Shows
The OrchardcastCan the NDP halt its fade into electoral obscurity? (Ft. The Hatchet)Thank you Judy Haiven, Gail Silvius, Glenn Toddun, and many others for tuning into my live video with Jordan Cornish and Arshy Mann! Join me for my next live video in the app.If you enjoyed this video, then why not share it? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readtheorchard.org/subscribe2025-04-091h 19
The HatchetLet the Southern B******s Freeze in the DarkThis is starting to get ridiculous. One day we’re being tariffed to all hell, and the next day, the Trump administration says that they’re putting the trade war on pause for another month.But what we have to understand is that, from the American perspective, this is an effective strategy. Tarrifs are a tax that consumers end up paying for. So by continually pushing off the date that they come into effect, the U.S. avoids the economic pain — but Canada’s economy remains in a state of perpetual turmoil.There’s only one way ou...2025-03-0837 min
The OrchardcastLeaving CanadalandThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.readtheorchard.orgFor the past six years, Arshy Mann has been the voice of COMMONS. When I heard that Mann and his producer Jordan Cornish recently decided to leave Canadaland and start their own project, the Hatchet, I knew I wanted to interview Arshy about the state of independent Canadian media.We spoke about his latest project, the risks of going independent, why the…2024-12-0730 min
Broadcast Dialogue - The PodcastArshy Mann on the launch of 'The Hatchet'Arshy Mann and Jordan Cornish are among the Canadian journalists betting on themselves in the current media climate. Best known as the producers behind Canadaland’s COMMONS for the last six years and 13 seasons, Cornish and Mann are striking out on their own with new project, The Hatchet, a weekly podcast and newsletter launched on Substack, dedicated to exposing power and money in Canada.Arshy Mann joins this episode of Broadcast Dialogue - The Podcast to talk about going independent, his unvarnished thoughts on the state of Canadian media, and choosing to make a graceful exit from Cana...2024-12-0244 min
COMMONSThe Last COMMONS Ever / Introducing: The HatchetCOMMONS is coming to an end after six years, with a final investigation available on the CANADALAND feed. Publisher Jesse Brown sits down with COMMONS host Arshy Mann to discuss the new episode, and to help introduce Arshy’s new venture, The Hatchet. Host: Arshy MannCredits: Jordan Cornish (Producer, Mixing & Mastering), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Caleb Thompson (production support), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Publisher)Further Reading:The Hatchet, Arshy Mann’s and Jordan Cornish’s new publication Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...2024-11-2806 min
CANADALANDWas the Y2K Bug Really a Hoax?The Millenium Bug was supposed to bring the world to a halt, but governments claimed they squashed the problem. Was it all a panic over nothing?On a special episode of CANADALAND, COMMONS and The Hatchet host Arshy Mann speaks to the Canadian programmer who alerted the world to the Y2K Bug, and he speaks to the other Canadian programmer who was hell-bent on proving the bug was a hoax. Host: Arshy MannCredits: Jordan Cornish (Producer, Mixing & Mastering), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Caleb Thompson (production support), max collins (Director of Audio...2024-11-2845 min
CANADALANDThe Painful Truth About IUDsGetting an IUD can be painful. Really painful. Last month, new regulations came out in the US about managing this pain. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that before anyone gets an IUD, patients should be counseled on pain management ahead of time. But what about Canada?Credits: Mia Johnson (Reporter and Journalism Fellow), Jonathan Goldsbie (News Editor), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Production Manager), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)Special thanks: Cherise Seucharan, Noor Azrieh, Arshy Mann, and Jordan CornishAdditional music by A...2024-09-0932 min
