MISSION: POSSIBLE: ONCE UPON A LIFETIME

By Miles Patrick Yohnke

© 2025 All Rights Reserved.

Introduction To 'Mission: Possible: Once Upon a Lifetime' "I originally wrote and released 'Mission: Possible: Once Upon a Lifetime' in February of 2011. Some people told me when I was working on this story to not bother doing it. They said it was a waste of my time. Not much will happen from this. Yes, it is a simple idea. Websites, people like these who have written me (accepted missions), blogs, Facebook, social networks, etc. are going to be our little soldiers in the field at first. Let's fight the good fight with an uppercut of hope. I've added a footnote to it here in April of 2025. Please take ownership of this article. Through you, we can create a mind shift. A positive shift."

- Miles Patrick Yohnke

2025 is dedicated to the loving memory of Dr. Joseph Patrick Cunningham. Photo by Indigo Brodie

MISSION: POSSIBLE: ONCE UPON A LIFETIME

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, requires you to read on.

In this parcel you will find one letter. Its contents are of an urgent nature. Essential to this mission and the contents of this letter is the recruitment of all civilization.

DARE TO READ FURTHER

Once upon a lifetime. Once upon our lifetime a positive change could occur. If we can broadcast positive news, it will create positive change. I am a Canadian writer. I have spent a large part of my adult life in the music industry here in Canada. I have witnessed much growth in our industry and the spread of it into other markets and countries.

How this occurred in part was by the CRTC. The CRTC refers to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission. The requirements that radio and television broadcasters (including cable and satellite specialty channels) must follow is that they must air a certain percentage of content that is at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to, by persons from Canada. It also refers to that content itself and more generally, to cultural and creative content that is Canadian in nature.

For music, the requirements are referred to as the MAPL system. Following an extensive public hearing process organized by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the MAPL system (created by Stan Klees, who is also the co-creator of the Juno Awards which are Canada's version of the Grammy Awards), was adopted as a way to define and identify Canadian content in pieces of music for the purpose of increasing exposure of Canadian music on Canadian radio through content regulations. These regulations governed a percentage (twenty-five percent) of airplay was to be devoted to Canadian music. The percentage was increased to thirty percent in the 1980s, and to thirty-five percent since 1998.

What this did for artists and bands was that they could develop their craft in part by giving them an outlet for their product to be heard. From it they could tour (where the real money is at) our country. From this development in their craft over time, other countries would gain interest in them. Artists like Sarah McLachlan and Nickelback are a few that come to mind.

FEIST

But there is far more to this. It has demonstrated that artists and musicians can make a living at home and abroad. It would springboard many acts from many genres of music such as Drake, Justin Bieber, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne, Rush, Feist, Michael Buble, Diana Krall and countless others. With regards to Nickelback and Sarah Mclachlan, these artists and musicians are at the forefront of their field. Selling millions and millions of recordings worldwide. Not bad for a country of just thirty-four million people!

What if we had positive news in place? Meaning that by law the broadcasters (Radio, T.V., Print) have to have a percentage of positive news to go along with what they do presently. They could do a negative segment followed by a positive segment. Each city/town/community has many great people and organizations doing many great events. There are numerous positive and constructive stories one could report. Up-beat. Not beat-up.

When this occurs, people watching, listening or reading would be touched. Moved. Inspired. It would create positive effects on people and a mind shift would occur.

Then we could increase percentages. Can you imagine a world where eighty percent or 100 hundred percent of the news you heard was "positive?" Can you imagine what this world would be like? No reporting of war. No reporting of murder. No reports of bad deeds done by bad people. They wouldn't get their fifteen minutes of fame. If they wanted attention, they'd have to do something good in the world. Only then would they get reported or covered as it were. Can you imagine a world like that?

Checkout aisles not covered with mindless information, including gossip on Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston or whomever. Nothing but positive stories. Can you imagine a world like that?

Dare to read to the end of this article.

It's possible with what we have witnessed in Canada with so many artists breaking into the U.S. market and other countries.

The first time anything new is proposed it gets labeled. And the label put on these novel things is likely to be "risky" or "strange." You're going to walk on the moon? You and Wilbur are building what? Heavier-than-air flying machines? You Wright brothers are sure gullible! Or black and white children attending the same school?

So, how do we create this change?

One can start by sharing this story with others. Post it to your Facebook, blog or other social networks. Let your local broadcasters and news outlets know your feelings. That in part, they are responsible. If they care about humanity, then they'll start to change. It's no fairytale. Once upon our time the world could embrace and celebrate the positive. A new dawn could be created. We become our surroundings, our environment. We create things and they create us. Let's create the positive.

Please don't let this letter self-destruct in your mind in five seconds.

Carry it on! Please share this story. Let's get it started. Let each of us dare to be bigger than ourselves.

Footnote to 'Mission: Possible: Once Upon a Lifetime'

Adam Sawatsky

CTV's Adam Sawatsky only does positive stories. These stories originally aired in Canada, on Vancouver Island. Now they also air in British Columbia, five nights a week. They often air nationally from coast to coast to coast in my beloved Canada as much as three times a week. And other provinces in Canada too broadcast these deeply inspiring stories made by people of all demographics. CTV Canada, a division of Bell Media, are the leaders in positive stories. They have embraced the materials I speak of and are leading the way, and I'm beyond grateful for Adam Sawatsky and CTV!

To watch these positive stories, and to learn more about Adam Sawatsky, please click here:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/about-us/adam-sawatsky

"Adam Sawatsky bridges information with inspiration--and with this realm of timeless knowledge found in his five-star stories they allow us to transform from an once cocoon-bounded caterpillar into the gorgeous striking wing patterns of a fully developed butterfly. The life of Adam Sawatsky empowers our lives to morph into this grand spectacle."

- Miles Patrick Yohnke