STEVEN PAGE SINGLE "CANADA LOVES YOU BACK," A TRIBUTE TO FELLOW CANUCK RYAN REYNOLDS, RELEASED TODAY

OTTAWA, ON – December 3, 2021 – In response to an overwhelmingly positive reaction on social media, the National Arts Centre is proud to announce that singer-songwriter Steven Page, a Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee with his former band, will release his single “Canada Loves You Back” today. The single will be available here: https://linktr.ee/CanadaLovesYouBack.
 

Written and performed by Page in celebration of actor, producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Ryan Reynolds, laureate of the 2021 National Arts Centre Award, the song debuted on November 26 as part of The 2021 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards, theNational Arts Centre’s television special honouring the 2021 laureates of Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts. The Canadiana-packed track received a tearful reaction from Reynolds and immediately went viral. It attracted the attention of media outlets across the country, as well as U.S.-based outlets such as The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight, People Magazine and Entertainment Weekly.

The video, featuring cameos by the Vancouver Canucks and William Shatner, draws attention to Reynolds’ philanthropic donations throughout the pandemic. Representatives from several non-profits took part in thanking Reynolds for his support, including Food Banks Canada, Pacific Wild, SickKids Foundation, and Reconciliation Canada. Watch the music video for “Canada Loves You Back” on the GGPAA YouTube channel.
 

To honour Reynolds’ charitable giving, proceeds from all downloads and streams of “Canada Loves You Back” will be donated to Reconciliation Canada. The charity is Reynolds’ own choice. Fans can also support Reconciliation Canada by making a direct donation.
 

Steven Page says, “I’m thrilled and a little overwhelmed with all of the positivity around ‘Canada Loves You Back.’ Many people have been asking for the song to be available on their streaming platform of choice, so we’ve rushed it out and I’m happy to be able to do so to benefit Reconciliation Canada, one of the many, many Canadian causes that Ryan supports.”
 

In his tribute to Reynolds, visible as part of the “Canada Loves You Back” video, Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, Ambassador for Reconciliation Canada, says, “We live in troubled times, and if there was ever a time that we need to work together, to acknowledge each other and be closer to one another so that we can help each other, support each other, lift each other up—this is the time. And so we are grateful once again that through the generosity of Canadians like Ryan we are able to do this work that brings people together.”
 

“Canada Loves You Back” is performed with Odds and the GGPAA 2021 choir, arranged for orchestra by Daniel Desaulniers, and produced in partnership with Vérité Films, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation, and the National Arts Centre as part of The 2021 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards on CBC Television and ICI TÉLÉ. The special may be streamed on CBC Gem and ICI TOU.TV.
 

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS
 

We wish to thank the sponsors and donors who make the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards possible, including Boston Pizza International Inc., La Fondation Emmanuelle Gattuso, CBC/Radio-Canada, The Keg Spirit Foundation, Netflix, Amazon, Christine Armstrong & Irfhan Rawji, The Gail Asper Family Foundation, The Printing House, the Martha Lou Henley Charitable Foundation, and the Royal Canadian Mint.
 

These awards would not be possible without the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts. Earnscliffe Strategy Group is proud to serve as official communications partner for a fourth consecutive year.