Poilievre’s slogans can’t compete with “Buy Canadian.” Trudeau’s speech inspires a groundswell of national unity, while Poilievre watches from the sidelines. The Tyee’s Jen St Denis joins Noor Azrieh for a vibe check on federal politics. Host: Noor Azrieh Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Sam Konnert (Fact Checking), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: Jen St Denis Further Reading on Our Website Sponsors: Public Se...
Feb 07, 2025•29 min•Ep. 1103
A tariff reprieve and the trade war that wasn’t. Trump’s tariff threats caused a frenzy of breaking news coverage, but can we really fault Canadian news outlets for reporting Trump’s every move? Jen St. Denis of the Tyee joins Noor Azrieh to assess the breathless tariff coverage and what we’ve learned so far about covering Trump 2.0. Host: Noor Azrieh Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), Sam Konnert (Fact Check), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor...
Feb 05, 2025•28 min•Ep. 1102
On Saturday, President Trump followed through with his promise of 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods and 10 percent on energy. We clapped back with our own. But late yesterday, after a couple of calls between the two leaders, Trump relented after Trudeau said he outlined Canada’s $1.3 billion border plan and also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl. Trump said he’d pause for 30 days. A trade war is bad, but some businesses might fare better than others. Our prod...
Feb 04, 2025•29 min•Ep. 1101
Today’s show is about a novel strategy for Canada to fight back against Trump’s Trade War. Trump is set to slap tariffs on Canada starting Tuesday February 4. Trudeau swiftly answered that tit with tat. Prices go up and nearly everyone loses. That’s how a trade war goes, two countries slap themselves in the face until one of them can’t take it anymore and cries uncle. The whole thing is just so dumb. So, is there any other way to fight back? Something smarter? Novelist, essayist and activist Cor...
Feb 03, 2025•32 min•Ep. 1100
Emboldened by Trump, Poilievre denies the existence of trans people in an interview on CP24. Dale Smith joins to unpack why Poilievre is playing dumb on gender and the serious stakes for trans rights in Canada. Plus, DeepSeek, Energy East, and Jesse responds to angry emails about BMI. Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), Noor Azrieh (Fact Checking), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: Dale Smith Further Reading on Our Webs...
Jan 31, 2025•33 min•Ep. 1099
Doug Ford cashes in his “Captain Canada” chips. Following a US media blitz, Ford is asking for a new mandate from Ontarians to bolster his ability to negotiate with Trump. Dale Smith joins to explain why this narrative is nonsense. Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Noor Azrieh (Fact Checking), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: Dale Smith Further reading: Doug Ford has gone on an unprecedented Am...
Jan 29, 2025•22 min•Ep. 1098
When Justin Trudeau stepped down earlier this month, it should have been the perfect opportunity for Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to swing the narrative. To seize control. But they haven’t done any of that. What used to be Canada’s worker’s party seems like a shell of its former self. Why can’t they reach voters when everything is up in the air? This week Noor sits down with columnist and critic Max Fawcett, and former NDP strategist Mélanie Richer to unpack Singh’s woes. Host: Noor Azrieh Credits:...
Jan 28, 2025•31 min•Ep. 1097
This week the government’s long-awaited report on foreign interference will drop. Will it tell us if Canada has a traitor problem? Over the last two years there’s been a slew of headlines around allegedly compromised members of parliament, the machinations of nefarious foreign governments, scorched reputations, the muck has been raked and the mud slung. All of our major political parties have come under fire. And the source of that fire has run the gamut from the upper echelons of CSIS to TikTok...
Jan 27, 2025•31 min•Ep. 1096
Social media is a mess and the tech oligarchs are to blame. San Grewal of The Pointer joins to assess the damage caused when coders replace publishers. Plus, a boomer cell defends us from Trump and the Liberals axe their own tax. Check out our latest investigation, The Copernic Affair on the Canadaland Investigates feed. Follow The Copernic Affair wherever you get your podcasts: https://canadaland.lnk.to/copernic-affair Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio...
Jan 24, 2025•31 min•Ep. 1095
What Trump’s inauguration lacked in tariffs, it made up for in egregious salutes. The Pointer’s San Grewal joins to critique the Canadian coverage of Trump’s negotiation tactics, and unpack Elon Musk’s dog-whistling antics. Our latest investigation, The Copernic Affair , launches today on the Canadaland Investigates feed. Follow The Copernic Affair wherever you get your podcasts: https://canadaland.lnk.to/copernic-affair Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audi...
Jan 22, 2025•30 min•Ep. 1094
Donald Trump’s back, but Canada is STILL divided on how to respond. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has gone rogue, Doug Ford just wants everyone to look at his cool new hat. It’s an economic threat, but also threatens to pull our very identity apart. Are we just supposed to sit and wait? To break it down, Noor welcomes Wall Street Journal reporter Vipal Monga, and UBC lecturer Stewart Prest. Host: Noor Azrieh Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Pro...
Jan 21, 2025•38 min•Ep. 1093
In 1980 someone detonated a bomb outside a synagogue in Paris. Four people were killed. Suspicion immediately fell on French neo-nazi groups. But soon investigators turned their attention to groups from the Middle East. Then the case went cold. For decades. Then, in 2008, the RCMP arrested an Ottawa-based sociology professor. What follows is a twisting tale of extradition, years of interrogation, and ultimately a trial and conviction in absentia. But today the person at the heart of the story, H...
Jan 20, 2025•32 min•Ep. 1092
Why Canada needs to get its sh*t together NOW. Former Conservative MP James Moore joins to consider the response to Trump’s rhetoric, and the economic reality facing Canada in the coming months. Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Sam Konnert (Fact Check), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: James Moore Further reading: Canada as the 51st State? | TVO Today Opinion | O Canada, Come Join Us - The New...
Jan 17, 2025•22 min•Ep. 1091
Amid an exodus in the Liberal Party, Mark Carney teases a leadership bid on the Daily Show, and Jesse ponders a future in politics. Former Conservative MP James Moore joins to break down the Liberal breakdown, and consider the unknown unknowns facing Canadian politics in 2025. Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Sam Konnert (Fact Check), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: James Moore Photo is A.I G...
Jan 15, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1090
Join Noor Azrieh and Sam Konnert for a discussion to bid farewell to key legislation that is likely to be lost due to Parliament's prorogation. From the Online Harms Act, to clean drinking water for First Nation communities, there’s a lot to mourn. And, how could a new liberal leader possibly win back young men? We speak with Aiden Fox Ivey, who reached out after he heard our interview with a conservative bro. Host: Noor Azrieh Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azri...
Jan 14, 2025•33 min•Ep. 1089
Siri has a body. AI’s most familiar voice is not just a disembodied all-knowing benefactor of trivia, recipes, and everything else you can’t recall (or never knew) at any particular moment. According to Professor James Muldoon, author of Feeding the Machine: The Hidden Human Labour Powering AI, “... AI has a material body and exists only through new chips, servers and cables being manufactured and added to the machine. And just like a physical body, AI's material structure needs constant nourish...
Jan 13, 2025•32 min•Ep. 1088
Was Pierre Poilievre’s conversation with Jordan Peterson the most popular political interview in Canadian history? Frank Domenic joins to break down what Poilievre’s viral podcast appearance can tell us about the future of media in Canada. Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: Frank Domenic Further reading: Canada's Next Prime Minister | Pierre Poilievre | EP 511 - ...
Jan 10, 2025•36 min•Ep. 1087
How bad has Trudeau F’d Canada? (Pretty bad.) With Trump escalating his rhetoric, Trudeau has left Canada resigned to weakness. Poilievre will need to wait to take over, but is there possibly a wildcard candidate who could defeat him? Frank Domenic joins to assess the damage. Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: Frank Domenic Further Reading On Our Website Sponsors...
Jan 08, 2025•28 min•Ep. 1086
Yesterday Trudeau announced that he would prorogue parliament and resign as Prime Minister. Now, the Liberal Party is embarking on a journey to replace him. He talked about “internal battles” and pressure from Donald Trump, and decided this was the best option. But is it too little too late? Who could possibly have hair good enough to replace him? Logic reporter Laura Osman and Trudeau’s former head of economic policy Tyler Meredith join Sam to discuss what this means for Canada. Host: Sam Konne...
Jan 07, 2025•27 min•Ep. 1085
We don't like to think about sewage. And when it's all working fine, we don't have to. But if we don't get comfortable talking about shit, we could soon be headed for serious trouble if our infrastructure collapses. And given that recent reports say 30 percent of Canadian water and wastewater infrastructure has either reached or passed the end of its lifespan, that failure feels more like a when than an if. Reporter Leora Shertzer digs into he problems of one small Ontario town where they’ve spe...
Jan 06, 2025•33 min•Ep. 1084
We’re bringing you a special episode of a show we love! From The Paul Wells Show , two acclaimed historians talk about the state of democracy and freedom in the world today. In her latest book, Autocracy Inc., Anne Applebaum writes about a group of dictators who share a bond that’s not based on ideology, but on their ability to help each other gain wealth, power and impunity. Yale historian Timothy Synder, author of the new book On Freedom, argues that freedom is more than the absence of oppress...
Jan 03, 2025•59 min•Ep. 1083
Since the blockbuster success of his musical “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda has been busy: acting, directing, and composing for Disney projects, including the upcoming movie “Mufasa: The Lion King.” But his new project is more personal, and a throwback in the best sense. Working with the playwright Eisa Davis, he has reimagined a movie from his childhood as a concept album. “The Warriors” is a cult classic released in 1979. “The Warriors are a gang from Coney Island, and they have to fight their...
Dec 30, 2024•30 min•Ep. 1082
Starting January 1st, the criminal interest rate on predatory lending will be lowered, meaning it should be safer to take out payday and installment loans. But these businesses have a tendency to skirt the law, adding unexpected fees and insurance rates to keep borrowers in the hole. Sam welcomes Donna Borden to the show - an organizer with ACORN. She’s been a victim to these loans, and is now fighting against them. Will the crackdown work and really help lower people’s payments? How can we make...
Dec 24, 2024•24 min•Ep. 1081
Yes, Canada bombed the Aurora Borealis. But can you actually scatter that northernmost light with explosives? Why would you even try? And explosive boom aside, can you, on a cold clear quiet night, hear the northern lights? What is the sound of the Aurora Borealis? Nicolas Lachapelle and Eloise Demers Pinard, trekked to Churchill Manitoba, and beyond, to try and answer these questions. And that’s about as newsy and informational as things are gonna get. Because as you will hear, today’s episode ...
Dec 23, 2024•37 min•Ep. 1080
Que retenir de 2024? Beaucoup de sujets lourds, et quelques moments plus légers, affirme Manal Drissi au micro d’Emilie Nicolas. Ensemble, Manal et Emilie reviennent sur des événements marquants de l’année et dressent, en filigrane, un portrait critique de nos médias. Au menu de cet épisode du temps des fêtes, les liens entre transphobie et misogynie qui ont traversé les discours portés sur Imane Khelif, cette boxeuse médaillée d’or aux JO de Paris ; les viols de Mazan et la montée du masculinis...
Dec 21, 2024•44 min•Ep. 54
What Toronto Star got wrong about UberEats, plus an update on the shaky Trudeau government. Also, why cellos and Air Canada don’t mix, and new information on who an alleged ISIS plot was targeting in the GTA. Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Lucie Laumonier (Fact Checking), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: Jan Wong Further Reading On Our Website Sponsors: CAMH: CAMH is building better mental h...
Dec 20, 2024•34 min•Ep. 1079
Chrystia Freeland kneecaps Trudeau, but his shaky government still stands. Jan Wong joins to sift through the aftermath of a very eventful Monday in Canadian politics. Plus, an arsenal of 3D printed guns in Quebec and Jan’s tips for the GST holiday. Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Post Production), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: Jan Wong Further Reading on Our Website Sponsors: CAMH: CAMH is building better mental health care f...
Dec 18, 2024•28 min•Ep. 1078
It was a hell of a day for the Liberals yesterday, as Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland abruptly abandoned her post. Now, all fingers are pointed at one man: Justin Trudeau. So what happened? And where do we go from here? Reporter for the Hill Times Stuart Benson sits down with Sam to break down Justin’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Photo Credit - Created using AI Host: Sam Konnert Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Caleb Thomp...
Dec 17, 2024•21 min•Ep. 1077
This is part two of our mini series: Black Market Babies (part one, here ). It’s a family story that lay hidden for decades. Then the tech was born, the DNA came to light, and after the shock, the investigation began. An underworld tale of the international baby smuggling ring that bought and sold hundreds of newborns out of Montreal in the 1950s. A family story told by the families. One reporter whose own mother was bought and sold. And another whose own DNA tied her to the one of the alleged m...
Dec 16, 2024•37 min•Ep. 1076
What’s the deal with the “North American Arctic”? Ottawa’s new policy for the North swaps Arctic sovereignty for strategic diplomacy. Could this be a preemptive concession to Trump? Plus, Liberal climate reversals and big savings on Hannukah bushes. Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: San Grewal Further Reading On Our Website Sponsors: CAMH: CAMH is building bette...
Dec 13, 2024•25 min•Ep. 1075
