Michael Bublé monologue sets patriotic tone at Junos as artists boast of Canadian pride

The Vancouver crooner jumped into his role as hometown Junos host by telling the crowd he was proud to be Canadian.

Michael Bublé handed Canadians a heartfelt dose of patriotism at the Juno Awards on Sunday, setting the tone for a night of not-so-subtle references to Canada’s current tensions with the United States.

The Vancouver crooner jumped into his role as hometown Junos host by telling the crowd he was proud to be Canadian.

“We are the greatest nation on Earth,” he said during his opening monologue. “And we are not for sale.”

Other musicians leaned into Canadiana, most notably East Coast hero Anne Murray.

The retired singer accepted a lifetime achievement award while dressed in a sequined red hockey jersey with “Canada” emblazoned across the front. She noted in her speech that in her early career, she was pressured to move to New York or Los Angeles.

“I just couldn’t do it,” she said.

“I knew instinctively I needed a place to go, to escape when my work was done. Canada is my safe haven. My safety blanket. My light at the end of the tunnel — it still is.”

Backstage, Murray shed some light on her decision to sport the jersey, which she said was an idea suggested by a friend. She accented the look with her Order of Canada pin.