. And it's crucial to their mental, physical and emotional health.

SB: So tell me how it's impacted them that they weren't able to do this crucial activity?

RH: Before the pandemic, we would have three dances a week. And that would be their cardio in the way that I would go, you know, on a spin class. That's their physical outlet. It's inside. It's not weather-dependent. And they would get up and they would dance. And we used to laugh because I remember one woman, she was about 95, and she used to get up with the walker, and then she'd say... she’d throw the walker aside and she'd say, shag this walker now anyway. [SB laughs] It brings them to life. We have residents who might be not feeling well and they don't come out for supper and then they hear Muscles, you know, they hear the “Grey Foggy Day” with the song wafting into the room, and they get up like Lazarus and find themselves in the room moving and dancing and... and being joyous and happy. And so we were all for these regulations that were in place initially, but we… we haven't had an outbreak since February. Again, double-vaccinated, all in one bubble. Why?

SB: So how did they react when the news reached them that they were going to make this video to send a message to the government?

RH: Well, what's really interesting about this is they came up with this, you know, with me. Basically, they were very frustrated. And I said, well, what do you want to do? You know, they want to protest. I said, well, what are we going to do? I can write a letter and we can all sign it. But... but... but truthfully, they love to sing and dance and perform. And that's... and they have a great sense of humour. So when... when we decided to do this, you know, they all jumped on board. And we all sat down and we brainstormed how could we show the government that... how important this is to... to them and to us? And so we came up with the idea of doing the video. And it was amazing to see their enthusiasm. And the bigger picture here, Susan, is really is that, you know, having that demographic engaged in the political process and the decisions that are being made about their lives is so crucial. You know, so often, you know, if a government makes a policy on anything to do with seniors or, you know, how are they to tell government what they feel about that? What are they going to do? Send out a Tweet? Are they going to send update to their Instagram? That is not their medium. So they feel very muted. So to watch them all get involved in the political process was a beautiful thing to see. And I was so proud of their intelligence and their fire. You know, at 101, at 97, the chutzpah of them to participate in this and just just say to the government, listen, we have a voice, we'd like for you to listen to us. We've put it out in a very respectful, fun way, but we mean it. We're serious about this. Why can't we dance?

SB: So how did they feel when it was all done and they got to see the finished product?

RH: Oh, they're so proud of themselves. Like, they're so proud of themselves. Because no matter what happens, even if the government doesn't reflect and change the policy, they feel like they have actively taken part and have been in charge of their lives and their future. And it gives them a purpose. And they feel like they're like, OK, like we mean business. They're walking a little bit straighter. They're just like, any word back about our video? Have you heard from the minister? They're just really proud of the effort that they put forward.

SB: Now, just to be clear, did they have to break the rules to make the video?

RH: So we were very careful to adhere to the rules. So basically, the people were dancing by themselves with nobody within 12 feet except for me with my camera, and I'm masked at all times.

SB: Well, make another video, will you?

RH [laughing] I might have to, hey?

SB: Thank you. So good to talk to you. Good luck.

RH: Thank you so much for having me.

SB: Bye-bye.

RH: Bye-bye.

CH: Renee Houlihan is the Recreation Director at Alderwood Retirement Centre. We reached her in Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador.

[“Nobody Beats the Biz” by Biz Markie/hip-hop]

Biz Markie obit

CH: This is Biz Markie, with his 1988 single "Nobody Beats the Biz". In which he throws in a couplet that sums up his whole career: "Making people laugh and have a lot of enjoyment / I'm the best person for this type of employment." Biz Markie was not cool, and he didn't care that he wasn't cool, which made him cool. In the video for his biggest hit, he wrings out a towel soaked with his own sweat, feeds some geese, and plays the piano in a Mozart wig and a ruffled shirt. He also sings one of the greatest hooks in hip-hop history -- which is deeply impassioned, and extremely off-key. But he had to sing it. As he later told Entertainment Weekly, "I asked people to sing the part, and nobody showed up at the studio, so I did it myself." Biz Markie -- rapper, songwriter, producer, and consummate entertainer -- died on Friday. He was 57. He was known for his sense of humour -- he once described himself as "the class clown of the rap business" -- but he was serious about his work. He could beatbox, he could produce, he could rap, and he could DJ. And he was resourceful: in a tribute, Mike D said Biz Markie was once doing an opening DJ set for the Beastie Boys when the power went out. Quote. "He didn't miss a beat -- human beatboxing and singing a cappella without amplification. He could not be stopped." Unquote.

