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P OST M E D I A

We’ve got the music in us

Tuesday, January 30, 2018 SECTION B

Derek Ruttan/The London Free Press

Ivory Hours’ front man Luke Rose performs with the band at the London Music Hall during a news conference Monday to announce that London will host the 2019 Juno Awards.

Thrills, surprise as London lands 2019 Junos, Canada’s biggest music bash
Jennifer Bieman
The London Free Press
Monumental event, massive
excitement.
After years of aspirations, plans,
grit and gumption, the Juno Awards
— the single-biggest celebration in
Canadian music — are coming to
London in 2019.
Already, the anticipation is
palpable.
“An event like this is just incred-
ible,” Chris Campbell, director of
culture and entertainment tourism
at Tourism London, said Monday.
“It’s going to have a huge indi-
rect and direct impact on culture
in our city.”
The best acts in Canadian music
will step out in the Forest City not
only for the nationally televised
March 17, 2019, award show itself,
but also for the week-long festivi-
ties that start March 11.
“This is the single-largest enter-
tainment event that our commu-
nity will ever have the opportunity
to host. It’s history in the making,”
Mayor Matt Brown said.
“We talk about the Junos, we talk
about Juno week, but for London,
this is going to be Juno year.”
Brown and Tourism London
officials made the big announce-
ment at a surprise news conference
Monday at the London Music Hall,
the culmination of a years-long
pursuit of the coveted national
awards show.
The news brought rousing
applause and a standing ovation
from the crowd, started by Tourism
London general manager John
Winston in the front row.
All told, the Juno Awards fes-
tivities could bring in at least
$10 million in economic spinoffs
to the city, Winston said. But the
potential monetary boon for the
city isn’t the only thing he’s excited
about.
“The relationship-building and
the contacts that we’ll create in
this sector will just be incalcula-
ble,” he said.
See junos | A6
Junos put city on national stage
norman
de bono
news analysis
Hosting Canada’s national music
awards will give London a massive
cultural profile that “stamps” the
city as a centre for arts and enter-
tainment, industry observers said
Monday.
The fallout from bringing
the Juno awards here in March
2019 starts with an estimated
$10-­million spinoff for hotels, res-
taurants and shopping but will,
over the long term, push the city
onto a national stage.
“When you think about the im-
pact, it means digital companies
may see us as more attractive, the
younger creative class may be re-
tained. This is the largest cultur-
al event in Canada and stamps us
with a brand you do not see in sec-
ondary markets,” said Chris Camp-
bell, Tourism London’s director of
culture and entertainment tour-
ism. “We are punching above our
weight.”
This year the event is being held
in Vancouver. Ottawa hosted the
Junos last year, and it was Calgary’s
turn in 2015.
See reaction | A6

As PCs face leadership backlash, Ford jumps in we asked you...

Kevin Connor
Postmedia News
TORONTO — Ontario’s
Progressive Conservative party
brass has faced growing backlash
for proposing to appoint, not vote
in a new leader to replace Patrick
Brown.
Brown resigned in the wake of
explosive sexual misconduct alle-
gations that left the party reeling
and struggling to fill that void.
However, a planned vote by
the PC executive on Wednesday
lfpress.com
ship vote and will be “the Conservatives don’t only party to put Ontario back on
instead appoint even trust their own members the right path.” Will you travel south during
interim leader enough to vote for their leaders, Ford said he was throwing his hat the winter?
Vic Fedeli to so why should you?” in the ring to save the party from YES 29%
lead the Tories Meanwhile, Doug Ford, a former what he called political “elites.”
NO 71%
during the cam- Toronto councillor who had been “The elites of this party, the ones
paign report- running in Toronto’s mayoral race, who shut out the grassroots, do not Total votes cast: 1,692
edly has candi- announced Monday he’s seeking want me in this race,” he said.
dates, staff and Ford the leadership of Ontario’s PC “I’m here to give a voice . . . to Today’s question:
riding associa- party. the hard-working taxpayers of Are you excited to see the Junos
tion presidents and members con- “I am deeply troubled by what I this province, people who have come to London?
sidering quitting. have recently seen unfold in the PC been ignored for far too long. This
“It’s complete hypocrisy,” a sen- party,” Ford said from his mother’s is truly a critical moment for our
ior Conservative party source told Etobicoke home where he made party, for our people and for the $ 1.43
Postmedia, and a senior Liberal his announcement. future of our province.” (plus gst)

to overturn a general leader- source suggested their messaging “I love the PC party and it is the See tories | A5

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