Book Review - Peace Pipe Dreams: The Truth about Lies about Indians

I've always been curious about the issues that face native peoples in Canada so was happy to pick up a copy of Peace Pipe Dreams: The Truth about Lies about Indians.

Darrell Dennis is a stereotype-busting, politically incorrect Native American/Aboriginal/Shuswap. With a large dose of humour and irreverence, he untangles some of the truths and myths about First Nations: Why do people think Natives get free trucks, and why didn’t he ever get one? Why does the length of your hair determine whether you’re good or bad? By what ratio does the amount of rain in a year depend on the amount of cactus liquor you consume?

In addition to answering these burning questions, Dennis tackles some tougher subjects. He looks at European-Native interactions in North America from the moment of first contact, discussing the fur trade, treaty-signing and the implementation of residential schools. Addressing misconceptions still widely believed today, Dennis explains why Native people aren’t genetically any more predisposed to become alcoholics than Caucasians; that Native religion doesn’t consist of worshipping rocks, disappearing into thin air, or conversing with animals; and that tax exemptions are so limited and confusing that many people don’t even bother.

Employing pop culture examples, personal anecdote and a cutting wit, Darrell Dennis deftly weaves history with current events to entertain, inform and provide a convincing, readable overview of First Nations issues and why they matter today.

Although the above description from Goodreads calls author, Darrell Dennis a native American, he actually is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter and radio personality from the Secwepemc Nation in the interior of British Columbia.

The first issue is what they are comfortable being called. According to the author:

"First Nations" is the popular term in Canada, "Native American" or "American Indian" in the US and you should stay away from plain old "Indian" in both countries... it's impossible to provide a term that all native people can be comfortable with. For example, the word "Indian" is used amongst fellow "Indians" but there will always be "Indians" who are offended by the word "Indian" even though they support their fellow "Indians" using the word "Indian". It's generally considered bad for to call an "Indian" if you yourself are not an "Indian" and that includes "Indians" from India. Got it?

The book is very well researched and Mr. Dennis says the book is meant to be a quick and dirty introduction to the truth behind the stereotypes, and one of the messages is, Don't believe everything you read about Indians.

The book is filled with humour, which makes the material sink in more. The chapters includes such topics as Native Names, Native Perceptions: The European Point of View, Native Perceptions: The North American Point of View, Natives and Alcohol, Religion & Residential Schools (the one very serious chapter in the the book with no attempts at humour), Treaties, Native Land, Native Government and The Future.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It's entertaining, informative and I think it is an important read, a book that should be read by every Canadian.

My December 2016 Beer of the Month Delivery

I have to work this week while Teena has the week off. Lucky Teena!

I was thrilled to receive an email from her this morning saying my Beer of the Month package had arrived. Fun mail!

Every month I receive 12 beer, sometimes four of a brand from three different breweries, and sometimes it contains beer from two breweries with each providing three bottle each of two of their brands. This month I received the latter,

Inside the box were three Hop Shot Auburn Ales and three Orange Zest Lager from Cameron's Brewing. Accompanying them were three bottles of Hop-Happy Haymaker Double IPA and three Peacemaker Belgium Brown Porters from Strathroy Brewing.

This weekend is a four-day weekend for me. Sounds like it will be a tasty one!

Marlies Lose Quickly in Overtime

This afternoon my buddy, Roger, and I went to see the Toronto Marlies play. We usually see a game or two each year. Today the first place Marlies (20 wins, 5 losses and 1 OT loss) took on the Utica Comets (11 wins, 10 losses, 2 OT losses and 1 shootout loss).

The flags are out for the singing of the national anthems.

It was Woman's Hockey Day and there were girls hockey teams filling the stands. For the ceremonial face-off, three members from Team Canada's woman's team, including Olympic hero Natalie Spooner, dropped the puck.

The game starts.

The Marlies put on the pressure at the other end of the ice.

Bernier makes a save. 

It was a lackluster first period with the Marlies only taking 7 shots on goal against Utica's 4 shots. The period ended with a 1-1 tie. Between periods, a children's choir sang Christmas carols.

For the last two periods, Roger and I moved around to better seats so I didn't have to take pictures through the net behind the goal. Although the second and third periods were scrappy, no fights broke out, much to the disappointment of the girls team sitting in front of us chanting "fight, fight, fight" every time there was some shoving.

Utica took a 3-1 lead part way through the second period, with the third goal being a soft one against Bernier. Toronto fought back scoring 2 goals, with less than a minute to go in the period.

The Marlie cheerleaders kept the fans going.

"Fight, fight, fight!" Sorry girls, not this time either.

Toronto led 4-3 late in the third, when Utica pulled their goalie and tied up the game with exactly a minute to go. 32 seconds later Utica received a penalty and would start overtime with only three skaters against Toronto's four. Everyone was sensing victory!

In overtime, though, the unthinkable happened. Toronto won the opening face-off and tried to get the puck into Utica's end but the play was broken up, and a quick pass gave Friesen a breakaway. Friesen broke in on net and shoveled  the puck through Bernier's legs for the victory. All this in 16 seconds!

It was a fun afternoon despite the quick OT loss and I look forward to seeing the Marlies again, hopefully with better results.

The 12 Beers of Christmas at the Glastone

Tonight Teena and I went to the 12 Beers of Christmas at the Gladstone Hotel. It's the perfect location for us as it is only a ten minute walk from home.

12 Beers of Xmas is back! Don your ugliest Xmas sweater and cozy up with a beer (or 12) at December's biggest party.

We've gathered a long list of our favourite craft breweries who will all descend on the Gladstone Hotel on Saturday December 12th, where they'll be pouring glasses of good cheer in the form of beer!

Tickets are $25, but once you're inside you're free to taste all you want.

Rock out to live performances by Toronto's best local DJ's and Bands. The event will finish at 9.30pm, but stick around because at 10pm you'll definitely feel bubbly enough to take on the stage with your mates for some Shameless Karaoke!

We arrived around 6:25pm and found a long line-up. It moved quickly, though, and we were in by 6:50pm.

Once inside I started at the Goose Island booth with a Honkers Ale first, followed by a Goose Island IPA.

Next up was a Big Rig Gold Lager. There were some interesting figurines lined up behind the booth.

 

 

Ugly Christmas sweaters were everywhere.

 

A jazz band in the Melody Lounge. While we listened to them, I had a Hoptsa La Vista IPA from Longslice Brewing.

In the other space, a rock band, Common Deer, played. They were excellent and that's where we spent most of our time.

 

They played for two hours and started to pack up and were convinced to do one more song. After they had a short discussion with each other, they came up with a song, one said we would find to be a treat. It was fabulous!

 

 

 

I had a delicious Conductors Ale from Junction Brewing.

Teena and I finished the night with a Steamwhistle.

 This past summer we had discovered the 12 Beers of Summer at the Gladstone and made it a not to be missed event. Now we're adding The 12 Beers of Christmas to that list.

Beer of the Week - Microbrasserie Alchemiste India Pale Ale

In this months Beer of the Month Club package were three India Pale Ales from Microbrasserie Alchemiste's. I really love IPAs and was looking forward to trying these, but first a little about the brewery.

The original brewery was opened in 2001 as a brewpub in downtown Joliette by owner Carl Dufour. At first the brewery's beer was only available on tap at the pub. Due to demand though, the brewery starting selling it's bottles at local stores, first in large bottles, then in regular size bottles. By 2006, demand was so great the brewery part moved to an industrial park in Joliette to increase production.

And the IPA?

The ale pours brown in colour with a light brownish head. I had expected hops to be present in the aroma but was surprised to find it quite malty. The ale had a nice head, and nice lacings were left behind as I sipped.

It was quite interesting the way the taste changes during a sip. At first I was met with a very nice hop bite that disappeared rather quickly. The ale seems almost tasteless at that point and there is no finish. However, seconds after I swallow, an excellent surge of hoppy bitterness comes fighting back. This happened sip after sip after sip and was the same with the second bottle.

I really enjoyed this IPA and the next time I'm in Quebec, I'll be on the search for this. I think it would be also very interesting to try on tap.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 298
Breweries 268
Countries 45

Book Review - The Twelve Days of Christmas in Canada

Some people might wonder why I read a children's book, The Twelve Days of Christmas in Canada.

When I saw Teena reading it, I had a good chuckle. Then Teena asked about something she had just read in it. Was Saskatoon Berries named after the city, or was the city named after the berries?

Hmm. I guessed wrong. Seems the city was named after the berry. Shows you can learn new facts from anywhere.

So I sat down today and gave it a read.

O Canada, in Christmastime! Come with Juliette and her "crazy Canuck cousin" as they take a holiday trip across the country, all the way from Prince Edward Island and vieux Québec to Winnipeg and Vancouver. Along the way Juliette gets really cool Canadian gifts—like 8 bears a-swimming, 6 Mounties marching, and a loon in a maple tree!

