Tragically Hip's Gord Downie dead at 53ĭownie delivered much of his poetry through music, but also published in book form with Coke Machine Glow coming out in 2001. His music spanned themes of Canadian history, nature, the justice system, life and death.Bill would create Ontario poet laureate position in memory of Gord Downie.I mean, he read poetry, poets read him and followed him.'

'I just think there's no more fitting tribute that we could pay to Gord Downie other than to name the poet laureate position in his memory. He wasmany things to many people,but at the heart of it he was a poet. 'His legend lives on, if you will,' Hatfield told CBC News. The job: to promote the arts and literacy in Ontario, raise the profile of poets in the province, and act as an ambassador for Ontario poetry and literature. The private member's bill by Percy Hatfield, NDP MPP for Windsor-Tecumseh, was first introduced in 2017, two months after Downie died at age 53 of an incurable form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. The Poet Laureate of Ontario Act in memory of Downie, the beloved Tragically Hip lead singer and lyricist, passed Thursday during the final sitting day of the legislative session for the year. Now, Ontario will enshrine Gord Downie's name into law with the province's first poet laureate position. He was the frontman who, for many, gave Canadiana a sound, moving generations of music lovers with his unmistakable rock-poet style.

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