COMMONSInside Kabul Ep. 9 - June: Meeting with MarwaAfter months of trading voice memos and messages, Caroline meets Marwa in person in Germany. They talk about the choices they have made, the lessons they have learned, and long for a reunion with Raha. By Caroline Gillet with Marwa and Raha. The original podcast broadcast on France INTER / RADIO FRANCE © RADIO FRANCE. Canadaland is proud to premiere the English-language adaptation of this urgent and intimate podcast, building on Commons' crucial season that told the story of Canada’s role in the War in Afghanistan.COMMONS is brought to you by: Arshy Mann (Host...2024-08-2917 min
COMMONSInside Kabul Ep. 8 - May: “Wish me luck”It has been ten months since the arrival of the Taliban. Marwa takes the steps to settle in Germany and takes a step back from her country, its traditions and its history. It is the first time she has been in Europe, and everything in Germany surprises her.In Afghanistan, the Taliban impose full veils on women. Raha is more and more desperate, and plots her escape.By Caroline Gillet with Marwa and Raha. The original podcast broadcast on France INTER / RADIO FRANCE © RADIO FRANCE. Canadaland is proud to premiere the English-language adaptation o...2024-08-2836 min
COMMONSInside Kabul Ep. 7 - April/May: New SpacesMarwa arrives in Germany and everything surprises her. Raha sends the terrifying sounds of the end of Ramadan. She is increasingly cooped up and angry in Kabul, but she manages to send gifts from there.It always gets harder to talk to Raha. Caroline Gillet doesn't know if it's because of the power cuts, or if Raha can no longer find how to say what she's going through.The end of Ramadan is determined by the stars and in Afghanistan, we observe the decision of the Emirates to announce the start of Eid...2024-08-2128 min
COMMONSInside Kabul Ep. 6 - April: First Ramadan in KabulWe arrive in April, and it has been eight months since Marwa and Raha began talking about their daily lives with reporter Caroline Gillet. Raha is in Kabul, Marwa in a refugee camp in Abu Dhabi. They say that documenting what they are experiencing and sharing helps to compensate for the immobility.The economic situation in Afghanistan is dramatic following the freezing of international aid which financed nearly 80% of the Afghan budget. Half of the country is threatened by hunger. Aid is conditional on measures promised by the Taliban in favor of human rights and women's...2024-08-1422 min
COMMONSInside Kabul Ep. 5 - February: Revolt Before ZombielandRevolt in all its forms – hidden or revealed – is unfolding in Kabul and in the Abu Dhabi camp.From the start, Caroline Gillet asks Marwa and Raha questions, and they answer. Or they send her sounds, or photos, when they want to share something. The reporter never knows what she will discover when she opens a voice note.Sometimes there are long minutes of ambience, or short messages for practical things, or 20 minutes of monologues to tell a story. The reporter learns to recognize false cheerful tones when things are not going well.2024-08-0730 min
COMMONSInside Kabul Ep. 4 - December/January: "Vampire Diaries"With the media’s attention turned away from Afghanistan and snow beginning to fall, Raha and Marwa continue to endure the daily realities of their new lives – finding simple pleasures that help them get through the day.While Raha finally finds a new job opportunity and a glimmer of hope, Marwa begins to go out at night in the camp and creates a new family to help her quench her desire for home.By Caroline Gillet with Marwa and Raha. The original podcast broadcast on France INTER / RADIO FRANCE © RADIO FRANCE. Canadaland is proud...2024-07-3124 min
COMMONSInside Kabul Ep. 3 - October: Take Back ControlIt has been three months since the Taliban returned to power. Raha and Marwa regularly receive reminders from Instagram of what their lives used to be – at a birthday, at a party, surrounded by friends. They send screenshots with their voice notes to Caroline Gillet.For Caroline, she sees evidence of daily lives that had been so much closer to her own than she would have imagined. The images make Caroline more aware of the scale and speed of the upheavals over recent weeks.While Raha endures the economic crisis and the multiplication of...2024-07-2427 min
