This was the year we established a relationship with the hit Canadian comedy show “The Trailer Park Boys”. In the episode “Closer to the Heart” featuring Alex Lifeson of Rush, Ricky reveals that his favourite band is Helix and Archie emailed the show to say thanks for the mention, and we received a reply from Mike Clattenburg, the show's director.

Over the next couple of months Mike Clattenburg and myself would form a relationship via email. I asked him if it would be possible to come out and watch them film an episode, to which he replied, “That's cool! We'll work you into a scene!”

So I flew out to Dartmouth and met the boys and the resulting clip ended up on the Trailor Park Boys Season Three DVD. Lynda was sick at the time with her third bout of meningitis so she couldn't come along. Mike Smith, a.k.a. Bubbles, got on the phone, and in his best Bubble's voice wished her a get well. Lynda's friends couldn't believe it! The first day of filming ended with Ricky (Rob Wells), Bubbles (Mike Smith), Julian (Jean Paul Trembley), Mike Clattenburg (director), and myself all going out for a meal and a couple of drinks on an outdoor bar patio. The next day when I went to fly out, I discovered someone had hidden a 12” tin foil dick in my luggage for airport security to find. The security girls got a big kick out of that.

Throughout 2003 I continued working on the new studio CD and my book, which Archie had suggested that I call “Rock You”, a title which I eventually stuck with. And then in October he took me to see a beautiful old theatre in Brantford , Ontario by the name of The Sanderson Centre. With the Helix 30th Anniversary Concert coming up he thought it would be a great venue to hold such a special event. I agreed. Two weeks later I booked the hall.

The year ended up with a so-so tour of western Canadian bars. It was starting to become obvious to me that the future of the band was in summer festivals. The bar scene, which I had known and loved for almost 30 years, was nearly gone.