Reid Jamieson

The mayor of Vancouver is pushing to disband the elected parks board - super sneaky timing with Xmas to distract us. This was not part of his campaign and can only end in our beautiful public parks being sold to the highest bidder. There is a reason we have one of the worlds the best parks and seawall, etc... and as slow and tedious as that board may seem, they have always protected these spaces from greedy developers. PLEASE if you care, SIGN the petitions in the comments below (no sign up required) and/or write a letter to the mayor and councillors. Letter template and email addresses below. Thank you.

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To ______,
How can one duly elected body (Vancouver Major and City Council) eliminate another elected body (Vancouver Parks Board), midterm behind closed doors? Vancouver did not vote for this!

Disbanding of the Parks Board is a land grab for the parks, golf courses etc. Developers have been pushing for community land for years. The Parks Board is a duly elected body, voted in by residents/tax payers of Vancouver. I believe the Major/Council was purposeful in their timing, hoping voters are too busy with end of year work loads and Holiday parties to notice, or have time to react to the unprincipled motion/vote.

I; and many others, care about our City’s parks and recreation centers and vehemently disagree with the motion/vote to ax the duly elected Parks Board, and to the Vancouver Major/Council having carte blanche control over our Parks and Recreation - 250 public parks and beaches, VanDusen Botanical Garden, Bloedel Conservatory and a large public recreation system of community centres, pools, rinks, fitness centres, golf courses, street trees, marinas, sports fields, and playgrounds. I did not vote for this and I oppose it. We will fight for this.

Email addresses:
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] ...

That time we won 5k for our cover of Do They Know It's Christmas ... Considering we don't actually celebrate xmas, it was all pretty surreal - and extremely appreciated!! More contests please! 104.3 - The Breeze Band Aid 30

LG1043’s vanCover: A Tribute Project To The Greatest Hits

They say that going 'viral' is not so much about a bunch of folks sharing to a bunch of people, but more about one person with a huge audience sharing with their peeps. That said, if you know anyone...big or small...please send em a tune k? xo

Sad songs say so much. After John's assassination on this day back in 1980 Elton John (and Bernie Taupin) wrote this eulogy for John Lennon....not that we knew it at the time. EMPTY GARDEN (Hey hey Johnny). Reido's interpretation here https://open.spotify.com/track/40AyWML4grQaW5ClyRxvI5?si=fb223e08cb79424d xo

SING IT https://youtu.be/n9C5S1K89jQ?feature=shared
Lily Frost Lily Frost Music

Lily Frost - Do What You Love From the album "Do What You Love" on Aporia Records (extended version video).Video by: Steven MundayLyrics:Do what you love and the money will followDo what ...

Our fave local charity helping youth ageing out of foster care. Check em out. Give what you can. xo

You might have noticed, we look a little bit different lately...

On Friday, our new website went live, complete with our new brand. So many know us simply as Aunt Leah's, and we are so excited to unveil our new look and simplified name.

We offered a peak into our new branding when we released our 2022-2023 Annual Report earlier this year, but we are happy to share that this new brand has carried over to our website.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the hard work and dedication from a variety of talented individuals, including those over at Cause+Affect, Yardstick Services Inc., Spur Communication, and of course, Aunt Leah's staff. Thank you all for your creativity, passion and effort, to bring this project across the finish line.

Now, what are you waiting for? Visit auntleahs.org today and explore our newly launched site for everything Aunt Leah's.

Bizarre discovery. Someone created an AI generated version of Freddie Mercury singing to Reid's version of John Lennon's Oh Yoko - wacky! https://youtu.be/dun_qpFr0zw?feature=shared xo

Freddie Mercury - Oh Yoko (Reid Jamieson AI Cover (John Lennon)) Description:🎶 AI-Generated Music Attribution:The music in this video has been generated using artificial intelligence, specifically Freddie Mercury AI Model...

wanna hear a beauty voice? Molly O'Mahoney from Co. Cork https://mollyomahony.bandcamp.com/album/extension just fantastic...