COMMONSInside Kabul Ep. 2 - September: Relearning Everyday LifeMarwa and Raha are relearning daily life.Raha seeks comfort in anything that has not changed since the arrival of the Taliban, in the few dwindling spaces of freedom that remain.While Marwa discovers new things in the Abu Dhabi refugee camp.By Caroline Gillet with Marwa and Raha. The original podcast broadcast on France INTER / RADIO FRANCE © RADIO FRANCE. Canadaland is proud to premiere the English-language adaptation of this urgent and intimate podcast, building on Commons' crucial season that told the story of Canada’s role in the War in...2024-07-1726 min
COMMONSInside Kabul Ep. 1 - August: stay or go?INSIDE KABUL is a multi-award winning series by journalist Caroline Gillet that follows the daily life of two young Afghan women, Marwa and Raha. Both have been recording their daily lives since the arrival of the Taliban in August 2021. Should they stay? Leave? And when they leave, what does exile look like?Raha and Marwa record voice notes on their phones each day which they send to Caroline in Paris. They record to feel less isolated, to share the horror, to share the sounds of their new reality. They refuse to give up....2024-07-1731 min
COMMONSWORK 16 - Boss FightThe video game industry, like much of the tech, has been resistant to unionization for a very long time. But like so many other white-collar businesses, video game studios are built on the backs of thousands of exploited, low-paid workers. This is the story of Canada’s first-ever video game union. And the lengths that the industry went to try to stop it in its tracks. Featured in this episode: James Russwurm, Johanna Weststar, Pablo GodoyTo learn moreNot All Fun and Games: Videogame Labour, Project-based Work...2024-07-0347 min
COMMONSWORK 15 - Canada’s New UnderclassThe huge rise in international students in Canada — most of them from Punjab, India — has become one of the biggest stories in the country. But most media outlets and political parties have framed it entirely as a housing issue. They’re missing the point. This is a story about the creation of a new, racialized underclass to do all of the work we don’t want to do. And it’s about the human wreckage that’s left in the wake after we’re done squeezing those people of every penny and every drop of sweat th...2024-06-2643 min
CanardianSurrey / North Delta, BC: It's the same damn thing (Ft. Arshy Mann)Surrey, BC and North Delta, BC: two places seperated only by the invisible border that is Scott Rd. In this season finale of Canardian, Arshy Mann, host and producer of COMMONS, joins the show to discuss the Surrey Jack, wildy rampant racism, wishy-washy police departments, "Hell Night", and way more!Listen to Arshy's podcast, COMMONS, on your favourite podcast platform now!Find more from Canadaland here: https://www.canadaland.com/Listen to Canadian History Ehx on your favourite podcast platform!Links:r/Vancouver: Why does North Delta...2024-06-2455 min
COMMONSWORK 14 - The Colossus of RoadsEarla Phillips has almost 16,000 Uber rides under her belt. But over the last few years, she’s been trying to hold Uber, one of the most powerful tech companies in the world, to account.Earla is a leader in a growing movement of gig workers who are trying to reclaim the basic labour rights that have been stripped from them.She expected to face opposition from tech companies and governments that are hostile to workers. But what she didn’t anticipate was that one of the biggest obstacles in her path would be a la...2024-06-1938 min
COMMONSWORK 13 - Flying Under the RadarMandalena Lewis is one of far too many flight attendants who have been harassed or assaulted on the job. And her story is just one example of a culture of sexism and abuse that she alleges pervades the airline industry.But it’s not just airlines. So many workers, especially in female-dominated professions like nursing, education or food service, have to endure similar demeaning and violent treatment.And when they go to their employers, not only are they often ignored. They’re actively silenced.Featured in this episode: Mandalena Lewis, Juli...2024-06-1238 min
