Blueprints of Disruption

A cross-posted episode from The Skeptical Leftist podcast that features Blueprints of Disruption Host, Jessa McLean . Together with Cory Johnston, they discuss the NDP collapse, the rise of another corporate technocrat and more reactions to the Canadian federal election results. Also on the table: why the left keeps falling for electoral traps, what the NDP's collapse means for the broader left, a...

Migrant workers in the gig economy are arguably the most exploited labour force in Canada. Derailing Dignity , an art installation and sound piece opening May 16th, encourages people to make the connection between the convenience of online food delivery services and the human beings making it all happen. The exhibit opens May 16th, and is part of the 40th annual Mayworks Festival in Toronto. It wa...

In order to best understand what happened to the NDP in the 2025 federal election, one has to learn about the decisions made under Jack Layton. Who better to help us do this than historian and author of From Layton to Singh, Matt Fodor. This is a follow up to Matt's first appearance on the show where he explained in great detail how the team responsible for the Orange Crush deliberately and possib...

Did you know that some public sector pensions, like the Ontario Municipality Employees Retirement System (OMERS) invests in the very companies that contribute to the exploitation of retirees and the commodification of aging? That is just one example of 'social investments gone awry' that author and researcher Tom Fraser brings to our discussion from his book, Invested in Crisis , Public Sector Pen...

Find out why and how the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) chose to intervene in the 2025 Federal Election. VotePalestine.ca is more than a listing of candidates who have signed onto the Palestinian Platform. Yara Shoufani of the PYM explains the strategy behind the campaign, their expectations of politicians and, its long terms goals around mobilizing power. The discussion also provides a great ov...

In January 2024, shortly after workers in their Laval location had unionized, Amazon announced the closure of its facilities in Quebec. In a most egregious union busting moves, Amazon left 2,000 people out of work and walked away from significant investments in infrastructure to make sure workers wouldn't get a say in their conditions. Jon Milton , Senior Communications Specialist with the Canadia...

The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Pipeline, if built, would transport Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) 800 km, across 1,000 different waterways. Its approval is based on an inadequate, outdated environmental assessment and the youth of the Gitz’an Nation are not having it. Indigenous activist Drew Harris from the Lax-yip Firekeepers talks about stepping into a role she never imagined for herself after...

Student activists at two University of Colombia (UBC) campuses have decided upon one of the most extreme forms of non-violent protest - a hunger strike. It wasn’t a brash decision by any means, and it is by far the first tactic they’ve deployed. In this episode, they detail just how they got to this point of escalation in their efforts to have their University divest from weapons manufacturers.&nb...

"The Tenant Class is Here" and they are a force to be reckoned with. Vancouver Tenants Union organizers Asura Enkhbayar and Ben Ger provide insight into their work building power from below, some of it in neighbourhoods with the highest concentration of renters on the continent. The variety of campaigns they’ve got going on doesn’t just speak to the complexity of issues facing tenants, but also to...

Two Refuseniks from Tel Aviv talk candidly about Israeli society's reaction to their movement and the supports they've created to make it easier for more youth to refuse enlistment in the IDF. Tal Mitnik and Einat Gerlitz share their story, while also acknowledging despite all they've been through during their stints in military prison, it can't compare to the situation of Palestinian youth their...

Journalist Jeremy Appel has uncovered proof Danielle Smith's government set the stage for universities in Alberta to quickly and violently have student encampments cleared from their campuses. The timeline of evidence predates the protest, with numerous communications disseminating Zionist talking points and demonizing the Palestinian solidarity movement. We then find out how the University of Cal...

Episode 173 Journalist and Activist Yves Engler discusses the charges against him, the very thing Montreal Police tried to stop him from doing. As Yves tells the story of his arrest and the five days he spend in jail fighting suppressive bail conditions, he reflects on the supports he received, Canada's history of attacking activists, and the deeper issues surrounding incarceration. During the int...

Toronto Palestinian Families and Toronto Jewish Families talk about their within the Toronto District School Board. Their most recent campaign was in response to a report submitted to and adopted by TDSB Trustees that explicitly conflates the political ideology of Zionism with Jewish identity. Iman and Lev both testify to an environment rife with anti-Palestinian racism and misrepresentations of w...

