Mr. Speaker,
It's a working man I am
And I've been down under ground.
And I swear to God if I ever see the sun
Or for any length of time
I can hold it in my mind
I never again will go down under ground.
Yesterday, Canada lost of its finest musical voices, country and folk singer-songwriter Rita MacNeil.
After much hardship in her early years, her breakthrough came in 1987's crossover hit, Flying on Your Own. By 1990, she was a bestselling country artist in Canada. Through it all, Cape Breton's first lady of song remained down to earth and served as a patron for many emerging and struggling artists. A proud native of Big Pond, Cape Breton, she paid eloquent tribute to her home's cultural and industrial roots through songs like Working Man.
We all express our sincere condolences to Rita MacNeil's family, her friends and her colleagues.