The Canadian Gothic

For as far back as history can tell, inhabitants of Cape Breton Island have found sustenance in our fisheries, our forests, our coal, Steel, and of course tourism. These industries have brought people to Cape Breton from around the world or sent a little bit of Cape Breton to them. But, if we were considering the island’s greatest exports, well that may come as a bit of a surprise. An unassuming C...

This story is hard to listen to, but equally so, it's important. We are going to be joined by someone who's personal tragedy has positioned them to become an internationally known activist and advocate against sexualized violence and cyber bullying. Her name is Leah Parsons and what she and her family have been through over the last 7 years... simply put... is horrific. The story starts with the r...

Stanton T. Friedman was a nuclear physicist and professional Ufologist who resided in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. After a career working on research and development projects for several large companies, he left his profession to follow his obsession with flying saucers. Although most well known as the original civilian investigator of the Roswell UFO incident, Stanton has travelled the wor...

In this 'Nighttime Live' episode, I am joined by the Operator (host of 911 Calls Podcast) to discuss my favorite 3 minutes of audio EVER. The origin of the audio is a bit of a mystery, but it seems to include two employees of a major Canadian telecommunications company having a very big and very ugly disagreement during an otherwise routine inter company telephone interaction. Donna (who is speaki...

In this Nighttime Live episode I'm joined by Tyler Hooper (a podcast for the missing) to discuss the disappearance and search for Ryan Shtuka. Links referenced in the episode: You can watch the video of this stream here - https://youtu.be/mxW27OYEhgA Listen to Nighttime's 'the Search for Ryan Shtuaka' - https://www.nighttimepodcast.com/episodes/ryan-shtuka Tyler Hooper's 'A Podcast for the Missing...

For a period of time in the late 1980s, Cape Breton’s Chickie Macphee became one of his island’s most famous and most beloved residents. His notoriety didn’t begin with any great feat, show of skill, or significant act of generosity. Chickie Macphee was just a regular Cape Bretoner with a bit of a drinking problem and a love for Karaoke. In this episode, we will explore his unique legacy. Our gues...

For a period of time in the late 1980s, Cape Breton’s Chickie Macphee became one of his island’s most famous and most beloved residents. His notoriety didn’t begin with any great feat, show of skill, or significant act of generosity. Chickie Macphee was just a regular Cape Bretoner with a bit of a drinking problem and a love for Karaoke. In this episode, we will explore his unique legacy. Our gues...

I've always found Cemeteries a calming and peaceful place but not everyone is comfortable roaming their twisted paths and especially so under moonlight. If that describes you, you may find this episode a bit uncomfortable at first as roaming around a graveyard is exactly what we are going to do. But, don’t be scared off just yet, I suspect this walk amongst the dead may change the way you view the...

For a period of weeks, in May of 2007, it appeared a serial killer may have been targeting Halifax Nova Scotia’s gay community. When a suspect was identified and arrested at the Mexican - USA border, it turned out to be something all together different. To put it plainly, Glen Race thought he was destroying vampires.  To help me talk through the story, and to join in the discussion surrounding the...

When Clarenville RCMP Constable Jim Blackwood responded to a report of an unusual object in the sky, he expected it to be the next in a series of recent reports that all resulted in nothing more than a confused citizen describing a vague light. When he arrived to the scene he found a group of mystified witnesses viewing the still clearly visible object with binoculars. He knew then that this repor...

Once upon a time, I loved Tim Horton's. I drank their coffee and I ate their fresh baked goods, but those days are gone. The love affair is long over. To put it bluntly, I think they suck now. What puzzles me, is that it wasn't always this way and that's why I'm left with burning questions...  When did they lose their way, why did they lose their way, and will they ever get back the magic they use...

In this episode, we are going to come face to face with one of most prosecuted people in Nova Scotia's storied history. Our guest is a criminal so hardened that when I asked him for an estimate on the length of his rap sheet, he simply drew a blank and giggled. But, that's probably for the better as listing the charges this man has faced would be about as interesting, and as exhausting, as reading...

In this 'Nighttime Classic' episode, Randy and I revisit the 2017 episode covering strange stories set in Tim Hortons restaurants.  Episode Summary Tim Hortons Coffee Shop undoubtedly plays a role in the lives of many Canadians. That said, Canadians can be strange and Tim Hortons can be a strange place. This episode sets out to prove it. This episode compiles a collection of stranger than fiction...

In this episode, we are going to be joined by one of the more colourful characters to ever grace Canada's music charts.  Our guest is as well known for his awe-inspiring talents on the fiddle as he is for the strange stories and controversy scattered throughout his 30 year career. If you followed Canadian music in the 90s, you know Ashley Macisaac.  His 1995 album 'Hi how are you today' went doubl...

According to him, the story starts in the 1970s when two extraterrestrials entered his home through his television set and took him aboard their spacecraft. While on board, he claims to have been taught engineering concepts unknown to mankind.  From that point on, David Hamel would dedicate nearly every cent and every moment he had trying to build a flying saucer with hopes of one day travelling t...

This story centers around a famous professional wrestling entertainer, who in 2007 while at the peak of his career, brutally murdered his wife and young son. Why he did it, and what led to this tragedy, has remained the source of speculation. Then, how this was handled by his employer, WWE, is a story all in it’s own. We are going to get into all of it. In this episode of Nighttime we are joined b...

Wyses Corner, Nova Scotia, 2015 The story we are going to hear involves a raging house fire, 3 deaths, a dramatic police take down, and successful use of the controversial NCR or not criminally responsible legal defense.  The unfortunate stars in this tragedy are the Hennigars, who have felt cornered by Canada's treatment of its mentally ill long before members of their family began to die. In thi...

24 year old Cortney Lake was last seen the evening of June 7, 2017 in the area of her Mount Pearl, NL home. At the time of her disappearance, Cortney’s life was in a state somewhere between transition and turmoil. An ex boyfriend had just been released from prison for a series of crimes against her, whereas another ex, the father of her young son, was pressuring her to rekindle the romantic relati...

24 year old Cortney Lake was last seen the evening of June 7, 2017 in the area of her Mount Pearl, NL home. At the time of her disappearance, Cortney’s life was in a state somewhere between transition and turmoil. An ex boyfriend had just been released from prison for a series of crimes against her, whereas another ex, the father of her young son, was pressuring her to rekindle the romantic relati...

At the time of her disappearance, 27 year old Holly Clark was pursuing her dream to be a professional musician in Hamilton, Ontario. However suddenly, and with little warning, she seemed to find herself on the brink of crisis. On the morning of January 10th, 2020 Holly phoned her parents in Calgary to request help returning home. During the call Holly would share the frightening, yet vague, detail...

At the time of her disappearance, 27 year old Holly Clark was pursuing her dream to be a professional musician in Hamilton, Ontario. However suddenly, and with little warning, she seemed to find herself on the brink of crisis.  On the morning of January 10th, 2020 Holly phoned her parents in Calgary to request help returning home. During the call Holly would share the frightening, yet vague, detai...

At the time of her disappearance, 27 year old Holly Clark was pursuing her dream to be a professional musician in Hamilton, Ontario. However suddenly, and with little warning, she seemed to find herself on the brink of crisis.  On the morning of January 10th, 2020 Holly phoned her parents in Calgary to request help returning home. During the call Holly would share the frightening, yet vague, detai...

At the time of her disappearance, 27 year old Holly Clark was pursuing her dream to be a professional musician in Hamilton, Ontario. However suddenly, and with little warning, she seemed to find herself on the brink of crisis.  On the morning of January 10th, 2020 Holly phoned her parents in Calgary to request help returning home. During the call Holly would share the frightening, yet vague, detai...

At the time of her disappearance, 27 year old Holly Clark was pursuing her dream to be a professional musician in Hamilton, Ontario. However suddenly, and with little warning, she seemed to find herself on the brink of crisis.  On the morning of January 10th, 2020 Holly phoned her parents in Calgary and pleaded for help returning home. During the call Holly would share the frightening, yet vague d...

Taylor Mitchell was a singer and songwriter from Toronto. After the encouraging reviews of her debut album ‘For Your Consideration’ Taylor was seen as an up and coming star. In October of 2009, Taylor embarked on a tour of Eastern Canada to promote her album. Tragically, the tour and Taylor’s life would be cut short as a result of a horrific event on a popular hiking trail on Cape Breton Island, N...