The past five years have featured one global upheaval after another, so it's no surprise every Canadian's nerves were a little frayed even before Donald Trump began to talk about annexing Canada. But now that the Prime Minister has said the relationship is "over", and since the White House has refused when given the opportunity to back off the 51st state rhetoric, we think it's a good time to try to process this new reality.

Our guest today is Stefanie Peachey , a therapist and mediator whose specialties include divorce, intimate partner violence and workplace mental health—all of which are applicable in their own way to what Canadians, and some Americans, are dealing with right now. So in the middle of an election, it's worth breaking out the big feelings and trying to grapple with them. Because this isn't going away, and it's not gonna get easier when our next government has to reengage with the White House...

Also, Laura and Jordan discuss the assertion that asking about Trump's recent rhetoric is "provoking" the administration, if the divorce metaphor actually applies, and JHR breaks down our very first one-star review!

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

If you've seen American television discussing Canada's response to the Trump administration's trade war and annexation rhetoric, you've probably seen Charlie Angus. The longtime NDP MP (who chose to step down this year rather than seek reelection) has been the face of Canada's defiance to many Americans—and especially to his fellow Canadians. Angus has been meeting thousands of his fellow citizens at events around the country, encouraging them to stand strong and united.

What have they heard from him? What kind of message does he want us to send to Americans? How do these kind of events come about, and how can anyone organize one? Jordan and Laura speak to Charlie and ask him everything Canadians need to know about what he calls "The Resistance".

You can learn more about The Resistance at Charlie Angus's Substack: https://charlieangus.substack.com/

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

Have you seen a lot of Maple Leaf stickers and signs in your grocery store lately? Maybe even next to products you know are sold by American companies that are "prepared in Canada"? Wondering what that actually means? 

There are any number of designations that can be placed on food products, but only a couple of them are specific and actually mean a food item was what we would think of as truly "made" or "produced" in Canada. In a minisode of Elbows Up, Laura quizzes Jordan, who has been studying the government guidelines, about just what all these claims mean and how companies can use them to 'Maplewash' your grocery shopping.

For reference:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's guidelines around identifying the origin of food products: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-labels/labelling/industry/origin-claims#s1c5

The Department of Canadian Heritage guidelines around the use of the official Canadian Maple Leaf on commercial products: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/commercial-use-symbols-canada.html

The CFIA's Frequently Asked Questions around product origin claims and labelling: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-labels/labelling/industry/origin-claims/frequently-asked-questions

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

From intelligence services to border control to the military and everything in between, Canada has designed its national security infrastructure to work in concert with the United States, not in opposition to it. It's now clear this could be a really big problem. This episode is about how Canada can stand on its own two feet and plan to protect ourselves.

First, Jordan and Laura examine just how many Americans now see Canada as "unfriendly" or an "enemy". Then (4:00) Stephanie Carvin, a national security expert, former government analyst and the author of Stand on Guard, walks us through how entwined our two countries are, what that means to Canada if the US truly does become a threat, or (14:33) if this will all go away tomorrow. We also (25:21) discuss what role Canadians can play and (28:55) the unthinkable conversations she's been having with people in her field.

Also (20:00)...do we need our own secret agents? We should have some, right?

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

Whenever the prospect of "51st state" is mentioned, many Canadians wonder what would happen if it really came to that. Others wonder what they'd do in that situation? How could they help? Could they really fight for their country? 

The easiest way to be ready should anything—emergencies, natural disasters and, yes, a hostile neighbour—threaten Canadians is to join the country's reserve forces. But many Canadians don't understand that process. How big are our reserve forces? Who serves in them? What kind of commitment is it? What kind of test to you have to pass? And how might your skills apply to what they do?

A number of listeners told us they'd been wondering if they'd qualify, and how to do it. So we're speaking to Commander Paul Smith (6:49), Commanding Officer of HMCS York, which is Toronto’s Naval Reserve Division, to learn everything you need to know about the reserves.

Afterwards (23:28), we read listener emails and tease some upcoming episodes. And (32:26) we've got another song for you...

For more information about the reserves, including jobs that are currently available, you can visit https://forces.ca/en/reserve-force/.

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

A stated objective of President Trump's trade war is to cause Canada economic pain, in an apparent effort to bully Canada into becoming the 51st state. That strategy assumes there is a level of financial hardship at which Canadian resolve will weaken. The tactic is designed to cost the country—and more importantly, every person in it—money, in lost jobs, lost sales, higher prices and in many other ways.

So far, Canada stands strong. A massive push to #BuyCanadian has us squinting at the fine print on every purchase. But it shouldn't stop there. Nor should it break your budget.

After Jordan and Laura trade their own tips on keeping their spending on this side of the border, Jordan interviews Jessica Moorhouse, the author of Everything But Money, host of the More Money podcast and an accredited financial counselor, about how to Buy Canadian and how to thrive in difficult economic times(3:19), how to manage your emotions when it comes to your money in a volatile economy (13:07) and what to do with big purchases and investments and the feeling this is all going to hell (21:48).

Afterwards (29:11), Laura joins Jordan to introduce what will hopefully be the first of many original, patriotic Canadian songs recorded during the current crisis. Today, Lark of Canada, by Chris Rawlings. (Yes, that's Jordan's dad.)

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

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].