COMMONS

For almost a century, the Irving family has run New Brunswick like a personal fiefdom. They own the newspapers, the industry, and, according to some, even the government. So how does a single family come to so thoroughly dominate an entire province? And what happens when that family starts to fracture and split apart at the seams?

Featured in this episode: Bruce Livesey (Thieves of Bay Street).

To learn more:

“Are the Irvings Canada's biggest corporate welfare bums?” by Bruce Livesey in National Observer

Irving vs. Irving: Canada's Feuding Billionaires and the Stories They Won't Tell by Jacques Poitras

“Irving family's fortunate son explains how he fell into a dark depression, and rose again” by Erin Anderssen” in The Globe and Mail

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This episode is sponsored by Freshbooks and Leesa. 

Additional music:

I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque

“A List of Ways to Die” by Lee Rosevere, “Easy Life” by Lee Rosevere, and “Androids Always Escape” by Chris Zabriskie, adapted.

Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com

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Canada is a country ruled by dynasties — political, commercial and criminal. In the first episode of our new series, we bring you the story of an eccentric, billionaire patriarch; his famous, charismatic daughter; a fire-breathing monument the size of the Statue of Liberty; and the battle over one of Canada’s great business empires. 

Featured in this episode: Robert Fife (Globe and Mail).

To learn more:

“The $500 Million Family Feud” by Leah McLaren in Toronto Life

“A Stronach Family Feud: How things fell apart between the patriarch and his heir apparent” by Barbara Shecter and Geoff Zochodne in the Financial Post

“‘They stole the company’: Frank Stronach accuses daughter Belinda of betrayal” by Robert Fife in The Globe and Mail

This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter. 

This episode is sponsored by Freshbooks and Audible. 

Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com

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Stories about the rich and powerful families who run Canada.

Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com

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Canoe-borne bandits strike an underwater town. A new generation of wealthy lobstermen is minted. An island disappears. And hellfire engulfs a highway jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive. Just another normal day amidst Canada’s climate catastrophe. 

Featured in this episode: Catherine Griwkowsky (Alberta Today), Brendan Kennedy (Toronto Star), Keith Stewart (Greenpeace), Markus Harvey.

To learn more:

“There will be floods” by Brendan Kennedy in the Toronto Star

“Big Oil braced for global warming while it fought regulations” by Amy Lieberman and Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times

“When climate change hits home” by Nick Purdon in CBC News

This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter. 

Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com

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Teck Resources just got approval to build the largest tar sands operation ever. The Frontier mine would have serious and permanent consequences for the local environment, Indigenous peoples and the global climate. So why haven’t you ever heard about it?

Featured in this episode: Nikki Way (Pembina Institute), Kecia Kerr (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society), Cleo Reece (Keepers of the Athabasca), Violet Cheecham Clark.

To learn more:

“10 things you need to know about the massive new oilsands mine that just got a green light” by Sharon J. Riley in The Narwhal

“Teck's Frontier oilsands project heads to McKenna for review” by Alastair Sharp in National Observer

“UN says Canada isn’t doing enough to save Wood Buffalo National Park” by Judith Lavoie in The Narwhal

This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter. 

Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com

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Ever get the feeling someone is watching you? If you’ve been to an environmental protest recently, you might be right. Private intelligence firms, the RCMP and even Canada’s spies have all been caught collecting information on everyday Canadians speaking out against the oil industry.

Featured in this episode: Ron Tremblay (Wolostoq Grand Council), Mike De Souza (National Observer), Meghan McDermott (BC Civil Liberties Association)

To learn more:

“Spies in our midst: RCMP and CSIS snoop on green activists” by Bruce Livesey in National Observer

“The Private Intelligence Firm Keeping Tabs on Environmentalists” by Adam Federman in Mother Jones

“Kinder Morgan privately eyes Trans Mountain opponents” by Alastair Sharp & Dylan Waisman in National Observer

“The feds paid private eye to hunt for a journalist's sources” by Mike De Souza in National Observer

Additional music:

“A List of Ways to Die” by Lee Rosevere, adapted.

This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter.

Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com

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In the past few weeks, Ontario Premier Doug Ford was loudly booed at the Raptors' victory parade, demoted a bunch of star members of his Cabinet amid sagging poll numbers and lost his Chief of Staff, who got caught up in a nepotism scandal. 

Are we witnessing the downfall of a government, or is this just another month in Ontario? 

If you like Wag the Doug, subscribe to hear more!

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Has Canada been a casualty of a nefarious campaign by foreign-funded radicals to landlock our country’s energy resources? Is Big Oil the victim of a vast international conspiracy? Naaaah. But there is, as always, another conspiracy afoot. 

Featured in this episode: Markham Hislop (Energi Media)

Here's what Vivian Krause has said in response to Markham Hislop's piece.

To learn more:

“Debunked: Vivian Krause’s Tar Sands Campaign conspiracy narrative” by Markham Hislop in Energi Media.

“Alberta Premier Singled Out Environmentalist. Death Threats Followed” by Samantha Beattie  in HuffPost

“Conservative politicians, oil executives map out strategy for ousting federal Liberals in growing collaboration” by Jeff Lewis & Shawn McCarthy in The Globe and Mail

This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter. 

Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com

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An unspeakable tragedy occurs off the coast of Newfoundland. But this isn’t just a story about a nautical disaster. It’s about what happens when a poor province finds immense riches just within reach. And how the promise of oil wealth can twist history around itself.

Featured in this episode: Susan Dodd, Danny O’Brien, Sean Cadigan

ADDITIONAL MUSIC CREDITS: "Seeker" and "Scenery" by Kai Engel, adapted

To learn more:

The Ocean Ranger: Remaking the Promise of Oil by Susan Dodd

Rig: An Oral History of the Ocean Ranger Disaster by Mike Heffernan

“The Ranger Disaster” by CBC’s The Fifth Estate

This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter.

Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com

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The Lac-Mégantic rail disaster was a calamity like we’ve never seen before. The families of the victims never got justice. But the conditions that made it possible have barely changed. And the next time could be far worse.

Featured in this episode: Bruce Campbell, Dylan Robertson (Winnipeg Free Press)

To learn more:

The Lac-Mégantic Rail Disaster: Public Betrayal, Justice Denied by Bruce Campbell.

“Alberta Crisis, Winnipeg Danger” by Dylan Robertson in the Winnipeg Free Press

This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter.

Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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