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Three years ago, the Ottawa party band Karmacode celebrated Canada’s birthday on stage at Walter Baker Park in Kanata.

It was a great gig, recalls Mags Gravelle, lead singer of the five-piece Top-40 cover band. They played an afternoon slot, one of several acts booked to entertain the crowds in the hours leading up to the ever-popular fireworks display. There were lots of families in the audience, everything was well organized and they were paid, handsomely and promptly, for their efforts.

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Things are different this year.

Gravelle’s band was invited to return to the annual Canada Day in Kanata event, but she was informed it was a “non-paying” gig.

“I politely had to decline,” said the 39-year-old musician. “We’re not a basement, amateur band and unfortunately, on a day such as that, we have a set fee. I passed that along and they said, ‘Sorry, we’re looking for bands that want to play for free.’”