Use of Tragically Hip’s music at CPC event causes social media clash
Global News
The Tragically Hip's Paul Langlois was upset about the music playing at a CPC event with Pierre Poilievre, but the venue was licensed by SOCAN, so it had the right to play it.
Though The Tragically Hip knows how important it is for some people to play My Music At Work, they don’t seem to want Pierre Poilievre to use their tunes for his.
When the band’s guitarist Paul Langlois was notified that The Tragically Hip’s 1993 hit song Fifty-Mission Cap was played at an event for Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre this weekend, he called the news “highly offensive.”
A fan wrote to Langlois on Twitter and claimed the song was played at a meet-and-greet with Poilievre on Saturday at the Grand Olympia Hospitality and Convention Centre in Stoney Creek, Ont., east of Hamilton.
Langlois replied: “We certainly did not know this — highly offensive if true (we’ll wait to make sure and potentially confirm this) and if so, this will be stopped.”
The response triggered a wave of online support and outrage for Langlois and The Tragically Hip. Some praised his slamming of Poilievre and the CPC, while other longtime fans felt blindsided by the political stance.
Still, despite Langlois’ claims that the band was unaware their music was used, the venue has since confirmed that it did have the rights to play The Tragically Hip’s music.
In a statement on Monday, The Tragically Hip took a softer stance than Langlois had expressed on social media, but still requested political parties directly ask to use their music.
