#118 The Hermit Kingdom Of British Columbia
  • Search
    • Sign up for our newsletter
    Short Cuts
    #118 The Hermit Kingdom Of British Columbia
    British Columbia had an election where everybody won - or at least got an 'I Participated' ribbon.
    May 11, 2017
    Share

    British Columbia had an election where everybody won – or at least got an ‘I Participated’ ribbon.

    Also, Rebel Media wades into the French election like a skunk splashing around a backyard kiddie pool.

    Finally, black activist and journalist Desmond Cole takes leave from the Toronto Star after the corporation suggests they’d appreciate it if he wouldn’t mind being a little less active and a lot less black.

    The National Observer’s Sandy Garossino joins us.

    I think you should be getting our newsletter

    Get a weekly note about our top stories.

    This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.

    More from this series
    #1 Parliament shooting/Amanda Bynes/Barbara Kay
    Emma Rose Teitel of Macleans Magazine talks about the myth of superior Canadian breaking news coverage and the different rules the media has for crazy men and crazy women. Also, a folk song for cranky columnist Barbara Kay.
    November 6, 2014
    #2 UnNews/Ezra Levant/Don Cherry
    John Semley, contributor to the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star talks with Jesse about the media pageantry around Remembrance Day, reporting on viral videos, Ezra Levant's supposed boner and Don Cherry's shrinking box.
    November 13, 2014
    #3 Harper & Putin/Book Prizes
    Playwright Michael Healey on Harper's theatrical handshake diss and the problem with the Gillers
    November 20, 2014
    #4 Ghomeshi/Rehtaeh/Ferguson
    Denise Balkissoon joins to talk about how insecure employment impacts journalism, why we need to say her name, and why there's no "Canadian angle" on Ferguson.
    November 27, 2014
    #5 Joni Mitchell/CraveTV/Ben Levin
    Emma Teitel returns as Dave Bidini mansplains class to Joni Mitchell, Bell's news orgs "report" on Bell's new product, and SUN news illustrates the Liberal-lesbian-pedophile meetup that wasn't.
    December 4, 2014
    #6 Torture/Payola/Oscar Clip Journalism
    Jan Wong returns to talk about Canada's war criminals, the CBC on the take, and the Globe and Mail fishing for awards
    December 10, 2014
    #7 Charlie Hebdo/Ghomeshi/Keystone
    Jen Gerson of the National Post joins to talk about chickenshit editors and why Keystone XL is just like Kim Kardashian.
    January 7, 2015
    #8 Amanda Lang/Charlie Hebdo
    Sean Craig explains why his Amanda Lang expose is actually about how good CBC's journalism is, and Jeet Heer describes an unspeakable cartoon of Jesse's dad.
    January 15, 2015
    #9 Two Annoying Jerks
    Simon Houpt and Jesse talk about their own journalism
    January 22, 2015
    #10 Dean Blundell/Racist Winnipeg
    Scaachi Koul of Hazlitt talks about tolerated abusers and intolerable headlines.
    January 28, 2015
    #11 John Baird/Anti-Terror
    Why is the media so incurious about John Baird's sudden resignation? Why is Baird being so vigorously lionized? Torontoist staff writer Desmond Cole talks with Jesse about this, and about what we're not allowed to discuss as we submit to new anti-terror laws.
    February 4, 2015
    #12 Blocked by Mallick/Defamed by the Post/Closeted by the Media
    Joe Clark returns to defend Heather Mallick, decry Terence Corcoran and shatter Ottawa's glass closet.
    February 11, 2015
    #13 White Terrorists/Legal Niqab/Desperate Harper
    Andray Domise on the Halifax murder plot, Zunera Ishaq's badassery and why Harper can't find a better enemy than Radio Canada lefties.
    February 18, 2015
    #14 Mystery Tunnel/Opinion Polls/Sex Ed
    Scaachi Koul returns to discuss the panic over a hole in the ground in the woods, the trouble with opinion polls on policy issues, and the possibly phony debate around teaching kids what their junk is called.
    February 25, 2015
    #15 Terrorist’s Selfie/Trudeau’s Speech/Lang’s Whitewash
    Colby Cosh talks about the Zehaf Bibeau video, Trudeau's "vision" speech and CBC's coverage of CBC's report on CBC's scandal.
    March 11, 2015
    #16 CRTC vs TV/is C-51 a Feint?
    Novelist and Orphan Black writer Lynn Coady on the new CanCon rules and on the Conservative's barrage of extreme, divisive, distracting sound bites.
    March 18, 2015
    #17 News by Bell/Topless Discourse
    A Bell executive gets caught meddling with the news and the debate on Bill C-51 gets distracted by boobs. Conservative cartoonist J.J. McCullough co-hosts.
    March 26, 2015
    #18 Syria/Duffy/Furlong
    Paul Wells on Canada's "expanded" mission against ISIS, the coming trial of Mike Duffy, and the media's shameful treatment of journalist Laura Robinson and her dozens of First Nations sources.
    April 1, 2015
    #19 New Hosts/Montreal Protests/Daily VICE
    Desmond Cole and Andray Domise, the hosts of CANADALAND's upcoming weekly Politics podcast, talk about the Montreal student strike and VICE's daily newscast
    April 8, 2015
    #20 Alberta Upset/Sex-Ed Optics
    Jen Gerson of the National Post on the improbable defeat of the Conservatives in Alberta and the strategy behind anti sex-ed protests in Ontario.
    April 15, 2015
    #21 Senate Elections/Budget Boredom/RadioOnTheTV
    Comedian/economist/"candidate" Scott Vrooman on the federal budget and CBC TV's "get 'er done" programming strategy.
    April 22, 2015
    #22 Baltimore
    Paul Jay runs the Real News Network from Baltimore, but he used to produce CounterSpin for CBC TV. He speaks with Jesse about riots and the media.
    April 30, 2015
    #23 Alberta/C-51/The Brown Fallacy
    The National Post's Jen Gerson on the victory of the NDP, the victory of Bill C-51, and the failure (says she!) of Jesse's logic.
    May 6, 2015
    #24 Muzzled Scientists/Harper Pulls Out
    Evidence For Democracy's Executive Director Dr. Katie Gibbs on the muzzling of federal government scientists and Stephen Harper's withdrawal from the consortium's federal leaders debate.
    May 20, 2015
    #25 Wynne Documentary/Bugingo
    Jesse on White Pine Pictures's cancelled documentary about Kathleen Wynne, and La Presse journalist Isabelle Hachey on foreign correspondent François Bugingo.
    May 27, 2015
    #26 Horny Press/Zehaf-Bibeau Video/Khadr Doc
    Freelance journalist Adrian MacNair on the press' spring fever, the RCMP's release of 18 missing seconds of the Michael Zehaf-Bibeau video, and the CBC's Omar Khadr documentary.
    June 3, 2015
    #27 Evan Solomon/Harper Family Secrets
    VICE staff reporter Hilary Beaumont on the CBC's firing of Evan Solomon and the RCMP's secret, sealed court documents that may contain allegations of RCMP wrongdoing and personal information about Stephen Harper's family.
    June 10, 2015
    #28 The Trial of John Furlong/Smearing Snowden
    Freelance writer Denise Balkissoon on Laura Robinson's defamation suit against John Furlong and the CBC's modified headline following the publication of Glenn Greenwald's exposé of a false Sunday Times report.
    June 18, 2015
    #29 Terrorism is Over/The Crazy Bitch Defense
    Freelance writer John Semley on the Toronto Star's Charleston headline and Laura Robinson's ongoing defamation suit against John Furlong.
    June 24, 2015
    #30 Vulgar Canada/We’re Better Than News
    Guardian stringer John Barber on the Mother Canada debacle, the RCMP's Musical military Ride, and Kory Teneycke's revealing flub.
    July 1, 2015
    #31 So About That ‘Women Editors’ Thing…
    Scaachi Koul lambasts Jesse for errors made in reporting on sexism at The Globe and Mail.
    July 9, 2015
    #32 #CPCJesus/Attack Ads
    Maclean's Magazine's Paul Wells on #CPCJesus and recent federal attack ads.
    July 16, 2015
    #33 Man In Blue Suit/Ezra Wants Attention
    lnfoNews Kelowna's managing editor Marshall Jones on Stephen Harper's pointless photo op and Ezra Levant's feud with Catherine Porter.
    July 30, 2015
    #34 Election Distractions/Chris Hyndman
    Vice's Hilary Beaumont on Nigel Wright's Duffy trial testimonial and the media's coverage of Chris Hyndman's passing.
    August 13, 2015
    #35 Duffy Fatigue/Black Monday
    Author and journalist Mark Bourrie makes a triumphant return to make heads or tails of the public's Duffy trial apathy, alarmist Black Monday coverage, and Stephen Harper's traveling roadshow.
    August 27, 2015
    #36 Maher Arar/Mohamed Fahmy/Flipped Advertorials
    The media treated Maher Arar like shit. So why hasn't anyone apologized? Ottawa crank and iPolitics writer Andrew Mitrovica discusses this, plus John Baird's empty promises of Mohamed Fahmy's imminent release, and The Globe and Mail's groundbreaking upside down Mercedes Benz advertorials.
    September 4, 2015
    37
    #37 Candidates Gone Wild/Mansbridge Sits In A Field
    This week on Conservative Follies (with special guest Adrienne Batra of The Sun): An incumbent MP crashes out of the bushes to make a citizen's arrest, a candidate urinates in someone else's mug, and yet another candidate realizes that crank calling Pfizer is hard to come back from. Elsewhere, Peter Mansbridge wears an unseasonably warm polar fleece while interviewing three men about stuff we've heard before.
    September 10, 2015
    #38 Paul Watson/Election Hot Mess
    Two guest co-hosts tackle a dozen topics. Freelancer Paul Watson and Buzzfeed Canada's Paul McLeod discuss Star Touch, the budget surplus, the refugee crisis, Cons buying Facebook Likes, and Paul Watson's much-anticipated Erebus piece.
