The Backroads Bill Podcast

The Ring of Fire has been over 15 years in the making but still the conversations go on between the Canadian Government and the Indigenous communities involved. Now Doug Ford has brought up the importance of this potential mine as a potential key investment after Trump’s inauguration and talk of tariffs with Canada. Stan Sudol, a long time mining journalist and owner/editor of republicofmining.com...

Many in North Bay know Chris Mayne for his role as a city councillor but he has a major passion for canoeing. He has been part of the team that has revitalized the La Vase portages in our area. He joins Bill and Ben to talk about the importance of the La Vase as well as the ongoing efforts to bring it back to its former glory. He also talks about his love for canoeing and the many different areas...

Roy MacGregor has had a long career in print media working for Macleans and The Globe and Mail. He also is a best selling author of multiple outdoors books and the kids book series The Screech Owls. Roy shares his thoughts on his career in journalism, his love of the outdoors and also gives his opinion on the current state of Canadian politics.  Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_...

Ian Tamblyn had the chance to make it big in the music scene but decided to turn down the chance when it meant changing the lyrics and topics from Canadian stories to something a little more commercial. Ian joins the show to talk about his career that has spanned over 40 albums, how the music industry has changed from an analog world to digital, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada....

Mikkel Aaland authored the 1978 novel “Sweat” about the history of the sauna. He has a series releasing on Amazon called “Perfect Sweat” where he retraces his steps from the past 45 years to find the perfect sweat. Mikkel joins the show to talk to Bill and Ben about his sauna journey, his appearance on David Letterman and his Sauna Aid project where him and his team have been providing saunas to c...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to our listeners who celebrate and this week Bill and Ben brought on Reverend Ted Harrison. T ed talks about his experiences with nature as a healing property and how he uses it to help teach his faith. Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill and on Twitter: @steertonorthONT To explore more North Bay podcasts and to stay updated on local events a...

The Fentster Gallery’s tagline is “a window into Jewish life” and has been a unique viewing experience in Toronto for over a decade. Artist Meichan Waxer and the Fentster Gallery Curator Evelyn Tauben join Bill and Ben to chat about Meichan’s exhibit “I Will Relate to You”. The exhibit is an artistic ode to the general stores that sustained a family and the unlikely Jewish communities of northern...

This week features no guest but instead Bill and Ben go in depth on a winter time tradition - snowshoeing.  Bill talks about the history of the snowshoe, his favourite places to hike in the winter and we ask the important questions “at what point does a snowshoe become a cross country ski?” Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill and on Twitter: @steertonorthONT To explore more No...

This week Bill brings in his second in command Laura Kielpinski, the Assistant General Manager of the Ecology Centre, onto the show to talk about Christmas in the Forest. Each year sees hundreds of people come to the Canadian Ecology Centre over the course of 3 weekends. The festivities include Santa making a visit, sugar cookie decorating, campfires and more! Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagr...

In this episode Bill describes three environmental catastrophes that impacted Ontario’s landscape. The lack of consultation with both Indigenous Peoples and environmentalists allowed these projects to go through.  These catastrophes helped shape policies to make sure there is accountability and to prioritize the people impacted by these changes.  Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads...

Wade Hemsworth only wrote 20 songs in his career but he has been a staple in Canadian Folk music thanks to hits like “The Blackfly Song” and “The Log Driver’s Waltz”. John Pineau has been known to sit around a campfire with Bill and play songs and tell stories. He joins the show to talk about Wade Hemsworth’s impact on music and breaks out his guitar to serenade us with a couple of Wade’s biggest...

The Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters Association has been instrumental in the growth of tourism in Northern Ontario for just under 100 years since 1929. Laurie Marcel, who is the Executive Director of NOTO, joins Bill and Ben to talk about how NOTO helps shape legislation and the controversial  spring bear hunt that got canceled in the late 90’s. Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backro...

Larry Dyke, Professor Emeritus and longtime member of the Geological Survey of Canada, joins the show as we explore the geology and formation of Ontario’s landscape.  Larry helps answer the questions of how the rock formations in Ontario were formed, The Canadian Shield, and how climate change is going to change our province in the years and centuries to come.  Follow Bill on Facebook & Instag...

