Hear PEC’s new official song – ‘Waiting to Welcome You’
Administrator | Nov 10, 2010 | Comments 24
Jeanette Arsenault's composition Waiting to Welcome You is PEC's new official song. Phil Norton photo
Prince Edward County is “Waiting to Welcome You” and will now do it with an official song.
Council agreed last night that “Waiting to Welcome You” written and produced by Jeanette Arsenault will be adopted as the official song of Prince Edward County to be utilized at official openings, local fairs and various municipal events throughout the county and in present and planned promotional efforts.An agreement has been signed with Arsenault for non-exclusive use of her composition at a cost of $2,000.
Arsenault was honoured to have her song adopted as the offical County song.
“This song was written in 2002 out of a deep sense of love for Prince Edward County and the people who live here. I wanted to share the beauty of this place with the rest of the world and I did it the best way I know how – through music.
“I have a vision for this song….the slideshow you saw tonight was made up of photos that I took mostly around the Waupoos area where I live. I would like to see a slideshow made up of photos of the whole County, taken by various photographers so that the County can truly be showcased in its best light.
“I would like to point out that the violin track you hear on the recording was played by Zeke Mazurek, our good friend who recently passed away. I am thrilled that you have made it possible for his music to live on in this official capacity – it is a fitting way to honour someone who was quiet about his long list of achievements in the Canadian music scene but who brightened our world with his violin virtuosity, his encyclopaedic knowledge, his ever professional and gentlemanly manner and of course, his sense of humour.”
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This story was’nt about windmills or high debt or even County Council.Its about a well known singer/songwriter who has writen and produced a song to express her pride and love for Prince Edward County.$2000 is a small fee to pay and very likely has just covered studio time and copyright protection costs and other cost associated with producing a Profesional recording.Maybe instead of hijacking every story to make sure your views on certain subjects are seen by everyone, maybe you could write a song about windmills and debt produce it and as you suggest donate it at your own cost to a cause you support and get your point across that way.
Where are the Moderators to prevent hijacking of a positive story.Im guessing these wind energy folks have seen just how abundant the hot air is here in The County, Doris and see potential.
The statement that Ontario has “too much electricity” is incorrect. Here’s why…(from the Ministry of Energy figures)
1) Ontario’s current peak electricity demand is about 27,000 megawatts (MW). Of that, about 52% is generated by nuclear, 21% by hydroelectric, 18% by coal, 8% by natural gas and other sources and 1% by wind.
2) By 2027 Ontario’s peak demand is predicted to rise to about 34,000 MW requiring and installed capacity of about 40,000 MW.
3) The Government of Ontario has pledged to close all coal fired generating stations in the Province resulting in a potential generation shortfall of about 5,000 MW in the next decade.
4)By 2025, 80% of Ontario’s installed generating capacity (including ALL existing nuclear plants) will have have reached the end of their operational lifespans and will have to be refurbished, repaired or replaced.
5) The time to bring a new nuclear generating station on line can be in excess of 10 years, if environmental assessments and permits are included.
What all this means, is by the Ministry’s own admission, Ontario is looking at a potential generation shortfall of about 30,000 MW by the year 2027. That’s barely 16 years!
I’m not about to tell anyone how & where that electricity should be produced, but I will tell you that you are going to be paying a lot more for your electricity in the next decade and unless we, as a Province, start making some tough decisions very soon, we are going to be in for a cold, dark, future.
Paul no one is questioning Jeanettes ability and contribution to the music industry.
We all agree that she is a tireless worker and a wonderful musician.
What is being questioned is the Lame Duck council making descisions that affect the County. Lame Duck councils should just tend to housekeeping matters and should not be entertaining motions like the one Monica Alyea did about Gilead building a interpretive Centre for wind energy on the Mariners Property.
Lets leave important County Wide matters to the new council and Mayor, after all half of this present council will not be around after the first of December.
