OTTAWA - The 3rd annual Music Night in Canada, hosted by Quebecor Media and Music Canada, was an enchanting spectacle of two artists in vogue, country music artist Johnny Reid and musician/songwriter Étienne Drapeau.

Attended by several cabinet ministers, including Heritage Minister James Moore, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's wife Laureen, the two guest artists were moved by the event.

Moore noted there are too many "walls" between the general cultural milieu of Quebec and Canada, and an event such a this featuring an English artist and a French-speaking artist can "build bridges" between the two.

"It is a great honour and at the same time, it is an opportunity for me to be discovered in the rest of Canada," Drapeau said.

Reid said he was pleased to be the spokesperson for all these young artists "who aspire to do what I do."
He praised Moore and said he is truly dedicated to the arts.

One of the goals of the event is to provide a showcase for up-and-coming artists and to sensitize Canadians about the importance of culture, said Quebecor Media's senior vice-president of Corporate and Institutional Affairs Serge Sasseville.

"At Quebecor, we believe in the singers and musicians here, and that's why we strive to provide the best opportunities to enable them to reach their audiences and live their art," Sasseville said during a brief speech at the National Arts Centre.

According to Sasseville, this passion for live music performances is proven by the popularity of shows like Star Academy and now the Voice, which attracts more than 2.5 million viewers on TVA on Sunday nights.

Drapeau said the Annual Music Night in Canada allowed him to perform his first show nationwide.