[music: hip-hop beat]

Part 2: HMCS Halifax Quarantine, CBC Indigenous Olympic Stream, FOA HNIC Theme Obit

HMCS Halifax Quarantine

Guest: Chris Rochon

CH: They're so close to home, they can taste it. And after seven months at sea, the crew of HMCS Halifax are eager for emotional reunions with family and friends. But for now, they're stuck just metres from shore. And they aren't allowed to disembark because one of the crew has tested positive for COVID-19. Chris Rochon is the captain of HMCS Halifax. We reached him aboard the ship in Halifax.

SB: Commander Rochon, after seven months away, how heartbreaking is it for your crew not to be able to go ashore?

CHRIS ROCHON: Well, it's definitely a shock. It's something that, you know, we weren't... weren't expecting. But one thing I've learned with this team here, though, and that they've done with this, as they have with anything else, is that you know, they... they band together as a family, and they lean on each other. And, you know, some are, you know, going through harder, harder emotional responses than others. And the ones that can are helping the ones that need help. And they're... they're really banding together and trying to get through this as best as we can.

SB: Can you describe for us some of the emotional scenes and reunions that usually happen when the Halifax comes home?

CR: Yes, absolutely. I mean, I've done this a number of times in my career. And, you know, normally you turn the corner towards the jetty, and you'll have all the families waiting there with signs. You have a band playing. You'll have VIP's there to meet you. You'll have one of your sailors who gets to go across and get the first kiss with one of their loved ones. You know, it's usually a really festive event. And, you know, unfortunately, you know, we weren't going to get that to start with just because of... of COVID and the, you know, the protocols that we had to take for that. And, of course, once the test came up, you know, we definitely had to scale back what little there was going to be for the... for the return home.

SB: Well, what exactly happened? How did you find out that a crew member had tested positive for COVID?

CR: So as part of our... our protocols and our safety and to... before we arrived back in Halifax, we conducted full 100 per cent rapid testing of the crew. Out of the rapid testing, we had one test that came back as a non-negative. Once we got that test, we then followed up with that member with a PCR test, which confirmed that it was a positive COVID test.

SB: How do you think this sailor contracted the virus?

CR: Well, we... we're not 100 per cent sure, of course. But it's most likely... we had the opportunity to send ashore in our last port, which was a fairly big deal. It's not something that we had had the opportunity to do throughout the rest of the six-and-a-half months of our deployment. But we were able to provide that opportunity based on the extremely low risk that was involved with... with the port that we were at.

SB: Where was that? Where was this?

CR: So this was in Reykjavik, Iceland. And at the end of the day, it's more than likely it, you know, possibly got picked up there.

SB: Commander, how are you keeping the crew upbeat and pulling together, as you describe, and occupied as you sit and wait?

CR: Well, first of all, there's always a lot of work to do, especially bringing a ship home from a deployment like this. So there's definitely some things to keep... keep people busy and occupied. And they work together. And they really do it. And, you know, there were some nice touches. We got treated to a whole bunch of our favourite coffee and doughnuts when we got to the... got to the jetty today. You know, a little first taste of home, which... which really brought a lot of smiles out. And the sense of isolation, to be honest, is something that we got used to very much throughout our deployment because almost every one of our port visits before we were... before we got vaccinated, this is what we did. We didn't get off-ship. So the team got very good and very creative at keeping themselves in good spirits.

SB: But it's got to be harder when you can see your own shoreline right there, and you can't get out and touch it?

CR: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. You know, not definitely, you know, cognisant of that. It's, you know, it's the same, but different. And, you know, I like everybody else on this ship, you know, want to see my family, want to see my kids. They're… they're all waiting. I'd say it's disheartening. But again, you know, it's the team spirit here that kind of keeps it going. And I know it's very, very difficult for the families at home too. And I know that there's, you know, the... the feelings of anxiety as they wait for word and try and figure out what's going on with them, you know? And... but I know that there's a lot of support going out for them as well. And... and we're trying to get information out as fast as we can get it as to what's going on and what the next steps are going to be.

SB: When will you get the results that will allow people to leave the ship finally?

CR: So we're anticipating that the results should be completed sometime in the early-to-mid evening tonight. At that point, they're going to be looked at by both our own Canadian armed forces health authorities, but they're also working with Public Health Canada and with the provincial health authorities. And, you know, based on the results and what they see, that's going to dictate what the way ahead is. So, you know, I can't really speculate on, you know, what it'll mean and when it means that we'll be able to get people home to their families. I know that there's a lot of really, really good people working really hard to try and get this done and to figure this out for us.

