Canadaland

More than 24,000 federal public servants have received notices that their jobs could be at risk. That is on top of the 9800 public service employees who were already let go last year. Host Sam Konnert takes us inside the government, specifically, inside a single lab within Environment and Climate Change Canada. A lab tasked with making sure our water is clean and our food is plastic-free. A lab that could go from nine PhD-level scientists, down to one. What happens to the country when these workers get cut, and entire labs are decimated? Who pays the price?Host: Sam KonnertCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Mia Johnson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Guests: Shirley Tagalik, Christine Bishop Background reading:25,000 public servants warned their jobs could be at risk. Here is the latest on federal job cuts – CTV NewsFive charts to

By some estimates Canada will soon be short thousands of trained aircraft mechanics. The people who keep our flights safe. The government came up with $25 million dollars to help.A whistleblower came to Canadaland to allege that the money bought training materials that were plagiarized, then run through ChatGPT. Those materials resulted in AI slop that included AI hallucinations.Our reporter Gemma Boothroyd brings us her investigation.Host: Jesse BrownCredits: Gemma Boothroyd (Reporter), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)Fact checking by Julian AbrahamAdditional music by Audio NetworkMore information:Grants and Contributions: Industry Led Training for the Aviation and Aerospace Sector — Government of CanadaSponsors: Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas

Sparks were markedly absent from the final NDP leadership debate, replaced instead by “violent agreement” amongst candidates. Meanwhile, the federal Liberals’ rightward shift leaves a wide gap on the left side of the political spectrum. What does the NDP need to do to shake off the sleepies, and meet the current political moment?Freelance journalist Luke Savage joins host James Nicholson to give Canada’s traditionally left-leaning party pointers.Host: James NicholsonCredits: James Nicholson (Host), Kallan Lyons (Associate producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio, Producer), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Luke Savage Additional music by Audio Network Further reading: The NDP leadership race is a nail-biter. But is anyone paying attention? | CBC NewsOpinion | NDP leadership candidates look inward as their party crumbles around them | Toronto StarNew Abacus Poll: Liberals Open Their Largest Lead Since Carney Became Leader as Opti

 " What in the Silicon Valley ethos of move fast and break stuff would make us expect that they are going to have any real safety concerns at all?"A new report from the Wall Street Journal reveals the U.S. tech company OpenAI knew of troublesome ChatGPT usage by Jesse van Rootselaar, months before the Tumbler Ridge shooting, and did nothing. The news stoked ongoing calls for better guardrails on A.I. chatbots and beyond.Will Canada’s A.I. Minister Evan Solomon decide to “ignore all previous instructions” from Silicon Valley, and ramp up regulation of A.I.?Freelance journalist Luke Savage joins host James Nicholson to discuss.Host: James Nicholson Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Luke SavageCall in to Off The Record and tell us about your research rabbit hole on and Thursday Feb 26th from 4:30pm to 6:30pm EST by going to callinstudi

Mark Carney is busy trying to Trump-proof Canada with a flurry of trade deals and whispers of a mega anti-Trump alliance linking Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Trade researcher Stuart Trew joins host Noor Azrieh to argue that more free trade isn’t a master plan; it’s diminishing returns with nicer branding.Plus, Ottawa reporter Sam Konnert breaks down Canada’s newly released Defence Industrial Strategy: 70% Canadian content, massive growth targets, and a promise to rebuild both the military and the domestic defence industry at the same time. The catch? Canada’s notoriously slow procurement system, and big questions about bureaucracy, “maple-washing,” and whether Ottawa can actually move at the speed it’s promising.Host: Noor AzriehCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Mia Johnson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Guests: Stuart TrewBackground read

When shots rang out in Tumbler Ridge there was one reporter in town. He was used to covering local events like town council meetings, local hockey, or even, once, a mother duck leading her chicks through town. Then on February 10 came one of the worst shootings in Canadian history.For the first five hours after the attack local reporter Trent Ernst was the sole journalist in the town. Then the international media descended and for a few days everyone from CBC to the BBC to CNN wanted to talk to Ernst. A few days later the new cycle shifted and the world’s media withdrew. Ernst stayed. He kept reporting, kept talking to his community. And today he talks to Canadaland about what happened before, during, and after Tumbler Ridge moved into the world’s headlines.Host: Jesse BrownCredits: Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)Featured Guest: Trent ErnstFact checking by Julian AbrahamAdditional mu

Another floor crossing MP spoils Pierre Poilievre’s entry into the men’s fitness ecosystem. Edmonton MP Matt Jeneroux’s decision to unresign and join Carney’s Liberals has resurfaced questions around Poilievre fitness for leadership. Pierre can swing a kettlebell, but can hold onto his own caucus?Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kattie Laur (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Julian Abraham Further reading: MP Matt Jeneroux leaves Conservatives to join Liberals, citing 'national unity crisis' | CBC News How Strength Training Builds Mental Resilience | Pierre Poilievre [YouTube] Matt Jeneroux leaves Conservative party after being too intimidated by Poilievre's workout regime - The Beaverton Matt Jeneroux's defection has Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives wondering if there will be more - Opinion The post-Poilievre leadership race has b

