Rick Mercer started his career as a media critic of sorts. He broke into the national consciousness with a one man show taking on an establishment journalist, called Show Me the Button: I'll Push It (or Charles Lynch Must Die). He talks to Jesse about his path from angry young outsider to palling around with politicians on TV. He also talks about developing his pioneering blend of news and comedy in This Hour Has 22 Minutes and The Mercer Report, why he wouldn’t do Talking to Americans in the Youtube age, and why political satire in Canada is far friendlier than its American counterpart. 
This conversation was recorded in September, 2023
Sponsors: Oxio, The National Film Board of Canada
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Rick Mercer — The CANADALAND Interview

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Every Monday, we bring you original reporting on the most interesting story in the country. Every Thursday, we bring you analysis of the Canadian media. We break stories today that determine tomorrow's news cycle. We hold the powerful to account, and we scrutinize institutions and individuals that others won't. 
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News

Who’s buying a newspaper in 2024? Meet Kevin Klein, a politician, publisher, pretendian, and new owner of the Winnipeg Sun. 
Then, things get heated, as Jesse and Robert Jago discuss cultural boycotting at the Vancouver Comic Arts Festival. Are cultural boycotts a fair and effective form of protest? 
Time is almost up! Get 6 months of exclusive supporter benefits for just $2/month. Go to canadaland.com/join to become a supporter today. 
Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief) Guest: Robert Jago   Further reading: Would-be Manitoba newspaper owner not ruling out run for opposition party leadership - The Globe and MailKevin Klein says he's on a personal journey about his Métis identity  - APTNMy error in judgement | Kevin Klein Pretendians [podcast]John Ivison: Eco-activist Liberal ministers could ruin a $300M lifeline for a struggling First Nation Jury hears 2021 Chicken Land shooting was by three men linked to ISIS | Toronto Sun Vancouver’s PuSh Festival makes ‘difficult decision’ to cancel Israel-set play The Runner to keep Palestinian artist in line-up - The Globe and Mail Transcript: Ezra Klein on Gaza, A.I. and the 2024 Elections - The New York Times
   Sponsors: Douglas, Article  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.

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(Short Cuts) Pretendian Publisher, Cartoon Cancellation

CANADALAND host Jesse Brown introduces Dylan to a strange and decaying Quebecois fast food institution… housed inside a giant orange sphere. Today, the orange is a relic of a bygone era. But decades ago, this odd establishment was on track to become the McDonalds of Canada. We hear about the rise and fall of Montreal’s Orange Julep, and how its eccentric founder envisioned a Canada scattered with glowing orange spheres.
This is the third story in our collaboration with the Atlas Obscura Podcast - a show that brings the listener mind-blowing stories from fascinating places every weekday. If you want to hear more stories from their great show, we recommend starting here: World's Oldest Edible Ham
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(Canada Obscura) Orange Julep and The Fast Food Empire That Could’ve Been

There’s a small, sandy island off the coast of Nova Scotia where hundreds of horses run wild. They’ve been there since the 18th century, and are genetically unlike any other horse in the world. While these horses are beloved, an official animal of Nova Scotia, there have been voices over the years saying they’re an invasive species that needs to be removed, as much for the sake of the island as for themselves. So what does the future look like for the Sable Island horse?
Phillip McLoughlin, ecologist at the University of Saskatchewan who runs the Sable Island Horse Project, joins us.
This episode was produced in collaboration with the Atlas Obscura Podcast - a show that brings listeners mind-blowing stories from fascinating places every weekday. If you want to hear more stories from their great show, we recommend starting here: Cranes of the DMZ 
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(Canada Obscura) The Feral Horses Of Sable Island

We’re launching a collaboration with The Atlas Obscura Podcast to tell the stories of Canada’s strange and wondrous places. 
Today, we bring you a story about a black bear who traveled across the ocean with a group of World War 1 soldiers before becoming the inspiration for one of the most popular children’s characters of all time. 
Lindsay Mattick, author of Finding Winnie and Winnie’s Great War, tells the story.
This episode was produced in collaboration with the Atlas Obscura Podcast - a show that brings listeners mind-blowing stories from fascinating places every weekday. If you want to hear more stories from their great show, we recommend starting here: Milky Seas Damanhur 
 For a limited time, become a Canadaland Supporter for just $2/month and listen to all three episodes of Canada Obscura ad-free, right now.
You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

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(Canada Obscura) The Real Life Winnie-the-Pooh

Hot Docs, Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Just for Laughs, just the latest cultural institutions to join a long list of Canadian arts groups facing existential threats. Why is this all happening now?
Based on recent headlines, you might think that we are in the midst of a total cultural collapse in this country. Film festivals, comedy festivals, symphonies, cinemas, theater companies, arts magazines all closing down or telling us that they're about to. Corporate sponsors are pulling out. Leadership teams are crumbling. People are quitting en masse or getting laid off. There's been a lot of dirty laundry aired in public from within these organizations, open letters and accusations about mismanagement and workplace inequity within these arts organizations. It all sounds miserably dire. So just what is going on and why is it all happening now?
Host: Jesse Brown  Credits: Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)
Featured guests: Jesse Wente, Amy Blackmore & Dan Seligman
For more information:Canadian Art magazine shuts down amid financial losses and internal conflict
 Sponsors: CAMH, Squarespace, Betterhelp, Douglas
For a limited time, get 6 months of exclusive supporter benefits for just $2/month. Go to canadaland.com/join to become a supporter today.
You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rick Mercer — The CANADALAND Interview

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