This week, Sean Graham talks with Angela Tozer, author of The Debt of a Nation: Land and the Financing of the Canadian Settler State, 1820-73. They discuss how governments take on debt, the purpose of debt, and how colonialism fuelled land speculation. They also chat about how resource extraction was critical to servicing debt, the changes brought on by Confederation, and the on-going legacy of 19th century national debt.

Historical Headline of the Week

"Debt Management Strategy for 2020-21," Department of Finance Canada.

Sean Graham talks with Katherine Rollwagen, author of The Scramble for the Teenage Dollar: Creating the Youth Market in Mid-Century Canada. They discuss the creation of the 'classic' teenager, how marketing shifted to attract young people, and how much family considerations shaped advertisements. They also chat about Eaton's, how it attracted teenagers to the store, and the legacy of mid-century marketing today.

Historical Headline of the Week

All Things Considered, "How Tech Companies Are Catering to Generation Z Teens," NPR, November 27, 2017.

This week Sean Graham talks with Peggy Nash, one of the co-authors of Women United: Stories of Women's Struggles for Equality in the Canadian Auto Workers Union. They discuss women's contributions to the union in its early years, how negotiating priorities were shaped, and the Second World War's influence on the labour movement. They also chat about the impact of the Autopact and free trade on labour, women's leadership in the modern labour movement, and what it's like to be in the room negotiating against an employer.

Historical Headline of the Week

René Morisette, "Unionization in Canada, 1981 to 2022," Stats Canada, November 23, 2022.

Sean Graham talks with Lynne Gouliquer and Carmen Poulin ahead of their Shannon lecture on Monday November 24 entitled "Purging the Canadian Military of 'Sexual Deviants': The War on 2SLGBTQIA+ Members and Their Partners from the 1960s to Present.' They talk about the administrative order that established the policy of purging homosexuals from the military and how it was executed. They also discuss Lynne and Carmen's research, their interviews with members who were purged, and the long-term implications on families.

Historical Headline of the Week

Brian Bradley, "She was among those purged from Canada's military. Today, Michelle Douglas looks back on the pain and progress," Toronto Star, April 2, 2023.

This week, Sean Graham talks with John Moses ahead of his November 3 Shannon Lecture entitled 'This is not my story, but yours: The Russ Moses residential school memoir.' They discuss his father's experiences at the Mohawk Institute, his military service, and Reconciliation. You can hear John talk about the memoir on Monday November 3 as part of the Shannon Lecture Series.

Historical Headline of the Week

Justin Chandler, 'Woodland Cultural Centre, Ex-Residential School Turned Museum, Draws Hundreds Aiming to Learn and Share Truths,' CBC, September 30, 2025.

Sean Graham talks with Peggy Nash, one of the co-authors of Women United: Stories of Women's Struggles for Equality in the Canadian Auto Workers Union. They discuss women's contributions to the union in its early years, how negotiating priorities were shaped, and the Second World War's influence on the labour movement. They also chat about the impact of the Autopact and free trade on labour, women's leadership in the modern labour movement, and what it's like to be in the room negotiating against an employer.

Historical Headline of the Week

René Morisette, "Unionization in Canada, 1981 to 2022," Stats Canada, November 23, 2022.

Sean Graham talks with Matthew S. Wiseman, historian of science and medicine in modern Canada. They discuss why militaries engage in scientific research, the civilian benefits of that research, and how scientists navigated their research during the Cold War. They also chat about research consent within a military environment, the challenges of researching the Cold War era, and the legacy of scientific research in the mid-20th cenetury,

Matthew will be the delivering the second session of the Shannon Lecture series on Monday October 6 entitled 'Cold War Consent? Military Experimentation and Research Ethics in Mid-Century Canada.'

Historical Headline of the Week

Matthew S. Wiseman, "Canada Created a Cold War Isolation Laboratory. It Ended in Scandal," The Walrus, July 31, 2025.

Sean Graham talks with Matthew S. Wiseman, historian of science and medicine in modern Canada. They discuss why militaries engage in scientific research, the civilian benefits of that research, and how scientists navigated their research during the Cold War. They also chat about research consent within a military environment, the challenges of researching the Cold War era, and the legacy of scientific research in the mid-20th cenetury,

Matthew will be the delivering the second session of the Shannon Lecture series on Monday October 6 entitled 'Cold War Consent? Military Experimentation and Research Ethics in Mid-Century Canada.'

Historical Headline of the Week

Matthew S. Wiseman, "Canada Created a Cold War Isolation Laboratory. It Ended in Scandal," The Walrus, July 31, 2025.

As part of our series with the 2025 Shannon Lecture Series, Sean Graham talks with Sarah Hogenbirk, who will deliver the opening lecture on Monday entitled 'Fighting for Their Place and Recognition: Canadian Servicewomen and Women Veterans in Post-Second World War Canada. The lecture will serve as a launch for Cold War Workers: Labour, Family, and Community in a Nuclear State, in which Sarah has a chapter entitled "Constructing the Military Career Woman, 1950s-60s." They discuss the legacy of women's Second World War service, how the Cold War impacted women's service, and the differences between the three armed services. They also chat about the roles in which women served, the differences in service pre- and post-unification, and the long-term impact of the Cold War era on women's service in the Canadian military.

Historical Headline of the Week

RAdm Jennifer Bennett, "Leading as a Woman in the Canadian Forces," The Lookout, October 15, 2012.

We're back from our summer hiatus with a new season and we're kicking it off by talking with Craig Baird, the host of Canada History Ehx about his new book Canada's Main Street: The Epic Story of the Trans-Canada Highway. We talk about his motivation to write about the highway, why the highway doesn't have the same romanticized history as the railroad, and the contested circumstances of its origins. We also chat about the highway's route, how it shaped different regions, and its legacy in Canadian history.

Historical Headline of the Week

"Ontario is the weakest link in the Trans-Canada Highway, group says," Sootoday.com, August 25, 2025.