
Canadian PM Mark Carney's viral dance with 'Down With Webster' steals the show: All about the band
After securing a landmark win in the elections and winning a fourth consecutive mandate for his Liberal party, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney celebrated his political success in the most unexpected way. As the frantic campaign trail came to an end with an emphatic win, Carney chose to celebrate it not with a speech alone, but with a hoodie, hand signs, and a full-blown jam session alongside Canadian rap-rock icons, Down With Webster. Netizens can't seem to get enough of his victory jig which has quickly gone viral.
The Liberal leader's affection for the Toronto-based band is widely known as he had expressed his love for them in an interview with Canadian music journalist Nardwuar. The two shared a 'hip flip,' and Carney gushed about the first time he heard DWW live. He admitted to being 'hooked from the first tuba sounds' of their breakout hit Time to Win. The song has often closed his rallies and even followed his Liberal Leadership acceptance speech, where he reportedly 'threw up the W like an absolute legend.'
However, Carney's victory uncovered a different side of the newly-elected PM as he was seen dancing and rapping along to Whoa Is Me. Donning a hoodie emblazoned with the DWW logo and 'PM' stitched on the chest, the sight left fans enchanted.
Who is Down With Webster?
For those unfamiliar with the group that had the Prime Minister in full party mode, Down With Webster or DWW is a Canadian rap-rock band that hails from The Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto. Known for blending genres like hip-hop, rock, funk, reggae, and jazz, the band first broke into mainstream success in 2009 with the release of their EP Time to Win, Vol. I, which featured charting singles like Rich Girl$, Your Man, and Whoa Is Me.
The band's journey began much earlier in 1998, when founding members Patrick Gillett and Tyler Armes formed a jazz group at Glen Ames Senior Public School. They named the band after Webster, a beloved sitcom character from the '80s, and began experimenting with sound in Armes' dad's garage. Over time, they added hip-hop elements thanks to Martin 'Bucky' Seja, evolving into a genre-bending act with high-energy live performances and catchy, rebellious anthems.
By 2006, they independently released their first self-titled album - a DIY project recorded with borrowed gear, burned on CDs, and sold at shows and out of backpacks. Not discouraged with their early rejections from labels, soon DWW's hard work paid off when they finally signed with Universal Motown in 2009. What followed were major releases like Time to Win, Vol. II and Party for Your Life, Juno nominations, and a devoted fan base.
After a brief hiatus, Down With Webster returned to the stage last year and are now touring again, with summer dates set, including a stop at The KEE to Bala on Lake Muskoka.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
What is Canada's new citizenship bill C-3? And how will it impact Indians? Explained
As Canada works to solve its immigration issues, the Mark Carney-led government have introduced a new bill which will bring in a limit on citizenship provided by descent. The citizenship amendment - C-3 - announced on Thursday, will effectively restore citizenship to lost Canadians. Introduced by Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab, the C-3 will be focus on fixing "injustices" against Canadian-born citizens outside of Canada. As per the Canadian government, ill C-3 will - The current rules state that if a Canadian citizen was born outside of Canada, they will not be pass on their citizenship to their child born abroad. Furthermore, this rule, introduced in 2009, restricted citizenship via descent only to first generation born Canadians. "The current first-generation limit to citizenship no longer reflects how Canadian families live today—here at home and around the world—and the values that define our country," said Immigration minister Diab while introducing the new C-3 bill. This amendment to the citizenship bill also comes after the Ontario Superior Court of Justice deemed the existing version of the rule "unconstitutional" in December 2023. This bill is expected to benefit the Indian diaspora and other immigrants in Canada as the C-3 bill will "allow a Canadian parent born abroad who has a substantial connection to Canada to pass on citizenship to their child born abroad beyond the first generation." "It would also provide them with access to the direct grant of citizenship for their child adopted abroad beyond the first generation," IRCC added further. Which means, a persons born in India to Canadian citizens or ancestors will now be eligible for Canadian citizenship based on the C-3 bill. This bill also comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has ended birthright citizenship, impacting several immigrants in the United States. The C-3 bill is currently under legislative review and needed to be passed by both houses of Parliament to become a law. "If the bill passes both Houses of Parliament and receives Royal Assent, we will work as quickly as possible to bring the changes into effect," said IRCC in its official statement. In the Canadian parliament, a bill must pass three readings before the two Houses cast their vote. After the houses cast their votes, the bill is then passed to the Governor General for Royal Assent.


