Even as Canada observes Saturday as a national mourning day for tsunami victims and individual Canadians create history by making an unprecedented contributions, Canadian stars and celebrities too are pitching in.
On Thursday night, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is bringing these stars on for a three-hour live `Canada for Asia' concert in Toronto to raise money for the relief effort.
To be telecast and broadcast live on CBC television and radio, the concert features
Major Canadian stars, including Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Blue Rodeo, Molly Johnson, Tom Cochrane, Bruce Cockburn, Oscar Peterson, Barenaked Ladies and Rush. Since Celine Dion performs at Las Vegas, her performance will be telecast from the Sin City.
The famous Canadian author Margaret Atwood and sports commentator Don Cherry are also participating in the live concert.
Interestingly, viewers will be asked to pay by calling a toll-free phone number or online.
All the proceeds will go to World Vision Canada, the Canadian Red Cross, UNICEF, Oxfam Canada, Care Canada, Save the Children Canada, Development and Peace and Oxfam Quebec. These agencies are currently involved in the rescue operations in the tsunami-hit Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
CBC (the public broadcaster in this country) has asked all private broadcasters such as CHUM, CTV and Global to air the concert. If all private channels air the show, ``we will reach not only all of Canada - and that's a goal - it will be a golden and sterling moment," senator Jerry Graftstein, who is involved in the star show, said in Toronto.
{{/usCountry}}CBC (the public broadcaster in this country) has asked all private broadcasters such as CHUM, CTV and Global to air the concert. If all private channels air the show, ``we will reach not only all of Canada - and that's a goal - it will be a golden and sterling moment," senator Jerry Graftstein, who is involved in the star show, said in Toronto.
{{/usCountry}}In this open season of generosity, Canadian TV and radio channels seem to be vying with one another to contribute to the relief effort. This Wednesday, CHUM group's 65 radio and TV stations raised $3.6 million from listeners through donations.