Canadian Grit: North of Ordinary

Explores John McCrae's life and writing: a Canadian physician, soldier, and poet, best known for his iconic poem 'In Flanders Fields.' It delves into the historical context of the long 19th century, the impact of the Great War on modernism, and the evolution of Canadian identity. The discussion highlights McCrae's experiences in the Boer War and World War I, his reflections on...

How the hell did Canada and the world end up where it is in 2025? What can we realistically do about it?  This is the episode we've been building toward. We're finally arriving at the beginning of the 1900s... the sum of all the perspectives explored in Canadian Grit so far.  Canada was never a sure thing. Just as we feel the existential quakes of American instability and isolationism in...

Canada’s greatest modern-day explorer sets out into the arctic wilderness to solve a mystery more than 100 years old. Shoalts discusses his brand new book-Vanished Beyond the Map: The Mystery of Lost Explorer Hubert Darrell, the kindness of strangers, the philosophy of respecting nature, &  physical and mental limitations of being human.  "In November 1910, explorer Hubert Darrell vanishe...

Welcome aboard Air Grit.  This is an inspiring story for Canadians & humans of *ALL AGES,* emphasizing the importance of GRIT, passion, TRUE LOVE, community, & the role of fickle luck in a successful career. If you've seen Top Gun, this is your time to hear about the REAL PILOT "....who flew a cargo plane full of rubber dogsh*t outta Hong Kong." Summary In this engaging conv...

A contributing writer for Netflix’s Emmy Nominated Roast of Tom Brady, Tyler Morrison is considered by many to be the most prolific roast comedian north of the border.  A frequent flyer with Just for Laughs and Comedy Central, Ty’s roasted the likes of Ric Flair (Wooo!), Ron Jeremy, and The Iron Sheik at Carolines in New York City. Tyler is an award winning Canadian comedian and writer with a “fea...

Canada. The United States. Europe. The 1700s. A real vibe. What do you believe in deeply enough to fight for?  Is Canada worth fighting for? Stone ramparts, swirling snow, and two dying generals—Wolfe & Montcalm—set the stage for a contest that redrew the continent. From the Battle of the Plains of Abraham (1759) to the failed rebellions of 1837, we trace how maps inked in blood became the blu...

Have an Amazon Prime membership?  Want to help local Canadian cats, all while using a $3 token you’re likely *not* using?   Here's an ingenius *FREE* grassroots mission YOU CAN HELP in under 15 seconds if you have Amazon Prime: $3 "sub"  to Richard's charity. Richard is a local hero  From our time together at RMC to community engagement LIVE LINKS: WHERE  FUNDS ARE GOING TO HEL...

Canada wasn’t an accident. Canada was the outcome of grit, resilience, & vision. Canada's origin story matters now more than ever. This isn't just about the past. This is about everything we are... and everything we're becoming.  Part immersive history, part poetic meditation on Canada and becoming, Episode 3.2 explores how the boy became the man, and how the man would someday o...

We can't change the past. We can only change how we regard it, and how we can use it to best move forward.  You're not going to want to miss this episode.  Canadian Grit isn't just a history podcast. Canadian Grit is going above politics to look at what unites us as Canadians and as humans. Canadian Grit is our ability to find our innate strength by looking at how our shared ancestr...

What if history wasn’t just a series of dates, but a map of the human soul? In this epic, cinematic journey through time and space, we trace the arc of exploration, ambition, and identity—spanning from Leif Erikson and the Vikings to JFK, the Space Race, the Avro Arrow, and Neil Armstrong landing on the moon.  We hop from Étienne Brûlé to 1987 with Ronald Reagan's anti-tariff, anti-isolationi...

What does the idea of Canada mean to you? Before Canada had a name, there was only wilderness—vast, unknown, and full of risk. A sweeping journey through time and psyche: from uncharted oceans to the inner maps we carry as human beings navigating uncertainty. Today, we look at the STUFF of a nation… what differentiates Canada from the world? This episode offers some specific examples.   Part histo...

Canadian Grit: North of Ordinary. Episode 1: The Rope, the Pine, and the Torch Before there was Canada, there was wilderness—untamed, unknown, and unforgettable. In this premiere episode, host Jamie Jackson, PhD (ABD), weaves history, reflection, poetry, and personal truth into a deeply human journey. From childhood wallpaper dreams to the burnout halls of Ontario public schools, this is a story a...