    September 16, 2015
    #39 Fahmy/Weaponization of Public Affairs/Polaris
    Freelance writer John Semley and food podcaster Jessica Walker discuss Mohamed Fahmy's long-awaited release from Egyptian prison, Chief of Defense Staff General Jon Vance's recent announcement of strategic DND leaks to journalists, and the Polaris Prize Gala.
    September 24, 2015
    #41 Ugliest Election
    It's been a gross week in Canadian politics. CANADALAND editor Jane Lytvynenko discusses citizenship revocation, the "barbaric cultural practices" hotline, the ongoing Niqab controversy (the everlasting gobstopper of #exln42), and whether the media has the power to shape the election.
    October 9, 2015
    #42 End Game: Dirty Tricks
    Mark Bourrie talks dirty campaign moves, Jeffrey Simpson's 10,000 word Globe and Mail piece, and the credibility of polls.
    October 15, 2015
    #40 Munk Debate/Trudeau’s Hard Knock Life
    Robert Jago of Some Random Political Blog and Simren Sandhu of The True North Times tackle the Munk Debate and Jon Kay's profile of Justin Trudeau.
    October 22, 2015
    #44 Shit List/Public Editors/Sammy Yatim
    Journalist Carly Lewis on rape lists, the Globe & Mail's decision to withhold the publication of a Liberal government scandal on election day, The Star's botched response to a botched car sex story, and the truth about Sammy Yatim.
    October 29, 2015
    #43 Which News Org Won The Election?
    In this dissection of election media coverage, Macleans's Laura Payton peers in while Jesse holds the knife.
    October 29, 2015
    #45 Trudeaumania?/Gender Parity/Mounties vs. Vice
    Ben Makuch, Vice's national security reporter, discusses Trudeau's cabinet swearing in, CBC's The National's gender parity panel, why the Mounties are out for Ben, and J. Kelly Nestruck's brush with New Zealand sports reporting.
    November 4, 2015
    #46 Canadian News Hall of Fame/Mansbridge’s Wedding Package/Whiny Telecom
    Buzzfeed Canada's social news editor Lauren Strapagiel discusses the fabled Canadian News Hall of Fame, Peter Mansbridge's exclusive access to Trudeau, and Bell's pleas to eradicate fairness and restore oligopoly.
    November 12, 2015
    #47 Empathy Gap/Paris Errors/Domestic Backlash
    What was it like in a Paris newsroom when the attacks happened? Did the media really ignore the Beirut bombing? Plus the photoshopped "terrorist" and the backlash here in Canada. Omar Mouallem joins, and France 24's Charles Pellegrin talks to CANADALAND's Jane Lytvynenko.
    November 18, 2015
    #48 Liberal Leaks/Newfoundland Goof/Furlong’s Comeback
    Rosemary Barton states incorrect facts about Trudeau's refugee plan. Parliament Hill journos attempt to get into the ring with Cabinet Ministers but the Ministers are on another floor. CANADALAND gets NFLD's ATIP reform "spectacularly wrong." The National Post passes judgement on Furlong's accusers without actually speaking to the accusers. CANADALAND publishes their affidavits. Buzzfeed's Paul McLeod discusses.
    November 25, 2015
    #49 Nannies/Indigenous Comments/Collateral Teen
    The National Post's Ashley Csanady on the Prime Minister's childcare, the CBC closing comments on all stories about First Nations, the teenager at the center of a media firestorm and three puff-pieces in three papers about three powerful people.
    December 3, 2015
    #50 Media B&E In San Bernardino/Bill 59/Bad For Shad
    National Post writer and editor Jen Gerson on the ethics of reporting from the San Bernardino shooters' apartment, Bill 59, and Simon Houpt's critique of Shad.
    December 9, 2015
    #51 Vice Unite!/Star Comments/Choir Hoax
    The employees of Vice Canada are starting a union drive. Toronto Star closes down online commenting. An Ottawa children's choir sings a welcoming Arabic song that draws mistaken assumptions on social and mainstream media. Ishmael Daro, Buzzfeed's Social News Editor, co-hosts.
    December 17, 2015
    #52 Refugee Happy Smiles A-Ok!
    The Trudeau government failed to hit the refugee targets promised during the election campaign, but maybe Canadians would rather just feel nice about ourselves again. Elsewhere, reporters are using cringeworthy semi-nude photos and salacious language to accompany stories on sex abuse. Buzzfeed's Lauren Strapagiel schools Jesse with magical results.
    January 7, 2016
    #53 Peacekeeper Arms Dealer
    Naitonal Post's Jen Gerson talks about cuts at Postmedia, Canada's arms deal with Saudi Arabia and journalists changing industries.
    January 11, 2016
    #54 Canada is Hip and Sophie Trudeau is a Disney Princess
    Omar Mouallem discusses Canada's new hip status, Vancity Buzz's release of an unblurred photo leaked from police and job cuts at Postmedia.
    January 20, 2016
    #55 Gregory Alan Elliott and the Future of Being Awful Online
    Buzzfeed's Scaachi Koul joins Jesse to talk about the Gregory Alan Elliott harassment trial, James Forcillo's verdict in the killing of Sammy Yatim and the public insults between Postmedia's Paul Godfrey and Torstar's John Honderich.
    January 28, 2016
    #56 Notes on the Ghomeshi Trial
    NOT SORRY writer Vicky Mochama joins Jesse to talk about the Ghomeshi trial, press access to the Liberals and journalists not understanding satire.
    February 11, 2016
    #57 #Ghomeshi: The Eggs Awaken
    The Twitter eggs are emboldened by coverage of the Ghomeshi trial. Jen Gerson co-hosts.
    February 16, 2016
    #58 Poondits
    Music critic Chandler Levack joins Jesse to talk about The Rebel, Canadian coverage of the Grammys and a decline in news consumption.
    February 17, 2016
    #59 LOOKING FOR NON-WHITE NON-MEN
    About that thing with Scaachi...
    February 24, 2016
    #60 Trump Refugees Stay Home
    On Americans threatening to move to Canada, Viceland and why skinny basic is awful.
    March 3, 2016
    #61 Rap Amnesty for Wab Kinew
    As Wab Kinew campaigns in Manitoba, the media has seized on his misogynistic rap lyrics from the past. A reporter for The Rebel claims she was doused in pee and the story only gets stupider the closer you look. And have we reached peak Justin Trudeau?
    March 9, 2016
    #62 Lend Me Ten Bucks to Buy a National Newspaper Chain?
    Jen Gerson on the sale of Postmedia, Toronto Star's publisher stepping down and the big pile of money the CBC's about to get.
    March 17, 2016
    #63 Why I Miss Rob Ford
    Stephen Marche co-hosts on coverage of Rob Ford in life and death, CBC funding and CBC’s pledge to eliminate anonymous comments.
    March 25, 2016
    #64 The Ghomeshi Ruling
    Anne Kingston joins Jesse to talk about the ruling in the Ghomeshi trial.
    April 1, 2016
    #65 A Financial Column for Supervillains
    BuzzFeed's Scaachi Koul and Islamic Monthly's Davide Mastracci on the Panama Papers, Jon Kay's about piece political correctness keeping down the poor and Heather Mallick's latest column on diversity.
    April 6, 2016
    #66 How the CBC Bungled the Panama Papers
    The CBC messed up the Panama Papers, the Liberals misled us about the Saudi arms deal, the Chronicle Herald stokes fears about refugees and the media looks at the Attawapiskat suicide crisis.
    April 17, 2016
    #67 Quantum Leap Manifesto
    Ex-Chronicle Herald columnist Lezlie Lowe talks about quitting the paper over its refugee schoolyard story, Trudeau's quantum computing spiel and how pundits have handled the Leap Manifesto.
    April 20, 2016
    #68 Wente/Duffy/Ghomeshi Fatigue
    Why Wente, Duffy and Ghomeshi all still matter. Jen Gerson co-hosts.
    April 27, 2016
    #69 Fort Mac is Gone
    BuzzFeed Canada's Paul McLeod on the fire in Fort McMurray and VICE's exclusive access to Trudeau's visit to Shoal Lake 40.
    May 4, 2016
    #70 Fort Mac Is Still There
    Vincent McDermott and Cullen Bird of Fort McMurray Today talk about what the media got right and wrong in covering the wildfire.
    May 11, 2016
    #71 Duly Noted
    The RCMP’s surveillance of journalists, Postmedia’s plea for government money and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau’s unscripted interview moment. Plus, a new segment. Omar Mouallem co-hosts.
    May 22, 2016
    #72 In the Pocket of Big Opera
    Paul Wells joins Jesse to talk about big opera, Kevin O'Leary and #elbowgate.
    May 25, 2016
    #73 Giant Novelty Spliff
    Terrifying parents, covering pot laws and political conventions. The National Post's Chris Selley co-hosts.
    June 1, 2016
    #74 Suicide, Silence and the Star
    How the media handled a reporter’s death by suicide, controversy over a VICE documentary and the Chinese Foreign Minister berates a reporter.
    June 13, 2016
    #75 I Need to Talk Shit About John Ivison
    Response to Orlando, John Ivison's basless column on Bill C-51 and a split at the National Magazine Awards.
    June 16, 2016
    #76 National Crisis: Strombo Needs Job
    With serial TV host George Stroumboulopoulos leaving Hockey Night in Canada, Jesse and Ashley discuss Canadian media’s obsession with keeping established stars on air.
    June 22, 2016
    #77 A Powerful Person Called Me A Boobie
    Meet Aliya Pabani, the (new) host of The Imposter. Then, Jen Gerson Co-Hosts.
    July 1, 2016
    #78 White Pundits Matter
    The pundits have been out in full force after Black Lives Matter disrupted the Toronto Pride Parade.
    July 7, 2016
    #79 Lone Wolf Tenor
    Freelancer Matt Braga joins Jesse to talk about Pokémon Go and the state of investigative journalism in Canada.
    July 14, 2016
    #80 Gerbils Are Eating Their Young
    The world is doomed, a comedian is fined for a joke and the Ottawa Citizen tells us white privilege is not a thing.
    July 28, 2016
    #81 The Prime Minister’s Nipples
    The National Post's Jen Gerson joins Jesse to discuss the Prime Minister's nipples and layoffs at the Toronto Star.
    August 11, 2016
    #82 Greasy Jungle
    Author and journalist Stephen Marche joins Jesse to talk about the Tragically Hip's final tour and the Rob Ford crack video.
    August 25, 2016
    #83 Oh God, Fine, Let’s Talk About Israel
    COMMONS hosts Vicky and Supriya join Jesse to talk about an MP publicly shaming a comedian, Canadian Press's flawed story on extremist literature in Mosques, and yes... Israel.
    September 1, 2016
    #84 The Last Anchorman
    Media writer Steve Faguy joins Jesse to talk about Peter Mansbridge leaving The National and changes to the rules of how TV is made and paid for.
    September 8, 2016
    #85 A Different Flavour Of Garbage
    Freelance journalist and former Liberal speechwriter Colin Horgan joins Jesse to talk about a cultural death panel and the latest cockamamie scheme in Canadian media.
    September 15, 2016
    #86 Yaaasss Trudeau (Owl Sex)
    BuzzFeed's Ishmael Daro joins Jesse to talk about Justin's trip to the UN and the latest owl sex controversy in the magazine world.
    September 22, 2016
    #87 Can’t Compete, Won’t Try: The Shomi Story
    Freelancer Drew Brown joins Jesse to talk about the death of Shomi, Maryam Monsef's birthplace and Margaret Wente's adventures in Newfoundland.
    September 29, 2016
    #88 Print Divas And Wankers On The Web
    Toronto Star's Paul Wells joins Jesse to talk about magazines going digital and journalists leaving Twitter.
    October 6, 2016
    #89 The Plight Of The Fragile White Man
    White fragility on the radio and coverage of the government revoking citizenship with VICE Canada's Manisha Krishnan.
    October 13, 2016
    #90 The United Nations Vs. Ezra Levant
    The Rebel is denied press accreditation for the UN climate conference. Rogers' CEO is out. The National Post's Tristin Hopper co-hosts.
    October 20, 2016
    #91 Was Shad Set Up To Fail?
    Lawyer and freelancer Dee Roderique joins Jesse to talk about the rebrand of CBC Radio's q, the Globe and Mail's coverage of Indigenous men in the justice system and Jesse's polemic in The Guardian.
    October 27, 2016
    #92 Cops Vs. Reporters
    National Post reporter Ashley Csanady joins Jesse to talk about police surveillance of a journalist and the ongoing government inquiries into the future of media.
    November 3, 2016
    #93 Hurt Me Right In The Democracy
    Vice's Justin Ling joins Jesse to talk about the US election, naughty CSIS, and CBC's lukewarm takes.
    November 10, 2016
    #94 Stop Trying To Make Canadian Trump Happen
    Writer & journalist Omar Mouallem joins Jesse to talk about Trump copycat Kellie Leitch, racism in Canada, and the RCMP spoonfeeding journalists.
    November 17, 2016
    #95 CanLit Clusterfuck
    Co-host Sheila Heti talks about signing, then retracting her name from a letter that's put the CanLit scene in turmoil. And should CBC go ad-free?
    November 24, 2016
    #96 #NotAllTyrants
    VICE's Justin Ling joins Jesse to talk about Trudeau's praise of Castro, the RCMP's public relations maneuvering and the CBC's proposal to go ad-free.
    December 1, 2016
    #97 Cuddler Of Democracy
    Canadian protestors imitate angry Americans, the Liberals get into the online quiz biz and Toronto Life's profile of Star reporter Raveena Aulakh. Danielle Paradis of Metro Edmonton co-hosts.
    December 8, 2016
    #98 Ezra Issues A Fatwa
    Journalist Haley Jarmain received death threats at a Rebel rally, and Ezra Levant doesn’t believe her. Should we rethink political journalism in the post-truth era?
    December 15, 2016
    #99 How To Cry At Work
    CBC's The Current is providing helpful tips for women to succeed in the workplace, including how not to cry.
    December 22, 2016
    #101 Joseph Boyden: Two Worlds, Two Debates
    Joseph Boyden is a celebrated, award-winning indigenous novelist - who might not actually be native.
    January 5, 2017
    #102 Successful Pile Of Garbage
    Buzzfeed released a dossier of compromising information about Trump. John Furlong is reinstated as a UBC speaker. Disclosures aren't Jon Kay's strong suit.
    January 12, 2017
    #103 You Cannot Embarrass Us Into Voting Rationally
    Christy Clark gets written up in the NYTimes for accepting $50,000 from the BC Liberals. Justin Trudeau enjoys identifying with immigrants on occasion. Student activists pull the old bait-and-switch on Justin Trudeau. Kevin O'Leary enters the Conservative leadership campaign.
    January 19, 2017
    #104 Stunts And Manhunts
    What can Harper-era journalism teach us about covering Trump? CBC Marketplace sold a white power t-shirt. The Rebel really loves manhunts. O'Leary says all his old television appearances were reality TV.
    January 26, 2017
    #105 I Miss Polite Canadian Racism
    British Columbia had an election where everybody won – or at least got an ‘I Participated’ ribbon. Also, Rebel Media wades into the French election like a skunk splashing around a backyard kiddie pool. Finally, black activist and journalist Desmond Cole takes leave from the Toronto Star after the corporation suggests they’d appreciate it if he wouldn’t mind being a little less active and a lot less black. The National Observer’s Sandy Garossino joins us. I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
    February 2, 2017
    #106 How To Exploit A Massacre
    Rebel Media's at it again, this time  seizing on the initial narrative about the Quebec massacre's alleged 'second shooter' like a dog humping its favourite plush toy and refusing to let go.
    February 9, 2017
    #107 The Triumph Of Joe Trudeau
    PMJT flew all the way to Washington, DC, for a handshake. Not sure if anything else of consequence happened while he was there. Really, the handshake was the key.
    February 16, 2017
    #108 I’m Done With You On This Topic
    Refugees continue to stream across the Canada-U.S. border, presumably for photo-ops with smiling Canadian Mounties. Also, Milo Yiannopoulos finally finds the nail on which conservative Americans can hang him.
    February 23, 2017
    #173 Robyn Doolittle On Breaking The Story Of The Year
    In the months after Robyn Doolittle's groundbreaking series of exposés about the scandal-ridden Toronto mayor Rob Ford, she left the Toronto Star for a new investigative role at the Globe & Mail. Then, mostly, silence. Her lack of bylines belied her hard work behind the scenes as she dug into what would become the story of the year: a 20-month investigation into police departments across Canada and their chronic underreporting of sexual assaults being filed.
    February 27, 2017
    #109 Kellie Leitch: Tracking Bullshit In From The Barn
    Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch released a video this week that was somewhere between political platform and performance play. Also, Kevin O'Leary continues to draw a paycheque from CNBC while running for the same role.
    March 2, 2017
    #110 CPAC And Chill
    George Soros, the Koch Brothers, and the Reverse Vampires™ are out to overwhelm you with a barrage of news. Is there a way to discern kernels of truth in this "chaos machine?"
    March 9, 2017
    #111 Rebel Media’s Nazi Problem
    Is Rebel Media's embrace of free speech leading to rampant anti-semitism and virulent racism?
    March 16, 2017
    #112 Quebec Is Butthurt Again
    A screed against Quebec's 'pathologically alienated and low-trust society' in Macleans has drawn howls of protest from Quebeckers - but is it wrong?
    March 23, 2017
    #113 CANADA 150: Here’s Who’s Pissed Off So Far
    CBC’s miniseries “The Story of Us,” is only two episodes in, but manages to upset literally everyone (except Joseph Boyden). Justin Trudeau endorses CBC’s Canada150 fiasco--and his favourite microbrew, Labatt150.
    April 6, 2017
    #114 PariahCast
    Jian Ghomeshi is back and the nation breathes a collective "Ewww...really?"
    April 13, 2017
    #115 Trump V. Milk
    The scandals continue piling up on B.C. Premier Christy Clark's administration, yet it doesn't seem to be getting a ton of press.
    April 20, 2017
    #116 To Hell With Weed, We Have A Fentanyl Crisis
    The Prime Minister showed up at Vice to talk about the Liberal government's marijuana legalization plan, but was blindsided when frontline harm reduction worker Zoe Dodd confronted him on the opioid overdose epidemic going on across the country.
    April 27, 2017
    #117 Blatch Got Served
    Is the media complicit in popping Harjit Sajjan's balloon?
    May 4, 2017
    #118 The Hermit Kingdom Of British Columbia
    British Columbia had an election where everybody won - or at least got an 'I Participated' ribbon.
    May 11, 2017
    #119 Changing Of The Guard
    Hal Niedzviecki and Jonathan Kay have left their jobs. Steve Ladurantaye's been shifted to a lesser role at CBC. And no, we're not finished talking about this yet.
    May 18, 2017
    #120 The “Trust” Committee
    This week, The Guardian continued its exemplary coverage of Canadian university student unions.
    May 25, 2017
    #121 Parkdale Class War!!
    The Conservatives have a new, dimpled, leader, Nova Scotians have more of the same, and British Columbians have an unprecedented lefty hybrid. How effective was media coverage of these three electoral events?
    June 1, 2017
    #122 Imagine If Your Daughter Was Eaten By Otters
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland stands up to the sole remaining global superpower like a newborn kitten taking on Galactus.
    June 8, 2017
    #123 Out Of (Teen) Vogue
    Breitbart News has convinced concerned Christian families that Ontario’s new child protection laws will bring forth a queer totalitarian state.
    June 15, 2017
    #124 Quote Governor General Unquote
    Governor General David Johnston issued a mea culpa over his radio interview in which he refers to Indigenous peoples as immigrants.
    June 22, 2017
    #125 #Mansbridge150
    The Toronto Star put the final nail in the coffin of Star Touch, its $20-30-million app for a device that most people don't have or use. And, after praising themselves for its bold innovation, quietly laid off 30 journalists.
    June 29, 2017
    #126 Child Soldiers, Proud Boys
    Politicians and columnists twist Omar Khadr's story, an MP plagiarizes co-host Erica Violet Lee and the press responds to Indigenous activism at Canada150.
    July 5, 2017
    COMMONS: The Rise of the Right
    The COMMONS team digs into the rise of far right groups like the Proud Boys, Soldiers of Odin and the Three Percenters.
    July 12, 2017
    127
    SHORT CUTS – Shopping Khadr To Fox News
    The Conservative Party takes their latest wedge issue to the US media, a Quebec town won't let Muslims bury their dead and Trudeau lays out some hot summer jams. BuzzFeed's Elamin Abdelmahmoud co-hosts.
    July 19, 2017
    128
    SHORT CUTS – MSM on FGM: WTF?
    British Columbia had an election where everybody won – or at least got an ‘I Participated’ ribbon. Also, Rebel Media wades into the French election like a skunk splashing around a backyard kiddie pool. Finally, black activist and journalist Desmond Cole takes leave from the Toronto Star after the corporation suggests they’d appreciate it if he wouldn’t mind being a little less active and a lot less black. The National Observer’s Sandy Garossino joins us. I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
    July 27, 2017
    129
    SHORT CUTS – Arctic DNA
    British Columbia had an election where everybody won – or at least got an ‘I Participated’ ribbon. Also, Rebel Media wades into the French election like a skunk splashing around a backyard kiddie pool. Finally, black activist and journalist Desmond Cole takes leave from the Toronto Star after the corporation suggests they’d appreciate it if he wouldn’t mind being a little less active and a lot less black. The National Observer’s Sandy Garossino joins us. I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
    August 10, 2017
    #130 Rebel Meltdown
    Ezra Levant attempts to distance his far right website The Rebel from the alt-right, claiming he's just learned that the movement is for racists. And a long strike at Nova Scotia's largest newspaper ends, as some seriously shitty journalistic practices by replacement workers come to light.
    August 16, 2017
    131
    SHORT CUTS – Mommy, Where Do Issues Come From?
    British Columbia had an election where everybody won – or at least got an ‘I Participated’ ribbon. Also, Rebel Media wades into the French election like a skunk splashing around a backyard kiddie pool. Finally, black activist and journalist Desmond Cole takes leave from the Toronto Star after the corporation suggests they’d appreciate it if he wouldn’t mind being a little less active and a lot less black. The National Observer’s Sandy Garossino joins us. I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
    August 31, 2017
    132
    SHORT CUTS – Enough About Antifa, Let’s Fight Fascists
    British Columbia had an election where everybody won – or at least got an ‘I Participated’ ribbon. Also, Rebel Media wades into the French election like a skunk splashing around a backyard kiddie pool. Finally, black activist and journalist Desmond Cole takes leave from the Toronto Star after the corporation suggests they’d appreciate it if he wouldn’t mind being a little less active and a lot less black. The National Observer’s Sandy Garossino joins us. I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
    September 7, 2017
    133
    SHORT CUTS – We Support You, Hostile Idiot!
    Jagmeet Singh gracefully responded to a racist idiot, which proves he can lead a major political party we guess. Also, racism is totally not a problem anymore, according to the most widely-read columnists in the country.
    September 14, 2017
    134
    SHORT CUTS – The Wab Kinew Situation
    British Columbia had an election where everybody won – or at least got an ‘I Participated’ ribbon. Also, Rebel Media wades into the French election like a skunk splashing around a backyard kiddie pool. Finally, black activist and journalist Desmond Cole takes leave from the Toronto Star after the corporation suggests they’d appreciate it if he wouldn’t mind being a little less active and a lot less black. The National Observer’s Sandy Garossino joins us. I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
    September 21, 2017
    #135 It’s Important To Kick These People When They’re Down
    Some unsolicited advice for This American Life. And the Globe and Mail launches a project to teach kids about media manipulation... through media manipulation.
    September 27, 2017
    #136 Will You Denounce Terry Milewski’s Moustache?
    Coverage of the Edmonton terror attack, the CBC's bizarre interview with Jagmeet Singh and media reaction to the new CanCon plan.
    October 5, 2017
    #137 Sour Gas, Racist Soap
    A sour note on a huge investigation into sour gas, coverage of the Liberals' tax plan and the sneaky way CBC journalists can criticize the CBC.
    October 11, 2017
    #138 Andrew Scheer Does Not Want His Name In Headlines With The Rebel
    The Conservative Leader doesn't like being asked about his ties to The Rebel. Plus, coverage of Gord Downie's death and freed hostage Joshua Boyle.
    October 18, 2017
    #139 Distorted Sermon, Coercive Mattress
    Quebec's Bill 62, the dangerous media manipulation of an imam's speech, Dalhousie's free speech controversy and a bizarre mattress saga that people are demanding we respond to.
    October 25, 2017
    #140 Weekend With Bernie
    Canada's weekend with Bernie, Bill Morneau's conflicts of interest and the so-called "Ghomeshi Rules" that could change how the courts deal with sexual assault cases.
    November 1, 2017
    #141 Team Kill Rich People
    CBC's The National re-launches, powerful Canadians get caught up in the latest financial leak and a racial confrontation at a Halifax concert becomes international news.
    November 8, 2017
    #142 The Erotic Adventures of Bill Morneau
    Bill Morneau tries to turn down the heat through tales of his spicy past, CBC takes a stand for landlord rights and Jagmeet Singh gets into slam poetry.
    November 15, 2017
    #143 Goddamnit, Fine, Let’s Talk About Jordan Peterson
    We can't avoid it any longer.
    November 22, 2017
    #144 I’ll Kill Your Newspapers If You Kill Mine
    It's a terrible week for local news, VICELAND is probably over and the Financial Post fans the flames of climate change skepticism.
    November 29, 2017
    #145 News From The Upside Down
    The Globe and Mail expands into less, alt-right women are tired of the misogyny of alt-right men and a prominent Canadian liberal looks awfully silly on Fox News.
    December 7, 2017
    Terrible Documentary Silenced by Basic Decency
    On CBC blunders and small town censorship. Joey Coleman co-hosts.
    December 14, 2017
    #147 Officially Suspicious: The Sherman Deaths
    On the suspicious deaths of billionaires and crying white girls.
    December 20, 2017
    #148 We March On Loblaws At Dawn
    Canadian grocery store billionaires duped us for 14 years — Vive la gift card!
    January 4, 2018
    #149 CanLit is Crawling With Creeps
    Someone needs to call it out.
    January 11, 2018
    #150 Creeping Sharia, Bitches!
    On the hijab cutting hate crime that never was and the job of journalists in reporting stories of sexual assault.
    January 17, 2018
    #151 You’d Think A Serial Killer Would Be A Bigger Deal
    "The amount of silence on this was bizarre."
    January 25, 2018
    #152 Slow News Week
    Ontario's political scene lately - why so boring?!
    February 1, 2018
    #153 Paikin Care Of Business
    Tina Fontaine and Colten Boushie: why must the news media disrespect and blame dead Indigenous kids? And the allegation against Steve Paikin: hmmm...
    February 7, 2018
    #154 Patrick Brown vs. His Reputation
    The Gerald Stanley verdict was a crucial moment - was the media equal to it? Was Patrick Brown set-up by CTV? And why is the newspaper bailout a thing again?
    February 14, 2018
    #155 Patrick Brown Totally Has Sisters
    Did CTV actually f**k up its Patrick Brown exposé? Can we reverse engineer his crisis communications PR strategy? When can we talk about anything else?
    February 22, 2018
    #156 Rogue Indian Elements
    Why did CBC News let Justin Trudeau use them like a cheap tool? Why did Patrick Brown quit (this time)? And what's up with the newspaper bailout plan?
    March 1, 2018
    #157 The Haunted Dungeon Of Q
    Has Tom Power gotten an easy ride? Facebook finds a new way to manipulate the news. And with so many awful people on Twitter, how are they choosing who to ban?
    March 7, 2018
    #158 The Conspiracy Provisions
    Another populist businessman turned politician defeats a more-qualified female candidate. Will the Competition Bureau actually do anything other than raid some offices? And does the CBC hate Sikhs?
    March 14, 2018
    #159 You Can Beat Me With a Hose
    Is all of your Facebook data up for sale? What do the Cambridge Analytica revelations mean for Canada? When does journalism cross the line into criminal harassment? And if there hasn't been any major violence in 20 years, why are we all of a sudden freaking out about Khalistan so much?
    March 21, 2018
    #160 Oh, So I’m The Idiot
    Hot takes! If the CBC runs a picture of you without your consent, do they owe you a column? And why was one Canadian taxpayer-subsidized show available on Netflix everywhere around the world — except in Canada?
    March 29, 2018
    #161 Never Underestimate Hatred For Toronto
    The Toronto Star goes national, the CBC finally has a female president, and Canada's left mourns the loss of one of its most stalwart intellectuals
    April 4, 2018
    #162 Not Paid To Be Classy
    Media coverage of the Humboldt Broncos tragedy, a statement from the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression sets off alarms, and a fond farewell to Rick Mercer.
    April 12, 2018
    #163 The Indoctrination Of Alexandre Bissonnette
    A look at the media diet of Alexandre Bissonnette, charged with the January, 2017 terror attack at a Quebec City mosque that killed six and wounded nineteen, plus Facebook continues its Canadian outreach program.
    April 18, 2018
    #164 All Eyes On Us
    Why were some people so determined to label the Toronto van attack as Islamist? How is it that U.S. media are capable of breaking key points of developing Canadian stories before their domestic counterparts? And how do you sift through online signal noise to report accurately in the midst of a high-profile event?
    April 26, 2018
    #165 Jokes About Politicians That Don’t Hurt Anyone’s Feelings
    The Canadian version of the White House Correspondents Dinner will never offend you (because you've never heard of it), new developments in the Steven Paikin allegations, and CBC’s exclusive investigation into a year-old VICE investigation.
    May 2, 2018
    #166 Doug Ford’s Magical World Of Make-Believe
    An update on our investigation into possible bias at Ford Nation Live, a look at the ivory tower's imperative to let absolutely anyone speak their mind, and Erin Weir's expulsion from the NDP caucus.
    May 9, 2018
    #167 Stephen Harper Would Like Some Attention
    AMBER ALERTS. Stephen Harper's back! MP Christine Moore's ongoing public ordeal, and Doug Ford has found some standards (apparently). 
    May 16, 2018
    #168 Daft Munk
    Keeping the "debate" out of the Munk Debates, getting the best Canadian coverage from American press, and serving Anthony Bourdain the unpalatable best of Canadian media. 
    May 23, 2018
    #169 The Devil Wears Pravda
    Never mind a Tesla in every Mars driveway, Elon Musk is going to save journalism, one truth at a time. The Toronto Sun has found Hitler's body – or his ghost, anyway. The NDP have it. And a far-right group muscled its way into VICE's Montréal office.
    May 30, 2018
    #170 Doug Life
    We have reached peak batshit in the Ontario election. Ford suing Ford, octogenarians in "physical altercations" with seventh-graders while illegally campaigning at schools, loopy NDP candidates – and that's just this week.  And no one, NO ONE, can believe that Trump is following through on his campaign promise to dissolve NAFTA. 
    June 6, 2018
    #171 A He Said That She Said Story
    Why is no one in Canada reporting on that Justin Trudeau groping allegation? How does The Globe & Mail go from publishing one of the most important pieces of journalism about sexual assault in recent years to publishing an alleged sexual assailant's version of events? And what can we learn from the New York Magazine profile of everyone's favourite hipster Ponzi scheme, VICE?
    June 13, 2018
    #172 Be Like The Lamb That Jumps For The Knife
    Rogers Media's questionable new approach to publishing (hint: there's just less of it), Scaachi Koul's journey into the heart of Rebel darkness, and Jesse's failed fortune cookie writing gig.
    June 20, 2018
    #173 The Aesthetics Of Rigour
    Why should you trust the press when politicians have Twitter? And we read the Steven Galloway "article" in Quillette so you don't have to; turns out there may have been a slight conflict of interest.
    June 27, 2018
    #174 Tackling The History Of Slavery, Québécois Style!
    What's Wrong With White People Pretending To Be Musical Black Slaves? Answer: Everything. And the 18 year old story of the then goateed dude-bro, now prime minister, copping a feel at a west-coast beer fest that we don't to talk about. Ever. again.
    July 12, 2018
    #175 Conspiracy And Speculation In The Danforth Shooting
    The mass shooting in Toronto's Danforth neighbourhood quickly headed into dangerous conspiracy territory. And should members of government be forced to endure Twitter trolls?
    July 25, 2018
    #176 The House Of Sad
    Saudi Arabia leads the charge in exposing the human rights violations of Jordan Peterson, Alex Jones becomes the latest casualty in the Info Wars, and a review of Doug Ford's foray into the news business.
    August 8, 2018
    #177 The Dumb Fight Ahead
    Maxime Bernier fights diversity, then fights journalism. Justin Trudeau yells at a racist. Andrew Scheer wants you to know some people sometimes say something... or something. And a dumb debate ensues after a protestor assaults a Sun photographer.
    August 23, 2018
    #178 How Not To Interview Faith Goldy
    Jesse talks to Graeme Gordon about his controversial interview with former Rebel personality, current Toronto mayoral candidate, and avowed white supremacist Faith Goldy. Plus Trump's "off the record" drama with Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale.
    September 6, 2018
    #179 Last Man Notwithstanding
    A look at how the Ford government's notwithstanding invocation has been covered by the press, as well as a look at the spurious media diet of the alleged Fredericton shooter.
    September 12, 2018
    #180 Nice Work, Twitter Mob!
    A series of essays by men accused of sexual misconduct, in which they attempt to defend themselves, have appeared in the press lately. Jesse and co-host Anne Kingston tackle that essay in the New York Review of Books, as well as the publisher of Harper's performance on the CBC.
    September 19, 2018
    #181 Crown Fetish
    Exploring Maxime Bernier's ties to the Koch Brothers, Andrew Coyne's love for the monarchy, and proof, if you needed it, that Jordan Peterson is full of shit.
    September 27, 2018
    #182 Why Mr. T Can’t Teach Math In Quebec
    What does the election of a right-leaning populist party in Quebec mean for the future of the province? And how do you pronounce USMCA? It sounds a lot like NAFTA.
    October 3, 2018
    #183 It All Comes Down To Weed And Wrestling
    The miraculous refinery explosion in New Brunswick, Faith Goldy tricks the press again, and the changing landscape of cannabis coverage.
    October 11, 2018
    #184 The Toronto Sun Is Going To Get Somebody Killed
    The entirely credible reports of a Toronto Sun "investigative columnist" ritually sacrificing scapegoats, and the pivotal role Facebook played in the creation of video at the expense of news.
    October 17, 2018
    #185 Our Friend With A Bone Saw
    Despite mounting human rights violations and the seemingly state-sanctioned murder of a journalist, Canada continues to sell arms to Saudi Arabia. Plus, how are municipal elections in Canada supposed to compete with period pieces?
    October 24, 2018
    #186 Hate Isn’t The Problem
    The Pittsburgh synagogue shooting was the deadliest instance of anti-Semitic violence in American history. Is the kind of rhetoric that motivated the shooter here in Canada? And what's with the CBC giving investment advice for the decimation of the Amazon rainforest?
    November 1, 2018
    #187 Member Of Parliament
    Debunking the Munk Debates, Tony Clement's sordid social media habits, and Ontario Proud goes national.
    November 7, 2018
    #188 The Paunch Resistance
    The most controversial Maclean's cover in years, Ontario Proud's leaked fundraising documents, and Justin Trudeau becomes the latest champion of the free press.
    November 14, 2018
    #189 The Media’s The Problem
    Despite bringing the horrifying events at a private school in Toronto to the attention of police, the media have been getting some backlash from parents. A CBC columnist dared to call out the CBC on its Facebook practices, and Jesse makes some connections on the CANADALAND conspiracy cork board.
    November 22, 2018
    #190 Is It Time To Pull The Plug On Legacy Media?
    Will federal media subsidies save a dying industry or merely protract the inevitable? And how did the Anglophone press react to the Ford government’s Francophone cuts?
    November 28, 2018
    #191 Justin Trudeau’s [Redacted] Trip To India
    What does the heavily redacted – er, revised – federal report on Trudeau’s trip to India tell us about the internal machinations of the government? And what does a Supreme Court ruling about journalists’ sources mean for the profession?
    December 6, 2018
    #192 Ontario Proud and Prejudice
    Did Canada make the right call by arresting Huawei’s CFO? Or was it the perfect time for a little “creative incompetence.” And new details about Ontario Proud’s "grassroots," people powered funding reveal the people are mostly corporations. 
    December 12, 2018
    #193 Hate Laundry
    Two big Toronto papers got some things horribly wrong. The Sun has been censured by the National NewsMedia Council for its fictitious goat-slaughtering story, and The Sun and Star both recklessly outed a sex worker for no justifiable purpose.
    December 19, 2018
    #194 Rex Murphy Vs. A Dead Guy
    The Canadian government owns up to treaty obligations after 168 years, Maclean's staff puts in a bid to buy the magazine, and Rex Murphy kicks a journalist while they're dead.
    January 2, 2019
    # 195 A Baby Country In Diapers
    Is reconciliation still a possibility when the Canadian government marches armed police onto Indigenous land? It's time for Canada to grow up. And Canada's first female PM seems to have the best Twitter game of them all.
    January 9, 2019
    #196 Naughty Daughter
    As the Trudeau government trumpets its track record on supporting women's rights abroad, newborn children continue to be separated from their parents right here in Canada. And how did Jagmeet Singh's most recent round of media appearances go?
    January 17, 2019
    #197 Smells Like MAGA Teen Spirit
    Did a viral video actually show all the ugliness, racism, division, and indecency of the current moment, or did it show all the ugliness, racism, division, and indecency of the current moment? And look out! Big Government is coming for your Netflix.
    January 24, 2019
    #198 The Criminals We Deserve
    What's with our ongoing fascination with serial killers? What do we lose when Bruce McArthur pleads guilty to his charges? What does all this say about Canadian society? Plus, Jesse reveals the details of a top-secret media bailout meeting.
    January 30, 2019
    #199 The Sun Never Sets On The Netflix Empire
    Is Netflix threatening Canadian culture through neo-imperialism? Never mind the copyright infringement, was the Conservative Party's Heritage Minute any good? And did the new Indigenous Languages Act accomplish anything? 
    February 7, 2019
    #200 My Bloody Lavalin
    How did the Canadian press cover the biggest scandal yet to hit the Trudeau government? Will the SNC-Lavalin affair blow over? With this level of potential corruption, will anyone care or remember at election time?
    February 13, 2019
    #201 Short Butts
    Reports of a massive protest convoy driving across the country have been greatly exaggerated ... except for the whole racism part. And a probing examination of all the Butts stuff in Ottawa.
    February 21, 2019
    #202 Jody Wilson-Raybould Ain’t Nuthin To Fuck With
    The former Minister of Justice testified before the House of Commons justice committee this week and it was like nothing we've seen in recent memory. And what did Howie Mandel do to make so many Canadian comedians so upset?
    February 28, 2019
    #203 Philpottcalypse Now
    Gerry Butts breaks his silence on SNC-Lavalin. And the thing that Andrew Scheer can get away with, but Jagmeet Singh cannot.
    March 7, 2019
    #204 Pressure-Cooked Octopus
    While we're all busy talking about the propriety of the SNC-Lavalin affair, it bears revisiting the company's sordid past. Also, how is the media culpable for whitewashing reconciliation? And Pizzagate comes to Canada.
    March 13, 2019
    #205 Scheer And Loathing
    Andrew Scheer’s first statement about the terrorist attack by a white supremacist in New Zealand failed to mention a few things... like Muslims and white supremacy. Also, the federal budget was announced and so were the details of that controversial media bailout.
    March 21, 2019
    #206 Justin & Gerry, Jody & Jane
    Collusion? Obstruction? Why can't Canadians stay focused on the domestic scandal? And what does the dawn of Apple News+ mean for Canadian media?
    March 27, 2019
    #207 Tape Your Calls!
    If there's one lesson we can take away from what's happened with Jody Wilson-Raybould, it's to tape all of your calls. And what's more important to the Trudeau Liberals: reconciliation or cold hard donations?
    April 3, 2019
    #208 Oh My God, They Killed Kenney
    Jason Kenney's United Conservative Party is imploding before our very eyes — but the Albertan electorate doesn't seem to mind much. And who does Justin Trudeau think he's fooling with a libel threat? Definitely not Andrew Scheer.
    April 10, 2019
    #209 Don’t Call Me Jason
    Journalism that exposes racism, homophobia, and election fraud: does any of it matter? All of this and more in a look at the Alberta election. And then a check-in with the Globe and Mail's Thunder Bay bureau.
    April 17, 2019
    #210 Raccoon Thirst Trap
    Who among us hasn't stabbed a lecherous raccoon with a dessert fork? And Omar Khadr gave his first big interview on Québec television; where was English media on this one?
    April 25, 2019
    #211 Your Body Is A Newfoundland
    Was the recent Simpsons episode about Canada offensive? Was it even funny? And, finally, the mainstream media seems to be paying attention to the rising threat of white terrorism in Canada.
    May 1, 2019
    #212 Newfoundland 2: The Newfoundlanding
    In the prurient rush for lurid details about Bruce McArthur and his victims, maybe it’s time to re-examine the way we consume true crime. And the ongoing saga of the Mark Norman affair becomes even muddier.
    May 8, 2019
    #213 Misfit Manchild Edgelords
    It's Nazi season in Canada! From the "controversial" flag in Saskatchewan to the neo-Nazi working in an Ontario city hall, Canada's working hard to normalize racism. And Mark Norman apparently had it worse than Omar Khadr. Who was in Guantanmo Bay. As a minor.
    May 15, 2019
    #215 What Sort Of Monster Would Disparage Anna Maria Tremonti?
    As one of Canada's most beloved radio personalities leaves the job she's held for 17 seasons, who could possibly have anything negative to say? Also, Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott have finally revealed their schemes to... run as independents. And should media unions have a say in deciding who gets federal media funding?
    May 29, 2019
    #216 The Word For This Is Genocide
    The majority of our media is bending backward to avoid acknowledging Canadian genocide. Why? And Lindsay Shepherd travelled to Ottawa to complain about her weeklong Twitter ban: a look at the online hate hearings and the right's war on free speech.
    June 6, 2019
    #217 United Conservative Postmedia War Room
    Rest assured, Canadians! Jason Kenney is here to protect you from the evils of the Green Left. A look at the Alberta government's anti-environment "War Room," plus the imminent Raptor Rapture.
    June 12, 2019
    #218 Whose Pipeline Is It Anyway?
    What better way to recognize a climate emergency than by approving the Trans Mountain Pipeline? Why did the Raptors’ president get carded after his team won? And what's with U.S. media suddenly paying attention to Indigenous people in Canada?
    June 19, 2019
    #219 The Pleasure Of Margaret Wente
    Pour one out for Margaret Wente: she's leaving the Globe. The Irvings tighten their grip on New Brunswick news, and some Toronto councillors are learning not to cross Warren Kinsella.
    June 26, 2019
    #220 That’s What You Get When You Draw A Political Cartoon That Doesn’t Suck
    A Canadian cartoonist drew a provocative image of Trump, blithely ignorant of the fatal consequences of his border policy. After it blew up online, the cartoonist was let go from the company who'd published his work for 17 years. And what was with that viral clip of Trudeau getting "snubbed" at G20?
    July 3, 2019
    #221 Fuck You For This One, Québec
    The secularism bill banning public workers from wearing religious symbols finally passed in Québec. Google News gathered together the heads of major media companies for a meeting and (surprise!) didn’t tell the public. And VICE reporter Ben Makuch lost a legal challenge to keep private background material from the RCMP.
    July 10, 2019
    #222 SandyAndNoraLand
    Sandy Hudson and Nora Loreto take over CANADALAND for this episode about the paltry coverage of Canada's migrant detention policies and the devastating loss of leftist Twitter’s most stalwart defender, Lindsay Shepherd.
    July 17, 2019
    #223 Jessica Yaniv, Transphobic Fever Dream
    From Canadian news sites to InfoWars, a BC trans woman has become a fixation of conservative media. And new details emerge from the national media bailout that exclude -- surprise! -- nearly anyone who isn't a newspaper.
    July 24, 2019
    #224 Teenage Nazi Manhunt
    The hunt is on. Newsrooms across the country are chasing down everyone from psychiatrists to Survivorman himself to speculate on the fate of two murder suspects. And are the journalistic standards of Doug Ford's state-funded propaganda channel slipping?? We take a closer look with Wag the Doug's Allison Smith.
    July 31, 2019
    #225 – Barbaric Caucasian Practices Hotline
    Is it time to start reporting the strange behaviour of young white men? Why do we still have columnists? And a study of Canadian media consumption shows that the real threat to media literacy is Canadian media consumption.
    August 8, 2019
    #226 Postmedia’s Hard Right Turn
    More cuts at Canada's largest newspaper chain; this time to journalistic independence, open discourse, and a healthy work culture. And was the swearing, spitting Scheer supporter part of a media hoax? Former National Post reporter Rebecca Tucker co-hosts.
    August 14, 2019
    #227 Scandal? What Scandal?
    Is the press protecting the liberal party? And the debate about climate change somehow continues and Elections Canada suggested we might not be allowed to have it. Former crown prosecutor and National Observer contributor Sandy Garossino co-hosts.
    August 22, 2019
    #228 Disaster Porn, Boat Crash, Netflix PM
    Sexy Hurricane Headlines: “Dorian Relentlessly Pounds Bahamas” - What is up with the disaster porn? And Justin Trudeau’s Malaysian ancestry, and other things we learned on Netflix.
    September 5, 2019
    #229 Sorry, Immigrants!
    The Vancouver Sun is very, very sorry about publishing that inflammatory anti-immigration screed. They'll tone it down a little next time. Also, why is election coverage so... boring?
    September 12, 2019
    #230 SNC-Aladdin
    A bonus segment on Trudeau's "make-up" with guest co-host, Arshy Mann. Plus, one reporter’s real life story on the gift of poutine from Trudeau. And this week’s news has been about the three worst people in Canada: Faith Goldy, Maxime Bernier, and Ezra Lavant. Why?
    September 19, 2019
    #231 How Did Trudeau Get a 20-Year Pass On Blackface?
    Trudeau in blackface, 3 times: how did we miss that? And Canada’s reporters bravely declare their independence - from their own union.
    September 26, 2019
    #232 National Paper Won’t Cover National Climate March
    Canada's national paper seems shy about printing news on the national climate march. Also, another blackface scandal - at Global News. Plus, a discussion on if numbers flatten Indigenous folks' stories.
    October 3, 2019
    #233 Our Revolting Democracy
    That debate. The rumour mongering. The memes. Does Canadian democracy have to suck this hard? A lament. And PostMedia finally responds to our investigation - or somebody’s.
    October 10, 2019
    #234 The CBC’s Very Dumb Lawsuit
    The CBC sues the Conservative Party of Canada for copying them! Plus, Toronto journalists and writers push back on the kind of space public libraries should be. 
    October 17, 2019
    #235 Creepy Hologram Prime Minister
    Thank God, it's over - last sound off about how dull the 2019 election coverage was, we promise. Plus, Star Metro journalists cry fake news at activists pretending climate propaganda is the real thing.
    October 24, 2019
    #236 The New York Times’ Trauma Porn Beat
    The New York Times’ Canada bureau chief goes up to visit an Inuit community three times so she must know what she’s talking about… right? Also, podcasting is getting way too popular.
    October 31, 2019
    #237 Shitty Media Management
    A national news media start-up hires then fires its staff in a month. Also, Elizabeth May has harsh parting words for the media.
    November 7, 2019
    #238 What Don Cherry Means To Me
    Don Cherry drafts his first Quillette essay: “The Day the Social Media Mob Came for Me.” Also, opinion writing in Canada post-Margaret Wente is pretty much the same.
    November 14, 2019
    #239 StarMetro Hunger Games
    Torstar announced the closure of five papers across Canada, CBC tried to consolidate broadcasts across its radio stations in the North, and Don Cherry returned with an expertly produced podcast.
    November 21, 2019
    #240 Purified By Hatred
    More details have emerged about Warren Kinsella’s secret work to expose Maxime Bernier as a racist. And what’s at stake as the CBC renegotiates its licence to broadcast in Canada?
    November 27, 2019
    #241 History Will Judge Us For Our China Takes
    Leaked audio from a NATO summit reveals Trudeau’s totally reasonable reaction to Trump. Did an Edmonton school board try to shut down a radio interview advocating for a student? The Globe and Mail’s China coverage is... inconsistent.
    December 5, 2019
    #243 The Media Hit Jobs on Andrew Scheer and Jody Wilson-Raybould
    Everyone knows that Andrew Scheer resigned because of his tuition scandal; what this podcast presupposes is: maybe he didn’t? And the manufactured outrage surrounding Jody Wilson-Raybould’s office.
    December 18, 2019
    #290 What It’s Like To Want To Die
    Reporter Anna Mehler Paperny talks about her book, Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me: Depression in the First Person, which covers her search for answers about depression and her personal experiences.
    January 2, 2020
    #244 Iran So Far
    We’ve heard so much from south of the border about Iran, but how are Canadian media treating this conflict? And The Fifth Estate delivers some spurious reporting on “Birth Tourism” and Antifa.
    January 8, 2020
    #245 I Wanna Live Like Commonwealth People Do
    We examine the controversy around stating a plain fact about flight 752. Then, a Royal welcome. With co-host Nora Loreto.
    January 15, 2020
    #246 Come From Huawei
    What was up with those "protesters" outside Meng Wanzhou's extradition hearing? And could monarchical migration have an impact on privacy in Canadian media?
    January 22, 2020
    #247 Coronaviral
    Have we learned anything about reporting on viruses since SARS? And what can a new documentary about Idle No More teach us about our present state of reconciliation?
    January 30, 2020
    #248 Return Of The Conservative Rapper
    The Heritage Minister doesn't seem to understand his own plan for regulating the internet (or not), so we break it down for you. And a group that doesn't exist just ran a major political ad campaign in the country's top newspapers. The National Post's Chris Selley co-hosts.
    February 5, 2020
    #249 Christie Blatchford’s Complicated Legacy
    Jordan Peterson’s familial PR team, Christie Blatchford’s legacy, Ezra Levant’s civil disobedience, and the campaign to discredit national protests.
    February 12, 2020
    #250 Wet’suwet’en Coverage Is Still Pretty Bad
    Jason Kenney’s War Room sets its sights on that white whale of fake news: The New York Times. And as protests spread, reporting on Wet’suwet’en remains fairly feeble.
    February 20, 2020
    #251 Heard It Through The Pipeline
    Do journalists need to be protestors to get better access to Wet'suwet'en solidarity actions? Plus, the Teck Frontier oilsands mine withdraws its application and who the media is blaming will shock you - or not.
    February 27, 2020
    #252 Canada Is Working Exactly As Intended
    A front-page story tells us that Canada is broken. Is it, or is this exactly how the country was designed to work? And, as a senior editor leaves the CBC, our national broadcaster pivots to audience.
    March 4, 2020
    #253 Panic! At The Discoronavirus
    As COVID-19 is declared a global pandemic, how are Canadian media handling the coverage? And what opportunities can moments of crisis provide for a shift in business reporting?
    March 12, 2020
    #254 Wave Of Isolation
    In a time like this, we’re so flooded with information that good, quality journalism matters more than ever. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t stuff to make fun of. Plus, how are newsrooms coping with the realities of a contagious virus?
    March 19, 2020
    #255 This Op-Ed Could Kill People
    COVID-19 coverage continues, for the most part, to be even-handed. But that’s not why you listen to this podcast. A look at what’s going wrong in Canadian reporting, as well as the personal and economic impact the pandemic is having on newsrooms.
    March 25, 2020
    #256 Good Faith, Bad Information
    Has the messaging about whether to wear a face mask been contradictory? How do you report on sports in a world without them? And a roundup of the bad COVID-19 coverage from the last week.
    April 1, 2020
    #257 Speaking Moistly
    For weeks, we’ve all been trying to flatten the curve. But how do we measure our success if the numbers informing that curve aren’t reliable? And how do the big newspaper chains justify taking government wage subsidies at the same time as laying off staff?
    April 8, 2020
    #258 Snitch Nation
    Do the same rules apply to Justin Trudeau and Andrew Scheer as to the rest of us? Do the rules matter any more? Could this finally be the end of conspiracy theories?
    April 15, 2020
    #259 Our Press Can’t Handle The Nova Scotia Shooting
    The confluence of the pandemic, reliance on police for information, and slashed newsroom budgets means that reporting on the Nova Scotia shooting was all but doomed from the start. And a tweak to government media subsidies makes more organizations eligible for the funding.
    April 22, 2020
    #260 Celebrity Malfunction
    The more we learn about the shooting in Nova Scotia, the worse it becomes. And did the star-studded Stronger Together COVID-19 special show us anything but how completely anachronistic celebrity has become during this pandemic? Seriously. Did anyone watch it?
    April 29, 2020
    #261 Billionaire Welfare Slackers
    When police searched journalists’ offices in the Alberta legislature, we wondered how government reporters were faring in the age of COVID-19. And after securing millions from the federal government, Canada’s big newspaper chains are finding new ways to ask for more money.
    May 6, 2020
    #262 Racist Vegan
    Bryan Adams pulls a Morrissey, an Indigenous ceremony is broken up by the RCMP, and Ghomeshi attempts another comeback.
    May 13, 2020
    #263 A Case For Bad Art
    The incredibly controversial painting of Justin Trudeau, François Legault’s problem with anglophone media, and the story about Gaza that CBC disappeared.
    May 21, 2020
    #264 Smelly Rogue
    Torstar was just sold for $52 million, droves of people were chastised for going to the park, and Jesse opens himself up to some rare scrutiny.
    May 28, 2020
    #265 Newsroom Mutiny
    Protests have erupted around the world in response to police violence against Black people. Police are openly targeting and arresting journalists. Trump is violating the rights of his people. And Canadian media has failed to cover or even grasp this historic moment.
    June 3, 2020
    #266 The Reckoning
    Journalists across Canada are speaking out about their experiences with racism in the newsroom. And as Wendy Mesley is suspended from hosting duties, it’s time to reevaluate the language used in news meetings.
    June 17, 2020
    #267 Consequence Culture
    Can you really be “cancelled” if you still have a platform? A look at Margaret Wente, Wendy Mesley, and the Mulroneys. And was the Nova Scotia shooter an RCMP informant?
    June 25, 2020
    #267 Propaganda, Fascism And Murder: An Alternative History Of The Globe And Mail
    The Globe and Mail is now 176 years old. You can read all about its accomplishments elsewhere. Writer Jamie Bradburn takes us through the paper's darker moments.
    July 1, 2020
    #268 Harper’s Is Still Lurking
    The press seems to have given the Rideau Hall intruder the white glove treatment, and why on Earth did so many people sign that letter from Harper’s Magazine?
    July 8, 2020
    #269 We Do Some Accounting
    We have some questions about WE’s government contract and their internal accounting. And the story of how a Canadian media outlet suppressed assault allegations against Peter Nygard.
    July 15, 2020
    #270 Mr. Brown Goes To Ottawa
    Jesse testified before the House of Commons Finance Committee about Canadaland's reporting on the WE organization, and, while accusing a Black person of anti-Blackness, The Globe and Mail itself has been accused of anti-Blackness.
    July 23, 2020
    #271 Bottom Of The Barrel
    The Kielburgers testified before the House of Commons finance committee, updates on the Nova Scotia shooting, and the plan for a Nazi colony in Cape Breton. 2020, am I right?
    July 30, 2020
    #272 – Anonymously Awesome!
    The Prime Minister’s Office leaks secret intel on how amazing it is. And Quebec’s French print papers somehow continue to thrive. The Logic’s Martin Patriquin co-hosts and explains Quebecor’s secret ingredient.
    August 13, 2020
    #273 – Anti-Rebel, Prorogue
    Prime Minister Trudeau just needs a quick reset. And Postmedia stands in solidarity with Rebel News. Former CAJ President and Ryerson journalism professor Karyn Pugliese co-hosts.
    August 20, 2020
    #274 Reply-All Rosie
    What might Jesse and Erin O’Toole have in common? And newsrooms continue to struggle with what it means to respond to this summer’s reckoning with racism. Chatelaine Executive Editor Denise Balkissoon co-hosts.
    August 27, 2020
    #275 Bring Me The Head Of John A. Macdonald!
    Does anyone really care about indignities to the legacy of John A. Macdonald?
    September 2, 2020
    #276 – Scandalized Philanthropists and A Criminalized Journalist
    Breaking news on WE. An Indigenous journalist is criminalized for doing his job. And mass panic appears to be on the newly minted curriculum. One Dish One Mic’s Karl Dockstader co-hosts.
    September 10, 2020
    #277 Conservative Cuties
    Erin O’Toole wants to protect children from a movie he has never seen. And former CBC journalist Terry Milewski resurfaces from retirement to insult an entire ethnicity - again. Former Executive Director of the World Sikh Organization Jaskaran Sandhu co-hosts.
    September 17, 2020
    #278 Lobster Politics
    Mi’kmaw fishermen earning a ‘moderate livelihood’ seems to be too much for Nova Scotia’s settler lobster harvesters. And CBC leverages its credibility for its new corporate clients. APTN video journalist Trina Roache co-hosts.
    September 24, 2020
    #279 Did The New York Times Get Catfished?
    RCMP charges a podcast star with not being a terrorist. And Edmonton radio host chooses the wrong put-down. Al Jazeera journalist and filmmaker Laila Alarian co-hosts.
    October 1, 2020
    #280 The Socialist Coup You Can Trust
    A trifecta of powerful (potentially socialist) forces rally behind #NationalNewspaperWeek — or not. And the bias of coherence muddles COVID-19 messaging.
    October 8, 2020
    #281 Anti-Maskers: How To Cover the Uncovered
    Media’s anti-masker intrigue has Canadaland staff divided.
    October 15, 2020
    #282 Reconciliation In Flames
    Hulk smash colonialism! And public health messaging crosses a line when trick or treating directives are unclear.
    October 22, 2020
    #283 Newspaper Seeks Wealthy Idiot
    National Post doubles down on their right to publish status quo opinions. And Bell Media confuses self-promotion with local community engagement.
    October 29, 2020
    #284 There Is No Going Back To Normal
    We may not know yet who won the U.S. election, but the results aren't reassuring. At least some of the Canadian coverage was soothing. And Prime Minister Trudeau takes a stance on free speech — but only in French.
    November 5, 2020
    #285 Facebook Fangoria
    Beware of the FANG! And how to cover Chinese infiltration — or anti-Chinese infiltration?
    November 12, 2020
    #286 Off The Reconciliation Train Again
    Addressing the drinking water crisis in First Nations communities is not rebuilding post-war Europe. And mandating Indigenous content on Canadian broadcasters could get baked into the Broadcasting Act.
    November 19, 2020
    #287 Welcome To The Worst
    A couple of Manitobans make a show of the media lying. Keean Bexte uncovers a socialist incubator. And copaganda tries out podcasting.
    November 26, 2020
    #288 A Working Class Hero Is Something To BBQ
    A petulant sandwich slinger gets attention as restaurants struggle across the country. A Global News Radio host quits over threatening messages about herself and her baby, while the company says dealing with trolls is part of the job.
    December 3, 2020
    #289 Canada’s Secret Porn Stash
    The New York Times says Canada needs to stand up against child exploitation on PornHub — but their columnist's suggestions could create new problems.
    December 9, 2020
    #290 Justice Is Served, Portions Are Small
    They're lobster criminals, not lobster vigilantes. Does the CBC’s President live in Brooklyn or just sleep there in a house she owns? And Brayden Bushby's verdict offers a moment to reflect on who deserves humanity.
    December 16, 2020
    #258 Christmas in the Newsroom
    Stories of big news breaking when everyone else is on vacation.
    December 23, 2020
    #291 Holy Shit! (No Shit)
    A pro-Trump mob invades the U.S. Capitol building, the hunt continues for Canadian politicians who ignored COVID travel advisories and we reflect on whether Julian Assange has gotten a raw deal from the press.
    January 7, 2021
    #292 The Putz Putsch
    Premiers activate shitty dad mode. And tech companies clamping down on Trumpism could have unintended consequences.
    January 13, 2021
    #293 A Fired CBC Reporter Is Vindicated
    Reporter Ahmar Khan tried to blow the whistle on systemic racism at CBC... and they fired him. Maclean’s publishes a big, powerful list.
    January 20, 2021
    #294 You Can’t Even Spare Jessica Mulroney?
    Sponsored messaging from Alberta says climate journalists are helping to stage a covert revolution. And media empires strike back to protect their own.
    January 28, 2021
    #295 Dog Shampoo
    Reddit did not actually stand up to Wall Street and prove the power of the little guy. Jon Kay briefly sparks joy. The Canadian government is working to radically transform the internet and Facebook wants in.
    February 3, 2021
    #296 The Great Flattening
    Our digital worlds are collapsing. Jon Kay is on Fox News complaining about Seth Rogen, while celebrities are sharing the stage with normal people on Clubhouse to talk about ramen. What is Clubhouse anyway? And why did China ban it? Plus, a student journalist files a human rights complaint against his school paper, claiming they fired him over his Catholic beliefs.
    February 11, 2021
    #297 Vax Canadiana
    Canadian media have lost the plot around the vaccine rollout. And a Montreal-based website makes the list of COVID-19 conspiracy theory superspreaders.
    February 17, 2021
    #298 The Times They Are a-Cronkin’
    Canada's vote to call China's treatment of Uyghurs a genocide exposes an online wave of China apologists on the far left. And the New York Times brings back Cortland Cronk in an attempt to prove that Canadians are actually not very nice.
    February 24, 2021
    Short Cuts
    This is such an easy decision!Support our stuff, we'll make you proud.

    We are a very rare kind of company – actually and truly independent journalism. 

    We tell great stories that need to be told, without fear or favour.

    We work for you.

    Support us. We uncover secrets and hold the powerful to account. 

    We've done it before. We keep doing it. 

    Plus: ad-free podcasts, maybe some socks or a t-shirt. Up to you. 

    $5/month