CANADALAND

The Sahotas are Vancouver’s most notorious slumlords. For decades they’ve let their buildings rot, leaving their tenants to live in filth and desolation. But the Sahotas are not like any other dynasty you’ve ever heard of. Their story is far stranger, and far darker, than anything you can imagine. Featured in this episode: Jen St. Denis, Christopher Cheung ( The Tyee ), Sam Dharmapala To learn mor...

This episode originally aired on December 23, 2018. We reached out to Canadian journalists to get their stories about spending the holidays at work. Newsrooms have fewer staff this time of year, but that doesn't mean that the news stops. Check out these stories of big news breaking while everyone else is on vacation. Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/join See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

Earlier this month, Toronto’s alt-weekly NOW Magazine was sold to Media Central. Former co-owner and founder of NOW, Michael Hollett , joins to talk about the rise and fall of Canada’s alt-weekly magazines, running ads from sex workers, and his feud with the Toronto Star.    This episode is brought to you by Freshbooks , Squarespace , and our listeners. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter...

Everyone knows that Andrew Scheer resigned because of his tuition scandal; what this podcast presupposes is: maybe he didn’t? And the manufactured outrage surrounding Jody Wilson-Raybould’s office. Hadiya Roderique co-hosts. This episode is brought to you by Freshbooks , WealthBar , Audible , and our listeners. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter .  Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland....

Last week, Canadaland’s new team published a story about how The Globe and Mail ’s management repeatedly campaigned the Prime Minister’s office for research-and-development funding and tax law changes that could benefit the paper’s owners. Paul Adams , associate professor at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and former senior political correspondent for the Globe, joins to help unpack the...

A look inside Jordan Peterson’s new social media platform, which bans photos, memes, and emojis in the name of anti-censorship! Also, The Toronto Star turns to public shaming. Freelancer John Semley co-hosts. This episode is brought to you by The New Yorker , Hover , ZipRecruiter and listeners like you. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter. A couple of examples of The Star articles we are...

Canada’s media organizations are reluctant to release their diversity stats. But Asmaa Malik and Sonya Fatah from Ryerson’s School of Journalism found a way to compile 21 years' worth of diversity statistics by looking at Canada’s columnists. They join to discuss their research.   CORRECTION: The show notes originally misspelled Asmaa Malik's last name. We regret the error. The episode is brought...

Leaked audio from a NATO summit reveals Trudeau’s totally reasonable reaction to Trump. Did an Edmonton school board try to shut down a radio interview advocating for a student? The Globe and Mail’s China coverage is... inconsistent. Bashir Mohamed co-hosts. This episode is brought to you by Freshbooks , Borrowell , Sock Club , HelloFresh , ZipRecruiter , and our listeners. Please consider becomin...

This episode originally aired on October 12, 2014. Cartoonist Kate Beaton is an exemplary weirdo. Her webcomic about Canadian historical figures and literary ephemera has gained a global following of one million monthly readers. She has published an acclaimed book and her work has appeared in The New Yorker, but she still is largely a self-published online creator. Jesse tries to learn her secrets...

More details have emerged about Warren Kinsella’s secret work to expose Maxime Bernier as a racist. And what’s at stake as the CBC renegotiates its licence to broadcast in Canada? Steve Faguy co-hosts . This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks , Audible , WealthBar , and our listeners. Please consider  becoming a monthly supporter .  Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/join See omnystud...

Documentary filmmaker Alethea Arnaquq-Baril joins and talks about how the media continues to misrepresent Indigenous people.  The episode is brought to you by Endy , the Public Service Alliance of Canada , Away , and listeners like you. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter on Patreon. Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hoste...

Torstar announced the closure of five papers across Canada, CBC tried to consolidate broadcasts across its radio stations in the North, and Don Cherry returned with an expertly produced podcast. Taryn Grant co-hosts. This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks , Dispatch Coffee , ZipRecruiter , and our listeners. Please consider  becoming a monthly supporter .  Support CANADALAND: https://canadal...

A conversation about the similarities between journalism and porn becomes a tense disagreement about online shaming. Jon Ronson, journalist and author of The Psychopath Test and The Men Who Stare at Goats , talks about his recent podcast The Last Days of August , which examines the death of a Canadian-born porn star who was publicly shamed on Twitter. The episode is brought to you by WealthBa r, S...

