In a lot of history books we hear the names of European explorers who “discovered” the Americas. Columbus, Cook, Champlain. All boo-worthy men. But what about the people who went the other way? Indigenous people have been crossing oceans and going to Europe, too. But why don’t we know their names? In this episode Leah and Falen look into the story of those who went willingly and those who did not, those who came home and those who did not. With special guests Caroline Pennock, Coll Thrush, and Peter Morin.

For more links and more about this episode visit us at cbc.ca/secretlife. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.

How did this country end up with the biggest Caribbean Carnival in North America? Leah and Falen dive into history of how a small one time event during Expo ‘67 became one of the longest running street parties in Canada — all courtesy of Trinidad and Tobago. With special guests Michelle Walker and Martin Scott-Pascall.

For more links and more about this episode visit us at cbc.ca/secretlife. 

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The Secret Life of Canada went live at Hot Docs. Leah and Falen take a historical deep dive into the greatest thieves, crooks and liars that have made this country what it is today. 

Featuring guests, Sharjil Rasool and Brandon Hackett and music by Andrew Penner.

For more links and more about this episode visit us at cbc.ca/secretlife. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.

People have been taking their clothes off for as long as they’ve been wearing them, but when did people start doing it for entertainment? In this episode Leah and Falen look into the history of burlesque in Canada and talk to a legend of the stage who’s been delighting audiences across the world for decades. With special guest, Judith Stein.

For more links and more about this episode visit us at cbc.ca/secretlife. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.

Why did John Wilkes Booth, the man who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln, spend so much time in Montreal? We learn about how Canada was both the last stop on the Underground Railroad and the destination for Southern Confederate leaders and supporters to strategize, stash money and come up with plots against Abraham Lincoln. With special guests Dr. Afua Cooper and Julian Sher.

For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/secretlifeofcanada/transcripts

Sable Island is the stuff of legends. A desolate tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean, where no one is permitted to live, except for wild horses. We figure out how they got there, how they’ve lived without humans since the 1700s and why many scientists think it's time to remove the horses out of their unique habitat.

For more links and more about this episode visit us at: www.cbc.ca/secretlife

For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/secretlifeofcanada/transcripts

Deception, backdoor dealings, unfulfilled promises and Canada’s largest mass hanging. 

Treaty 6 is one of the most well documented treaty signings in Canadian history. But what did it take to get there and why does it matter today? In this special episode Falen and Leah chat with guest Kyle Muzyka. They learn about all the mistranslations, misunderstandings and misinterpretations that were involved in the creation of Treaty 6. 

For more links and more about this episode visit us at cbc.ca/secretlife.

Today we have a special bonus episode for you from our sibling show Unreserved, a fearless space for Indigenous voices. Host Rosanna Deerchild is ready to Indigenize your summer with a tastemaker’s guide to the best books, movies, podcasts (with Falen!) and more. 

More episodes of Unreserved are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/JwTpaTTm

It’s been called the Indigenous Magna Carta and the Indigenous Bill of Rights. But what exactly does that mean? In this episode Falen and Leah dive into the history of the Royal Proclamation, a document that is often spoken about when discussing the history of Canada and Indigenous land rights. But what do we really know about it?

Listen to our Crash Course on Beavers (as mentioned in the episode) here, and listen to our episode on Water here.

For more links and more about this episode visit us at cbc.ca/secretlife.

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A curious World War II-era photograph shows an unnamed woman in military uniform kneeling next to a man in a headdress who holds a pipe above her. We dig into the true story behind this photograph and the identity of this mystery woman.

For more links and more about this episode visit us at: www.cbc.ca/secretlife

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