Crossing Canadian Border - Musician Issues

[StoneMtn]

MUSIC WITHOUT BORDERS?

by Cal Koat

Last week world.beats scooped an exclusive interview with Damian Jr. Gong Marley. I wish I could say it was because of the sway and influence the program holds over the music industry, but, in truth, it was a case of dumb luck and blind persistence. The hour set aside for media interviews was 5 to 6pm, prior to sound check for the night’s performance. At 5, I was told that the Marley tour bus was still stuck at the Canada/US border. I rounded the corner in front of Vancouver’s rock ‘n roll hotel just in time to see a caravan of camera crews pull away from the curb. Apparently, they weren’t prepared to wait. But, what the hey? I don’t have a life and I certainly didn’t have a guest for the following week’s taping so I elected to sweat it out. At 9pm, performer and posse met us at the venue and, true to everything I had heard about the Marleys, Jr. Gong was humble and accommodating. world.beats viewers can catch that segment Saturday night at 10 on channel m.

I understand that in these days of heightened homeland security, customs and immigration delays are to be expected, but I am concerned by the increasing frequency with which this is affecting the availability of international performers to the media. I know, that’s rock ‘n roll ( or reggae, in the case of Jr. Gong), however, this was just another incident in a string of backfires and near misses I’ve experienced lately with global artists crossing from the States into Canada. Similar situations occurred with kora master, Prince Diabate, New York Afro-Latinos, Yerba Buena and Zimbabwe’s big voice, Oliver Mtukudzi. And, it’s not a situation that’s peculiar to African or Caribbean musicians. No one is accusing anybody of racial profiling.

The other day I was conducting a radio interview with Alan Reid from Scots traditionalists, the Battlefield Band. With his conservative appearance, Reid could just as well be a college professor as a keyboard player. Now, their piper, Mike Katz, looks like he moonlights in a ZZ Top cover band with his foot long beard, but that’s another story. In their road diary at the Battlefield Band website, Alan recalls that already in 2003, their tour north into Canada was almost knocked off the rails by complications at the border. He was reluctant in our interview to slag Canadian customs but he did say that the rules change all the time, which leaves artists chasing their tails. In Britain, the band was told to fill out their visas when they got to Canada and at the Canadian border they were asked, “Why didn’t you fill these out back in Britain?â€

Apparently, Canadian cultural protectionism factors (pardon the pun) into this as well; international performers must supply reasonable evidence on their work visas to prove that the ‘service’ they will provide to audiences up here could not be similarly supplied by Canadian musicians. Canada is a country proudly built on immigration. Obviously, you don’t have to look very hard to find Caribbean, African or Scottish performers who are also fine upstanding Canucks. But, global music is strengthened through exchange and exposure. None of the local reggae musicians I saw in attendance at the Damian Marley concert appeared overly concerned that he was taking food out of their mouths.

Ultimately, I am worried that if Canada continues to make it difficult for world musicians to enter the country, especially when you consider (and I’m assuming here), those musicians already had to go through a similar hassle when they arrived on these shores in the US, that Canadian cities may be scratched from more and more tours. Global artists aren’t terrorists and they’re not out to take our jobs. They’re cultural ambassadors who should be afforded a higher level of privilege, especially when they have made obligations to the media and their public. If our customs and immigration personnel have the jam to pat down Fiffy Sen, be my guest. He’d just embellish the facts, make it rhyme and sell a million units. But, for the sake of our cultural edification, please, cut the world musicians some slack. Alan Reid did offer me some insight. He said, “I have a theory that Canada combines the worst of both British and French bureaucracies.†He may be on to something.

[SmoothedShredder]

Hear Hear!

I imagine the problem stems from sour relations in general with the States, but leave the musicians out of it, they're just trying to spread the love.

[Lazlo]

But what if their instruments are lethal weapons of mass destruction?

[SmoothedShredder]

Music is the weapon of the future... or is it the children. I always get that confused.

[Boochawan]

But what if their instruments are lethal weapons of mass destruction?

Like this guy? His 'soul gun' (aka guitar) is defenitly a powerful weapon.

[bradm]

But what if their instruments are lethal weapons of mass destruction?

You mean Celine Dion's going to be touring Canada again? Run for the hills!

Aloha,

Brad

[Lazlo]

See what I mean. These terrorists need to be stopped before they can influence our young.

[Biggest Fan]

'Canadians' seemed weiry of musicians and 'Americans' pot. I am not sure if pot carrying musicians should be shot on spot or elected into office.

[Lazlo]

They should wait until they cross the border to get the real thing.

[Stoolshed]

'Canadians' seemed weiry of musicians and 'Americans' pot.

I must disagree with the way things are put on this thread. This is the second time I've commented on border issues on this board, but I've got lots of experience, having now crossed the border as part of 4 different tours. Legally.

No matter what american musicians complain about, their government is still worse, and canadian musicians have it way worse. Not only is Canada bigger, longer, and we have the expense of crossing it to reach only 1/10 of the USA's population, but it costs $1200 american to get your paperwork within 30 days of your gig. American musicians earn american money most days, and have to pay only $400 canadian, good for any gig in Canada they mention at the time of paying, and here's the clincher: they don't have to plan ahead. Just show up at the border, fill out papers, pay and off they go. Canadians playing in the States have it WAY harder than americans in Canada.

I wholeheartedly agree that borders should not stop musicians, and those b*stards in government should fry for not making it so.