February 13, 2012

Publication title: ctvnews.ca, vol. -, Iss. -, pg. –
Place: Unknown
Writer: Jenny Uechi

Sarah McLachlan’s Rocky Mountaineer faux-pas

Acclaimed Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan attracted controversy when she crossed picket lines to speak at a fundraising event for Looking Glass, a local charitable foundation offering support for people suffering from eating disorders.

The cause itself was undisputed, but the venue was a controversial one: the benefit was held at Rocky Mountaineer station, where employees have been locked out since last June in a bitter labour dispute.

“We did see her (McLachlan) cross our line, and there was no attempt to communicate anything other than indifference,” Rocky Mountaineer employee Kim Marshall wrote in an email.

She said that her union’s business agent tried to contact her, but received no response from McLachlan or her management.

Of the nearly 100 comments left on the artist’s Facebook page about the event, many praised her work, but others strongly criticized her management for refusing to change the venue.

McLachlan is well-known for her social justice advocacy – she supports charities including Make Poverty History and donated $150,000 to support charity groups through her 2004 music video, “World on Fire”. Given her reputation, many were surprised at her decision to keep the venue at Rocky Mountaineer.

“Sarah crossed a picket line…she cast her lot in with the employers who locked out these workers,” read one comment. Another said that the venue choice “sullies both Sarah and the Looking Glass Foundation.”

“I had no idea when I committed to this over six months ago that it was held in such a controversial location,” McLachlan wrote in response.

Marshall expressed frustration that the lockout remains mostly unknown to Vancouverites due to the lack of press coverage.

“Most Vancouverites do not know we are locked out, and organizers do not bother to inform their guests that they will be facing a picket line when they arrive,” said Marshall.

She added that it seemed that Looking Glass Foundation seemed to deliberately keep the venue undisclosed until it was mentioned in the Vancouver Courier less than a week before the event.

“The locked out members would like the charities to know that if they are in the business of helping, we could use some, she said. “Rather than seeing our labour struggle as an impediment to the smooth running of an event, involving participants in meaningful action and discussion about two social issues in one night is better than one.”