Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past Friday in Winnipeg, a well-known NWT musician – and, I have to add, a constituent of Inuvik Twin Lakes – Mr. Louie Goose was honoured by the Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
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People may not hear it, but there are some folks in here singing “40 Days” right now.
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Louie was taught at an early age by his mother, and he spoke during an interview about as he was growing up chording at some of the old-time dances
for many of the old-time fiddle players who were always playing all night for the dances. He spoke about his early start with a band called the Deltanaires. He played lead guitar in this band and he spoke about how he had to start singing one day because their lead singer was resting, as he put it. I think that’s the politically correct term for passed out.
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For well over 40 years Louie has been entertaining the residents of the Beaufort-Delta, and anyone that may have lived or attended school during that time can recall listening and dancing to the music from Louie’s band.
He started work with CBC for a while, for a few years, and along with Mr. Saturday Night Request Show, Mr. Les Carpenter and Roger Gruben and the late Willie Gordon who hosted the well-renowned Moms Show, they were, in my opinion, probably the best radio personalities the North has ever had or will ever have.
Louie’s musical influence is particularly evident as his daughter Leanne is starting to carve out a musical career of her own, with multiple nominations from the Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards. She did a moving introduction at the awards to, as she put it, her hero.
I ask Members today to join me in congratulating Mr. Louie Goose on receiving the National Lifetime Achievement Award from the Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards committee. This is a well-deserved award for a well-deserving individual, Mr. 40 Days, Louie Goose.