Let's Talk Antigonish Podcast

Justin and Anuj sat down with Professor Doug Brown, a retired associate professor of political science at St. Francis Xavier University and expert on municipal governance, to understand how things went so wrong and what can be learned from this experience. The construction projects, particularly work on Bay Street near the regional hospital, blocked key arteries into town, creating catastrophic ri...

Join Justin and Anuj as they reunite in the studio to reflect on nine whirlwind months of “Let’s Talk Antigonish.” From discovering how global politics affects the price of beer in Antigonish to the People’s Place Library ‘s impressive laundry list of services they offer on a shoestring budget, these two neighbours-turned-podcasters have been on quite a journey. In this candid conversation, they b...

We sat down with Jenn Priddle, director of Music of the Night, to uncover the magic behind one of Antigonish’s beloved community theater companies. From its humble beginnings in 1997 (including a dinner theater performance in a barn in November!) to selling out eight-show runs at the Eleanor Mutimer Theatre, Music of the Night has been bringing Broadway-caliber productions to Antigonish for nearly...

This week Justin and Anuj sat down with palliative care physician Dr. Emily Rice and nurse consultant Jamie Campbell to clear up what might be the most misunderstood area of healthcare. Spoiler alert: if you think palliative care is just end-of-life care in a hospital, you’re wrong—and you’re not alone. From the surprising truth that patients with palliative care actually live longer than those wi...

This week Justin and Anuj sat down with Pat McKenna from the Naomi Society to discuss their plans for a new 10-unit building at Sugarloaf. Behind the construction plans lies a sobering reality: Nova Scotia declared intimate partner violence an epidemic in 2024 after eight femicides in a single year, and all 483 shelter beds in the province are currently full. The Naomi Society is building affordab...

This week Justin and Anuj sat down with Warden Nicholas MacInnis to unpack the 2025 Electoral Boundary Review. What sounds like dry bureaucratic shuffling turns out to be anything but. From balancing the districts to create electoral fairness to navigating tricky questions of community identity, Nicholas walks us through why redrawing these lines is far trickier than you’d think. Along the way, Ju...

This week Justin and Anuj sat down with Children’s Services Librarian Kristel Fleuren-Hunter and Programming and Outreach Assistant Elizabeth Glintz to discover why this isn’t your typical library. From helping newcomers navigate their first days in Canada to providing a vital third space for everyone in Antigonish, from running a community fridge to preparing tax returns for over 500 residents, t...

This week, Justin and Anuj sat down with Dorothy Lander and Dr. John Graham-Pole to explore Antigonish’s Death Cafe—a monthly gathering where locals come together to break the ultimate taboo and talk openly about aging, dying, and what comes after. From green burials and willow caskets to personal directives and letters to the beloved dead, this conversation reveals how a group of friends transfor...

This episode of Let’s Talk Antigonish features Mark Ballard, chair of SAFE (Settlement in Antigonish for Families from Everywhere), a refugee resettlement organization celebrating its 10th anniversary. What began in 2015 as a small group responding to the Syrian refugee crisis has grown into a regional organization that has successfully resettled approximately 180 refugees from countries including...

We sat down with Emilie Chiasson (Alumni Engagement coordinator at StFX and freelance writer) and Elizabeth Yeo (Vice President Students sat StFX) to talk about their plans to bring GenWell (Canada's Human Connection Movement) to Antigonish. On October 29th, StFX will host the first-ever GenWell Day at a Canadian university, bringing CEO Pete Bombaci to campus for a series of presentations and dis...

You might not expect a rural Nova Scotia town of 5,000 to be a hotbed for international jazz talent, but Antigonish is full of surprises. In this week’s episode, we sit down with Jake Hanlon, chair of St. FX's music department, and Paul Tynan, Artistic Director of the Antigonish Jazz Fest, to explore the remarkable musical ecosystem in our backyard. From hosting Canada's first jazz studies degree...

We sat down with Anita Stewart, Executive Director of the Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre & Sexual Assault Services Association to talk about their exciting plans to build a brand new facility on James Street where the old Tim Hortons used to be. Stewart discusses the comprehensive range of services the center provides including trauma therapy, the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program,...