2010
Leading Women, Building Communities Award (one of 104 Ontario-wide)
CD signing at Sam the Record Man for This Is My Canada
International Women’s Day – Woman of the World
2009
This Is My Canada CD release
Olympic Torch Relay, Music program organizer & performer
Reader’s choice, best local entertainer, County Weekly News (5th time)
Women in Business Award, County Weekly News
BPW International “Woman of the Week” (week 11)
“Secret Dreams” posted on 60milliongirls.org/news
“Angel In Disguise” – #55/700 ourstage.com
“Angel In Disguise” – posted on NDC Intranet Africa
Performer, Fowke Tales
Performer, gospel/country trio: Trinity
Performer, co-producer French musical productions, Les Productions Mija:
‘La cuisine à Micheline: les airs de chez nous’ (SOLD OUT)
The Abrams Brothers: opening act with Trinity & Tony Silvestri
2008
RCMP Musical Ride, Feature performer,
Performer, Emcee, Chair Picton Rising Star Competition
Performer, Fowke Tales – Story of Edith Fowke, Folk Music Anthologist
Performer, co-producer French musical productions, Les Productions Mija:
“Les chansons de chez nous” (SOLD OUT)
2007
Quinte Cabaret at the Empire Theatre, Belleville ON
various shows throughout Eastern Ontario to promote album
2006
Performed song inspired by Stephen Lewis for Mr. Lewis, Kingston ON
Recorded/Released “Women of the World” CD, various concerts to promote album
Produced/Performed World AIDS Day fundraiser – proceeds to Stephen Lewis Foundation
2005
Canadian Living Magazine: featured in an article entitled “What Happy People Know”
2004
Athens, Greece: invited to sing “This Is My Canada” and commissioned to write “One Dream” commemorating Canada’s 100th year participating at the Games at a private pre-Games reception for Canadian Olympic Team
RCMP Musical Ride: Featured singer for the Picton, ON show.
2002
Salt Lake City: sang “This Is My Canada” and “Canadian Olympian” at a private pre-Games reception for Canadian Olympic Team
Citizen of the Year presented by the Prince Edward County Chamber of Tourism and Commerce
Civic Recognition presented by the Mayor and Councillors of the Corporation of the County of Prince Edward
2001
Canada Day on Parliament Hill: Performed lead song for CBC TV’s nationally-broadcast noon hour show
1997
Community Recognition Award presented by the Prince Edward County Community Development Corporation
1992
HRH Queen Elizabeth II: “This Is My Canada” sung during Her Majesty’s walkabout at the Museum of Civilization
HMCS Preserver: “This Is My Canada” adopted as official ship’s song for overseas duty
Recognition Award, Proud To Be Canadian Tour, Kin Clubs of Canada
Here we have a Nationally Renowned Canadian Singer/Songwriter,and a Lady who has contributed countless hours of Volunteer service to our community providing an Official Song to help promote and instill pride in our community. Its $2000 folks get a grip,so show some pride in Prince Edward County pitch in your 8 cents and sing along.sheeesh
Ron, can’t find the song – can you be my friend so I can find it?
On Facebook Search for “County Council is Meeting” should get you to me.
Ron sounds like a great song. Where can we hear it
By the way it was the Lame Duck council that approved it. Seems they couldn’t wait to let the new Council and New Mayor make decisions.
Hey Ron, can we hear your song?
I wrote a song Parody, called “County Council is Meeting”, It’s on my FB, I wonder if they will buy it from me. LOL
Justin, you did have a valid point about council choosing the song without any public input. Typical of this council to always “know best”. But if they had considered public input, first they would have hired a consultant to tell them how best to do this, and it would have cost us a lot more than $2000! Then there would have been the controversy over “Local” talent vs “Import” Talent. My burning questions, did we have to pay HST on the $2000?
Justin the dreaded windmills as you call them will do nothing to lower gas and oil prices what they will do is raise the cost of electricity by as much as 36 %.
the provincial government is waisting money to promote and subsidize green energy. We already have too much electricity in Ontario.
The HST another tax by the provincial and federal government is raising the cost of oil and gas and all the other necessities of life.
The windmills you refer to are actually IWTs (industarial wind turbines)–large scale, huge ugly structures that will not only ruin the landscape of the county but cause health problems as well.
The song is beautiful. Jeanette Arsenault has a beautiful voice. The video of Prince Edward County with the soundtrack is beautiful.
We all need to keep this a beautiful place. We can start by working together to keep it this way. The new council has to address the issues that Gary pointed out so people will want to live, work and raise their families here,
Ashley your assumption that we have little problems, is wrong. A $50 million debt for a population of 25,000 that is not growing (0.5% over 10 years). The population is aging, pensions equate to fixed incomes who are hard hit by rising prices and taxes. Industry has gone overseas, so don’t expect any to come here and make jobs for you. We are off the main transportation corridor, no longer have a rail line so when the big Oil Crunch comes, any industry that is here is likely to leave reducing tax base and leaving people jobless. At 5% interest rate, we must raise $250,000 just to keep the dept at $50,000,000. We have run down the reserves, so where will the money come from for new projects like sewer or water upgrades, fixing roads? If people can no longer afford to live here they will move, reducing the tax base further. This is a HUGE problem and if you were paying attention during the past election you would have realized this.
