The Backroads Bill Podcast

In this episode of The Backroads Bill Podcast, Ben Walters, a professor in the Forestry Technician program at Fleming College, joins the show to talk about the Kirtland’s Warbler.

Ben explains what makes this small, yellow-breasted bird so hard to find, from nesting on sandy ground to needing young jack pine and red pine at just the right height.

He shares how Michigan brought the species back from around 200 pairs to about 2,200 through forest management, and how projects in Simcoe County, on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and in Algonquin Park are trying to recreate the right conditions in Ontario, with his students planting trees, collecting native seed, and laying out nesting openings.

0:00 Intro
2:16 The Bird of Fire
5:59 How Michigan Brought the Species Back
10:18 Recreating Fire Habitat in Ontario
21:07 Algonquin Park and the Kirtland's Warbler

In this episode of The Backroads Bill Podcast, Gerry and Matt Giesler of Giesler Boats join Bill and Ben ahead of the company’s 100th anniversary in 2027. As third and fourth generation boat builders, they share how their family has been building cedar strip wooden boats by hand in Powassan for nearly a century.

Gerry tells the story of his grandfather Barney, a First World War veteran and blacksmith who built a boat to go fishing on Lake Nipissing, then sold it to tourists before he could keep it for himself. He also explains why the family settled on 1927 as the official start of the business.

Matt walks through the building process, from steaming the ribs until they bend like noodles to shaping them over molds that date back generations.

0:00 Intro
5:24 How Bernie Giesler Got Started
10:16 How a Wooden Boat Is Built
16:51 Why Choose a Wooden Boat?
30:40 Celebrating 100 Years in 2027

In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Andre Bernier of Northern Spirit Adventures joins Bill and Ben to share how he brings the history of the voyageurs to life on the waters of Northern Ontario.

Andre explains how his connection to New Post Falls began, how that place became tied to memories of his father, and how those experiences eventually inspired him to start leading voyageur canoe trips.

Along the way, he shares stories of the fur trade, Indigenous history, old travel routes, traditional songs, medicinal plants, and the people who once travelled the same rivers centuries ago.

0:00 Intro
3:03 How Northern Spirit Adventures Began
8:43 The Voyageur Experience
16:29 Bringing Northern Ontario History to Life
30:29 A Full Day on the River

In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Margaret Wanlin of Wabakimi Outfitters joins the show to talk about the devastating wildfires that swept through northwestern Ontario and changed Wabakimi in a matter of hours.

Margaret shares how the fire affected the lodge, outpost cabins and surrounding wilderness, along with the emergency efforts to help paddlers and visitors safely leave the area.

She also reflects on the role outfitters play in remote wilderness travel and the importance of preparation, communication and risk management.

0:00 Intro
9:36 How the Wabakimi Wildfires Began
12:13 Evacuating Paddlers From the Fire
19:56 Rebuilding Wabakimi Outfitters
36:03 Why Wilderness Must Endure

In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, author and minister Benjamin Perry joins the show to explore the ideas behind his book Cry Baby: Why Our Tears Matter and what crying can reveal about grief, identity, masculinity and emotional healing.

Benjamin shares his own experience of going nearly a decade without crying and the process of learning how to reconnect with his emotions.

Find more about Benjamin Perry here: https://www.benjaminjperry.com/

0:00 Intro and Why Our Tears Matter
09:32 Learning to Cry Again
15:31 Shame, Masculinity & Tears
27:48 Faith, Queerness & Healing
42:10 Tears, Transformation & Hope

In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Andrew MacKellar joins the show to talk about the upcoming North Bay Sasquatch Conference on October 10th and his own experiences investigating Sasquatch in Northern Ontario.

Andrew shares how his interest in Sasquatch began, the research he has done alongside his father, and the personal encounter that strengthened his belief that something may be out there. 

To find more information head over to Facebook and search for Sasquatch Conference (North Bay)

0:00 Sasquatch Comes to North Bay
3:32 How Andrew Got Into Sasquatch
8:48 Andrew’s Sasquatch Encounter
15:01 Inside the Sasquatch Conference
23:15 Conference Turnout & Final Details

In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Volker Beckmann shares the story of how Thompson, Manitoba built its identity as the Wolf Capital of the World.

What began as a community effort to create more pride in the city eventually grew into Spirit Way, a 2.5-kilometre route featuring public art, wolf sculptures, and a massive wolf mural inspired by the work of Robert Bateman.

Volker explains how those projects opened the door to new tourism opportunities, international connections, and plans for a dedicated wolf habitat and learning centre.

0:00 Intro
6:14 The Birth of Spirit Way
17:15 How the Wolf Sculptures Began
24:03 Building a Wolf Centre
36:07 What Happened to the Vision?

In this episode of the Back Roads Bill Podcast, lawyer Jonathan Sommer joins the conversation to break down the massive art fraud surrounding renowned Indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau and the wider problem of fake art in Canada.

Jonathan explains how he became involved in the Morrisseau case, how multiple fraud rings flooded the market with fake paintings, and why identifying and removing counterfeit works is so difficult.

We also explore the legal challenges around art fraud, the importance of provenance and authentication, and why some collectors may be reluctant to discover that a valuable painting is fake.

00:00 Inside the Norval Morrisseau Art Fraud
06:39 How the Fraud Was Exposed
13:26 Why Fake Art Stays in Circulation
23:18 Thousands of Fakes Still Out There
40:17 How Art Buyers Can Fight Fraud

In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, filmmaker Jim Hyder joins the conversation to share the remarkable story of Wendell Beckwith, the reclusive thinker, builder, and free thinking scientist who made his home on Whitewater Lake in the wilderness of Northwestern Ontario.

Jim reflects on meeting Wendell in the 1970s, the unusual cabins and inventions he created by hand, and the unconventional way he approached science, nature, and problem-solving.

He also shares how the documentary "In Search of Wendell Beckwith" came together decades later, using interviews, archival material, and personal memories to piece together Wendell’s life and legacy.

0:00 Intro
5:20 Leaving Society for the Wilderness
11:01 Making "In Search of Wendell Beckwith"
25:45 Inside Wendell’s Unconventional Mind
35:32 The Legacy He Left Behind

In this episode of The Backroads Bill Podcast, amateur historian and author Paul Ozorak joins the conversation to explore the Cold War bunkers, fallout reporting posts, radar stations, and abandoned military installations that still remain across Northern Ontario and beyond.

The discussion begins with a bunker recently exposed at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park after the June 2025 storm brought down surrounding trees. From there, Paul explains why Canada built so much military infrastructure during the Cold War, how fallout reporting posts were used, and what made places like the Diefenbunker and North Bay’s underground complex so important.

0:00 Intro
6:14 Why Canada Built Them
12:38 Fallout Reporting Posts
19:37 Could the Bunkers Be Reused?
29:18 The Diefenbunker Spy Story