In this week’s episode of Let’s Talk Antigonish , Justin and Anuj (checking in from India!) sit down with Barry MacKenzie, curator of the Antigonish Heritage Museum, for a deep dive into the stories, artifacts, and community spirit that make the museum such a gem. Barry shares the fascinating history of the building itself—a former railway station turned cultural hub—before walking us through stan...

In this week’s episode we speak with Meghan MacNeil, Active Living Coordinator for the Municipality of the County of Antigonish, about biking safety and the Make Your Move Antigonish initiative. We discuss the rules of the road for both cyclists and drivers, including how bikes should behave at intersections and the challenges of sharing roads designed primarily for cars. The conversation covers t...

We sat down with Shaun Smith, coordinator for this year’s Eastern Nova Scotia Exhibition happening from August 27-31 at the exhibition grounds/barns off of James Street. Some changes to note for this year: * Water is being trucked in, so the event won’t use any town water * There’s a goat show this year - the only one in Atlantic Canada * There’s a new lumber sport event with exciting chainsaw act...

We sat down with Janet Becigneul of the Haunted Antigonish Ghost Tour to learn about the world famous ghosts here in Antigonish. From the Blue Nun and Red Priest to the fire ghost of Caledonia Mills, this town is renowned for our ghosts. In fact, the name “Antigonish” is most often associated with the ghost-inspired poem Antigonish (I met a man who wasn't there ) by Hughes Mearns which inspired a...

We sat down with Blaise MacDonald, Antigonish Emergency Management Coordinator, to ask what the Antigonish has been doing to prepare for the next major wildfire, flood, hurricane, or other disaster. Turns out that a lot has changed since Hurricane Fiona - we now have an Antigonish Regional Emergency Management Plan on the books (as of 2022). Blaise gives us all the details in this week’s episode....

A listener was wondering why beer at the local pubs here in Antigonish is so expensive, so we sat down with Bryan Druhan of Candid Brewing Company to ask him not just about beer prices, but drinking culture in Antigonish. The short answer: prices in Antigonish for craft beer are actually cheaper than they could be, and less expensive than you’ll see in cities like Halifax. Everything from the tari...

We sat down with Colleen Cameron, chair of the Antigonish Affordable Housing Society to ask her what’s up with those new affordable housing units on Appleseed Drive. And what is affordable housing exactly? How does it work and who is allowed to rent the units? Colleen gives us all the answers, and valuable insight into the housing crisis. Link to learn more or donate to the society: https://www.an...

Anuj and Justin reflect on the past 13 episodes of the podcast and reveal which episodes received the most listens. We discuss our long list of ideas for future episode, and provide our top 3 most important lessons learned since launching the podcast. We invite our listeners to fill out this poll letting us know which episode subject ideas interest you the most: https://form.jotform.com/2519933309...

We sat down with electric car owner and EV aficionado Allan Briggs to figure out if it’s worth owning an electric vehicle as your only car here in Antigonish. The short answer: it’s certainly possible, but it depends on how far you need to travel. For everyday use here in town, Allan says electric cars are fantastic. But if you’re taking regular trips to far flung destinations, you have to plan a...

Andrew Murray explains what’s happening to the old capitol theatre/Cineplex building on Main Street that seems to have been under construction for a million years. The answer: it will be a smokehouse restaurant and apartments! Hopefully opening in a little over a year. Andrew gives us the details, and answers all our questions about what’s happening on Main Street these days. Get full access to Le...

The town of Antigonish has approved a rather large tax rate increase to residential property; around 15%. That’s pretty darn high. We sat down with Mayor Sean Cameron to ask why this increase was necessary. The short answer: it’s helping to fund a 22 million dollar investment in long-term infrastructure improvements in the town, including major road works and sewer and water system upgrades. But i...

We spoke with Dan Cochrane, Operations Manger for the Antigonish Highland Society about this year’s Antigonish Highland Games. To celebrate their 160th anniversary, they are offering free day passes for EVERYONE! Dan explains what the highland games are, their origins, what goes on during the games, why they are fun to watch, how they aren’t just for people of Scottish origin, the fact that The Ea...

Did you know that there are hundreds of people experiencing homelessness in Antigonish? Including dozens of people sleeping rough each night? It’s an invisible issue, and maybe a surprise to many Antigonish residents. We sat down with Speireag Hendra, Executive Director of A Roof Over You Head: a non-profit organization aiming to address the lack of affordable and safe housing for those who find t...