SB: You mentioned your own family. Have you been able to talk to them? What do you know about what they're doing while they wait to see you?

CR: Yeah, I absolutely have been able to talk to them, and they're... they're taking it quite well. You know, it's... it's you spend long enough in the Navy. You know, you get used to having to deal with some of the surprises that come up. So they're taking it well. But they're anxious, you know? They'd like to... they'd like to get me home. And I'd like to get home to them as well. But we have to do this right. And we have to make sure that we do it properly.

SB: Well, you've had your coffee and doughnut. What else are you most looking forward to when you get back onshore?

CR: [laughing] You know, just, you know, hanging out with my family, hanging out with my kids, watching a Blue Jays game with my daughter. And I know... I know they have a pan of my absolute favourite lasagne ready to go as soon as they get word that I can come home.

SB: Well, I hope it happens soon. Thanks so much for your time. Good luck to you all.

CR: You too. Thank you very much for your time as well. It's been a pleasure talking to you.

SB: Bye-bye.

CR: Bye.

CH: Chris Rochon is the captain of HMCS Halifax. We reached him on the ship in Halifax.

[music: glassy guitar riff]

Annamie Paul Safe For Now

CH: Annamie Paul may have dodged any immediate threat to her job, but she won't be dodging questions about it. The Green Party leader faced reporters today after the party's federal council cancelled a non-confidence vote that had been scheduled for tomorrow. Ms. Paul has been under fire since her now-former staffer, Noah Zatzman, characterized party members as anti-Semitic over their critiques of Israel -- and called on the Greens to do more to attract Zionist members. In an open letter published today, a number of racialized and Jewish members of the Green Party called Ms. Paul's subsequent refusal to condemn Mr. Zatzman "fundamentally counter to the values of Social Justice, Participatory Democracy, and Respect for Diversity, enshrined in the Green Party's Constitution." But Annamie Paul says she plans to stay on as leader for as long as she can.

SOUNDCLIP

ANNAMIE PAUL: I have thought many times over the last number of weeks of packing it in. And I think that anybody in my situation that is in it for the right reasons would have considered stepping down. It's incredibly... has been incredibly difficult and taken quite a toll. The reason that I haven't is because, you know, it should not be this difficult. It should not be this difficult for people of goodwill, people with experience, to offer it in service to their country. There are too many good people that have found it impossible. And I simply didn't want to be one of them. I haven't stopped because of the members who elected me not that long ago in a very lengthy democratic process. I haven't stopped because there are candidates, some standing behind me, who have given up a great deal and invested a great deal in running for us in the next election. And I also didn't want to let down all of the people, young, old, from different backgrounds, different underrepresented groups, who had asked me over the course of the last eight to nine months, is there a place for someone like me in politics? Is there a place for me? And I want the answer finally to be yes. And so I was not prepared to be the third woman in the course of a month who had offered her a service, who was extremely qualified, who made the decision that there was no place for them in politics and that there was no way for them to contribute their service. I wasn't going to be that person.

[sound: clapping and cheering]

CH: Green Party leader Annamie Paul, speaking in Toronto today.

[music: electronic]

CBC Indigenous Olympic Stream

Guest: Dorothy Stewart

CH: After a year-long delay, lots of controversy, and amid a growing number of COVID cases -- the Tokyo Olympics will kick off on Friday. And if you're willing to get up at the crack of dawn -- depending where you are in Canada -- you can watch the opening ceremonies on CBC-TV. And for the first time, English and French won't be your only broadcast options. Hosts will be covering the opening ceremony in eight different Indigenous languages. Dorothy Stewart will be one of them. She is the host of "Winschgaoug", a Cree-language radio morning show on CBC North -- and she will be hosting in Eastern Cree. We reached her in Montreal.

SB: Dorothy, what does it mean for you to be able to cover the Olympic opening ceremony in Eastern Cree?

DOROTHY STEWART: Well, it's a great honour, first of all. And as I said to other people that have asked me, to have the opportunity for our audience who can understand it because we have a lot of my people in northern Quebec that only listen to the outside world through radio. So I think it's an honour to do it. And I want to do the best job that I can.

SB: How have you prepared for this?

DS: I've been watching the news coming out, practising the names of people, and I've been actually translating some of the sports that are going to be going on. So... and I touched base with my Cree language teacher. I still have a teacher that directs me. So anyway, and she says I was on the ball. So I'm confident that I think we can do it.

SB: What kind of advice has your... has your language teacher given you on this assignment?

