Explore: A Canadian Geographic podcast

“Days on the water have produced in me the intensifying feeling of somehow growing together with the river: not thinking with it, but being thought by it.” - Robert Macfarlane, Is a River Alive?

This episode of Explore was recorded live in May 2025 at the Ottawa International Writers Festival.

Robert Macfarlane’s latest book asks the question: Is a River Alive? To answer it, the award-winning British author, academic and environmentalist spent four-and-a-half years exploring rivers and their watersheds across four continents. His journeys take him from an Ecuadorian cloud forest, where pristine waterways are threatened by Canadian gold mining interests, to Chennai, India, where activists are working to bring dead rivers back to life.

Macfarlane also led a personally transformative kayak expedition down Quebec’s Magpie River, or Muteshekau Shipu, on the territory of the Innu Nation. In 2021, the Magpie became the first river in Canada to be granted legal personhood, a landmark effort to prevent it from being dammed by Hydro-Québec.  

This conversation explores the rights of nature, environmental activism and the interconnectedness of rivers and people. Through his book and this dialogue, Macfarlane underscores the need for a reimagined relationship with nature, emphasizing the importance of rivers as living entities and the hope found in environmental guardianship. It's a great and thought-provoking talk. Enjoy! 

Robert Macfarlane is the bestselling author of the award-winning trilogy on landscape and the human heart: Mountains of the Mind, The Wild Places, and The Old Ways, as well as Landmarks and Holloway. His work has been translated into more than a dozen languages and published in more than 20 countries, and widely adapted for television, film and radio by the BBC among others. Macfarlane has contributed to Harper’s Magazine, The New York Times, The Times Literary Supplement and the London Review of Books. In 2012, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and he is currently a Fellow in English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

This episode is one of our annual canoe and paddling series. Next up is former Canadian Geographic editor Dan Rubinstein, who will discuss his epic 2000-kilometre waterboard adventure from Ottawa to Manhattan and back. His new book, Waterborne, details the expedition.

Canada does funny really, really well. So today we're poking that Canadian funny bone in conversation with Luke Gordon Field as he discusses his journey and experiences as Editor in Chief of The Beaverton, a popular Canadian satirical news site. Over 15 years, Field and his team transformed a side project with humble beginnings into an internationally recognized name in satire. Field recounts anecdotes from the early days, including a pivotal moment involving Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield that catapulted the site to fame ("Hadfield comes home to $1.37 million Rogers phone bill"). He talks about the challenges of producing timely satire with impact, the influence of American political comedy, and the unique nuances of Canadian humor. Field also shares insights into their funding model, discussing their successful Patreon campaign that allowed the site to continue and expand. How they escaped Facebooks Canadian news ban. The conversation touches on the creative process and Field's reflections on the comedian's life in Canada.

This episode was produced by David McGuffin and ExploreProductions.ca

Clare McGuffin - assistant producer

Do you have any questions about or suggestions for the podcast? Drop us a line: [email protected] or DM me on instagram: @david.mcguffin

“It's the reason why this Canadian Geographic thing means a lot to me. It’s about people and how they live and how we interact and celebrate how beautiful and natural this life can be.”

We’ve got a new honorary RCGS Fellow on Explore today! George Stroumboulopoulos is one of Canada’s great interviewers and broadcasters. In the span of his 30-plus year career, he has talked with thousands of people from King Charles to Gord Downie, from Maya Angelou to Lady Gaga and so many, many more. For decades he has served as a cultural prism for Canadians on MuchMusic, and CBC shows like The Hour, George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight and The Strombo Show. He was also a breath of fresh air, for too brief a time, as host of Hockey Night in Canada. He’s now on Apple Music, which has him dividing his time between Toronto and Los Angeles.

Active in giving back, Strombo is, among other things, a UN ambassador for the World Food Programme, which has seen him traveling to many of the world’s danger zones. For all his good works, he was inducted into the Order of Canada in 2023. 

I’ve always enjoyed George’s work. The best interviewers are proxies for their audience, asking the questions we all want answered. There is a warmth, empathy, sense of humour, curiosity and connection in George’s presence that make him one of the very best at what he does. So, I’m really thrilled to be turning the tables on him in this episode. We get into it on a number of fascinating topics, including his childhood in the rough and diverse Jane and Finch area of Toronto, the books, music, movies and concerts that opened up his young mind, interviewing musical heroes like Joe Strummer and The Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie, how Canada’s landscape shapes the music we love, why motorcycles are his preferred mental health escape, and what it’s like living as a Canadian in the U.S. during this “Elbows Up” moment. It’s a great talk. Strap in and enjoy! 

Do you have any questions for me? Or suggestions for the podcast? Drop me a line: [email protected] or DM me on instagram: @david.mcguffin

"It was brutal again. There was a very good chance we wouldn't succeed. And if it's a foregone conclusion that you're going to be successful, is it really an adventure?" - Kevin Vallely

RCGS Explorer-in-Residence Ray Zahab and his exploring partner and RCGS Fellow Kevin Vallely have just completed an extraordinary expedition – skiing 500 kilometres across Ellesmere Island, one of the most remote and unforgiving regions in the Canadian High Arctic. This journey, completed in March and April 2025, marks a triumphant return after their 2022 attempt was cut short by extreme weather and treacherous snow conditions (listen to that adventure here). 

