The Northern Sentinels Podcast

On this episode, I sit down with Mubin Shaikh. Born in Toronto to a founding family of the local Muslim Community, Mubin did the things most of us did in our youth - hung out with friends, listened to music, and spent time on his hobbies. However, his life took a significant turn in high school and he was radicalized. Then an interesting thing happened, his de-radicalization started with 9/11. After two years of Islamic education in Syria to better understand his religion, he returned to Canada and eventually became a confidential informant for the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service. After two decades of counter-terrorism work, he found a way to continue to serve with the Canadian Red Cross. 

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Image credit - Tim Fraser, National Post

Sometimes doing the right thing can be challenging based on competing loyalties. Mubin Shaikh faced this situation as a confidential informant for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Listen to how he made his decision on this NSP Short. 

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NSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 1 - 18): RomanSenykMusic, Action TrailerNSP Podcast Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023NSP Shorts Music Credit: nomaBeats, You Are The Best!NSP Shorts Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023

One of the narratives about 9/11 is that it radicalized many people; however, this was not the case for Mubin Shaikh. On this NSP Short, he shares how that day had the opposite effect on him. 

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NSP on InstagramNSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 19 - onwards): PaulYudin, Upbeat Uplifting Corporate

NSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 1 - 18): RomanSenykMusic, Action TrailerNSP Podcast Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023NSP Shorts Music Credit: nomaBeats, You Are The Best!NSP Shorts Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023

On this episode, I sit down with U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Agent, Chris Taylor in his office at the American Embassy in downtown Ottawa. I wanted to find someone who could speak with a level of objectivity about firearms in Canada. I could not think of someone better than an ATF agent who has been working on firearms in our country for the last few years. Chris grew up in Queens, New York and had a multitude of experiences before joining the ATF - U.S. Marine, construction worker, and border services agent. Chris provides us an important overview on illegal guns in Canada and some of the best practices to help reduce the numbers and hold people accountable for their crimes. 

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NSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 1 - 18): RomanSenykMusic, Action TrailerNSP Podcast Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023NSP Shorts Music Credit: nomaBeats, You Are The Best!NSP Shorts Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023

The discussion around guns is an emotional one. However, there are some issues that everyone can agree upon. U.S. ATF Agent Chris Taylor shares some perspective on one of these issues - the tracing of illegal firearms in Canada.

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NSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 1 - 18): RomanSenykMusic, Action TrailerNSP Podcast Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023NSP Shorts Music Credit: nomaBeats, You Are The Best!NSP Shorts Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023

I love a good origin story. Getting a sense of where someone came from really helps you understand them better. On this NSP Short, Chris Taylor gives us a small glimpse into life as a kid in Queens, New York. 

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On this episode, I sit down with Tim Powers in the offices of Summa Strategies in downtown Ottawa. I met Tim through a mutual friend in 2017 after mentioning how this guy named Tim Powers was one of my favourite panelist on Power and Politics. So when I was looking for someone to talk politics in these turbulent times, he was at the top of my list. We also dive into a bit of Newfoundland history, mental health, rugby, and fatherhood. 

Our podcast partner for this episode is The Digital Insurgency. A veteran owed business that helps complex organizations collaborate better. 

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NSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 1 - 18): RomanSenykMusic, Action TrailerNSP Podcast Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023NSP Shorts Music Credit: nomaBeats, You Are The Best!NSP Shorts Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023

Most people don’t want to share their struggles with others. There can be many reasons for this hesitancy, but openness about personal challenges often has positive outcomes. On this NSP Short, Tim Powers shares his battle with depression and how the support of friends and family was key to finding mental wellness. 

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NSP on InstagramNSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 19 - onwards): PaulYudin, Upbeat Uplifting Corporate

NSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 1 - 18): RomanSenykMusic, Action TrailerNSP Podcast Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023NSP Shorts Music Credit: nomaBeats, You Are The Best!NSP Shorts Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023

Image credit: Fairvote.ca

I was disappointed to learn from Tim Powers that you only need to get 32% of the vote to win a federal election. This means that two thirds of Canadians wanted another option. Listen to the NSP Short for more about how the lowest common denominator has taken over Canadian politics. 

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NSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 1 - 18): RomanSenykMusic, Action TrailerNSP Podcast Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023NSP Shorts Music Credit: nomaBeats, You Are The Best!NSP Shorts Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023

On this episode, I chat with former national news anchor Kevin Newman. I had never met Kevin before I reached out to him to be a guest on the show, but it turns out we know many of the same people. I wanted to find a guest with a background in media to talk about how the media landscape has evolved from the trusted evening news when I was a kid, to most people having no idea what is real anymore. We cover these topics and a lot more. 

Our partner for this episode, and a member of the Veteran Volunteerism Initiative, is Mood Disorder Society of Canada. As a part of the NSP’s continued effort to support veteran business and charities, listen to how you can help other veterans by dedicating as little as two hours a month.  

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NSP on InstagramNSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 19 - onwards): PaulYudin, Upbeat Uplifting Corporate

NSP Podcast Music Credit (episodes 1 - 18): RomanSenykMusic, Action TrailerNSP Podcast Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023NSP Shorts Music Credit: nomaBeats, You Are The Best!NSP Shorts Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023