rabble radio

Labour reporter Gabriela Calugay-Casuga sits down with Kelly Botengan to discuss the recent changes by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which has paused the intake of new applications for the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots.  Advocacy groups argue the pause leaves many migrant workers, predominantly women from racialized communities, in a precarious situation. If their work...

The NDP will pick their new leader at the end of March. rabble's Off the Hill political panel took a look at the race and broke down the major issues, endorsements, and events of the campaign so far. This week on rabble radio, we feature a segment from our most recent Off the Hill political panel. This month, our theme was 'Analyzing the NDP leadership race.' Our panel featured Libby Davies, Judy...

It has been a very eventful year in Canada, to put it simply. As rabble editor Nick Seebruch and publisher Sarah Sahagian noted on last week's show, Canadian politics went through one of its most dramatic periods in recent memory—including a federal election that reshaped the national conversation. And politics were only part of the picture. Environmental challenges, major labour actions, and Cana...

This week on rabble radio, rabble publisher Sarah Sahagian and rabble editor Nick Seebruch discuss the major news in Canadian politics of 2025; including the resignation of Justin Trudeau, to now-Prime Minister Mark Carney—and his first months as leader, his budget and pipeline plans; the NDP leadership race; and more.  This marks our final interview of the year! Next week on the show, we'll featu...

In its newly tabled budget, the federal government announced that over the course of four years there would be a $2.7 billion reduction in international assistance.  As Bridget Potasky writes in her November 13th piece on rabble.ca, this announcement has drawn the ire of NGOs who warn it could cause long-term, irreversible harm leaving vulnerable communities without essential medical care, food, a...

The New Democratic Party of Canada is currently looking for its new leader after the resignation of Jagmeet Singh and a colossal decline in support in the most recent federal election.  It seems the NDP's reduced support stems from competition with the Liberals, strategic voting, demographic shifts, and difficulties uniting diverse voter groups across Canada.  The new leader of the NDP must unite...

Content warning: This interview centers around domestic violence. Please listen with care and sensitivity. Family and child protection lawyer Bobbi Olsen joins rabble publisher Sarah Sahagian to talk about the legal systems in Canada which handle issues of domestic and family violence. The two explore what is working and what needs to be improved.  About our guest Bobbi Olsen is a dual-call (Ontar...

This week on rabble radio, we're looking at how unions and employers bargain in Canada and whether it's time for a new approach.   Right now, most unions negotiate with one employer at a time, which can make it tough to raise standards across an industry. Some experts are calling for sectoral bargaining which may help create fairer pay and conditions for everyone.    Today on the show, we're joine...

This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney shared Budget 2025: a budget that Carney says is "to build Canada strong." The budget emphasized the importance of investing over spending—but what does that really mean?  Here to break it down is economist Jim Stanford.  About our guest Jim Stanford is economist and director of the Centre for Future Work, a progressive labour economics institute based in Vanc...

It's Islamic History Month in Canada; and this week on the show, we're joined by Sadaf Ahsan and Sarah Sahagian to discuss Muslim representation in Canadian pop culture. In this conversation, the two explore common trends and stereotypes surrounding Muslim characters in the media, discuss the figures who are offering more nuanced and multifaceted representations, and share some of their favourite...

The New Democratic Party of Canada will select its next leader at the Winnipeg Convention in March next year. As of now, there are five officially approved candidates seeking the leadership of Canada's NDP. They are: Rob Ashton, Tanille Johnston, Avi Lewis, Heather McPherson and Tony McQuail.  This week on rabble radio, rabble editor Nick Seebruch and publisher Sarah Sahagian sit down to discuss t...

This week on rabble radio, we share a clip from a recent episode of the Courage My Friends series featuring co-executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, Karen Cocq, advocacy and media relations coordinator at The Refugee Centre in Montreal, Alina Murad and President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, Aisling Bondy. The three join Courage My Friends series host Res...