Armed with experience and revised plans, the duo set out from the Eureka weather station and traversed to Grise Fiord, enduring relentless sub-30 degrees Celsius temperatures (not including wind chill), whiteouts and punishing terrain. Along the way, they were rewarded with moments of awe: encounters with 31 Arctic wolves, Muskox, Arctic hares and fresh polar bear tracks – reminders of the raw and untamed wilderness they were navigating.

Join us as Zahab and Vallely share stories from the trail, reflect on what they learned between expeditions and offer a rare glimpse into a part of Canada few will ever see. Tune in to discover what it takes to journey through the Canadian High Arctic in deep winter.

We are also thrilled to share that two of Explore's Passing the Mic sessions are linked to recent Canadian Geographic story nominations for the National Magazine and Digital Publishing Awards. 

Our podcast training sessions for Inuit youth in Cambridge Bay inspired an article in the special Nunavut Anniversary issue of Canadian Geographic, which has been nominated for the Digital Publishing Award’s Best Large Digital Editorial Package for the magazine’s coverage of the 25th anniversary of Nunavut’s establishment as an independent Canadian territory. Canadian Geographic’s associate editor, Tom Lundy, is nominated for a National Magazine Award for his article, Protectors of Aqviqtuuq, which looks at the attempts to create the first Inuit conservation zone. This story was inspired by Explore’s Passing the Mic session in Taloyoak, NU. 

Congrats to everyone involved! 

"Buffalo are renewal. We know that — it’s baked into who we are."

This week on Explore, David McGuffin sits down with award-winning filmmaker, scholar, and advocate Tasha Hubbard to discuss her latest documentary, Singing Back the Buffalo.

This powerful film delves into the deep, sacred relationship between buffalo and Indigenous Peoples, highlighting how these iconic animals are more than just symbols of the past — they are key to cultural, spiritual and ecological renewal. Singing Back the Buffalo tells the story of the 2014 Buffalo Treaty, an unprecedented agreement now endorsed by over 80 First Nations, committed to restoring buffalo herds to Indigenous lands and traditional territories.

Through a focus on the bison reintroduced to Elk Island, Banff and Grasslands National Parks, Hubbard explores how the return of these herds is helping to heal both landscapes and communities. The conversation touches on the interconnectedness of Indigenous knowledge and Western science, the resurgence of biodiversity and the role of buffalo not just as survivors, but as teachers and guides for a more sustainable future.

Hubbard is a professor at the University of Alberta and a member of Peepeekisis First Nation in Treaty Four Territory. Her award-winning work challenges colonial narratives, centres Indigenous storytelling and envisions hopeful futures grounded in collective memory and resilience.

In this episode, Explore host David McGuffin is joined by Glynnis Hood, one of the world's leading beaver experts, to mark the 50th anniversary of the beaver as Canada’s national animal. This conversation focuses on this iconic Canadian animals significance in our country’s history. Hood shares her insights into the beaver's resilience, ability to modify landscapes, role as a keystone species, and its substantial impact on its environment. They delve into the beaver's history, from its near extinction to its current resurgence. They highlight the beaver’s role in maintaining biodiversity, regulating water systems, and potentially mitigating climate change and wildfires. 

The episode also explores human and beaver conflicts and the coexistence strategies that emphasize the beaver's crucial role in shaping Canada’s environment.

Glynnis Hood is professor emerita of environmental science at the University of Alberta and an adjunct professor at the University of Saskatchewan.

Hood’s research interests include aquatic ecology, biology, and human-wildlife interactions. For more than 20 years, Hood has integrated her research on beaver ecology with more focused studies of beaver management to enhance human-wildlife coexistence. She is the author of Semi-aquatic Mammals: Ecology and Biology and The Beaver Manifesto: Conservation, Conflict, and the Future of Wetlands, which will be released in its second edition this fall. Her first children's book is A Cabin Christmas.

Learn more about the beaver in this recent Canadian Geographic feature by Brian Banks.

00:00 Celebrating 50 years of the beaver as Canada's national animal

00:22 The beaver's role in Canadian history and Indigenous culture

00:58 Personal beaver encounters and observations

01:51 Introduction to beaver expert Glynnis Hood

05:32 The beaver's comeback story

07:32 Beaver population and historical impact

16:53 Beaver's ecological engineering and climate impact

21:58 Beavers and wildfire resilience

24:30 Epic beaver dams in Wood Buffalo National Park

26:05 The impact of beavers on biodiversity

28:28 Beavers in the Arctic: challenges and changes

30:58 Historical context and the beavers' return

32:32 Beaver dam construction techniques

39:06 Beaver coexistence tools and strategies

41:37 Personal encounters and reflections

46:38 Conclusion and final thoughts

In this special episode of the Explore Podcast, we delve into the current and unique intersection of hockey, politics, and patriotism in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war against Canada. Featuring an insightful discussion with Roy McGregor, award-winning Canadian journalist and author, this episode explores the politically charged 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, where Canada's triumph over the U.S. in the final helped revive a nation feeling battered by its southern neighbour. 