Movement lawyers Nora Fathalipour and Arash Ghiassi have their hands full defending activists targeted by Police and prosecutors, particularly in Ontario where a Hate Crimes Working Group in the Attorney General's office has an explicitly racist mandate. Hear first hand the process police and the Crown are putting people through in order to intimidate, silence and criminalize movements. Even thoug...

The Orange Hats join host Jessa McLean to share some of the knowledge they've acquired by documenting the Toronto Police harass, intimidate and brutalize activists at actions. Hear stories from the front lines, learn some of the dangerous trends in policing, and get LOTS of tips on how navigate the tactics being deployed against our movements. All of our content is free - made possible by the gene...

Unpacking the ceasefire and our feelings around it isn't easy, so who better to help us than Fatima Saleh and Anna Lippman? These two Palestinian Solidarity Activists have been at the front lines for a ceasefire for 15 months, a Free Palestine even longer. How are they feeling about seeing people return to the north of Gaza, or about Trump's comments about what's next for the region? Its a bit com...

Frenzied communications, coordinated attacks on regulators, and a report withheld from the public...hear it all from someone with their eye on Ontario's energy portfolio, Investigative Journalist Fatima Syed of The Narwhal . Fatima joins Host Jessa McLean for a deep dive into Ontario Premier Doug Ford's troubling relationship with natural gas and its provider, Enbridge; a relationship that dates b...

An interview with the Atlantic Regional Communists who were founded through a disillusionment with the 'bourgeoise Canadian political system'. Rather than simply starting a new Party, they have created something entirely different. With so many of us looking for alternative ways to engage in politics, this discussion is great for those trying to decide where to start. As Comrades E and M discuss t...

After almost five weeks on the line, a 96% strike mandate and many concessions, Canadian Postal Workers weren't able to have a say in their contract, yet again. What does it mean when one of the strongest unions in Canada hasn't been able to negotiate a fair deal in 12+ years? Find out from the rank and file what happened and where they can go from here. Strike Captain, Stop Steward and Mail Carri...

Two organizers from this growing coalition unpack their recent action on Parliament Hill, and the identity crisis being purposely crafted by the Israeli lobby to thwart the work being done to liberate Palestine. Serena Sairan and Lauren Moses-Brettler, both from Jews Say No to Genocide, join Host Jessa McLean, for a discussion about individual responsibility, group decision making in a fluid polit...

What are we to think of the public's response to United Health CEO Brian Thompson's death? Cross-posted from our Rabble Rants feed : Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero provide a class analysis of the case and the media frenzy around it. They also give insight into just how bad a company United Health is, and what our reactions should be to social murder. Song credit (end of episode): J...

Climate justice organizers talk about the changing landscape of campus organizing across Turtle Island, divestment as a tactic and the increasingly heavy hand of university administrators in so-called Canada. Celine, Levi and Evelyn all came to Change Course from different backgrounds and with slightly different political priorities, as we all do, but they have found common ground for growth in ta...

The Nova Scotia NDP recently removed a candidate over their support for Palestine. This isn't the first time, not for the NS NDP or its counterparts across Canada. This episode provides insight into why so many members choose to stay and what the detriments of that are. For an even deeper dive, check out our podcast playlist, INSIDE THE NDP . _______________ All of our content is free - made possi...

COVID AWARE ORGANIZING If we're going to build accessible, safe spaces to organize, that needs to include ways to reduce COVID transmissions amongst our comrades. Shira Lurie , a COVID aware activist with Protect our Province Nova Scotia (POPNS) and Mask for Mask Queers, joins host Jessa McLean to give easy, affordable precautions we can incorporate into our organizing and event planning. Filling...

Canada recently adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which is nothing but unmasked anti-Palestinian racism that looks to criminalize criticisms of Israeli State. The Ontario Progressive Conservatives are going to pay organizations like CIJA $550 million to teach that definition in schools. Our hosts remind us all of this is coming at a time where the Canadian state is spending unprecedente...