And yes, this it’t too bad this conversation is being held on this page posted to honour such a wonderful song. But it is a conversation that needs to be held.
Gary Mooney…this song will bring nothing to the County that is needed. We already have a high percentage of seniors in the population. We need energy, youth and a future. This song will not bring this demograph to the County, it will chase them away.
Doris…If you upset about high taxes, increased prices for oil and natural gas…go debate with killa over reusable and natural power sources like the DREADED windmills. lol.
Ashley…you probably own all of Jeanette Arsenault`s CD`s. You obviously adding a very biased opinion of the song.
Focus on the fact of how Council came to a decision to award $2000 to one person without public vote or consent. This song should have been tendered out to at least 2 or 3 artists. It leaves us the public to ponder who Jeanette knows on council and just how close that relationship effected this decision. Just saying…
Word to Jeanette Arsenault…you just sold whatever vision you had for this song and it`s video. Thanks anyway. I am sure they will toss another $2000 to someone that is close to one council member or another to produce the video.
The County has significant financial problems, which need urgent attention. In my opinion, the County should focus on controlling the costs of big-ticket items — roads, water and sewage treatment, building upkeep, number and salaries of staff, etc.
The County is extremely good at promoting itself through advertising and promotion, especially via the Internet. It costs money to maintain and add to these services. Jeanette’s song, made accessible online, is one of these additions, and at a modest cost of $2,000, should produce a very good return on investment by further promoting the County.
I don’t agree that we should have expected Jeanette to donate rights to the song. Writing and performing is how she earns her living. I’m more than happy to contribute my share (8 cents per resident) through municipal taxes.
Ashley all I am saying is that we have to begin somewhere and the grass roots is the best place to start. The economic situation in the world is bad, so is it in Canada and every other country, the county has the same problems as the rest of the world. HIGH DEBT AND A POOR JOB MARKET.
With the introduction of the HST, the higher hydro rates which are rumoured to be going up by 36% in the future. Now heating oil, and gas is rising along with the HST on each. People with fixed incomes and people with no incomes are really going to suffer.
The council has to remember they are spending our money and our money is going out faster and faster every day just to live.
REMEMBER JUST BECAUSE WE WANT SOMETHING WE DO NOT ALWAYS NEED IT
Ashley all I am saying is that we have to begin somewhere and the grass roots is the best place to start. The economic situation in the world is bad, so is it in Canada and every other country, the county has the same problems as the rest of the world. HIGH DEBT AND A POOR JOB MARKET.
With the introduction of the HST, the higher hydro rates which are rumoured to be going up by 36% in the future. Now heating oil, and gas is rising along with the HST on each. People with fixed incomes and people with no incomes are really going to suffer.
The council has to remember they are spending our money and our money is going out faster and faster every day just to live.
REMEMBER JUST BECAUSE WE WANT SOMETHING WE DO NOT ALWAYS NEED IT
Nice Song, Nice Video; but, $2000, of tax Payers Money, that should have been spent elsewhere. Was this a winning song in a contest? How was this Song Chosen, as the Anthem for Prince Edward County? What right has the County Council to continue to waste tax payers Money. Was this the Outgoing Council, or, incoming Council, who approved this. The Legalized Theft of Tax Payers Money, must end.
The county does not have HUGE problems like they do across the world with no food or water or shelter! we have problems with people not accepting change and the fact that the whole world is changing not just the county. Maybe the song could have been donated and then the money that they county saved could have gone towards a poor country with no food! Thats a huge problem!
We all have little problems! the world has big ones.. bigger ones then the county! worry about them and again enjoy the song which was the point of my msg but again everyone is dwelling on the fact that the county, just like everywhere else is not perfect.
Ashley I cannot agree with you. The county does not have “LITTLE” problems it has HUGE problems and unless something is done about them I hate to think what will happen here.
Maybe we should all just concentrate on the Beautiful song that Jeanette has written. And stop making everthing about the LITTLE problems Prince Edward County has.
maybe it would have been better to have had the song donated as the county does not have money to spend on things it does not need. And then there probably will be other costs
I agree we should keep the county beautiful and putting an interpretive centre at Marineers is not the way to do it.
Let’s hope we can keep Prince Edward County the beautiful Island we see in this video. All too soon that wonderful vista could be covered in 50 story tall wind turbines, creating a constant background noise, killing the migrating birds, causing adverse health effects to maybe 30% of the population and devaluing everyone’s property. Please lets all work together to keep his wonderful island paradise just that.