This week on the show, Nick Seebruch sits down with Inori Roy, co-founder of Canadian Journalists for Justice in Palestine, to discuss why many journalists in Canada remain hesitant to cover Palestine. They explore how the organization is helping newsrooms report on Gaza with greater fairness and accuracy, and the broader efforts underway to promote ethical journalism across the country. To learn...

Labour reporter Gabriela Calugay-Casuga sits down with Gauri Sreenivasan of the Canadian Council for Refugees to discuss the current state of Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the issues surrounding the closed work permit system. Sreenivasan last joined us on rabble radio in July to talk about the Lush Cosmetics x Canadian Council for Refugees 'Neighbours' campaign. Tune into that epis...

This week on rabble radio, we feature a segment from our most recent Off the Hill political panel. This month, our theme was ' Off the Hill: Parliament's back in session .' Our panel featured Ontario Federation of Labour president Laura Walton; former Ontario NDP MPP and former federal NDP candidate Joel Harden; researcher and activist Chuka Ejeckam; and rabble's own parliamentary reporter Karl Ne...

Hello! I'm Breanne Doyle, the host of rabble radio, rabble.ca's weekly podcast.  rabble radio is your go-to source for the latest news in Canadian politics, environment, activism and feminism.    Through interviews with social activists, political analysts, labour leaders and environmental defenders, we dive in deeper to the stories that matter to you.  Tune into rabble radio every Friday morning...

This week on rabble radio, we continue our ongoing discussion on the state of public education in Ontario. Over the past few weeks, we've heard from various education union leaders about the growing pressures facing students and workers alike—pressures made worse by Ontario Premier Doug Ford's education agenda.  One major concern raised again and again: Bill 33. Tabled in May and still making its...

This week, we continue our conversation about the evolving landscape of education in Canada—this time, in post-secondary education.  Labour reporter Gabriela Calugay-Casuga sits down with David Robinson, executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, to discuss the importance of academic freedom and why a strong, well-funded public post-secondary system is essential—not jus...

With a new political season underway, Amy Robichaud (CEO at Mothers Matter Canada) and rabble publisher Sarah Sahagian look at how Carney's government might impact mothers and families this fall. From shifts in funding for women and gender equality to the vital role of both formal and informal supports, they break down what to watch for and advocate for in the months ahead.  About our guest  Amy R...

Content Warning: This interview includes descriptions of animal harm and death. Please listen with care and sensitivity. In 2022, the long-tailed macaque was classed as an endangered species by IUCN.  This week on rabble radio, editor Nick Seebruch speaks with Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel about the plight of the long-tailed macaque—how this intelligent species landed on the endangered list, and why the co...

This week on rabble radio, rabble editor Nick Seebruch sits down with Martha Hradowy, newly elected president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF). As the head of one of the largest education unions in Canada, Hradowy steps into leadership at a pivotal moment for Ontario's public education system. The two discuss Hradowy's vision and goals for the federation, and the urgent...

This week, rabble.ca editor Nick Seebruch sits down with publisher Sarah Sahagian to talk about what's coming up this fall at rabble. They discuss exciting new fellowship opportunities, upcoming events and the site's editorial priorities for the season—including a focus on the upcoming NDP leadership race.  If you like the show please consider subscribing on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube or w...

In this episode, rabble editor Nick Seebruch sits down with Jason Toney, director of media advocacy at Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), to discuss Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent comments on recognizing Palestine as a state—and the conditions he attached. The two break down what those conditions mean and also talk about  CJPME's work to ensure fair and accurate media...

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has a track record of taking from the public to give to private interests. No where is this more evident than his government's approach to environmental conservation. Time and again, Doug Ford has removed public land to give to private developers, all in the name of supposedly strengthening the provincial economy and building houses. In recent years, parks and other green...

This week on the show, we're re-sharing an interview from 2023 featuring Scott Martin and Sean Smukler.  Sean Smukler is an associate professor in applied biology and soil science at University of British Columbia (UBC) and director of the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm. Martin and Smukler discuss the current challenges farmers are facing in Canada due to climate change – and wond...