Basically everything Canadians send digitally, even just to one another, runs through huge American tech companies—Microsoft, Google, Apple, Amazon, and dozens more. We've never had to worry about that. Now we do. So what are we going to do about it?

On an individual and national level, we need to get serious about protecting our digital infrastructure. The good news is that it's a lot easier for this country to win a technological or media war than a physical one, and there's real opportunity here. Canada's tech talent, from developers to hackers and everything in between, is among the world's elite. We have everything we need to not only secure ourselves,  but to become an option for the rest of the world when they no longer trust American technology. Let's get going.

Host Jordan Heath-Rawlings and producer Laura Palmer speak with Canadian technologist and futurist Jesse Hirsh about getting serious about security and winning a tech war. 

Intro: 0:00

Welcome Jesse: 3:31

Participatory cybersecurity: 11:35

Every Canadian's role: 21:41

Listener emails and sign off: 33:49

Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Countries like Sweden and Finland, that live near a hostile power, have made huge investments in civil defence, preparing their citizens to respond to any emergency, from an environmental catastrophe to foreign interference and even invasion.

Canada has done this in the past as well, just not for decades. What would a modern Canadian Civil Defence Corps look like? 

Host Jordan Heath-Rawlings and producer Laura Palmer speak with Peter MacLeod, principal of MASS LBP and the author, with Richard Johnson, of Democracy’s Second Act (out this fall from the University of Toronto’s Aevo Press).

First, Jordan explains what made us make Elbows Up, what you can expect from it and how you can help us shape it. Then (10:26), Jordan and Peter discuss exactly what a new era of civil defence would mean, and (27:00) how Canada can achieve it. Finally, the three of us share our thoughts on why so many Canadians are feeling moved to action now.

Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

The world is shifting under our feet. This is a podcast about how Canada can stay strong and free, forever. And what exactly we need to do that.

Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].