It’s the day before Halloween and we invited Chris Darton the director and creator of The Damnation to chat about his new movie! T he Damnation takes place in the small largely Indigenous Canadian communities of Creek and Buffalo Mines.  Since the closing of the mines a number of years ago the area is a shell of its once thriving past.  The area is mostly made up of seniors and Indigenous people w...

Backroads Bill has been predicting the winter season for many years using indigenous teachings taught by Gord Restoule. He breaks down when he thinks winter will start, when it will end, how cold it will get and how much snow we will get. We also compare his prediction to other predictions from the Weather Network and the Farmers Almanac. Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill an...

Budd Cars were a popular way of travel back in the mid 1900s but one still exists in Northern Ontario and has been taking passengers from Sudbury up to White River for many years. It is one of only 2 flag stop trains in Canada. Bill recently went on this train with a few friends and he talks about his experience riding the train alongside our guest Teresa Taillefer. Teresa is an artist who used th...

Gerald Gunkle was tasked by Bill to carve an 8 foot 1500 pound wooden sculpture in the likeness of a sasquatch which now makes it’s home at the Ecology Centre in Mattawa. Gerald shares his process, the challenges he faced, and how they were able to transport this huge sculpture across southern Ontario to it’s newest home. Check out more of Gerald's work here: https://cancarve.com/blog/  Follow Bil...

It is officially fall and today Bill takes us on a road trip all around Ontario to answer the question: what are the best fall destinations? Bill also gives his winter prediction and we celebrate a milestone for the podcast! Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill and on Twitter: @steertonorthONT To explore more North Bay podcasts and to stay updated on local events and news go to...

On part 2 we continue our conversation with Cory Dingle and go further into the implications of asset defamation. Cory talks about the AI program they designed to spot fake paintings but due to legislation can’t use it. He also looks to the future and how he hopes his team’s battle can shape Canadian art fraud laws. Missed part 1? Listen to it here: https://www.northbayecho.ca/norval-morrisseau-th...

Norval Morrisseau was a renowned painter that was coined by the French press as “Picasso of the North” after meeting Pablo Picasso.  For decades his estate has tried to stop the fake paintings that have flooded the market however their hands are tied by Canadian Legislation. Cory Dingle the Executive Director of the Norval Morrisseau Estate joins the podcast in this 2 part episode to shine light o...

The Reesor Siding Tragedy is a somber lesson on how labour disputes can escalate in a quick and ugly. In 19 63 after an escalation between farmers and union workers ended in 3 dead and 8 wounded. Charles “Andy” Beaudoin, author of the novel ‘The Reesor Siding Tragedy: Canada’s Bloodiest Labour Conflict’, spent many years working in the forestry industry and with union labour conflicts. He shares h...

West Red Lake Mining Museum is an open air installation residing on its own island. Completely volunteer run, it pays homage to the rich heritage that made Red Lake what it is today. Enid Carlson and Brian Kreviazuk, who help run the museum, join Bill and Ben in this week's Backroads Bill podcast to talk about the roots they have in the area and why they have put so much of their own time into mai...

Matachewan is home to less than 300 people however it ended up being a source of trade and mining over it’s long history. Kenny Mccollam, who grew up and currently lives in Matachewan, chatted with Bill and Ben about his family’s rich history in the area and both Bill and Kenny see Matachewan as “the place to be”. Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill and on Twitter: @steertonor...

Have you ever wondered what a vacation looks like for Backroads Bill?  Fresh off a 9 day excursion across western and northern Ontario, Bill goes in depth on his trip and has a new destination in his top 10 Ontario destinations.  Bill and Ben also take a look at some potential upcoming guests and episodes! Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill and on Twitter: @steertonorthONT To...

Bill took a recent trip north to High Falls, a majestic and large waterfall found on the backroads. Through some detective work Bill tells the history of this gem and the lost art of the “River Driver”. We also catch up with the next few adventures Bill is going on and Peter Smith dropped off a present for Bill after our sasquatch episodes. Check out the article Bill wrote: https://www.timminstoda...