Rabble Rants

ICE raids, mass deportations and communities resisting it all. Will the images filling our screens serve as a cautionary tale, or will Canadians convince themselves that those kinds of abuses wouldn't happen here? Hosts Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean try to answer that with discussions on recent Liberal legislation (Bill C12), the Safe Third Country Agreement we have with the United Stat...

What are we to think of the public's response to United Health CEO Brian Thompson's death? Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero provide a class analysis of the case and the media frenzy around it. They also give insight into just how bad a company United Health is, and what our reactions should be to social murder. Song credit (end of episode): Jesse Welles , via TikTok ______ All of our...

Our hosts unpack a few things for November 23rds, Rabble Rants: Maori MP Disrupts New Zealand Parliament with the Haka The protest inside the Parliament was directed at the right-wing coalition's attack on Indigenous rights in New Zealand. It was paired with widespread mobilization in the streets. What parallels can we draw from Canadian politics? 15 Ontario Mayors ask Premier to Defy the Charter...

We will remember this 5th of November. Our hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero unpack the results of the U.S. President Election and what it means for the movements we're working to build. While some will blame voters or activists, our hosts examine how the DNC lost this race and why we don't need to despair. ______________ All of our content is free - made possible by the generous spon...

Trudeau's Liberals Backtrack on Promises to Migrants, Scapegoating Them Instead of Legislating Status for All. Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero unpack some of the worst narratives around immigration in Canada right now. With the Liberals introducing policy that goes along with the Conservative talking points, there is a real danger of the working class losing ground to racism and xen...

Jagmeet Singh Ends the NDP's Confidence and Supply Agreement with the Liberals Journalist Scott Martin of The Catch joins host Jessa McLean to talk about the latest political theatrics surrounding the deal that's been central to federal Canadian politics for over two years. Includes analysis on the timing of Jagmeet's statement, the statement itself, the gains made from the deal and the harms done...

CUPE National Executives Voted YES to a Motion of Non-Confidence on Fred Hahn We sit down with CUPE rank and file member and Labour for Palestine Organizer, Anna Lippman to talk about the dangerous precedent being set, at such a precarious time for workers and Palestinian activists. What does it mean for the movement inside Ontario largest public sector union, who have successfully been advocating...

We need system change, not just a leadership change or political party makeovers. All of this focus on political leaders and their personalities has our hosts frustrated. What is it about leadership races and elections that makes people forget about the issues most important to them? Here are a few episodes related to this discussion: Leadership Cults in Politics : On the trappings of playing to t...

Let us tell you what we really think about the Paris 2024 Olympics... From the billions of public dollars spent, the 'social cleansing' or displacement of migrants, new surveillance laws, religious moral panic and obnoxious Israeli football fans - there are lots of reasons to rant about the Olympics. Resources / Links / Referenced Material: AP News: Paris Migrant Camps Cleared Unicorn Riot: Predic...

Toronto recently experienced heavy flooding, the images went viral. This isn't the first time - nor will it be the last. Our hosts discuss the budget decisions made by all levels of government that contributed to the scenes that unfolded at Union Station, on the Don Valley Parkway and even in Oakville and Mississauga. The failure to protect our wetlands, the generations of prioritizing development...

Ontario public sector workers and the revenues they generate are under attack. What does OPSEU do? Stand up fight back! LCBO workers across the Province are on strike for better compensation, but more importantly - they are doing what they can to push back against the Conservative's dismantling of the public sector in general. Our hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero break down Ford's so...

The University of Toronto student encampment, named the People's Circle for Palestine, dismantled their tents after an Ontario Superior Court judge ordered an injunction against them. Our hosts break down the ruling, what it means for other encampments and bring up lessons learned from the end of just "one tactic in the toolbox" of students demanding their institutions disclose and divest. _______...

Special Guest: Scott Martin With special guest Scott Martin, we unpack the criticism and backlash faced by activists who disrupt and protest against climate change. In this case its Just Stop Oil, orange cornstarch and Stonehenge, but this conversation applies to all that disrupt the status quo. The repetitive and disingenuous arguments used by politicians and media to discredit these actions just...

Two special guests, Kim Crawley and Bothered Boy, join host Jessa McLean to talk about the mask bans being introduced in the United States, the attitudes here in Canada and the recent uptick in activists being charged for wearing COVID protective masks during direct actions. We keep us safe - wear a mask comrades. All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patro...

Topic 1: All Eyes on Rafah We give an update for the week of May 24th, including the latest attacks on a 'safe zone', the lack of a US 'red line' and the creation of buffer zones that block the border with Egypt. Topic 2: Students and Labour Unite at UofT Encampment An Emergency Rally in the face of a possible injunction and police action saw Ontario Labour leaders pledge to "put their bodies betw...

The conversation explores the current situation in Israel and Palestine, focusing on the goals and actions of the Israeli government, the role of the US, and the potential consequences of the conflict. It discusses the unwinnable battle Israel is fighting in trying to eliminate Hamas and the need for a way out to avoid looking like their actions were in vain. The conversation also touches on the e...

Multiple UN Bodies Pass Motions Against Israel to No Avail After rulings by the ICJ, and motions passed at the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council, Israel has continued its onslaught of Gaza and its many violations of human rights and international law. Host Jessa McLean gives updates on the latest rulings and examines the history of the U.N., its failure to prevent other genocides and it...

Liberals Announce Plans for a Renters' Bill of Rights In an attempt to sway young voters, mostly renters, Trudeau and the Liberals have announced what they are calling a Renters' Bill of Rights. It includes some funding for legal aid, plans to tie rental payment history to credit scores and other measures aimed at the landlord/tenant relationship. Host Jessa McLean goes through the plans, their vi...

Liberals introduce caps and other policy changes related to temporary foreign residents. In an attempt to further scapegoat immigrants for the 'affordability and housing crisis', federal Liberals in Canada have introduced caps on migrant workers, international students and asylum seekers. We go over the details of the changes being made and the impact they'll have. We highlight the realities facin...

United States Pledges to Build a Seaport in Gaza. In his State of the Union Address, President Biden called for a six-week ceasefire and promised to build a seaport to deliver aid to Gaza. The project will be lead by U.S. troops and a company no-one has heard of until now. Wait until you find out who runs that company and what their aims in the Middle East are. We also discuss what all of this mea...

Direct actions work. The past two weeks have seen multiple Palestinian solidarity actions shut down Liberal fundraisers and galas with fascists. They have drawn attention to illegal land sales, Canadian companies arming Israel, and the racist violence of Zionists here in Canada. Our hosts go over some of these actions, the tactics they used, the responses and the results. ___________ All of our co...

With the federal Conservatives in full campaigning mode, we thought we'd take a moment to highlight some of the more dangerous aspects of Pierre Poilievre. Even before he was leader of the CPC, his ambitions were clear, and so were his politics. Anti-democratic, anti-Indigenous, hostile. Now his tactics, coupled with his growing platform, make his approach outright dangerous. ____________ Be sure...

The Death of Aaron Bushnell His last words were "Free Palestine". 25 year old Aaron Bushnell livestreamed what he called an extreme form of protest. In front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, the US Airman and self described anarchist doused himself in an accelerant and lit himself on fire. In these dark times, many folks may be feeling desperate and looking for ways to make a bigger impact. O...

Canada's NDP Reaches Pharmacare Deal with Trudeau's Liberals After weeks of leaked deadline ultimatums, Jagmeet Singh announced he'd reached a deal with the Liberals on what he is calling universal pharmacare. Should people in Canada celebrate this as a first step? Our hosts suggest we hold our applause for the moment. We go over details of what is included in the deal, what isn't - and exactly wh...