Feds give $700,000 for 150th anniversary concert

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This article was published 20/01/2020 (1809 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They haven’t announced the line-up of musical acts, but organizers of the province’s 150th anniversary committee promise it will be a celebration to remember now that the federal government has contributed $700,000 for a free concert on June 27.

Stuart Murray, co-chair of Manitoba 150, the independent not-for-profit organization overseeing the province’s commemorative activities, said on Tuesday they’re saving the announcement on who will be performing at Unite 150, a day-long concert in Memorial Park in front of the Legislature, to a later date, but he promises it will feature only Manitoba musicians “from the past, the present and the future”, who are Indigenous, Anglophone and Francophone, and who will appeal to both children and adults.

“A day of Manitoba music will be a challenge to do that in a day — there are so many great musicians.”

And Murray, with a tongue-in-cheek reference to his former job a few decades ago as the road manager for the band Blood, Sweat and Tears, said “there will be no Blood, Sweat and Tears, just blood, sweat and tears to get (the concert) together.”

Earlier, at the funding announcement held at The Forks, federal Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said Manitoba is the province to visit this year.

“The word is out and everyone across Canada knows that Manitoba is the province to be in during 2020,” Guilbeault said. “This is an important milestone and we want everyone to be here to participate and remember it for the next 50 years.

“It’s your party and your moment to share with Canadians.”

Dan Vandal, the Liberal MP for St. Boniface and the federal Minister of Northern Affairs — who put in a plug for having Neil Young perform — said “it will be a great celebration.

“The federal government wants to celebrate with Manitoba… it has been 150 years since Manitoba joined Confederation and it is something that should be celebrated in this province and across the entire country.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca