VOLUME 22 NUMBER 1 FEBRUARY 2021 the official journal of the calgary musicians association - local 547 CFM/AFM CERB recipients won’t have to repay benefit if they applied based on gross income: Trudeau Some Canadians also won’t have to pay interest on 2020 tax debt until next year Author of the article: The moves eliminate a potential drag on growth for Canada’s National Post Wire Services economy, as many households faced the prospect of having to Publishing date: Feb 09, 2021 make large tax payments on last year’s benefits. It also gives Thousands of Canadians received letters last year Trudeau one less political worry as he considers whether to telling them they’d have to pay back the CERB. trigger an election later this year. Ottawa is tweaking financial support programs in More than 8 million people, or 40 per cent of the labour force, place to help people through the pandemic. received at least one payment from the government’s flagship Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says those who support program — the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. received emergency benefits and made up to $75,000 “Right now, I don’t want you to have to worry about what you in taxable income won’t have to pay interest on 2020 may owe in taxes,” Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa. “Our tax debt until next year. priority is to ensure that you and your family get through this And he says people who applied for the Canada pandemic and back on your feet.” Emergency Response Benefit based on their gross Interest on income taxes will be waived until April 30, 2022, cians income, rather than net income, won’t have to repay according to a statement released by Canada Revenue Agency. the benefit as long as they are otherwise eligible. Individuals need to earn less than $75,000 (US$58,998) to qualify Thousands of Canadians received letters last year for the relief. telling them they’d have to pay back the CERB In the first nine months of 2020, government transfers to because they were ineligible due to the way they’d Canadian households increased by about $100 billion from 2019. calculated their income. Government officials didn’t provide a cost estimate for the relief. They’d been told that to qualify for the CERB they The announcement comes as Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland had to have earned at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the prepares her first budget as the country’s finance chief, which 12 months before they applied. is expected in the spring. According to government estimates, But how to calculate that income became a sticking Canada’s deficit for the fiscal year ending March 31 will rise to point, with confusion over whether it meant income 17.5 per cent of gross domestic product, from 1.7 per cent in 2019. before or after expenses were deducted. The Canadian Press with files from Bloomberg In turn, upwards of 400,000 people were told they’d have to repay because they weren’t in fact eligible for them. GENERAL MEETING 2020-21 VIA TELECONFERENCE (ZOOM) DUES RENEWAL IS SCHEDULED FOR MON. MAR. 29TH @10 AM MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT RENEWED THEIR calgary musi ANNUAL DUES AND WDBUYOUT WILL BE PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE BY 4 PM TH REMOVED FROM MEMBERSHIP ON FEB.28 AS PER TH ON THURSDAY MAR. 25 AFM BYLAWS FOR CO ORDINATES The CMA Executive would like to avoid this situation - . because of the penalty payments that accompany your * * * * * reinstatement, should you decide to rejoin. Before the DEADLINBYLAW CHANGES/SUBMISSIONS end of February and to avoid being expelled, please TH email the Sec-Treasurer and resign in good standing. IS FRIDAY MARCH 26 Thank you for your cooperation. PAGE 2 FEBRUARY 2021 Searching for solid ground...in the past. o here we are, 2021...and ●Feist is also from Bowness still experiencing the least ●Jann Arden wrote the album “Living Under June” in the basement of a house Sideal circumstances as we in Mission just off of 4th Street. trudge through a second year of ●The Hotel Arts was once the Westward Hotel, where Nirvana, The Red Hot the worldwide pandemic. In some Chili Peppers, and Lenny Kravitz played! Half of the “Westward Club” still stands ways the present time has been and the other half is a parking lot. (Reminds me of a Joni Mitchell song ;) ) the hardest so far - because we’re ●Louis Armstrong performed at the Jubilee multiple times in his career. exhausted. We’re digging the ditch ●The Grand Theatre downtown was once a Vaudeville theatre and the great of the everyday. In other ways, it’s Charlie Chaplin performed there. easier - because we know what to ●Jazz Trumpeter Chet Baker once played in the lounge of the Sandman Hotel do...just keep digging. Keep trying downtown! and searching for little glimpses into ●The Corral which was torn down this year had a huge perofrmance history. the future. The future feels daunting, Queen, Kiss, The Who are among some of the acts that played there. Excited uncertain and yet, I feel hard-wired to stay hopeful that we will eventually to see what the Stampede has planned for the new space! get through this. Nothing lasts forever but with no immediate end in sight for the music and performance community, the thought of “pivoting” ALSO - It’s no secret that I am a HUGE fan of The Band. This week, The one more time is almost worse than dealing with the monotony of the Band re-released a remixed and remastered version of their famous album present. So. I suggest we do something a little different. Let’s escape the Stage Fright. and I have been patiently awaiting this release for months! IT present and the future - and take a small journey into the past. WAS WORTH THE WAIT! Stage Fright was originally released in August of 1970 and was a studio album recorded in an old theatre in Woodstock NY. Confession: I have always been a giant music history nerd. (If you know The new release boasts 20 new tracks recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall me, you really understand this statement.) One of my favourite past in 1971 of which I must say I have never heard The Band sound better, they times is to “go down the rabbit hole” and search the history of venues, are truly at the top of their game. The new album also includes seven tracks instruments, artists, musicians I love - and especially Calgary’s music recorded in Calgary!!! history! I am also a music nostalgia junkie, and I know I’m not alone. Music has been shared among humans and used to mark moments On July 4 and 5th 1970 The Band were in town as part of a cross Canada of significance - forever! Music has also been used in many scientific train tour “The Festival Express”. Also on the bill were Janis Joplin, Ian and studies - specifically because of it’s ability to evoke the emotion of Sylvia, Buddy Guy, The Grateful Dead etc. The festival was held at the then nostalgia. 10 year old McMahon Stadium. During the two days much would transpire. Here is a quote from a New York Times article on the benefits of Ian Tyson was mugged outside of the Cecil Hotel and almost broke his hand remembering the good times: defending himself. Jerry Garcia would hang out at a festival on Princes Island to the surprise of the attendees ... and The Band would hole up in in what I can “Nostalgia has been shown to counteract loneliness, boredom and only assume was The Palliser Hotel with a tape player and record seven songs anxiety. It makes people more generous to strangers and more tolerant acoustically. How amazing! Janis Joplin would also record her set at McMahon of outsiders. Couples feel closer and look happier when they’re sharing and would release the iconic live version of “Cry Baby” that was included on her nostalgic memories. On cold days, or in cold rooms, people use nostalgia Greatest Hits Album. It would be one of her final live recordings as she would be to literally feel warmer.” - gone 3 months later. All of these recordings are worth a listen and it is incredible https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/09/science/what-is-nostalgia-good- to think they were created here. for-quite-a-bit-research-shows.html I encourage you to travel down the rabbit hole on any of your own Calgary So, why don’t we all shut out the cold and get a little nostalgic for just a music history inquiries, or call up a friend and talk about your most influential moment? (Scrolling through posts about shows from a year ago, or the teachers, albums or moments. Feel free to share music history with me festivals and friends we are missing - doesn’t count.) Let’s take it back a anytime! I love it all! little further and talk about some of the best moments in Calgary’s music Learning about the past can be a powerful mechanism to reflect, understand history. There are so many significant moments in music history that and even change the present. Change is the only constant thing we can count have happened right here in our city. This is only scratching the surface - which also leaves me hopeful that the present WILL change. So while we all and I have a lot more still to learn but here are some of my favourite patiently wait to see these changes take shape in our circumstances - l hope rabbit holes that are keeping me warm this winter: you find ways to have a small reprieve and escape reality through embracing moments of remarkable times in our history.