COMMONSWORK 12 - The Crucible of ConfinementIn 2006, Zakaria Amara was arrested and imprisoned for planning what could have been one of the deadliest terror attacks in Canadian history. A ringleader of the so-called “Toronto 18,” he’s one of the most infamous Canadian convicts of the last few decades. But this won’t be an episode about the Toronto 18 terror plot. This is about what happened to one of the ringleaders after that plot was foiled. About his many years of incarceration. About the possibility of rehabilitation. And what role, if any, imprisonment and prison labour played in that.Featured in this e...2024-06-0535 min
COMMONSWORK 11 - The Way the Music Died♩♪ A long, long time ago, I can still rememberHow the music used to pay my billsI knew that if I got my breakThat I could be as big as DrakeAnd then I could stop shopping at No Frills ♩♪♩♪ But Spotify, it’s nearly killed usTicketmaster’s ground us to dustThe companies got too largeNow monopolies are in charge ♩♪♩♪ And the record labels I fear the mostHave all just merged and so now we’re toast2024-05-2932 min
COMMONSWORK 10 - Prison Labour Industrial ComplexPrison labour is largely invisible in Canada. Most prisoners who work do institutional upkeep, the kind of cleaning, cooking and maintenance that’s required to keep a prison running.But then there are prison industries. Not only do Canadian prisoners work for for-profit businesses, but they’re sometimes doing dangerous and nauseating work around. Featured in this episode: Calvin NeufeldTo learn more:Bloody Bad Business: Report on the Joyceville Institution Abattoir“Prison farm supporter worries new Kingston farms may exploit prison labour” by Jonna Sem...2024-05-2235 min
COMMONSWORK 9 - Working Behind BarsAll labour exists on a spectrum, ranging from enslavement at one pole, to fully, freely given on the other.And, in Canada, at the most extreme end of that spectrum are prison labourers. Incarcerated people have few rights and fewer options when it comes to their working lives.If we want to truly understand our criminal justice system and Canadian labour, we need to examine how prisoners work.Featured in this episode: Jordan House, Asaf RashidTo learn more:Solidarity Beyond Bars: Unionizing Prison...2024-05-1538 min
COMMONSWORK 8 - Make and Break HarbourIn Newfoundland and Labrador, fishing is more than just an industry or a job. It truly is a way of life. It’s at the core of what has made this place what it is.Today, as fishers leave the industry in droves, all of that is at risk of dying.But is it even worth it to try to keep all of that alive? After all, there’s plenty of ways to make a living. And what kind of future is in store for the people who refuse to let go?2024-05-0835 min
COMMONSWORK 7 - Merchants of the RockThe cod collapse is a harbinger of the many environmental disasters we’re about to face. But what happens to workers in the aftermath of that kind of catastrophe? In Newfoundland and Labrador, monopolistic corporations took advantage.The history of the Atlantic fishery can be understood as a power struggle between fishermen and merchants. And the merchants are winning.Featured in this episode: Glen Winslow, Ryan Cleary, Jenn Thornhill-VermaTo learn more:“Who Controls Fish Processing in Newfoundland & Labrador?” by Jenn Thornhill-Verma & Jack Daly in The...2024-05-0127 min
COMMONSWORK 6 - Emptying an OceanThe closure of the cod fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador was the most devastating mass layoff in Canadian history. And its impacts are still being felt to this day.The collapse of Newfoundland cod is a story of man-made environmental calamity that turned into economic devastation. It’s a story of a government ignoring the knowledge of working people, in favour of the so-called expertise of industry, to disastrous effect.But this isn’t just history. It’s prophecy. It’s a vision of what may come if we continue to ignore the ecologic...2024-04-2444 min
COMMONSWORK 5 - The Westray DisasterThis episode was originally published on November 24, 2021. Twenty-six men were working underground when an explosion tore through the Westray Mine in Nova Scotia. Their friends and colleagues went into the wreckage to try to save them.The story of Westray is one of managerial malice and the heroism of everyday people. But why is it that governments let this happen over and over again, at the expense of so many lives?Featured in this episode: Vernon Theriault, Tom SandbornTo learn more:Westray: My J...2024-04-1748 min
