From Embers

Radio Pandemic was founded by From Embers and friends just as the COVID-19 crisis hit Kingston, as many people were scrambling to figure out how to navigate the new uncertain terrain of physical distancing, government lockdowns and online organizing. We wanted to facilitate a conversation about the rapidly changing context in our city and beyond, and established a call-in show that airs on CFRC 10...

A conversation with a member of the It's Going Down collective about their pre-pandemic text "Livewire: Against Automation, Against UBI, Against Capital." We revisit the text in the context of the pandemic, ever-increasing trends towards automation of various sectors in Canada and the USA, and the Canadian government's emergency relief benefit (CERB), which many have compared to universal basic in...

In the context of ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks in Canadian prisons and jails, I was curious about other times in history that prisoners have faced similar situations and especially times when prisoners have been released as a result. Today's interview is with a local prison historian about epidemics and public health in Canadian prisons, mostly about the 19th and early 20th century. Also some storie...

Following the mass shootings in Nova Scotia last week, the federal government rushed to impose an extensive and immediate ban of semi-automatic firearms. We reached out to Ron in Edmonton, author of the article " The History of Gun Control in Canada " on the counter-info website North Saskatchewan Resistance . We spoke about the shifting regulatory context in Canada, the problem of mass killers fr...

A conversation with the folks behind Fagdemic ("Fag harm reduction for coronaworld") Lots of practical harm reduction advice around sex, hookups, and substance use (or changes in your substance use) as well as talking about shame, negotiations around intimacy and care, reducing the harms of police, and individual and community autonomy in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We speak with Alexander McClelland and Zoë Dodd about criminalization in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2016, they published " An Anarchist Response to Hep C & HIV ." We spoke about the Canadian healthcare system, the problem with government approaches to "Public Health," Hep C & HIV criminalization and what it can tell us about what's happening in the present crisis.   Resources: Toront...

An interview with Montreal-based counselling and somatic therapist Parneet Chohan on the Covid-19 pandemic, anxiety, communication, reading the news, and caring for ourselves and each other through troubled times.

An interview with Salam, a member of the Syria Solidarity Collective based in Toronto. We talk about the Syrian uprising, anti-imperalism and the left, the ongoing need for international solidarity with the people of Syria, and more.

Talking with a non-native anarchist who spent time at Kanonhstaton in 2006, a land reclamation led by members of Six Nations blocking the development of a private subdivision on their territory. We discuss his experience at Six, dynamics on the ground before and after the police raid, and the possibilities and complexities of anarchist-indigenous solidarity with the current wave of Wet'suwet'en so...

This week's episode features an interview with Gord Hill , a member of the Kwakwaka'wakw nation whose territory is located on northern Vancouver Island and adjacent mainland in the province of "British Columbia." He has been involved in Indigenous people's and anti-globalization movements since 1990 and is the author of The 500 Years of Resistance Comic Book and The Antifa Comic Book. Music by Tri...

An interview with Dtsa'hyl, a hereditary chief of the Wet'suwet'en Nation. The Wet'suwet'en people have defended their land against pipelines for more than a decade. After an RCMP raid on their territory on February 6th, a national movement was sparked to shut down Canada and protest against the infringement of Indigenous sovereignty. Music in this episode by Lee Reed and Snotty Nose Rez Kids

Conversation with an organizer of this year's Winter Fair in Montreal: a book/zine fair as well as discussions annd workshops around trauma, dealing with conflict, and building resilient and strong communities of struggle. This year's event is focused on the many ways to mitigate the harms that often accompany conflict - both from the state and from within our interpersonal relationships. Check it...

An interview with John Clarke , a founder and long-time organizer with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty in Toronto. OCAP has played a key role in the anti-poverty movement in Ontario over the past three decades, deploying a creative variety of militant and confrontational tactics in the interests of meeting the immediate needs of poor and working class people. Last year John retired as a paid...

Conversation with an anarchist and anti-repression organizer about how conspiracy charges have been used against anarchists in Canada and the United States, some challenges and lessons learned from supporting J20 defendants and others, the Tilted Scales Collective 's upcoming book project, Representing Radicals: A Guide for Lawyers, and more. Check out the links below for more in-depth discussion...

Matt Hern is a long-time writer and community organizer in Vancouver. We discuss the projects and ideas he's engaged with over the past several decades, including his upbringing and politicization, having kids and establishing alternative schools, a critical perspective on social ecology , community organizing and gentrification, and shifting focus to Surrey where he works with racialized youth to...

A conversation with Stu, a founding member of Dragonfly Farm. Dragonfly is a rural communal land project near Bancroft, Ontario that was founded in 1978. We talk about how he and his friends got the land, how they've endured and navigated conflict over the years, and advice he has for folks wanting to live rurally and/or communally today. Music by Perth County Conspiracy Links for further reading:...

An interview with two anarchists from Vancouver about their efforts to intervene in the climate strike and extinction rebellion actions in that city. We talk about the context in Vancouver, their critique of Extinction Rebellion, black blocs, critical solidarity, and moving beyond hope and hopelessness. For the privacy of our guests, this interview was re-voiced by volunteers. Links: Anarchist Cri...

A conversation with Jonathan Vallely and Eric Levitt of Gay 4 Pay Press, a zine distro largely focused on radical politics and gay/queer men based out of Toronto and Ottawa. We talk about cruising, a world without police, community conversations around consent and accountability, crystal meth, and, of course, zines.   Music in this episode: FAGGOT - Mister Wallace Excerpt from Breaking the Ice/Let...

This week's episode features an interview with Kate Klein of the Mining Injustice Solidarity Network. We talk a bit about the group's work opposing the mining industry and supporting mining-affected communities outside of Canada in their struggles against Canadian mining corporations.  Mostly, we discuss the group's use of drama and comedy in their campaigns, and discuss a recent workshop that Kat...

Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world measured from its oceanic base and one of the most sacred sites for spiritual Hawaiians. A consortium of government and university scientists from Canada, the United States, Japan, China and India have been trying to build the Thirty Metre Telescope on its summit for nearly a decade, coming up against fierce opposition from native Hawaiians every step...

An interview with Byron, host of To Know The Land, a radio show on Guelph's CFRU 93.3.  We talk about why radio is cool, and I pick Byron's brain about place, space and knowing the land we stand on. Links: https://toknowtheland.tumblr.com/showarchives Music by Ana Roxanne, Hotel Neon and Taylor Deupree The album Byron mentions at the end isn't out yet but you can hear some previews here:  https://...

An interview with Nathan Munn , a freelance journalist based in Montreal. Nathan has written several investigative pieces for VICE looking at the "Hub Model" of community policing, which has been quietly rolling out across the country, and especially in Saskatchewan and Ontario, over the past 5 years. The article by Kristian Williams referenced in the introduction is available in PDF form here .

Talking to Lee Reed, anarchist organizer and MC from Hamilton, ON and self-described mouthy jerk. We talk about how his political music and focus have changed over time, artists and anarchists finding themselves in conflict over gentrification and figuring out what to do about it, Locke St repression and supporting Pride defenders, his recent Polaris nomination for the Steal City EP , and more. Pl...

Every year on August 10th, both inside and outside of jails and prisons across Canada, prisoners and their supporters mark Prisoners Justice Day. We spoke with Veronica, an anarchist in Montreal who is part of organizing the annual NYE noise demos in Laval. We discuss the history of Prisoners Justice Day, what has changed since the 70s, how PJD will marked and articulated this year, recuperation b...

An interview with a recently-released Hamilton anarchist on the events surrounding Hamilton Pride, anarchist prisoner support, jail, queer community, being a hashtag and feeling popular.