Don Cherry drafts his first Quillette essay: “The Day the Social Media Mob Came for Me.” Also, opinion writing in Canada post-Margaret Wente turns out to be mostly the same. Freelance sports writer and Burn It All Down podcast co-host Shireen Ahmed joins us. This episode is supported by Freshbooks , Audible , Hover and listeners like you. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter. Support CANAD...

Covering the extreme right has become its own beat in Canada. But is there a thin, blurry line between coverage and giving a platform to those with hateful views? Steven Zhou joins.  The episode is brought to you by FreshBooks , Endy , Sock Club , Hardboiled, and listeners like you. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter on Patreon. Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/join See omnystu...

A national news media start-up hires then fires its staff in a month. Also, Elizabeth May has harsh parting shots for the media. Freelancer Sarah Hagi co-hosts (and spills the tea on FreshDaily) This episode is brought to you by WealthBar , Squarespace , The New Yorker , HelloFresh , and listeners like you. Please consider becoming a monthly Patreon supporter.   CORRECTION: In this episode, Jesse...

Meghan Bell wants Canada to tax the rich. Of course, that belief would be a lot easier to explain at the dinner table if her own family wasn’t massively wealthy. Bell joins to talk about her recent piece in The Walrus that pulls back the curtain on what it’s like to grow up rich and why Canada needs an aggressive wealth tax. Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/join See omnystudio.com/listen...

The New York Times’ Canada bureau chief goes up to visit an Inuit community three times so she must know what she’s talking about… right? Also, podcasting is getting way too popular. Thunder Bay host Ryan McMahon co-hosts. This episode is brought to you by Freshbooks , Audible , Article and listeners like you. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter. If you want to check out Duncan McCue’s re...

Major announcement about what's next for Canadaland on this episode.  After that: Had It Coming is Robyn Doolittle's new book, which asks "what's fair in the age of #MeToo?" Fair to whom? Sparks fly as Jesse questions the premise, and Robyn pushes at Jesse's idea about the media's role. We just launched our annual crowdfunding drive. We need your support. Click here to have a look. Support CANADAL...

Thank God, it's over - last sound off about how dull the 2019 election coverage was, we promise. Plus, StarMetro journalists cry fake news at activists pretending climate propaganda is the real thing. Writer and climate activist from 350.org Cam Fenton co-hosts. This episode is brought to you by Babbel , Endy , Article , and listeners like you. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter. You can...

Last month APTN reported that 102 Indigenous children died in Ontario’s child welfare system. It’s a tragic and infuriating look at how the system fails Indigenous children and puts their lives at risk. It’s also a story about unconscionable inequality in a system that is supposed to protect vulnerable children. Cindy Blackstock joins to talk about that story and about taking the government to cou...

The CBC sues the Conservative Party of Canada for copying them! Plus, Toronto journalists and writers push back on the kind of space public libraries should be. Wikimedia Chief of Staff Ryan Merkley co-hosts. This episode is brought to you by Freshbooks , Endy , Babbel , and listeners like you. Please consider becoming one of our monthly supporters. Also, come hang out with us for election night i...

This episode originally aired on May 3, 2015 It's possible that Chantal Hébert's journalism once held Canada together. She joins Jesse for a discussion about what's appropriate in political news coverage, and what (if anything) needs to change. The episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee , Babbel , Blinkist , and listeners like you. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter on Patreon. Su...

That debate. The rumour mongering. The memes. Do Canadian politics have to suck this hard? A lament. And PostMedia finally responds to our investigation - or somebody’s. Freelance journalist Danielle Paradis co-hosts. This episode is brought to you by Babbel , Freshbooks , Article , Hover ,  The New Yorker , and listeners like you. Please consider becoming one of our monthly supporters. Support CA...

Hip-Hop Evolution is a remarkable piece of journalism and an exhaustive look at the history of hip-hop. It’s also made by a group of Canadians. Rapper and broadcaster Shad , director Darby Wheeler , and writer Rodrigo Bascuñán join to talk about their award-winning documentary series.  CORRECTION: A previous version misspelled Rodrigo Bascuñán's last name. We regret the error.  The episode is brou...