Project South uncovers one of the worst cases of police corruption in Canadian history. The investigation into Toronto Police offers a staggering portrait of corruption, with allegations connecting officers to attempted assassinations, illegal firearms, drug trafficking, extortion, bribery, and leaking confidential information.Plus, the death of “the last man in Africville” and the targeting of Jewish summer camps.  Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kattie Laur (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Julian AbrahamAdditional music by Audio Network Further reading: Who are the Toronto police officers accused of assisting organized crime? Here’s what we know so far | CBC News York Regional Police Press Conference - Project South Results [YouTube] 'A few bad apples': Doug Ford responds to police corruption arrests - North Bay News The

Surrey, BC has already recorded 51 extortions this year. 11 of them ended with shots fired. That might sound surprising until you realise last year there were 133 cases, and 49 related shootings. So what’s actually driving this? And how is it possible that after more than a year of this, no level of government (municipal, provincial, federal) and no police force has managed to get it under control? Host Noor speaks with former MP Jinny Sims, who was targeted in these campaigns, and Wade Deisman, a criminologist at the University of the Fraser Valley.Host: Noor AzriehCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Guests: Jinny Sims, Wade DeismanBackground reading:B.C. politicians call on federal government to get tough on extortion crisis – CBC NewsProtest held against extortion wave in Surrey as 3 foreign nationals charged – CBC New

Jay Baruchel, if you don’t know that name, you likely know his face from the string of hit movies he’s been in: Knocked Up, This Is The End, Blackberry, Million Dollar Baby, Almost Famous, and Tropic Thunder, among many others. He’s been in the belly of Hollywood’s beast for over two decades. But he’s also a self-proclaimed Canadian patriot with the maple leaf literally tattooed over his heart. So who better to join us to try and figure out where Elbows Up goes from here, and tease out some of its unlikely roots. Hint: Canadian censors were already cutting American flags out of films in the 1920s…Host: Stephen MarcheCredits: Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)Featured Guest: Jay BaruchelFact checking by Julian AbrahamAdditional music by Audio NetworkPhoto: Gage SkidmoreMore information:Elbows Up! Canadian Voices of Resilience and Resistance — McClelland & StewartSponsors: D

While the Canadian mainstream media was reluctant to reveal unverified information, far right outlets and bad actors swarmed to score political points for their anti-trans agenda.Why is Jesse Van Rootselaar’s gender the focus of the online discussion? And how should it fit into the coverage? Mel Woods of Xtra Magazine joins Noor Azrieh. Host: Noor AzriehCredits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kattie Laur (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Mel Woods Further reading: What we know about the teenager behind the Tumbler Ridge, B.C., mass shooting | CBC News Deadly B.C. shooting is one of Canada's worst school shootings | CBC NewsThe Tumbler Ridge shooting is already fuelling anti-trans hate in Canada | Xtra MagazineAt least 43 outlets shared anti-trans misinfo after Charlie Kirk shooting: TJA | Xtra MagazineOLDCORN: Another transgender mass shooter, and no, gun laws aren’t th

Playing rules-based games at the end of the rules-based order. With the heated rivalry between the US and Canada, athletes speaking out against ICE, and the rupture of old world order in the background, the Olympics are especially political this time around.Where do politics fit into the winter games and how did hockey become a symbol of geopolitical conflict? Rahim Mohamed of the National Post gets “Canada Down” with Noor Azrieh.  Host: Noor AzriehCredits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kattie Laur (Associate producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Masteringr), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Rahim Mohamed Further reading: Trump’s geopolitical tensions spill into the Winter Olympics - Politico‘Boots on the Ice’: Hockey and politics are about to collide at the Milan Olympics - The Globe and MailU.S. Olympians speaking up about politics at home face online backlash — including from Trump | CBC SportsWelcome to new cold war as world descends

NATO is building something new: a Defence, Security and Resilience Bank. Basically a World Bank for war, and Canada wants it.From Toronto to Montreal to Ottawa to Halifax, mayors are campaigning hard, pitching their cities as the future headquarters of a global military finance hub. Thousands of high-paying jobs, direct access to defence capital and a front-row seat to the new security order are all at stake.At the same time, Mark Carney is preparing to unveil his long-awaited Defence Industrial Strategy, a plan to pump billions into Canada’s military sector. After years of defence being politically taboo, hard power is suddenly a growth strategy.So what does that actually mean for the companies building the tech? For the cities fighting to host the bank? And for a country that once prided itself on being defence-averse?Host: Sam KonnertCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director

