White Crosses
The White Crosses at Paris and Brady in Sudbury.
February 26, 2026
There’s a scene in Henry Fonda’s Twelve Angry Men where he challenges his fellow jurors to connect separate elements of evidence to arrive at an elusive truth. That simple principle of critical thinking—applied to creativity—played a role in the creation of the song “White Crosses.”
So, what elements came together?
First, I was reading about care within drug-using communities: how people, often dismissed or erased, look after one another in ways that rarely make the news.
Second, one rainy night as I stepped out of an open-mic venue, I saw two people in a laneway, holding each other—not dramatically, just firmly enough to stay upright against the weather. There was nothing to suggest they were drug users—only a raw expression of care, holding steady in a hostile environment.
Third, Sudbury carries a stark and unavoidable marker of loss at the corner of Paris and Brady: white crosses standing in for lives ended by drugs.
From these three elements emerged the story of a couple bound by addiction, but also by care for one another. It is not a happy song, yet it underscores something essential—the quiet, universal power of noticing and valuing the lives of others. We need more of this. Much more.
There are actions we can take to mitigate this crisis, if only we had more humanity—and the political will—to act. I hope that in some small way this song helps…
Dedication
This musical project is dedicated to the memory of Myles Keaney, Jada Stewart-Fish, Andraya Goddard, Sandra Rogers, Denis Seer, and Chantalle Trudel, and to the thousands of people we remember each year, whose lives were marked by struggle, care, and dignity.
The Artists
I am both lucky and honoured to have the following distinguished artists participate in this project. Thank you to:
You can obtain a copy of White Crosses at:
