Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Hey Roy Cape. Welcome Back.  Toronto has missed you! The long-time Caribana calypso saxophonist from Trinidad, Roy Cape, is making a return to Toronto next month, albeit through film, as part of the annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival (CTFF). During the late 90s and the early 21st century, the arrival of Roy Francis Cape and his All Stars Band marked the beginning of the Carnival season in Toronto. From calypso shows and parties to mas camp mashups and cruises, as well as performances at the Grande Parade, Cape has consistently been the sought-after music maker. However, a battle with cancer in 2014 and a subsequent hip fracture five years later have prevented the 81-year-old man from gracing a Toronto staged of late. On September 9th, the CTFF will host the international premiere of the 2022 film 'Iconography: Roy Cape' at Harbourfront’s Fleck Theatre, followed by a special performance by the Roy Cape All Stars. As for whether Cape will be in Toronto, a spokeswoman for the fi...

  Calypso Returns with a Song And a Laugh Or Two: Kaiso 365 Calypso Monarch of Canada Competition Thrills Audience           Macromere Fifi, the new queen After a seven-year hiatus, the highly anticipated Kaiso 365 Calypso Monarch of Canada Competition made a triumphant comeback last Sunday at the Latvian Canadian Center in North York, Ontario. Organized by the Organization of Calypso Performing Artistes (OCPA), the event drew an electrified crowd that packed the venue to its full capacity. The evening began with a heartfelt tribute, as OCPA honored eight individuals who played pivotal roles in the development of Calypso music in Canada. Among the honourees were Lennox Borel, Glenda Bostic, Ken Bruzual, Dr. Rita Cox, Elsworth James, George Maharaj, Jai Ojah Maharaj, and Selwyn Woods. Their contributions to the genre were acknowledged with deep gratitude, setting the stage for an unforgettable night. The competition itself featured an impressive li...

Harbinger of parades to come in Toronto this week The cars honked, the bikers waved, and merchants came out of their Bloor Street stores to offer encouragement. TV news crews filmed the drummers drumming. Tuesday afternoon's weather was perfect for the second annual Emancipation on Bloor event. The blue skies, moderate summer temperatures, and a slight wind to cool the 50 individuals, all dressed in white, marching on the sidewalks of one of Toronto's busiest streets made it all worthwhile. It was the day after the night before for most of the participants. Following The Underground Freedom Train Ride, which ended in the early hours of Tuesday, and attending a Blackhurst funding announcement at noon, the dedicated members of the community took to Bloor Street to march to the sounds of Pan Man Pat's walking pan band from the Blackhurst Cultural Centre near Bloor and Bathurst to the Christie Pits Park. Participants were asked to wear white and come with wrapped heads, and mos...

  Bank of Montreal Make Big Deposit in Blackhurst Building Account At noon on Tuesday inside a packed a Blackhurst Cultural Centre ( Different Booklist ) there was a noticeable murmering of Wows, and Oh My Gods, when two officials from the Bank of Montreal announced a $750,000 donation to the Blackhurst Cultural Centre.  From left Michael Lashley, Itah Sadu, BMO Stanley Julien also Board member BCC and Renee Lantaigne BMO Made in conjunction with the Centre's annual Emancipation Day walk down Bloor Street, the size of the Bank’s largest did not fail to impress. BMO Is the lead partner of Blackhurst's capital campaign,  Tuesday’s donation will support construction of a new Cultural Centre celebrating and preserving Black history in Toronto's Mirvish Village currently under constructions. The donation also supports an operating and endowment fund to help the Centre deliver outreach programs such as youth arts programs and a business e-course in partnership wi...

 Justin Rode That Train (we are not kidding) Photos by stephen weir and KJ Mullins I want to dispel a growing urban myth. Despite what people are saying, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did, in fact, ride the Underground Freedom Train on July 31st. The voice that they heard over the subway train’s speaker system on Monday night WAS NOT a recording of the PM’s voice; that was him in person (and I have included a picture to prove it). For the past ten years, Itah Sadu a bookstore owner, community leader, and the driving force behind the newly emerging Blackhurst Cultural Centre has spearheaded the Underground Freedom Train Ride and Emancipation ceremony in conjunction with the TTC. The late-night event provides an actual non-stop underground experience via the subway system, representing the underground railroad journey. The ride ends at Downsview Station a few minutes after midnight with an outdoor service marking the dropping of the 19th-century Emancipation Act by the British govern...