CANADALAND

The Texas of the north. Racist rednecks, gun nuts, and pickup truck enthusiasts. That's the Alberta stereotype portrayed in much of the rest of Canada, but how much of that is accurate and how much is due to lazy media that falls back on clichéd tropes? After all, Alberta gave us the first big-city Muslim mayor, the first provincial cabinet with gender parity, and hell, led the charge for women's suffragism (okay, that was a century ago, but still...).

Despite the province's increasingly young and multicultural population, some still believe that the only real Albertan is a conservative Albertan. And that extends to the two men - Jason Kenney and Brian Jean - who inked a proposal to merge the Conservative and Wildrose parties last week. Are they, and their policies, reflective of a new, diverse Alberta?

Joining Omar to unpack Alberta's multifaceted conservative history is Calgary journalist and author Sydney Sharpe, whose 2016 book, Notley Nation: How Alberta's Political Upheaval Swept the Country, documented the historic 2015 provincial election which saw the NDP sweep aside the governing Tories after an unprecedented 40-plus-year run. 

Also in studio is Duncan Kinney, former journalist and current Executive Director of Progress Alberta.

Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/join

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The Texas of the north. Racist rednecks, gun nuts, and pickup truck enthusiasts. That's the Alberta stereotype portrayed in much of the rest of Canada, but how much of that is accurate and how much is due to lazy media that falls back on clichéd tropes? After all, Alberta gave us the first big-city Muslim mayor, the first provincial cabinet with gender parity, and hell, led the charge for women's suffragism (okay, that was a century ago, but still...).

Despite the province's increasingly young and multicultural population, some still believe that the only real Albertan is a conservative Albertan. And that extends to the two men - Jason Kenney and Brian Jean - who inked a proposal to merge the Conservative and Wildrose parties last week. Are they, and their policies, reflective of a new, diverse Alberta?

Joining Omar to unpack Alberta's multifaceted conservative history is Calgary journalist and author Sydney Sharpe, whose 2016 book, Notley Nation: How Alberta's Political Upheaval Swept the Country, documented the historic 2015 provincial election which saw the NDP sweep aside the governing Tories after an unprecedented 40-plus-year run. 

Also in studio is Duncan Kinney, former journalist and current Executive Director of Progress Alberta.

Hal Niedzviecki and Jonathan Kay have left their jobs. Steve Ladurantaye's been shifted to a lesser role at CBC. And no, we're not finished talking about this yet.

Ryan McMahon joins Jesse in Winnipeg to talk appropriation.

Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/join

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hal Niedzviecki and Jonathan Kay have left their jobs. Steve Ladurantaye's been shifted to a lesser role at CBC. And no, we're not finished talking about this yet.

Ryan McMahon joins Jesse in Winnipeg to talk appropriation.

When it comes to rap, where does artistic licence end and confession begin? According to prosecutors in at least 30 cases from the last decade, it starts when the artist is charged with a crime and the lyrics are parsed for clues to a case or for proof of bad character.

Many of these defendants are convicted of their crimes, but should their music be a permissible tool? What is the threshold? And does the practice intentionally or unintentionally tap into the unconscious biases of jurors with the fate of young black and indigenous men in their hands?

This roundtable discussion on the inclusion of rap as criminal evidence brings together three experts: University of California, Irvine criminologist Adam Dunbar, University of Toronto sociologist Jooyoung Lee, and lawyer Hilary Dudding, whose case, R. v. Campbell, could effect future trials in Canada.

They join guest host Omar Mouallem for the episode.

Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/join

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to rap, where does artistic licence end and confession begin? According to prosecutors in at least 30 cases from the last decade, it starts when the artist is charged with a crime and the lyrics are parsed for clues to a case or for proof of bad character.

Many of these defendants are convicted of their crimes, but should their music be a permissible tool? What is the threshold? And does the practice intentionally or unintentionally tap into the unconscious biases of jurors with the fate of young black and indigenous men in their hands?

This roundtable discussion on the inclusion of rap as criminal evidence brings together three experts: University of California, Irvine criminologist Adam Dunbar, University of Toronto sociologist Jooyoung Lee, and lawyer Hilary Dudding, whose case, R. v. Campbell, could effect future trials in Canada.

They join guest host Omar Mouallem for the episode.

British Columbia had an election where everybody won - or at least got an 'I Participated' ribbon.

Also, Rebel Media wades into the French election like a skunk splashing around a backyard kiddie pool.

Finally, black activist and journalist Desmond Cole takes leave from the Toronto Star after the corporation suggests they'd appreciate it if he wouldn't mind being a little less active and a lot less black.

The National Observer's Sandy Garossino joins us.

Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/join

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British Columbia had an election where everybody won - or at least got an 'I Participated' ribbon.

Also, Rebel Media wades into the French election like a skunk splashing around a backyard kiddie pool.

Finally, black activist and journalist Desmond Cole takes leave from the Toronto Star after the corporation suggests they'd appreciate it if he wouldn't mind being a little less active and a lot less black.

The National Observer's Sandy Garossino joins us.

Since the late 1990s nearly 800 children in Alberta government care have Veteran Edmonton Journal columnist Paula Simons has been shining a light on this crisis since from the start. 

In November 2016, Simons published a story that shocked the province. It was a story about a four-year-old girl named Serenity. Let down by a wide range of government and non-governmental services, Serenity was the victim of horrific abuse and neglect. 

Simons' article, Her name was Serenity. Never forget it. spurred the Notley provincial government to convene an all-party committee to investigate the multiple failings of Alberta's child welfare system.

Her tireless coverage earned Simons honourable mentions from the National Newspaper Awards and the Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom.

She speaks with guest host Omar Mouallem for the episode.

Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/join

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the late 1990s nearly 800 children in Alberta government care have Veteran Edmonton Journal columnist Paula Simons has been shining a light on this crisis since from the start. 

In November 2016, Simons published a story that shocked the province. It was a story about a four-year-old girl named Serenity. Let down by a wide range of government and non-governmental services, Serenity was the victim of horrific abuse and neglect. 

Simons' article, Her name was Serenity. Never forget it. spurred the Notley provincial government to convene an all-party committee to investigate the multiple failings of Alberta's child welfare system.

Her tireless coverage earned Simons honourable mentions from the National Newspaper Awards and the Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom.

She speaks with guest host Omar Mouallem for the episode.