Theo is Juliette's Canadian cousin, actually he calls himself her crazy Canuck cousin, who takes Juliette on an adventure across Canada. Accompanied by a loon named Maple, they travel by car, motorcycle, train, plan and even dog sled, seeing the sights and learning facts along the way.

Yes, I admit that I learned some facts about Canada during their trip. The final part of the trip are some fun facts about Canada, such as Canada has over three million fresh water lakes, which is about 60% of the worlds lakes, and that the eastern white cedar is the slowest growing tree in the world, usually live to 200 years old, with some having lived for more than 1300 years.

It's a fun book to give to a child for Christmas.

Beer of the Week - The Hamilton Brewery's Blue Collar Pale Ale

Teena and I were down in Hamilton to visit my son, Ken, and see his new place. We went for supper at a fabulous little pub around the corner from him called Rebel's Rock Irish Pub and on tap was Blue Collar Pale Ale from The Hamilton Brewery.

The owner Warren Pyper, pictured below, lives in the Corktown area of Hamilton, across from a building that used to house the Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway. He wanted a name to reflect this part of the city's history so named his brewery using the same initials of the railway, THB, The Hamilton Brewery.

The THB on the can is also a variation of the original railways logo. An interesting note about the Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway, which was in operation from 1892 to 1987 when it was bought out by Canadian Pacific, was that the railway never ran to Toronto or Buffalo. It just served Hamilton and surrounding areas.

The Hamilton Brewery started selling beer in 2014 and while saving to open a brick and mortar brewery in Hamilton, contract brews out of Railway City Brewing in St Thomas, Ontario. Currently the Blue Clollar sells on tap in pubs in Hamilton and surrounding areas and is available in cans at Hamilton LCBO's.

And how is the Blue Collar Pale Ale?

The beer pours amber in colour with an off-white head. Malt and some floral hops are come through in the aroma. Sometimes there is quite a noticeable difference in the taste of a beer between being on draught and being canned or bottled but not here. This is very much the same beer I had at the pub. It's a nicely balanced beer. It starts just a little malty before the hops take over. It's not an overly hoppy ale, but has an enjoyable bitter finish, enough to satisy a hop head like me and not enough to scare off somebody who is just getting into craft beers.

Next time I'm in Hamilton, I will pick up more.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 297
Breweries 267
Countries 45

Jann Arden Live at First Canadian Place

I have been a fan of Jann Arden since she first came out with Insensitive from her Living Under June CD in 1994. It's been a long time but she has finally come out with a Christmas CD, A Jann Arden Christmas. To promote the CD, she put on a free performance on the Waterfall Stage at First Canadian Place.

I am not a fan of Christmas music but if I heard that Jann Arden was going to sing the alphabet, I would go see it. Not only does she have a great voice, but she is also gifted with a great sense of humour.

The session started with a short interview.

Another guitarist, who also sang harmony, accompanied Jann on stage. She sang a few Christmas carols, starting with her favorite, Silent Night, which I recorded and is posted at the bottom of this post, and ended with Good Mother, one of my favorites.

At the end, Jann stayed on stage to sign CDs. Of course, there was a long lineup but She took her time with each person to chat.

This is the first time I have seen her live, which is hard to believe. One day I hope to see her do a full concert. Here she is doing Silent Night from her concert today.

Emilie Claire Barlow in Concert at First Canadian Place

Today Emilie Claire Barlow put on a concert during lunch at the waterfall stage at First Canadian Place, and, of course, I was there.

Emilie-Claire Barlow is a Canadian jazz singer, arranger, record producer and voice actress. A Juno Award winner, she has released 11 self produced jazz albums on her own label and has voiced dozens of characters for animated television series.

Emilie Claire has done very well for herself. Here are some of her Awards:

2001 – JUNO nomination for 'Vocal Jazz Album' for Tribute
2008 – JUNO nomination for 'Vocal Jazz Album' for The Very Thought of You
2008 – Named National Jazz Awards’ ‘Female Vocalist of the Year’
2010 – JUNO nomination for 'Vocal Jazz Album' for Haven't We Met?
2011 – JUNO nomination for 'Vocal Jazz Album' for The Beat Goes On
2013 – JUNO Award for 'Vocal Jazz Album' for Seule ce soir

She sang some original tunes but her talent seems to really be taking old songs from the sixties and seventies and slowing them down and reworking them as Jazz. I really enjoyed her performance but didn't have time to buy one of her CDs that were on sale to the side as when I left, I already was late getting back to work.

I will have to download some of her songs from iTunes. Here is a sample of her style that I downloaded from You Tube, Sunshine Superman, a song I love which was originally done in 1966 by Donovan.