The conversation touches on where this hockey moment ranks in Canada's history of international triumphs (up there with the '72 Soviet-Canada Summit Series, says MacGregor), the impact the game had on international tensions and Canadian politics, Wayne Gretzky's awkward friendship with Trump, the rise of Canadian patriotism and the interwoven histories of hockey and politics in the country. The episode also reflects on the broader implications for Canada's national identity and political landscape in the face of recent events.

Please also check out episode 44 of Explore, featuring MacGregor talking about Canada and the history of the canoe and episode 47 with author John U. Bacon on the importance of the 1972 Canada-Soviet Summit Series.

MacGregor is an award-winning author, columnist and feature writer for The Globe and Mail. He has also reported for the National Post, the Ottawa Citizen, Maclean's and the Toronto Star. 

He is the author of nearly 40 books, including one with former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and another, Home Game, with Ken Dryden, Montreal Canadiens Hall of Fame goalie and Liberal cabinet minister. His latest book, a memoir, is Paper Trails: From the Backwoods to the Front Page, a Life in Stories

00:00 Introduction 4 Nations and the 1972 Soviet-Canada Summit Series

00:34 Meet Roy McGregor: A Canadian journalism legend

01:37 The Intersection of hockey and politics

02:10 Where the 4 Nations Face-Off ranks in Canadian hockey triumphs

03:07 Canada's triumph and political implications

03:29 Roy McGregor's insights on hockey and politics

06:51 Historical context and personal reflections

09:03 The role of hockey in Canadian identity

17:00 Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr and Donald Trump

23:24 The impact of social media on modern politics

26:18 Conclusion and final thoughts

In this milestone 100th episode of the Explore Podcast, host David McGuffin welcomes back world-renowned cave diver and RCGS Explorer-in-Residence Jill Heinerth. This episode dives into Heinerth’s experiences, including her new, award-winning documentary Diving into the Darkness, her extraordinary career in underwater exploration and the risks and rewards of diving. Heinerth discusses her Antarctic expeditions, her struggle with decompression sickness, and the evolution of her exploration philosophy over the years. The conversation also touches on the challenges of making documentaries in the current media environment, the impact of climate change narratives and the importance of valuing and understanding our natural world. Additionally, Heinerth emphasizes the need for flexibility, multi-skilling and ethical exploration in today's changing world. 

To learn more about her documentary, visit divingintothedarkness.com

00:00 Introduction to Jill Heinerth's diving adventures

01:01 Celebrating 100 episodes of the Explore Podcast

04:52 Introducing Jill Heinerth's new documentary

05:00 Behind the scenes of the documentary

06:05 The making of the documentary

13:36 Jill's Antarctic dive experience

15:07 The impact of climate change on diving

18:00 Touring the documentary

18:58 Challenges in the media landscape

19:37 The future of documentary streaming

21:35 The evolution of exploration and science

21:57 Navigating career advice for young explorers

23:48 Early challenges and determination

27:55 Facing life-threatening situations

36:41 Reflections on exploration and ethics

42:22 Concluding thoughts and future plans

In this episode of Explore, we dive deep with Canadian whale biologist Shane Gero, who shares his journey from a landlocked childhood in Ottawa to becoming a leading researcher in whale communication and conservation. Gero discusses how his early fascination with whales began, his fieldwork in Dominica and the intricate social structures of sperm whales. The conversation then delves into Project CETI, which aims to decode the complex language of sperm whales using machine learning while exploring the cultural identity expressed through the whales’ unique codas (a series of clicks). In this conversation, Gero emphasizes the complex cognition of these animals and their emotional lives, sharing personal experiences of witnessing whale births and the significance of interspecies communication. Incidentally, the pod of whales who he witnessed give birth are named after author and RCGS Fellow Margaret Atwood and her novel, Oryx and Crake.

Gero highlights the challenges sperm whales face due to human activities and the need for both individual and systematic changes to protect them. He expresses hope for the future, rooted in the connection between humans and nature, and reflects on his personal journey in understanding these magnificent creatures.

As well as being a Scientist-In-Residence at Ottawa’s Carleton University, Gero is also the founder of The Dominica Sperm Whale Project, a long-term research program focused on the sperm whale families living in the Eastern Caribbean. He is also the Biology Lead for Project CETI, applying advanced machine learning and robotics to decipher sperm whale communication.

This interview is exactly the kind of unique Canadian storytelling that is supported by your donations to the annual Canadian Geographic Polar Plunge taking place on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

To help Canadian Geographic tell Canada's story and support critical programming, please consider donating at Polar Plunge 2025.