Canadaland

Mark Carney is a serious politician in an age of deeply unserious politics. He’s become more than the guy running Canada’s government…he’s become the world's poster boy for the anti-Trump resistance. But the more host Noor Azrieh talks to Canadians, the more it feels like Canada handed Carney the keys and decided we didn’t need to watch where he was driving us.Host: Noor AzriehCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Background reading:Mark Carney shows middle powers how to handle a dangerous world – The EconomistCarney Is the Crisis Manager Canada Needs – Maclean'sWho Is Mark Carney, Really? – The WalrusMark Carney Interview: Canada’s Leader Lays Out Vision for Breaking Reliance on U.S. – The New York TimesThe Political Education of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney – POLITICOSponsors: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each

It’s our annual crowdfunding month! You can become a supporter starting for just $5/month by going to canadaland.com/join — we’ll even throw in a free tote bag. And be sure to stay tuned for some big announcements over the next few weeks.—Author Patrick Lennox argues the case that the leaders of the separatist movement in Alberta are treasonous.Lennox writes that the "...enablers in the quasi-separatist United Conservative Party are engaged in treason against the Canadian people. They wear the obscuring masks of grievance, but behind those masks are the faces of traitors, a gaggle of hucksters, con men, and megalomaniacal politicians who are enabling our enemies to loosen our will to self-determination as a nation." So is Alberta's referendum the legitimate airing of grievance or the culmination of a grave crime? Either way, the results are about to roll in…Host: Jesse BrownCredits: Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editing & Production), Jesse Brown (Editor and Pub

The messaging platform Discord is under scrutiny after the FBI alleges it was used to plan the Tumbler Ridge attack. Cody James Bryant, a 30-year-old resident of Bellingham, Washington has been charged with conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country. In the 6 months leading up to the attack, Bryant communicated daily with the Tumbler Ridge shooter, Jesse Van Roostselaar, helping to plan, encourage, and fund the purchase of equipment. B.C. Premier David Eby is calling on Ottawa to regulate platforms like Discord, so that law enforcement is informed when concerning content appears.Sarah Rieger of Betakit joins Julian Abraham to consider the tricky balance between privacy and safety in tech regulation. Host: Julian AbrahamCredits: James Nicholson (Senior Producer), Gökçe On (Fact Checking) , Tristan Capacchione (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Sarah RiegerFurther reading: Alleged use of Discord to plan Tumbler Ridge shooting comes under scrutiny | CBC NewsTumbler Ridge conspiracy complai

Become a supporter now for just $5/month by going to canadaland.com/join — we’ll throw in a free tote bag. New host announcements next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Steven Galloway’s defamation trial continues, his supporters say he’s finally getting justice, but some also are demanding accountability from media outlets for their coverage of the case over the last decade. CANADALAND’s previous coverage of Galloway has come under scrutiny in Quillette and from Margaret Atwood. Rahim Mohamed joins Jesse Brown to dig into the archives to consider if mistakes were made and what can we learn from the Galloway case with the benefit of hindsight. Plus, Chrystia Freeland spills the Trudeau tea in her new book “Unreliable Boyfriend.”Host: Jesse BrownCredits: James Nicholson (Senior Producer), Julian Abraham (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Rahim MohamedFurther reading: Payback Time for Steven Galloway - Quillette Is Steven Galloway finally getting justice? - The Globe and Mail #173 The Aesthetics Of Rigour - CANADALAND [Podcast] Under a cloud: How UBC’s Steven Galloway affair has haunted a campus and changed lives - The Globe and Ma

There are just a few days left until Alberta’s referendum on separation (and more). If the vote goes through, it won't redraw the country’s borders overnight, but it could give Premier Smith a mandate to pursue the next vote where Alberta could actually separate. Host Noor Azrieh sits down with Premier Smith to ask what she’s prepared to do if the vote goes through, and how much responsibility she takes for getting Alberta to this point. Host: Noor AzriehCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Guests: Danielle SmithBackground reading:How some Alberta separatists are courting U.S. support for independence – The Globe and MailEstablishing independent Alberta could cost up to $170B over 5 years: report – CBC NewsMounties reviewing First Nations' call for treason probe into Alberta premier, UCP – CBC NewsOttawa tracking allegations of foreign inte

It’s our annual crowdfunding month! You can become a supporter starting for just $5/month by going to canadaland.com/join — we’ll even throw in a free tote bag. And be sure to stay tuned for some big announcements over the next few weeks.—————It seemed like such a good plan. Doug Ford tried to save local news with cash from weed, liquor, and gambling. He told four provincial agencies, the ones in charge of booze, pot, the lottery, and transportation, that they had to buy ads from local Ontario publishers. Buy Canadian. This directive came after years of provincial ad money being funneled to American tech and media. Millions of Canadian taxpayer dollars fed to Meta or Google for ad buys or the now notorious $8 million ad spend that included a government of Ontario Super Bowl ad. They were basically advertising to Canadians through American outlets. So for Ontario publishers the about face to a Buy Canadian advertising plan was a welcome change.So how did it pan out? Where did the millions in ad spending actual