Extension, by Molly O'Mahony 3 track album

Buffy's truth... We believe she has earned the right to be heard. We can be kind and nuanced in uncertainty, sure beats polarized and cruel. 🕊️🧡🎶

Buffy Sainte-Marie statement:

I want to begin by thanking the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the honour. As one of the most prestigious awards in the global entertainment industry, it is a true recognition of the outstanding team who worked on my story – the true story of my life.

I’ve always believed it takes rain and sunshine to bring a rainbow. This great honour does indeed come after the rain – as I continue to absorb and process the recent attack on my character, life and legacy. It’s a deep wound to my inner child, but as an 82-year-old now, I’m strong – and these allegations do not shake me.

Now it is time for me to shine a light on the truth, my truth.

I have never lied about my identity. The more I’ve known, the more I’ve pieced together a sense of self from what information has been available to me.

What I know about my Indigenous ancestry I learned from my growing up mother, who was of Mi’kmaq heritage, and my own research later in life. My mother told me that I was adopted and that I was Native, but there was no documentation as was common for Indigenous children at the time.

When I grew up, I was adopted into a Cree family by Emile Piapot (son of Chief Piapot, Treaty 4 Adhesion signatory), and Clara Starblanket Piapot (daughter of Chief Starblanket, Treaty 4 signatory), in accordance with Cree law and customs. They were kind, loving, and proud to claim me as their own. I love my Piapot family and am so lucky to have them in my life.

I have always struggled to answer questions about who I am. For decades, I tried to find my birth parents and information about my background. Through that research what became clear, and what I’ve always been honest about: I don’t know where I’m from or who my birth parents are, and I will never know. Which is why, to be questioned in this way is painful, both for me, and for my two families I love so dearly.

My Indigenous identity is rooted in a deep connection to a community which has had a profound role in shaping my life and my work. For my entire life, I have championed Indigenous, and Native American causes when nobody else would, or had the platform to do so. I am proud to have been able to travel the world, sharing Indigenous stories. I have always tried to bridge gaps between communities and educate people to live in love and kindness.

This is my truth. And while there are many things I do not know; I have been proud to share my story – as I know it – throughout my life.

The attack on my character is full of mistakes and omissions. While I will not stoop to respond to every false allegation, I feel it is important to clarify two things.

First, the central proof used to question my identity is a story fabricated by my abuser and repeated by two members of my estranged family I don’t even know. This has been incredibly re-traumatizing for me and unfair to all involved. It hurts me deeply to discover that my estranged family grew up scared of me and thinking these lies because of a letter I sent intended to protect me from further abuse from my brother. I want to be clear, I do not blame them. They, of course, want to believe their father. I have evidence I was sexually abused by my brother, but I can’t tolerate discomforting his children even more. I wish them only the best and hope they move forward from this and find peace, as I am trying to do.

The second is my “birth certificate”. As many Indigenous people know, and the National Sixties Scoop Healing Foundation of Canada has stated, it was common for birth certificates of Indian children to be “created” by western governments after they were adopted or taken away from their families. So it was quite shocking to me to hear a city clerk say she had 100% confidence in its authenticity. I have never known if my birth certificate was real. I have used it because it was the only document I’ve had my whole life. I’ve heard from countless people with similar stories – who do not know where they are from and feel victimized by these allegations and one-sided reporting as I do.

Most importantly, this is my life – I am not a piece of paper. I am a product of both my families and all my experiences in this world.

If you are a pure-blood documented something, I’m glad for you. It’s awesome and beautiful to hear you speak your lineage, history and genealogy. But even if your documentation says you’re racially pure, you might miss the point. Being an “Indian” has little to do with s***m tracking and colonial record keeping: It has to do with community, culture, knowledge, teachings, who claims you, who you love, who loves you, and who’s your family.

With respect and love.