The government of New Brunswick has released its much-anticipated report on the mysterious neurological illnesses afflicting many in the province. The report doesn’t just aim to identify what’s behind the “cluster” of disease. It’s far more fundamental than that. Its findings raise questions as to whether the disease itself exists. Is it a single disease or a mass misdiagnosis of unrelated illnesses?The physician at the heart of the controversy for much of the last decade, Dr. Alier Marrero, has blasted the report and labelled it as a “shockwave” to himself and his patients. He joins us today.Host: Jesse BrownCredits: Julian Abraham (Reporter), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)Featured Guest: Dr. Allier MarreroFact checking by Kallan LyonsAdditional music by Audio NetworkMore information:The battle over Canada's mystery brain diseaseN.B. report finds herbicides, heavy metals not the ca

Poilievre’s landslide victory at his leadership review raises questions about the flurry of coverage about his political demise only months ago. Why was there such a disconnect? With Carney riding high, and Poilievre’s likeability still a concern, Conservatives are betting on the long game (and hoping to avoid a spring election.) Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kattie Laur (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Harrison Lowman Further reading: Poilievre clears leadership review with 87% support, following a rousing, campaign-style speech - CTV NewsI’m a former senior aide to Stephen Harper. Pierre Poilievre is dismantling the principled, trustworthy Conservative Party we tried to build  - Toronto StarWhen a Harper Conservative goes after Pierre Poilievre, you know there’s blood in the water  - Toronto StarBraid: Poilievre's team gets ready for epic leade

A lot of the time, local news sucks. It’s important, but it sucks. City council meetings, school board meetings, police board meetings… just plain boring.But every once in a while, there’s a gold mine.But at Canadaland we just don’t have the resources to find these little golden nuggets, these hyper local stories. We’re not on the ground, our audience is national, and we don’t usually get the scoops.So we asked you to call in and let us know all about them. And boy did you deliver, we’ve got everything from throwing shovels at city workers, to Buddhist monks in PEI with alleged ties to the Communist Party of China. Host: Sam KonnertCredits: Tristan Capacchione (Producer), Tony Wang (Executive Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Publisher)Additional music by Audio NetworkThis show is available exclusively to Canadaland supporters. To become one, go to https://canadaland.com/join/. You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’

Canadian media is calling out companies with ties to ICE, but can it make a difference? Thomson Reuters, Hootsuite, Roschel, and the Jim Pattison Group are among a group of Canadian companies facing criticism for their connection with ICE. Media coverage, petitions, and protests have compelled some of these companies to cut ties with ICE. Canadian politicians are joining in to voice their outrage over what’s happening in Minnesota, but what sort of meaningful impact can we actually have? Host: Jesse Brown Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kattie Laur (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Harrison Lowman Further reading: Canadian Companies Must Cut Ties with ICE, Say Protesters | The Tyee Vancouver social-media company Hootsuite looking to work with ICE to ‘build trust’ - The Globe and Mail ICE ordering fleet of 20 armoured vehicles from Brampton, Ont., firm | CBC News

Pierre Poilievre just cruised through his leadership review, but is the party really buying what he’s selling? Noor Azrieh goes inside the Conservative convention in Calgary, from the polished speeches on stage to the simmering anger offstage. Along the way: separatists working the floor, influencers commanding the crowd, and a party trying to sell hope to a base still fuelled by grievance.Host: Noor AzriehCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Sponsors: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadalandTo stream great cinema at home, you can try MUBI free for 30 days at mubi.com/canadaland.Visit fizz.ca to learn more about Fizz mobile and its long list of added-value

This is not your traditional true crime story. This is not a whodunnit. It’s more of a howdunnit. That is, it’s a self-defence guide on how to fight back after you’ve been ripped off.Raymond Biesinger is an iconic Canadian illustrator and author of the book, 9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off. And he invited Producer Tristan Capacchione to his studio to talk all about his true crime story.Host: Jesse BrownCredits: Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)Featured Guest: Raymond BiesingerSpecial Thanks: Julian Abraham, max collins, and Caleb Thompson (Voicing)Fact checking by Kallan LyonsAdditional music by Audio NetworkMore information:Raymond Biesinger9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off — Drawn & QuarterlyFLASHBACK : Le portrait psychédélique d’un disparu — 2PAR4Non-exclusive licence issued to Raymond Biesinger — Copyright Board of CanadaNon-exclusive licence issued to Productions 2

Carney’s deal with China is pissing off Trump, but it’s exactly the sort of leverage Canada needs for the upcoming CUSMA negotiations. It’s more than just EVs and canola, and it’s more than a return to our previous trade arrangements with China. Carney’s deal signals how Canada intends to navigate the so-called “new world order.” But, with Xi Jinping purging his top generals, is China really as “predictable” as Carney suggests? Host: Jesse BrownCredits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kattie Laur (Associate producer and Fact Checking) Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Jan Wong Further reading: Preliminary Agreement-In-Principle to Address Economic and Trade Issues between Canada and the People's Republic of China - Government of Canada No plans for China free trade deal, Carney says as Trump fixates on Canada | CBC NewsCanada wants to be 1st in North America to build EV with Chinese knowledge: senior official | CBC News