CANADALAND

You probably know Brian Reed from his award-winning podcast S-Town. Or from his other excellent podcast series, The Trojan Horse Affair. Finally, there’s his new show about journalism under Trump’s administration, Question Everything.

Brian Reed and Jesse got together last week to interview each other. Jesse interviewed Brian about what happens to the free press when your government tries to crush it. Brian interviewed Jesse about what happens to the free press when your government tries to save it.

Spoiler alert, both can be bad.

Host: Jesse Brown

Caleb Thompson (Mixing & Mastering), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)

Fact checking by Julian Abraham 

Additional music by Audio Network

More from Brian Reed:

Listen to Question Everything

Listen to S- Town

Listen to The Trojan Horse Affair

Sponsors: 

oxio: Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca and use code CANADALAND for your first month free! 

BetterHelp: Visit betterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month.

The Oat Company: Head over to oatcompany.com and use code CANADALAND20 for 20% off your order. They ship across Canada so you can enjoy them anywhere.

Squarespace: Check out squarespace.com/canadaland for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch use code canadaland to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

If you value this podcast, support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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

Canada’s ongoing grocery redemption arc.

The “Buy Canadian” moment has supplanted the grocery “Greedflation” narrative for now, but the $500 million bread price-fixing settlement is a reminder that Canada still has a lot to fix around food. 

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Lucie Laumonier (Associate Producer and Fact Checking) Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)

Guest: Vass Bednar

Additional music by Audio Network

Further reading: 

• Supermarket workers are wearing body cameras. Welcome to the new dystopia – The Globe and Mail 
• Buying Canadian is a matter of pride for shoppers. For major grocery chains, it's an opportunity - CBC
• How you can get your dough in the $500M Loblaw bread-fixing settlement - CBC
• Why owning a dog or cat in Canada has become so expensive – The Globe and Mail
• RCMP says it’s probing potential war crimes related to Israel-Hamas conflict - The Toronto Star

Sponsors: 

Douglas:  Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today.  Visit douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer

oxio: Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca and use code CANADALAND for your first month free! 

If you value this podcast, support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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

We’ve got a Minister of A.I. Now what?

Former Journalist MP Evan Solomon leads Canada’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, but it’s unclear exactly how A.I. fits into the Liberal government’s mandate. 

Vass Bednar explains why she’s still optimistic about Canada’s A.I. future. 

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Lucie Laumonier (Associate Producer and Fact Checking) Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)

Guest: Vass Bednar

Further reading: 

• I had high hopes for Mark Carney, but then he created a Ministry of AI and appointed Evan Solomon to the position - Halifax Examiner
• Mark Carney wants to use AI to supercharge Canada’s economy. It’s just not clear how – The Toronto Star
• Canada is a getting a fresh start on artificial intelligence. Let’s not waste it – CTV News
• Pride Toronto loses two more corporate sponsors just weeks before festival launch – The Toronto Star 
• Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert review — The Guardian

Sponsors: 

Douglas:  Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today.  Visit douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer

The Oat Company: Head over to oatcompany.com and use code CANADALAND20 for 20% off your order. They ship across Canada so you can enjoy them anywhere.

Article: Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit article.com/canadaland and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout

BetterHelp:  Visit betterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month.

If you value this podcast, support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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

Political divides are growing, and it’s not just over basic issues anymore. Increasingly, people are feeling differences in basic conduct, morality, and how they approach discussions. These divisions feel too big to ignore.

How do you go about fixing that divide? This week host Sam Konnert sits down with Ryan Broderick to iron things out.

And the latest on the grand meeting of the Premiers in Saskatoon, Carney’s new chief of staff pick and Trump’s doubling of the steel and aluminum tariffs. 

Host: Sam Konnert

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Ryan Broderick

Background reading:

• 'Dude, I'm Done': When Politics Tears Families And Friendships Apart | NPR
• Friendship in divided times: People don't want to argue with you as much as you think | BBC
• It is okay to lose friends due to politics | Johns Hopkins

Sponsors: 

Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadaland

Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit ARTICLE.COM/BACKBENCH and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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

The election is done and dusted. Votes cast, tallied, and 343 newly minted MPs are on the job. But even though we, the media collectively, tried our best to vet everyone, some things slipped past us.

There’s one candidate that we at Canadaland did not vet. That candidate won. And then she was named to Cabinet. She is now a federal minister. Only then did we get a tip about her. A tip that did in fact turn up information about her that was not yet known but which should be known.

Host: Jesse Brown

Julian Abraham (Reporter)

Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)

Fact checking by Max Collins

Additional music by Audio Network

Further Reading

Facebook Post Highlighting Kyle Dispute

RRC Changing Student Survey After Concerns raised over ‘offensive’ questions - Global News

Sponsors: 

oxio: Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca and use code CANADALAND for your first month free! 

Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today. Visit douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer

Squarespace: Check out squarespace.com/canadaland for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch use code canadaland to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Further Reading:

Facebook Post Highlighting Kyle Dispute

RRC Changing Student Survey After Concerns raised over ‘offensive’ questions - Global News

If you value this podcast, support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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

The American populist left has a roadmap for Canadian progressives. 