Buffy Sainte-Marie

Applications opened yesterday for the 2024 Vancouver Fringe, and we just with the hopes of presenting our Pigeon again! Working on a recording of the tunes to release next fall. Such a supportive and inspiring environment for us newbies...maybe you want to enter too??! Do it!! Vancouver Fringe

This Alex Borstein: Corsets & Clown Suits 2023 show is painfully funny, moving, educational, and surprisingly musically satisfying. She might be related to CVM somehow, which makes a girl crush kinda creepy.

Dear Seattle and Portland peeps - go see our talented pal Jill Barber at her first PNW shows. She will delight you. https://www.jillbarber.com/shows xo

Shows — Jill Barber

Feels strange to be home after a month of hotels. Struggling to take in all the s***e news...adjusting plans and pivoting be our new black it would seem. Tho nothing is ever certain...we sure are grateful for all we have right now and will somehow get thru the rest of this year if we keep redirecting to love and logic, empathy and acceptance. Right?

In other news....

We will return to our Irish Heather Songbird Session series in January. Hope you will too.

More on our Buffy release dates after the dust settles and we know more. What we do know is that it will take more than a piece of paper to bury her legacy for us. Album out Feb 20.

Work begins on the Pigeon & Dove recordings, while we hustle to keep the roof over our own heads.

Please be gentle with yourselves and each other. These are difficult delicate times, be kind 🕊️

Let's be clear here. Buffy Sainte-Marie made her fame and money from these songs sung by white people - Universal Soldier (Donovan), Until It's Time For You To Go (Elvis etc) and Up Where We Belong (Jennifer Warnes, Joe Cocker). She used that fame and money to promote Indigenous culture and pay for scholarships and achieved so much more in the name of Indigenous peoples when it was not in vogue as it is now. Not the other way around. Her story is more nuanced than the current polarizing sensationalist new cycle will ever allow for. Don't take the bait.

Reid Jamieson Vancouver singer songwriter. Gorgeous, sun-struck acoustic soul' Globe&Mail. Heartbreaking originals

Seems to us that much of this Buffy bashing sprouts from the brother and his daughter ..a brother she has publicly accused of sexually assaulting her as a child. The daughter who stands to benefit from this story.

And also from a woman who makes her fame exposing pretendians.

Ain't nobody else questioned her identity in all these decades. And I am dang sure Buffy wasnt / isnt so powerful as Woody Allen that she could keep so many people quiet. We do know she has done more for Indigenous culture and people than anyone else we can think of.

Any lawyer claiming to be certain of the veracity of adoption documents from 80 years ago, especially concerning indigenous children, is living on a different planet than me.

This small cohort just speaking up now, at a time when it might (I stress might) actually be of some benefit to be seen as indigenous...creating a controversy that might pay and/or hurt. Isn't that convenient.

Most (I mean 99% of) folks couldn't name three Buffy tunes. Any fame she has - or doesn't have- is in large part because of her Indigenous advocacy.

Seems like someone has it out for her ..and someone will benefit from this 'story' coming out now.

Follow the money...

Shame on The Fifth Estate

Indigenous icon. Incredible human. Truth and love 🕊️🧡🎵 Buffy Sainte-Marie

We don't often play open mics...but this one was too epic to resist! Reido over the moon to play a couple tunes at the Cavern where we sang our heart and lungs out for the kind people of Liverpool. A happy bday indeed!

Ian Prowse's Monday Club at the Cavern Pub

Cavern Club Liverpool

If you have peeps in Kent we are gonna sing our hearts and lungs out at the Lighthouse in Deal on Sunday. Returning to our auntie and uncles and this magical town is gonna be deal-icious! 'Sunday Service' feat. Reid Jamieson & CVM 6pm Lighthouse DEAL UK

- Reid Jamieson “Gorgeous, sun-struck acoustic soul” – Globe & Mail We are completely independent and can’t really afford advertising, so please join the mailing list to stay in the loop! Very secure, we send out once a month at most. **fully independent, we own all rights and masters to our music. instrume...