DS: She said that on the... because I have a practice test. So she said that when you're doing the news, if you were a viewer telling somebody a story from what you picked up on the news. So that's the best way. And also, I speak pretty fast for... for the dialect that I speak. And most people understand me because I'm the morning host on "Winschgaoug". And so anyway, I always get feedback and ask if I can say something better or whatever, right? So it only gets better as you practice more.

SB: Have you had to learn any new words or phrases for this particular assignment?

DS: Oh, yes! Yes, actually, because we're going to be doing the... the female and male people coming in, holding the flags, that's a bit different. So I have to explain that in kind of very, very fast kind of so people understand why that's being done. So that was one of the things. And then, of course, where it's happening, you have to kind of say on the other side of the world, so… and we know the size of Earth, where we are from where we're broadcasting from, and, of course, where it is, right?

SB: Right.

DS: So it'll be interesting.

SB: Are there some sports or events that are particularly challenging to translate?

DS: Oh, I think so. Like, you know, when they do those... you know the running and the hurdling?

SB: [both laughing] Yes.

DS: So I'm going to have to, like, I... that’s one of the things I was talking to my Cree language teacher. So she said that well you're running, you have to jump over these things, right? So as you watch, if you imagine the movement. So she said, think about it like that. So [speaking Eastern Cree] that means you're running and then you're jumping over this hurdle, Like --

SB: It's very descriptive language.

DS: It is because we don't want to have words... word for word, Susan. I have to say that. And so it's a very descriptive language. But also, as I said, it's very good for my people that are listening to the radio to get a sense of it because they see it on television, but they don't understand everything that's going on.

SB: Dorothy, have you spoken Cree your entire life?

DS: Well, I'm going to say that I am a residential school survivor, so I had to relearn my language. And one was when I realized that I have two children, a son and a daughter. As they were growing up, I wanted to get them to... to be able to communicate with my parents. So I made a point where I set up a conversation with my parents, and I asked them when we could call. And so we made a point of calling every two weeks just so we could converse a bit. And it made me realize how important it is to keep the language. I understood a lot of it, but I couldn't, like, talk like I'm talking to you right now. It took me a while. But today in my job, I am often told that I speak very well for somebody that said I was not fluent.

SB: What was it like as an adult to... to have to relearn your... your mother tongue?

DS: It was embarrassing sometimes. And I will say, you know, sometimes people can make comments directed at you. There was an occasion I didn’t know my numbers. So anyway, somebody in the audience yelled out, like, you should say it like this. All right, you should come and sit with me and I will tell you all your numbers, right? For me, at the time, it was embarrassing, but I didn't say anything. And my mother picked up on it and she said, that's good that you didn't say anything because you will eventually learn. Well, you know what? I… it ended up that that same man told me that I'm a very, very good speaker. So I thought that's something that, you know, like I didn't... I didn't disrespect him, but I didn't say anything. And I just wanted to make sure that I could take my language back.

SB: And you did. And now you will be broadcasting in your language all across Canada. What will that be like for you personally?

DS: Well, for me, I'm so honoured to be... to be selected for this because we talked about it in our unit, in the Cree unit, where we're not many of us. But I said I like a good challenge. So I think that's part of it. But I also I'm very proud that we are still using our language with my people, and that I can speak and communicate with my people.

SB: Can you teach me how to say thank you in Eastern Cree?

DS: Kinanâskomitin

SB: Kinanâskomitin. How’d I do?

DS: You did very well, Susan. [Speaking Eastern Cree] and I thank you too.

SB: It was good to talk to you. Enjoy the games.

DS: I sure will. You take care. Thank you so much again.

CH: Dorothy Stewart is the host of "Winschgaoug", a Cree-language radio morning show on CBC North, and she will be hosting Friday's Olympic opening ceremonies in the Eastern Cree language. She spoke to us from Montreal.

[music: Canada’s national anthem… wait… it’s the Hockey Night theme]

FOA HNIC Theme Obit

CH: She wrote the song that's seared into the hearts of hockey fans across the country. Canada's other national anthem: the "Hockey Night in Canada" theme song. Dolores Claman was born in Vancouver, but left for New York as a teenager to train as a concert pianist at Juillard. But she soon realized she didn't want to play other people's songs -- she wanted to write her own. And she did. In the 1960s, she co-wrote thousands of jingles with her husband and writing partner -- including a song for Expo 67 containing that memorable lyric about "a place to stand, a place to grow -- Ontari-ari-ari-o". Dolores Claman died last week. She was 94. Though she was one of the few women in her industry, she said she rarely had problems. And when she did, her creativity served her well: her daughter remembers that once, when she was out with a client, a restaurant refused to serve Ms. Claman because she was wearing pants. A problem she solved by taking the pants off... at the table. Doloris Claman got no credit for writing the "Hockey Night in Canada" theme in 1968. It wasn't until 1989 that the CBC relented -- and added her name to the broadcast as composer for the first time. That year, she spoke to the CBC's Vicki Gabereau.