An editorial in the National Post considers “How to Deal with Avi Lewis” according to Jewish law, following a Yom Kippur post made by Lewis calling for the Jewish community to take responsibility for failing to stop “an ongoing genocide committed in our name.”Critics of the editorial argue that the National Post crossed the line, advocating for violence against Lewis. Meanwhile, a CBC journalist, Neil Herland, is taken off the air for documenting his personal experience of a protest outside a Yom Kippur Synagogue service in Toronto.Harrison Lowman joins Jesse Brown to discuss why online discourse is more focused on X posts and editorials than the crisis facing Jewish Canadians, underscored by the violent antisemitic attack on a synagogue in Belleville.Host: Jesse BrownCredits: James Nicholson (Senior Producer), Julian Abraham (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Harrison LowmanAdditional music by Audio NetworkFurther reading: Avi Lewis’ Yom Kippur Post on XAvi Lewis’s

It's true. Jesse Brown has fired himself as a host of Canadaland podcasts.So who will Canadaland's new hosts be?Stay tuned and support the next chapter of Canadaland here: canadaland.com/join Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Quebec has elected Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and the Parti Québéois to a minority government, whose platform includes a referendum on sovereignty. Even though St-Pierre Plamondon intends to hold off on a referendum until after Trump has left office, Canada now has a two-headed separatism problem. The current version of Quebec’s sovereignty movement is led by young people, who signal their support through reels and memes. Meanwhile, in Alberta an investigation in the Globe and Mail details meetings between separatists and the US administration, where fresh water, oil royalties, and a train route to Alaska were reportedly offered in exchange for US support. Host: Jesse BrownCredits: James Nicholson (Senior Producer), Julian Abraham (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Harrison LowmanFurther reading: PQ in power, CAQ wiped off the map: Key takeaways from Quebec's election | CBC News Quebec Sovereigntists Are Back. This Time They’re All Young | The WalrusHow St-Pierre P

It took Danielle Smith (basically) a year to get her new West Coast pipeline from Ottawa - a massive project with a price tag between 35 to 44 billion dollars. Alberta is pushing for construction to start in less than a year. That timeline is a big test for Carney, because it will be the first project to use the fast-tracking powers his government passed through the controversial Bill C-5. But, there are still a ton of unanswered questions, Falice Chin of the Hub joins host Noor Azrieh to answer them. What exactly has the government signed us up for?Plus, an update on David Eby’s snap election in BC with Mo Amir from This is VANCOLOUR.Host: Noor AzriehCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Guests: Falice Chin, Mo AmirBackground reading:6 unanswered questions hanging over Alberta’s ‘Pacific Link’ oil pipeline – The HubCarney’s expensive Alberta truce:

Today we’re reopening the files on what might be the strangest and most shocking Canadian media story in recent memory. The Ottawa Citizen journalist, David Pugliese, who was allegedly compromised by the KGB.On October 24th, 2024, Chris Alexander, former MP and former Harper cabinet minister, also a former Canadian diplomat to Russia, gave sworn testimony at a parliamentary inquiry into Russian interference and disinformation campaigns in Canada. And that’s where the allegations first came to public light.The story stunned the Canadian media world. David Pugliese has been a fixture in Canadian journalism for almost 40 years. He does serious in-depth reporting about national defense. And the idea that all this time he's been a secret Russian agent, it just seemed nuts.But these were serious, potentially career-ending, potentially criminal allegations. Pugliese denied the allegations outright in clear and emphatic language. The Canadian Association of Journalists stood by his side and decried the allegation

Who is Daniel Robson?Since 2025, Robson quickly established himself as a prolific freelance columnist, with bylines in the Ottawa Citizen, the Montreal Gazette, The Hub, Western Standard, and Policy Options.But there’s one problem: he doesn’t seem to exist. When a Turkish journalist began asking Canadian editors to verify Robson’s biographical details, they realized they couldn’t and that Robson’s persona and writing was A.I. generated. Who or what is behind this mysterious A.I. entity and what does it have to do with Morocco? Stuart Benson of the Hill Times joins Julian Abraham to go down the Daniel Robson rabbit hole. Host: Julian AbrahamCredits: James Nicholson (Senior Producer), Gökçe On (Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Stuart BensonAdditional music by Audio NetworkVote for CANADALAND at the Signal Awards! Nominations include “My Chatbot Encouraged my Psychosis” for Best Writing and “The Freelancer’s Guide to Getting Revenge When You’ve Been Ripped Off” in

Earlier this year, we asked you to call in and tell us about news stories that were a big deal in your town, but were not necessarily getting much, if any, national attention. We ended up hearing some incredible stories and even got a few leads out of that episode. This week, we decided to dive back into the world of local news and pose the same question to our listeners — and you did not disappoint.On this episode, we hear what it’s really like to weather a referendum storm from an Alberta citizen, we experience an Ontario town’s “gift of nuclear waste,” and our host James reconnects with an old friend of the forest. Host: James NicholsonCredits: Caleb Thompson (Producer), Tony Wang (Executive Producer), Jesse Brown (Publisher)Additional music by Audio Network & Kale BeaudryFurther Reading:'It's not a done deal': Community nearest nuclear waste site to hire lawyer - NWO News Watch As Alberta separatism referendum looms, flags become symbol of voting intention — and tension - CBCCat in the Hat

