Enoch RCMP member, Edmonton school resource officer nominated for Juno award

March 22, 2024 Canuck

An Edmonton school on Friday hosted a concert celebrating a school resource officer and his partner before they head to the Juno Awards this year.

Where I’m Meant to Be by Stirling John was nominated for contemporary Christian/gospel album of the year.

John is a 17-year RCMP member working at the detachment on Enoch Cree Nation west of Edmonton.

He met Edmonton Police Service Const. David Pedersen in 2017 via Kijiji.

Both were looking for fellow musicians to play with. John posted an ad; Pedersen responded, despite his wife’s fears he was going to come across “a bunch of weirdos.”

The night they met, it turned out they were both on the night shift in adjacent districts.

“We ended up meeting at the Tim Hortons by the River Cree (Resort and Casino) and we’ve been great friends ever since,” Pedersen recalled.

John noted, “It’s hard to find the right people who you connect with musically. Not just with music but with your values and morals.”

The first song John ever wrote, called Never Meant to Be, was a sort of record of what he was going through in that chapter of life.

In an effort to grow and heal, he asked Pedersen to help write a follow-up song, Where I’m Meant to Be.

That tune turned into the 12-song, Junos-nominated album.

“That’s what I really love about music. It’s helped me get through tough times and I know it’s going to help others and that’s the power of music,” John said after performing at H.E. Beriault Catholic Junior High School in Edmonton on Friday.

“These are songs that Dave wrote years back… and they speak to mental health and struggles that maybe some of our kids are going through in this auditorium today.”

A school resource officer at H.E. Beriault for six of his 10 years in policing, Pedersen keeps a guitar in his office and occasionally helps the choir, so his musical background was no secret.

However, he had never performed for the entire school. He also provides back-up vocals for John.

“On the journey of a musician, everyone has those times that you play at a pub and there’s, like, four people and your mom there. So playing to hundreds of people who are standing and cheering and clapping and singing, it’s really fun,” he said.

The auditorium was packed, with many of the students singing along or dancing.

John and Pedersen’s band also shared the stage with student performers, including Grade 9 student Nathalie Salas.

“I was cheering really loud,” she told CTV News Edmonton. “I was just excited for them to do all this.”

The musicians are open to but not counting on opportunities to follow the Junos.

“We do it because we love it, we do it because it gives meaning to our lives, we do it because it’s friendship, it’s art, it’s things that get us up in the morning. So we’re going to keep doing it regardless,” Pedersen said of making music.

John added, “This is a journey that we started years ago and just the growth over the last couple years, we’ve been working hard to release music. Music that benefits communities and really uplifts and inspires.

“To be given a platform like on the Junos stage as a nominee is just absolutely incredible.”

Halifax is hosting the awards show on Sunday.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s David Ewasuk

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