Safe but slow Junos given life by Tegan and Sara statement, Talk and Charlotte Cardin wins

The 2024 Juno Awards on Sunday rolled along smoothly, but perhaps more tamely than last year's ceremony, without a clear-cut winner or streaker confronting Avril Lavigne on stage.

But over its two nights of roughly 50 trophies, the ceremony culminated with a multi-way tie for most awarded artist, some impressive live performances — and at least a couple newsworthy moments.

In a glittering space-age outfit, host Nelly Furtado kicked off Sunday night's event with a medley of her biggest songs, going through Say it Right, Maneater, Promiscuous, Give it to Me, Eat Your Man and I'm Like a Bird — a song she also performed when she last hosted the Junos in 2007.

That performance gave way to music superstar Anne Murray announcing The Beaches as group of the year, as the Junos alumnus joked that many in the audience would be too young to know her and recollected the very first Juno awards.

"It was basically just a great big party," Murray said. "No TV coverage, where lots of people got hammered — well, not me, of course."

The awards ceremony was a professional if somewhat lacklustre night that only featured four music awards. Even so, there were some memorable moments.

The most noteworthy moment may have been the 2024 humanitarian award presented to Tegan and Sara by Halifax native Elliot Page, who introduced the singer-songwriters with a powerful statement.

"We are at a time in history where the rights of 2SLGTQ+ people are being revoked, restricted and eliminated throughout the world … the effects of which are devastating," the actor said.

The twin rockers and prior three-time Juno winners were honoured with the award for the Tegan and Sara Foundation's efforts to support 2SLGBTQ+ youth.

In accepting, they had equally strong words about Alberta's proposed legislation limiting gender-affirming care for young people.

"If the world were not so hostile to 2SLGBTQ+ people, we would see ourselves purely as musicians," said Sara Quin, who then directly referenced the the coming legislation announced by premier Danielle Smith earlier this year.

"These attacks are harmful because they are directed at the kids who need our support the most," Sara continued.

Speaking to CBC News afterward, the Calgary-born sisters explained their decision to address the situation.

"We're painfully aware that it's not just Alberta, of course. But because it's our home province, it feels like a very particular situation we want to call out," Tegan Quin said. "I just think that some of these adults, especially the Conservatives, need to keep their noses out of families' business."