Mark Carney sat down for a wide-ranging hour-long interview with the New York Times. The headlines focused on Canada’s preparations for the “extreme tail risk” of a US invasion, but what else can we learn about Carney’s political approach from the 8000 word transcript?The interview drew criticism in Canada, centered around Carney’s choice of a foreign outlet, rather than a Canadian one. But what can that tell us about his intended audience and communications strategy? Zain Velji joins San Grewal to discuss our Prime Minister’s global messaging and the domestic concerns waiting at home. Host: San GrewalCredits: James Nicholson (Senior Producer), Julian Abrham (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Zain VeljiFurther reading: A Transcript From The Times Interview with Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada - New York TimesSpecial Edition: Our Interview With Mark Carney - The New York Times Do the PM’s liaisons south of the border amount to cheating on Canada’s media? - The Re

Elizabeth May is a fierce, dogged critic. No matter the government. Mark Carney’s Liberals are no exception. I wanted to know what she’s actually seen and heard, because even though Elizabeth May has been pissed before, host Noor Azrieh is sensing a rage she hasn’t seen before.Plus, after a long hiatus, Parliament reconvened last week. And Mark Carney’s Liberals wasted no time tabling their Building Canada Strong Act. So, what is it?Host: Noor AzriehCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Guests: Elizabeth May, Nick Taylor-Vaisey,Background reading:Bill C-39 Introduction – Government of CanadaPoilievre dismisses Bill C-39 as all talk, no action at outset of Commons debate – The Globe and MailFive things to know about the Liberals' new Building Canada Strong Act – Toronto StarCarney’s Bill C-39 overhauls environmental reviews and Indigenous consultation – The NarwhalLiberals t

You can't really call Regina a news desert. They still have a newspaper. But if you actually look under the hood you’ll discover that they stopped printing the newspaper in Regina. They stopped editing it in Regina. The editor lives somewhere else. And as far the CBC goes, well, that acronym is now synonymous with layoffs.Everyone from the legacy media who purports to be telling people in Regina what is going on in their own community is doing so with less resources than ever before. These are zombie news organizations. That creates a news vacuum. A place for someone new to step in. And somebody did.And that somebody peddles garbage. That's not a value judgment of this new news source in Regina. It's just the objective truth. They're a garbage company called Just Bins. They provide dumpsters and news to the people of Regina. And they may be providing news to more people in Regina than anyone else.Host: Jesse BrownCredits: Kevin O’Keefe (Reporter), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technica

The announcement that the EU is “opening the door” to Canada for associate membership overshadowed how the story initially broke. Following detailed reporting in the Wall Street Journal, Carney denied that Canada was seeking membership in the EU. Days later, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced that Canada was in fact being considered for associate membership. Why did Carney and government sources initially deny the story? And should Canadian media hold him accountable for misleading the public? Host: Julian AbrahamCredits: James Nicholson (Producer), Gökçe On (Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Douglas SoltysAdditional music by Audio NetworkFurther reading: Mark Carney’s Audacious Bid to Make Canada an ‘Associate Member’ of the EU - WSJ PM Carney says Canada ‘not looking to become member’ of the EU - CTV News Carney says Canada planning to discuss 'unique alliance' with EU, but not membership | CBC NewsChris Selley: Carney&

Apocalyptic A.I. headlines are all over the news, following a former Anthropic employee’s whistleblowing on the threat to humanity posed by out of control A.I. systems. But that was just the start: a flurry of safety-related announcements from major A.I. companies underscored the tangible risk of the technology. Douglas Soltys of Betakit joins to explain A.I.’s existential media moment, and how it affects Canada’s push for adoption and innovation. Could Canada emerge as a leader on A.I. regulation?Host: Julian AbrahamCredits: James Nicholson (Producer), Camerin Wild (Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Douglas SoltysAdditional music by Audio NetworkFurther reading: Experts: How would AI actually kill everyone? | CNN BusinessAI researchers 'earnestly believe' it could kill all humans within the next decade, Anthropic employee says | CBC News Justin Ling: It’s the nuclear bomb of the 21st century. This is how we can control itAI minister affirms Canada will

Prime Minister Mark Carney came into office promising to turn Canada into an investment destination. One of the biggest tests of that promise is happening in Saskatchewan.In this episode, host Noor Azrieh and senior producer Aviva Lessard take you inside the politics that made Bell’s $50 billion AI data centre behemoth in Saskatchewan possible.Host: Noor AzriehCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Tristan Capacchione (Senior Production Supervisor), Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Guests: Tom McIntosh, Ray Orb, Tammy Robert, Kim Breckner, and more!Background reading:The AI Data Centre-Driven Privatization of SaskPower Is Underway. You Knew It Was Coming.  – Our Sask by Tammy Robert Bell plans expansion of Sask. AI data centre, making it largest private investment in province's history – CBC NewsDrone video of Bell Canada AI data centre construction site – CBC NewsBell announces