CANADALAND

SHORT CUTS #215 - What Sort Of Monster Would Disparage Anna Maria Tremonti?

30 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

Ep. 279 - A Forgotten News Lab Predicted Journalism's Online Future in 1991

27 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

InfoLab imagined newspapers' transition from print to digital, creating multimedia digital news in the basement of The Hamilton Spectator back in the...

SHORT CUTS #214 - Lord Ballwasher of Crossharbour

23 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Lord Conrad Black, First of His Name, The Unedited, King of Columns, Breaker of Laws, Flatterer of American Presidents, and Father of the National Pos...

Ep. 278 - Bigotry Punished, Miraculously

20 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

But will the $2.5 million judgment against the far-right twice-defeated mayoral candidate Kevin J. Johnston actually stop him spreading hate online? J...

SHORT CUTS #213 - Misfit Manchild Edgelords

16 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 no...

Ep. 277 - Quebec's Narcos Tell All!

13 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The new podcast Narcos PQ hands the mic to those who bring Canada its drugs: bikers, drug mules, outlaw chemists. Co-hosts Brigitte Noël and Félix ...

SHORT CUTS #212 - Newfoundland 2: The Newfoundlanding

09 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 on...

Ep. 276 - Twenty Years After Napster: Cory Doctorow On What Went Wrong

06 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Digital media has been gentrified into a mall, says the digital rights activist and author. Cory Doctorow tells Jesse how consolidation and platform s...

SHORT CUTS #211 - Your Body Is A Newfoundland

02 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Was the recent Simpsons episode about Canada offensive? Was it even funny? And, finally, the mainstream media seems to be paying attention to the risi...

Ep. 275 - Sneaking Chinese Propaganda Into The Canadian Media

29 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A popular pundit has a curious connection: her company worked for China. South China Morning Post's Vancouver correspondent Ian Young tells Jesse tha...

SHORT CUTS #210 - Raccoon Thirst Trap

25 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 Engl...

Ep. 274 - Is Facebook Worth Fixing?

22 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

And if so, can government regulation crack down on hate speech and election interference on social media without crushing free speech? Jesse asks Nata...

SHORT CUTS #209 - Don't Call Me Jason

18 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 the...

Ep. 273 - The Media Baron Dinner Party Where The News Bailout Was Born

15 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Former CBC exec Richard Stursberg tells Jesse all about it, and about his new book, The Tangled Garden: A Canadian Cultural Manifesto for the Digital ...

SHORT CUTS #208 - Oh My God, They Killed Kenney

11 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 Jus...

Ep. 272 - The Best New Podcast In Canada Is About The Opioid Crisis

08 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Crackdown covers the war on drugs from the trenches, and these war correspondents are drug users. Host Garth Mullins joins Jesse to talk about how aft...

SHORT CUTS #207 - Tape Your Calls!

04 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Ep. 271 - Stephen Harper

01 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The CANADALAND interview with former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who targeted the press before it was cool. Now, conservatives from Donald Trump to...

SHORT CUTS #206 - Justin & Gerry, Jody & Jane

28 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Collusion? Obstruction? Why can't Canadians stay focused on the domestic scandal? And what does the dawn of Apple News+ mean for Canadian media? Jaren...

Ep. 270 - The Most Expensive Thing Canada's Ever Bought

25 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When Ottawa Citizen reporter David Pugliese called the government to follow up on a tip, he heard back from the PR arm of Irving Shipbuilding. And the...

SHORTCUTS #205 - Scheer and Loathing

21 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Ep. 269 - Ruthless Or Toothless? The News Biz Complaints Department

18 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Who do you turn to when the news messes up? It turns out there's a council for that.   Pat Perkel and John Fraser from the National NewsMedia Council...

SHORT CUTS #204 - Pressure-Cooked Octopus

14 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 culp...

Ep. 268 - Strombo

11 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Canada's most ubiquitous TV host talks about his many, many gigs, from MuchMusic VJ to CNN interviewer -- and why he's turned to YouTube for the lates...

Short Cuts #203 - Philpottcalypse Now

07 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Gerry Butts breaks his silence on SNC-Lavalin. And the thing that Andrew Scheer can get away with, but Jagmeet Singh cannot. Paul Wells co-hosts.Supp...

Ep. 267 - Propaganda, Fascism And Murder: An Alternative History Of The Globe And Mail

04 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week marks 175 years of The Globe and Mail. You can read all about its accomplishments elsewhere. Writer Jamie Bradburn takes us through the pape...

SHORT CUTS #202 - Jody Wilson-Raybould Ain't Nuthin To Mess With

28 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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. ...

Ep. 266 - A Guide To The Podcast Industry

25 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the past year or so, the podcast industry has seen an explosion --or bubble, depending on who you ask-- with companies like Entertainment One, Cor...

SHORT CUTS #201 - Short Butts

21 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Reports of a massive protest convoy driving across the country have been greatly exaggerated ... except for the whole racism part. And a probing exami...

Ep. 265 - Decoding A Political Scandal

18 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot to learn from what politicians and journalists can and can't tell us, their lowly constituents and readers. We read between the lines of...

SHORT CUTS #200 - My Bloody Lavalin

14 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 pote...

Ep. 264 - Quebec's Fake News Problem

11 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In English media, there are whole organizations and departments devoted to debunking fake news. But in Quebec, a lot of the work falls to one guy: Jef...

SHORT CUTS #199 - The Sun Never Sets On The Netflix Empire

07 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Is Netflix threatening Canadian culture through neo-imperialism? Never mind the copyright infringement, was the Conservative Party's Heritage Minute a...

Ep. 263 - The Loudmouth Senator

04 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Paula Simons did something that makes a lot of journalists cringe. She went into politics. The former Edmonton Journal columnist is now an independent...

SHORT CUTS #198 - The Criminals We Deserve

31 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 abou...

Ep. 262 - Meet Canada's Pro-Oil, Anti-Immigrant Yellow Vest Movement

28 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What do warnings of globalism, support for pipelines and calls to execute Trudeau have in common? They're all part of the rhetoric of Yellow Vests Can...

SHORT CUTS #197 - Smells Like MAGA Teen Spirit

24 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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, div...

Ep.261 - Oh Great, Now China Hates Us

21 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Canada's in a bad way with China. Has the media prepared us to deal with the growing superpower? With tensions rising, it may be more important than e...

SHORT CUTS #196 - Naughty Daughter

17 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As the Trudeau government trumpets its track record on supporting women's rights abroad, newborn children continue to be separated from their parents ...

Ep. 260 - Fake-Ass Internet

14 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Something like the half of all activity on the internet is fake. Yes, there are bots. But there are also fake websites that cater to bots. And then th...

SHORT CUTS #195 - A Baby Country In Diapers

10 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Is reconciliation still a possibility when the Canadian government marches armed police onto Indigenous land? It's time for Canada to grow up. And Can...

Ep.259 - The Mud Slinging, Meme Hustling, Rage Baiting Sites You Need To Know Before The Next Election

07 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A bunch of new partisan political websites are fighting to shape the narrative in the run-up to the federal election. Reporter Graeme Gordon is here t...

SHORT CUTS #194 - Rex Murphy Vs. A Dead Guy

03 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 journ...

Ep. 258 - Christmas In The Newsroom

23 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Stories of big news breaking when everyone else is on vacation.   This episode is sponsored by Audible and Hello Fresh.Support CANADALAND: h...

SHORT CUTS #193 - Hate Laundry

20 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Two big Toronto papers got some things horribly wrong. The Sun has been censured by the National NewsMedia Council for its fictitious goat-slaughterin...

Ep. 257 - How Not To Cover Climate Change

17 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Blazing wildfires. Pipeline stand-offs. Unpredictable floods. Men in suits arguing... One of our era's most urgent, high-stakes stories is also the ha...

SHORT CUTS #192 - Ontario Proud And Prejudice

13 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Did Canada make the right call by arresting Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou? Or was it the perfect time for a little “creative incompetence.” And ne...

Ep. 256 - The Dependent Press

10 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Canadian federal government plans to issue nearly $600M in tax credits and incentives to bolster the country's media industry over the next five y...

SHORT CUTS #191 - Justin Trudeau's [Redacted] Trip To India

06 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What does the heavily redacted – er, revised – federal report on Trudeau’s trip to India tell us about the internal machinations of the govern...

Ep. 255 - The Making Of Finding Cleo And Thunder Bay

03 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

CANADALAND's investigative podcast Thunder Bay published its series finale last week.   Host and creator Ryan McMahon reflects on ...

SHORT CUTS #190 - Is It Time To Pull The Plug On Legacy Media?

29 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Will federal media subsidies save a dying industry or merely protract the inevitable? And how did the Anglophone press react to the Ford government’...

Ep. 254 - An Issue Worth Torching Your Job Over

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

After 25 years at the CBC, tech columnist Jesse Hirsh decided to risk it all. During an interview about Facebook, he turned the tables, asking why CBC...

SHORT CUTS #189 - The Media's The Problem

22 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Despite bringing the horrifying events at a private school in Toronto to the attention of police, the media have been getting some backlash from paren...

Ep. 253 - Is The Media Afraid Of The Kielburgers?

19 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Kielburgers' WE Movement has enjoyed more than 20 years of glowing press. They also have partnerships with 38 media organizations and a history of...

SHORT CUTS #188 - The Paunch Resistance

15 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The most controversial Maclean's cover in years, Ontario Proud's leaked fundraising documents, and Justin Trudeau becomes the latest champion of the f...

Ep. 252 - Is Business News Amoral, Immoral, Or Just Evil?

12 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When the CBC tweeted out a series of news alerts following Brazil’s election of a far-right presidential candidate... people had a lot to say. The t...

SHORT CUTS #187 - Member of Parliament

08 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Debunking the Munk Debates, Tony Clement's sordid social media habits, and Ontario Proud goes national. Ira Wells co-hosts.Support CANADALAND: https:/...

Ep. 251 - How True Crime Took Over Podcasting

05 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For a long time, CANADALAND was (proudly) the number one podcast in the country — but that's no longer true. Australian-born Kristi Lee works in mar...

SHORT CUTS #186 - Hate Isn't The Problem

01 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Pittsburgh synagogue shooting was the deadliest instance of anti-Semitic violence in American history. Is the kind of rhetoric that motivated the...

Ep. 250 - Canada's First Smart City Is A Disaster

29 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Google's sister company, Sidewalk Labs, has partnered with every level of government to build the first-ever 'smart city' in Toronto — but with seve...

SHORT CUTS #185 - Our Friend With A Bone Saw

25 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Despite mounting human rights violations and the seemingly state-sanctioned murder of a journalist, Canada continues to sell arms to Saudi Arabia. Plu...

Ep.249 - Thunder Bay

22 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The debut episode of our new series, hosted by Ryan McMahon. Episode 2 is online now, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ...

SHORT CUTS #184 - The Toronto SUN Is Going To Get Somebody Killed

18 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The entirely credible reports of a Toronto Sun "investigative columnist" ritually sacrificing scapegoats, and the pivotal role Facebook played in the ...

Ep.248 - The CANADALAND Investigation Of The Kielburger's WE Movement

15 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Craig Kielburger founded WE when he was 12 to fight child labour. Now, the WE brand is used to promote products made by children.  Reporter Jaren Ke...

SHORT CUTS #183 - It All Comes Back To Weed And Wrestling

11 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The miraculous refinery explosion in New Brunswick, Faith Goldy tricks the press again, and the changing landscape of cannabis coverage. Damian Abraha...

Ep. 247 - The Weed Beat

08 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Next week, recreational weed will become legal across Canada. In anticipation, mainstream media has begun taking cannabis coverage seriously. Overnigh...

SHORT CUTS #182 - Why Mr. T Can't Teach Math In Quebec

04 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 lo...

Ep. 246 - Sheila Heti And Rachel Cusk On Why Memoir Is A Dead End

01 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Guest Host Sheila Heti (Motherhood, How Should a Person Be?) speaks with fellow "autofiction" author Rachel Cusk (A Life's Work, Aftermath, et al). Th...

SHORT CUTS #181 - Crown Fetish

27 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Ep. 245 - The Last Labour Reporter

24 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sara Mojtehedzadeh may very well be Canada's last full-time labour reporter. This past fall, as the Toronto Star's work and wealth reporter, Mojtehed...

SHORT CUTS #180 - Nice Work, Twitter Mob!

20 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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-ho...

Ep. 244 - Chip Zdarsky On Marvel Money And The Canadian Comics Boom

17 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Guest Host Chip Zdarsky (Spectacular Spiderman, Sex Criminals) is joined by Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) co-founder and longtime friend, Chris ...

SHORT CUTS #179 - Last Man Notwithstanding

13 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 alle...

Ep. 243 - What Does 'Off The Record' Actually Mean? The Toronto Star And BuzzFeed Explain.

10 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Confusion over "off the record" played a pivotal role in global affairs this past week. So — how does this oft-misunderstood agreement actually wor...

SHORT CUTS #178 - How Not To Interview Faith Goldy

06 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Jesse talks to Graeme Gordon about his controversial interview with former Rebel personality, current Toronto mayoral candidate, and avowed white supr...

Ep.242 - Live Local News Neither Live Nor Local

27 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Tadich joins Jesse in the studio to talk about what it was like producing multiple cities worth of news from a windowless green-screen room in ...

Short Cuts #177 - The Dumb Fight Ahead

23 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Maxime Bernier fights diversity, then fights journalism. Justin Trudeau yells at a racist. Andrew Scheer wants you to know some people sometimes say s...

Ep. 241- Reporting In Ottawa Vs. Reporting In Washington

13 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

BuzzFeed’s Paul McLeod has covered politics in both capitals. Jesse reaches Paul in D.C. to speak about what it’s like to cover politics on both ...

SHORT CUTS #176 - The House Of Sad

09 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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...

BONUS: Wag The Doug Episode 1

02 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Wag The Doug, a pop-up podcast about Doug Ford. Hosts Allison Smith and Jonathan Goldsbie help make sense of the Ford era.Support CANADALAN...

Ep. 240 - How Marketing Conquered Food

30 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Food journalist Corey Mintz speaks with Jesse about how influencers, marketing and Instagram have impacted food writing and eating.  Check out the mo...

SHORT CUTS #175 - Conspiracy And Speculation In The Danforth Shooting

26 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The mass shooting in Toronto's Danforth neighbourhood quickly headed into conspiracy territory.   And should members of government be forced to endu...

NEW PODCAST: Taste Buds

17 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We are releasing a new podcast this week called Taste Buds. Food writer and former critic Corey Mintz sits down for a meal with chefs, cooks and resta...

Ep. 239 - Last Chance For Newspapers: Inside La Presse

16 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The newspaper business is in rapid decline. La Presse, Québec’s largest news-site, announced its plan to become a non-profit. Jesse joins Pierre-...

SHORT CUTS #174 - Tackling The History Of Slavery, Québécois Style!

12 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Ep.238 - Authors Are Getting Bloody In The Culture Wars

02 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The book world has been thrown into turmoil by sexual assault allegations, inter-generational fighting and questions over Indigenous ancestry. Is this...

SHORT CUTS #173 - The Aesthetics Of Rigour

28 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Ep.237 - The Legend Of Weed Toque Girl

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Almost every news story about cannabis is accompanied by a stereotypical stoner pic. The same few photos are used again and again. Why? Who took these...

SHORT CUTS #172 - Be Like The Lamb That Jumps For The Knife

21 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 J...

Ep.236 - Jesse Meets WNYC's On The Media

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The weekly radio show On The Media was one of the main inspirations for CANADALAND. This week, their co-host Bob Garfield talks to Jesse about the Tr...

SHORT CUTS #171 - A He Said That She Said Story

14 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 pi...

Ep.235 - Taxing Porn (And Everything Else) To Pay For CanCon

11 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Canada's broadcast regulator has put forward a proposal to tax everything from porn to podcasts to help pay for Canadian content. Greg O'Brien, editor...

SHORT CUTS #170 - Doug Life

07 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We have reached peak batshit in the Ontario election. Ford suing Ford, octogenarians in "physical altercations" with seventh-graders while illegally c...

Ep.234 - Famous Anonymous: Celebrity Media In Canada

04 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How do you cover celebrities in a country that's so bad at making them?Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for ...

SHORT CUTS #169 - The Devil Wears Pravda

31 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Ep.233 - Journalists Are Done With CBC Stealing Their Scoops

28 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

CBC has a reputation in Canadian media for reporting on other people's scoops without giving credit. Reporters at other outlets have often grumbled ab...

SHORT CUTS #168 - Daft Munk

24 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Keeping the "debate" out of the Munk Debates, getting the best Canadian coverage from American press, and serving Anthony Bourdain the unpalatable bes...

Ep.232 - How We Cover Israel

21 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Why did every national news organization in Canada change its headline about the mass-killings in Gaza last week? And is the media biased for Israel, ...

SHORT CUTS #167 - Stephen Harper Would Like Some Attention

17 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

AMBER ALERTS. Stephen Harper's back! MP Christine Moore's ongoing public ordeal, and Doug Ford has found some standards (apparently).  Jan Wong co-h...

Ep. 231 - Robo Reporters and Blockchain Broadcasts

14 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

While journalists worry about Facebook algorithms and digital advertising, every other industry gets to be excited about technology. So today, we try ...