Blueprints of Disruption

The Greenbelt and the Auditor General Report The Ontario Greenbelt's history has been a contentious one. From its creation, it has been resisted by developers whose sought to make obscene profits from unended sprawl. The Greenbelt Act in 2005 did not deter them, only increased their involvement and investment in Provincial politicians. Ford Nation also has a complicated history with the Greenbelt...

Topic 1: A Coup in Niger The recent coup in Niger has garnered some pretty strong responses from nations like France and the United States, as well as the EU. What is at the root of the global political reaction, and why should we care? There are hints of another proxy war at hand. Imperial interests in African natural resources, namely uranium are huge factors in how sides are shaping up in this...

Martin Lukacs, of the Breach and the Guardian, gives the inside scoop on his recent article Lobbyists run today’s NDP—and they’re warping the party’s politics. This investigative report details the roles of the Party's inner circle and the connections they have to corporate lobbying firms advocating for big oil and companies like Air BnB. Why are the 'day jobs' of some of the key players in the ND...

Rabble Rants Week 2: Topic 1: Loblaws posted record second quarter profits again this year while Canadians are lining up at food banks. Did you also know they (Choice Properties) are also the largest real estate investment trust (REIT) in Canada? And that they are expanding more into residential / rental buildings? Banking, pharmacies, food and shelter - all commodified to the benefit of the wealt...

Rent strikes are just one tool in the chest of the York South-Weston Tenant Union in Toronto. Bruno, one of the organizers with the union provides a step by step guide on how they got to where they are now - on strike, withholding rent from landlords who clearly underestimated the collective power of their tenants. Connecting neighbours, finding common ground, overcoming apathy and fear and standi...

In this weekly roundup, hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero cover: Search the Landfill: Camp Morgan is a place of resistance - a blockage of the road leading to the private landfill where Police and community members expect to find the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran. The authorities have failed the families and have refused to search the landfill or even stop continued dump...

What does Doug Ford mean when he says "every able bodied person should be working"? What is the impact of those words and the legislation behind them? Host Jessa McLean and Disability Advocate Jay Woodruff unpack some of the recent developments in Canadian politics that reinforce the narratives so prevalent under capitalism. Topics include: The passing of the Canadian Disability Benefits Act and t...

A post election wrap up of the Toronto Mayoral election that saw the progressive front runner, Olivia Chow win by a slim margin. Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero discuss the tone of the election, examine some of the larger campaigns and breakdown what the results mean for politics in Toronto. We talk about Olivia Chow's "platform", Chloe Brown's impact, the right wing candidates egos...

Despite its roots in Socialism, today's NDP have drifted to the centre in an attempt to appeal to the masses. Needless to say it hasn't worked, and the damage to the political spectrum as been done. Host Jessa McLean lays out an argument that the NDP and their failure to keep Left has shifted the Overton window in Canadian politics. The episode touches on the structure of the Party, its policies,...

For Fathers' Day, host Jessa McLean invites her Dad to talk about what politicized him as a youth and how his involvement in the trade union movement shaped how he understood power structures, politics and his own purpose. The two sound off on their own experiences with the NDP, which are unsurprisingly similar. Its a discussion about passing down working class consciousness through generations an...

Can you still smell the smoke? Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero discuss the wildfires that have been raging across Canada this spring. They discuss climate anxiety, community responses and the disruption needed to prevent further damage to the environment.

Two transit activists, Jamie and Herman, join host Jessa McLean to dish on the fight for public transit in Toronto. With service cuts the norm, fares rising and a Mayor's race to influence, the volunteers at TTC Riders have a lot of work to do. The guests talk about their favourite tactics, which levers of power they need to pull and why the fight for more accessible, free transit is critical to t...

On this second episode of Burnout, Host Jay Woodruff talks with Anthony Marco, President of Hamilton & District Labour Council, about what burnout means and how he tries to balance his activism with work, and the importance of artistic expression and solidarity in preventing burnout. They also discuss how the normalizing of burnout starts in our education system and follows us throughout our l...

Political Conventions aren't for everyone. Literally. Hosts Jessa McLean, Jay Woodruff and Santiago Helou Quintero talk about the orchestrated and controlled ways in which the NDP gather (some of) their members every two years. Once you understand the purpose of Conventions, you start to get a picture of what political partisanship really is. Most people will be suprised at the accounts from NDP f...

Labour rights activist and community organizer, Pam Frache from Justice for Workers joins host Jessa McLean to talk about what its like organizing against the likes of Doug Ford. The discussion centres on how to bring enjoyment and equity to movements, and how to make sure they can sustain the steady political onslaught. Formerly knows as the Fight for $15 and Fairness, the folks working out of th...

In a crowded field of candidates for Toronto Mayor, Chloe Brown’s grassroots campaign stands out as one of the most unique.  Chloe ran an impressive campaign last October finishing 3rd with an incredibly efficient dollar-to-vote ratio of only $0.20.  In this interview, Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero talk to Chloe about her experience as a Policy Analyst, how this campaign is di...

Toronto residents have a lot of candidates to chose from. Rabble Rousers Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean breakdown the top six candidates in the Race for Toronto Mayor. They go through the platforms, messaging and political records trying to makes sense of this crowded ballot of candidates. The episode starts off with what the hosts consider the front running right-wing candidates, curren...

Can Social Media be used for effective change? Matt Dusenbury from the Communications Firm, Smoke & Felt joins the studio. We discuss the importance of leveraging these free tools, but also their limitations. Other items discussed: The accessibility social media provides to movements. The kind of work progressive communications firms do for campaigns. Striking balance between online engagement...

With the recent announcement by Ontario Premier Doug Ford that he intends to create a police pipeline to keep people safe, it was time for another discussion around defunding the police. Points of discussion include: Actual numbers around crime and policing Free tuition and post secondary requirements for Police Contrasts between need for nurses and funding for police recruits The end of a nursing...

In this first episode of the miniseries, host Jay Woodruff interviews fellow Rabble Rouser, Jessa McLean in a frank and deeply personal discussion about Burnout. What is it? How does it impact our lives and our movements? The condition of perpetual exhaustion, brought on by various stressors, impacts a lot of activists. Why? What is it about the systems we live in that causes to many people to bec...

Author and Professor James Naylor gives hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero a history lesson on Labour politics and alliances of the past. They look to moments of heightened working class consciousness and unrest for lessons to apply to today’s Canadian political climate. Topics include the United Farmers of Ontario (UFO), the Winnipeg Strike, the formation of the CCF, Socialist purges...

Sex Workers in Canada face incredible barriers in their lives due to the criminalization of their work. Jenn Clamen, National Director of the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform, describes the impacts this has on the daily lives of sex workers and the various ways in which their coalition has been fighting back. The discussion centres on a recent Constitutional challenge working its way thro...

Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero try to answer the question of whether or not parties should represent a certain demographic. The topic comes up amidst a broader discussion on coalitions and the urban / rural electoral divide that has frustrated the Canadian Left.

We know what kind of Nationalism we don't like, but is that enough? Guest Chris Fairweather, academic, activist and labour organizer, talks about the pervasiveness of nationalism and the impact is has on the working class with host Jessa McLean and co-host/producer, Santiago Helou Quintero. Together they examine the work it takes to shape Canadian nationalist pride ( statescraft ), how its weaponi...

Together with Santiago Helou Quintero, Jessa McLean breaks down what happened during the Agricultural Committee hearings featuring the grocery giant CEOs. Its a discussion on Canadian politics (populism), food insecurity, and the need for a class analysis from the electoral Left.