Steven McKay

What music are you listening to / art are you checking out these days?

Mostly I've been listening to Gadzooks by Doctor Ew, my touring partner and labelmate. It's Drew Smith from the Bicycles' new project and his latest record has sort of a post-SMiLE era Beach Boys sound but with some guts. I listen to it everyday. As for art - I have become a major fan of Ginette Lapalme (ginettelapalme.com).

Why should people, especially youth, vote?

Because right now they aren't and that's why we we are living in a Stephen Harris...oops, I mean Stephen Harper world.

For you, is there a connection between art and democracy? What is it?

What music are you listening to / art are you checking out these days?

Mostly I've been listening to Gadzooks by Doctor Ew, my touring partner and labelmate. It's Drew Smith from the Bicycles' new project and his latest record has sort of a post-SMiLE era Beach Boys sound but with some guts. I listen to it everyday. As for art - I have become a major fan of Ginette Lapalme (ginettelapalme.com).

Why should people, especially youth, vote?

Because right now they aren't and that's why we we are living in a Stephen Harris...oops, I mean Stephen Harper world.

For you, is there a connection between art and democracy? What is it?

What music are you listening to / art are you checking out these days?

Mostly I've been listening to Gadzooks by Doctor Ew, my touring partner and labelmate. It's Drew Smith from the Bicycles' new project and his latest record has sort of a post-SMiLE era Beach Boys sound but with some guts. I listen to it everyday. As for art - I have become a major fan of Ginette Lapalme (ginettelapalme.com).

Why should people, especially youth, vote?

Because right now they aren't and that's why we we are living in a Stephen Harris...oops, I mean Stephen Harper world.

For you, is there a connection between art and democracy? What is it?

If there is a connection between art and democracy I don't know what it is. For me, art is about the individual whereas democracy is all about the group. There might be a connection between popular art and democracy though. Good question.


Why do you care about your community, when it is so easy not to?

It's hard to describe, but I think it boils down to a strange kind of self-serving loyalty. Communities rally around people, but only if you participate in the community. If you keep to yourself and focus only on what's happening in your own space, you'll be extremely lonely. There's nothing worse than that.


What do you look for in a politician? What do you expect from your 
Member of Parliament?

I expect my MP to take into account all of the various interests and concerns of their constituents and to pursue those concerns with their party, and then to take it to the House of Commons. I still haven't found a politician who does that - these days their actions are usually dictated by the party first and then maybe they'll throw you a bone. The party line-towing in this country is ridiculous.

What causes do you actively support? (Give us the links and we will 
post them on our website)

Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti - http://www.hashaiti.org/
My parents volunteer with this organization so I get to hear about the kind of trauma the Artibonite valley has been through on a semi-regular basis. If it's not the aftermath from the earthquake it's something else. Right now they are dealing with a cholera epidemic.


What are one or two simple actions you recommend youth take to make a 
difference?

One thing that everyone can do is to start buying newspapers (or advertising in newspapers). Aside from staying in touch with what's happening in the world, they will also be supporting journalists. Journalists keep politicians in check and for every reporter that gets laid off, another loop-hole in our government goes undiscovered.