SOUNDCLIP

VICKI GABEREAU: Now, what is the story with Hockey Night in Canada and the credit?

DOLORES CLAMAN: Well, when... when we... when I first wrote it, it was really for a jingle. It was a jingle to cover three sponsors that... and so I wrote a jingle, sort of a jingle, and it turned into something very popular.

VG: Yeah, did it ever. [chuckling]

DC: So naturally, you don't ask for a credit on a jingle.

VG: No.

DC: So later on, it became a theme and I asked for a credit on it, but I never did get it. And... and that’s sort of 20 years now. So it was... it was quite interesting. On New Year's Eve, I thought, my heaven, there it is at last!

VG: Do you mean every time you've been in Canada because you've been out of the country for many years, you would turn on the hockey game just in case your name was there?

DC: No, no, no. I never even suspected it until this year.

VG: Right. So what happened? Did you phone them and say you really must put my name on there once in a while?

DC: Well, yes. About two years ago, people kept using it. I think they thought it was public domain. And I really got fed up with that. And because you're always writing letters and things. So I thought if I had a credit, there would be no doubt whatsoever. And people wouldn't just use it without asking us because I have a publisher.

VG: Right. Well, you would think that, well, you get paid from “Hockey Night in Canada”, still, I would suspect? I mean, that's not public domain. It's not public domain until you're…

DC: Well, one gets the performance royalties, but nothing from “Hockey Night in Canada”, of course.

VG: They paid you off already?

DC: Yes.

VG: Ah, I get it. Yeah, um-hmm.

DC: For television anyway.

VG: Now, other people have said that they've written it, I mean, which seems to be a common problem, anything that becomes popular, and people start to think that they know it, that it's theirs somehow.

DC: Yes. Well, people do. You know, time does play tricks. I have had one person anyway who was an arranger. He... he... kept... kept saying he wrote. As a matter of fact, he even published it. You know, I found that out this year. So I was really pleased finally to... to lay it all to rest.

VG: Yes.

DC: With this. I feel much better about the whole thing. Now I can…

VG: Now you don't have to worry about it anymore.

DC: No.

VG: You don't hum it in your brain like we do because you've been away so long.

DC: No, but I do like... I still like it, you know?

VG: The Americans must be mad that they didn't have it? [laughing]

DC: I don't know.

VG: I'll bet they are because it's one of the great all-time themes, don't you think? What do you think about it?

DC: Well, I like it because I don't think it's dated that much. And I always like things that I do that don't date.

CH: "Hockey Night in Canada" theme composer Dolores Claman speaking to the CBC's Vicki Gabereau, in January, 1989. Ms. Claman died last week at age 94.

[music: world music]

SOD: Olympic Sex Beds

CH: There's a rumour going around the Olympic Village. Well, actually, it's a rumour going around on Twitter. But it began in Tokyo with a tweet from the U.S. 5000-metre champ Paul Chelimo. Mr. Chelimo told his followers, quote, "Beds to be installed in Tokyo Olympic Village will be made of cardboard, this is aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes. Beds will be able to withstand the weight of a single person to avoid situations beyond sports." Unquote. Well, the Olympic organizers insist that the cardboard cots have nothing to do with amorous athletes or COVID rules against two-person non-sporting team events. The official line is that the beds are part of a commitment to folding everything up and recycling it when the athletes are done and gone. But that doesn't seem to have satisfied Rhys McClenaghan. The Irish gymnast put Mr. Chelimo's theory to the test nonetheless. Mr. McClenaghan posted a video on Saturday in which he jumps, as only a gymnast can, on his own cardboard bed.

SOUNDCLIP

RHYS MCCLENAGHAN: In today's episode of “Fake News at the Olympic Games”, the bed are meant to be anti-sex. They're made of cardboard, yes, but apparently they're meant to break at any sudden movements. [lots of pounding, but not that kind of pounding] It's fake, fake news!

CH: From the Olympic Village in Tokyo that was Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan failing to collapse his cardboard bed. That was our Sound of the Day.

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July 19, 2021 Episode Transcript

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