With the NDP wandering the political wilderness, the rise of Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez points to where left-wing politics is headed. 

But will Canada’s progressive movement catch the wave? 

Host: Jesse Brown

Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)

Guest: Cenk Uygur

Photo by Jim Heaphy, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Further reading: 

• The collapse of the NDP vote in the federal election: how it happened | Regina Leader Post 
• Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders draw huge crowds on ‘fighting oligarchy’ tour - National | Globalnews.ca 
• Conservatives block Trump's big tax breaks bill in a stunning setback  - AP News
• First Read: Economic Populism Comes Front-and-Center for 2016 - NBC  
• Despite a polarizing election, Canadians don’t want a two-party system, poll suggests - National Post 
• US political ad spending to soar in 2024 with TV media the biggest winner - report | Reuters 

Sponsors:

oxio: Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca and use code CANADALAND for your first month free! 

The Oat Company: Head over to oatcompany.com and use code CANADALAND20 for 20% off your order. They ship across Canada so you can enjoy them anywhere.

Douglas:  Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today.  Visit douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer

If you value this podcast, support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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

Canadians and Americans alike are afraid of crossing the border, and for political commentators like Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks travel requires extra precautions. What’s behind Trump’s puzzling decision to politicize border crossing for US citizens?

Host: Jesse Brown

Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)

Guest: Cenk Uygur

Further reading: 

• Nervous About Crossing the Border? You Should Be. - Macleans.ca 
• ‘They’re not coming’: N.B. border town says fewer U.S. visitors making big impact - New Brunswick | Globalnews.ca
• Checkpoints by U.S. border patrol raise concerns amid drop in Canadian visitors | CBC News  
• A wave of artists are reconsidering tours over U.S. border detention fears | CBC News
• ‘Don’t yap to cops’: why Hasan Piker’s US customs story kicked off a backlash | US immigration | The Guardian
• Jewish senators accuse Trump of exploiting antisemitism to target universities - The Guardian
• Inside the identity crisis in anti-woke media | Semafor 
• U.S. senators urge Canada to ‘give us another chance’ on trade, tourism - National | Globalnews.ca 

Sponsors:

Squarespace: Check out squarespace.com/canadaland for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch use code canadaland to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Douglas:  Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today. Visit douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer

oxio: Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca and use code CANADALAND for your first month free! 

If you value this podcast, support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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

Earlier this year, Jagmeet Singh laughed off the idea of losing. Now, he’s out and the NDP is in free fall. They lost official party status. They lost ground with key voters, organized labor, and their traditional strongholds in B.C. and the GTA. So, did the NDP learn anything from this catastrophic loss? To answer that question, host Noor Azrieh asks Heather McPherson, one of the 7 NDP MPs left. 

And, the latest on King Charles Canadian tour, who’s gonna babysit rowdy MPs in the House of Commons, and maybe it's time to break up with Jenni Byrne…for good this time.

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Heather McPherson

Background reading:

• NDP caucus members dispute appointment of interim leader Don Davies – The Globe and Mail
• NDP faces 'Parliament from hell' without official party status, says former MP – CBC News
• Is it R.I.P. for the federal NDP? Not quite, experts say – CBC News
• New Democrats say they want leadership race rules to ensure multiple serious candidates, shorter contest – The Globe and Mail
• King Charles and Queen Camilla begin royal visit to Canada – CBC News
• Pressure mounting on Poilievre to fire Jenni Byrne: sources – CBC News

Sponsors: 

Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadaland

Head to policyme.com and find a Health & Dental plan that actually fits your life, and

really only takes 5 minutes to apply.

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. 

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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

Canadian comedy legend Dave Thomas is here. What else is there to say? If you want to understand the last half century of comedy from SCTV to SNL to The Simpsons you only need to look to the comedic big bang moment when Thomas, Moranis, Levy and Martin converged on Toronto in the early 1970s. So Dave Thomas will tell you all about it, eh?

Of course SCTV is only one of the hats (toques) the writer, actor, producer and director has worn. Thomas brings us up to speed on his latest venture, travelling to Ukraine to film a documentary on the country’s stand up comedians.

Credits:

Host: Jesse Brown

Caleb Thompson (Audio Engineering), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)

Fact checking by Julian Abraham

Additional music by Audio Network

For more information on the Freedom Fund go to:

https://ukrfreedomfund.org/

Sponsors: 

The Oat Company: Head over to https://oatcompany.com and use code CANADALAND20 for 20% off your order. They ship across Canada so you can enjoy them anywhere.

oxio: Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca and use code CANADALAND for your first month free! 

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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

A new study suggests that New Brunswick’s mystery brain illness doesn’t exist, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. 

Recent headlines declare the mystery is solved, but the new study only raises more questions. 

Host: Jesse Brown

Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), Sam Konnert (Fact Checking), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)

Guest: Laura Robinson

Further Reading On Our Website

Sponsors: 

oxio: Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca and use code CANADALAND for your first month free! 

Douglas:  Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today.  Visit douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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