Classical guitarist Liona Boyd.Dean Marrantz/Supplied
In response to the current contentious cross-border climate, classical guitarist Liona Boyd has released My Canada, a remixed version of Canada My Canada, from her flag-waving 2013 album The Return…to Canada with Love.
The anthem, which arrives with a new video, features an all-star cast of vocalists including, among others, Serena Ryder, Jann Arden, Divine Brown, Dan Hill, Amanda Martinez, Randy Bachman and a few maple-leafed members of the 1972 Summit Series hockey team.
The five-time Juno Award winner spoke to The Globe and Mail about politics, patriotism and a romantic partner named Pierre.
Why did you originally write this anthem?
When I returned to Canada after living in the United States for 20 years, I realized Canada didn’t have a patriotic song. Although Gordon Lightfoot did write Canadian Railroad Trilogy and Oscar Peterson had his Canadiana Suite. But the United States has America the Beautiful, This Land Is Your Land and God Bless America. After I wrote and recorded the song, I remember telling my parents that my music was going to be immortalized. But, quite honestly, it didn’t get the attention it probably should have. I think, when we see what’s going on in the U.S., it’s a perfect time to bring out this song again. Elbows up.
Do you consider yourself political?
Yes, of course. I dated Pierre Trudeau for eight years. And Joel Bell [former head of Canadian Development Investment Corp], with whom I was also associated, was very much in the Liberal camp. But then I went and married a Republican, believe it or not.
Did you ever write a song with Pierre Trudeau in mind?
I did. So Many Years Apart, with the line ‘Age is not important in the language of the art; Who cares that our birthdays are so many years apart?’ He was sort of mad that it didn’t become a hit. Tanya Tucker, who was in a relationship with Glen Campbell, fell in love with the song and was going to record it. But then they broke up. So, her recording never came to be.
You will be in inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in June. What is your level of fame, comparatively, in this country and the U.S.?
In Canada, we never quite celebrate our celebrities as much as in the U.S., I’ve found. I was being recognized more there, and I was selling out more concerts there. I did play every little town in Canada, of course. I thought I’d really made it when I played Toronto’s Massey Hall and my father told me, ‘They’re scalping your tickets outside the venue!’ I realized I’d entered a new phase of my career when that happened.
Can you say who you will vote for?
I am very certain who I will vote for, but I’d rather not say. I have fans on both sides. But I think I know who is going to win. And he is very, very smart.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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