India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"Carney had no options": Foreign affairs expert KP Fabian on Canada's invitation to PM Modi for G7 Summit
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): Foreign affairs expert KP Fabian on Sunday shared his insights on Canada's decision to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit. Speaking with ANI, he said, 'Carney had no options. The others said, Listen, India must be there. It's a vital link in the supply chain and any talk of Indo-Pacific stability.' Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, the host of this year's summit, reportedly faced significant pressure from other G7 members after initially hesitating to invite Prime Minister Modi. This reluctance was largely due to domestic political backlash within Carney's own Liberal Party, triggered by a diplomatic row linked to the killing of a Khalistani separatist in British Columbia in June 2023. He added, 'Now, of course, one should expect big demonstrations by the World Sikh Federation and others, but then it is for the government of Canada to deal with it.' Fabian remarked that India, as the world's fourth-largest and fastest-growing economy, must be included in G7 discussions given its strategic importance in global trade and Indo-Pacific stability. Fabian pointed out that India has participated in the G7 Summit in the past, including five times during former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's tenure. He added that Canada's hesitation ultimately yielded to pressure from the G7 nations, who recognised India's critical role. He further said, 'Carney is walking a tightrope when it comes to Canadian values. At a press conference, he was asked whether he believes the Indian government was involved in the killing of Nijjar. He refused to answer, citing the ongoing RCMP investigation. That's quite ironic. When did this happen, and why is the RCMP taking so long to conclude the investigation? And if you recall, why did Justin Trudeau accuse India before the investigation was even complete? Canadian political leaders have shown a lot of inconsistency. In the end, Mark Carney did the right thing, though it took some time -- and that's that.' The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is investigating the incident, but no conclusions have been drawn yet. Despite these political challenges, Carney reaffirmed Canada's commitment to the G7 summit's agenda. On Friday (local time), he said that G7 countries will discuss important issues, including security and energy, emphasising that India's presence at this intergovernmental political and economic forum is essential. Carney emphasised that India, being the fifth-largest economy and the most populous country in the world, must be at the table. 'Let's put the two aspects in context -- first is, we are in the role -- Canada's in the role of the G7 chair and in those discussions as agreed with our G7 colleagues, include important discussions on energy, security, on digital future, critical minerals amongst others and partnerships actually in building infrastructure in the emerging and developing world,' he said. Prime Minister Modi received a call from his Canadian counterpart, who extended India's invitation to attend the G7 Summit. 'Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the Summit,' PM Modi wrote in his post. The G7 Summit (Group of Seven) is an informal grouping of seven of the world's advanced economies and the European Union. Its members meet annually at the G7 Summit to discuss global economic and geopolitical issues, according to the G7's official website. The members of the G7 are France, the US, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, and the UK. (ANI)


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
India emerges as key contributor to GTA 6's creation
Source: Rockstar Games India is contributing immensely towards the making of Grand Theft Auto 6, one of the most eagerly awaited games of this decade. Sources indicate that almost a third of the employees working on the game, approximately 1,615 developers are from India. Rockstar India, the Indian branch of the studio, is exclusively working on creating a vast part of the map within the game called Vice Beach. Rockstar India is in charge of Vice Beach With nearly 6,000 developers worldwide working on GTA 6, Rockstar India has been a leading contributor in the making of the game. The Bengaluru-based headquarters of the studio, according to reports, has more than 1,600 developers working under it. It is the largest individual contributor among all the Rockstar offices. The UK also contributes over 2,600 developers through several studios, and the US adds over 1,400. Yet, it's India's contribution that is making headlines because of its uniqueness and magnitude. Rockstar India has been entrusted with the full responsibility of creating Vice Beach, a key part of the map for the next game. This is a significant step for the Indian studio, which has so far assisted development on games such as GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Nuova CUPRA Formentor e-HYBRID CUPRA Configura Auto Undo The studio's experience with environmental design, asset creation, and open-world design is being utilized to form a central part of the GTA 6 experience. A new development pattern for Rockstar Contrary to earlier titles that were mostly spearheaded by Rockstar North, GTA 6 is being jointly developed in all of Rockstar's studios. This is a major departure from the way the company approaches flagship projects. Increased input by Rockstar India is an indication of the studio's rising profile and Rockstar's overall strategy of international cooperation. Established in 2016 and consolidated after the acquisition of Dhruva Interactive in 2019, Rockstar India has grown into an important cog in the company's global development network. Social media voices from the industry have welcomed the news, hailing it as a sign of India's increasing significance in AAA game development. As Rockstar pushes towards the anticipated 2026 launch date for GTA 6, India's part in its continuing influence is more apparent than ever. From spearheading the development of Vice Beach to being among the largest developer bases on board, Rockstar India's involvement marks a new age for international game development, and solidifies India's place at its center. Also Read: Top 5 Music Genres We Want in GTA 6's Radio Stations