COMMONSWORK 4 - Reaping the WhirlwindMigrant farm workers are the backbone of Canada’s agricultural economy. But because they can be fired and deported at will, their voices are rarely ever heard in this country.But Gabriel Allahdua is one of the few who can now speak up. And the story he has to tell is startling.It’s a story of racism and labour exploitation that goes back decades, even centuries. And it’s a prophecy of what is to come — that the hardships inflicted on migrant farm workers are only a trial run for the rest of us. 2024-04-1041 min
The BackbenchState of Emergency RoomsWe’re bringing you a special episode today from our friends at Commons. Over thirteen seasons, Commons has exposed Canada’s foundational reliance on monopolies, our addiction to real estate and the dark side of hockey. In their new season, host Arshy Mann is now dissecting the state of work in Canada to ask – how did we get here? And what can we do to fight back? Across Canada, emergency rooms have been shutting down, leaving desperate people in the lurch. And at the heart of this health care crisis, is a labour crisis.Nurs...2024-04-0927 min
COMMONSWORK 3 - Bitter HarvestThe creation of the Canadian Farmworkers Union, as it would come to be called, was the first step in a struggle that continues to this day.Because even now, farmworkers have far fewer rights than almost any other class of worker. And even today, the men and women who grow our food are subject to horrific working conditions and racial discrimination.But to understand why the situation remains so bad, we need to go back in time to a moment when there was progress and hope. A moment when it looked like things...2024-04-0334 min
COMMONSWORK 2 - State of Emergency RoomsAcross Canada, emergency rooms have been shutting down, leaving desperate people in the lurch. And at the heart of this health care crisis, is a labour crisis.Nurses are leaving their jobs in droves, leaving hospitals understaffed and sometimes unable to carry out their most basic obligations.In this episode, we'll tell you how nursing went from a profession hailed as heroic to one in an utter state of crisis, all through the eyes of a woman who lived through it all.Featured in this episode: Nadira Ross2024-03-2728 min
COMMONSWORK 1 - The War on WorkersLabour has undergone a seismic shift over the past decade. The rise of gig work and temp agencies have made employment more precarious than ever. In the interest of profits, companies are turning more and more towards temporary foreign workers and international students for minimum wage jobs. And even for those with seemingly secure employment, wages and benefits continue to be squeezed. One thing seems clear: workers are getting screwed. This season of COMMONS will dig into the fascinating history and ever-changing present of what it means to be a wor...2024-03-2032 min
CANADALANDHow Work Got So Sh*ttyLabour used to be a beat. A major beat for any newspaper. Which, you know, makes sense. Because what happens with work, with the world of work, that matters to so many more people than any other section in the newspaper, more than politics or foreign affairs or even business. But the age of the working person's newspaper is just about dead, and along with it, the labour beat.But maybe not to news audiences. We get constant emails from you asking us to take a closer look at work in Canada. The entire new season...2024-03-1127 min
COMMONSBonus - Everybody Loves RomanaIn this bonus episode, COMMONS producer Noor Azrieh sits down with Peter Smith to discuss his reporting on right-wing conspiracy groups like Qanon and Romana Didulo.Featured in this episode: Peter SmithTo learn more:“Lead in the head”: Self-Declared Canadian Prime Minister and QAnon Adherent Calls for Executions of Officials Who Refuse Her Cease and Desists” by Peter Smith in The Canadian Anti-Hate Network“Self Declared Queen Of Canada Calling For US Supporters To Invade Canada And Prepare To Execute “Traitors” by Peter Smith in The Canadian Ant...2024-02-0725 min
CANADALAND(Short Cuts) MKUltraIn the 1960s and 70s, there was a fear that cult leaders were brainwashing young people into joining their new, strange movements. But is it even possible to “brainwash” anyone?At a psychiatric hospital in Montreal, one mad scientist, with the help of the CIA, tried to find out. Featured in this episode: Alison Steel, Lisa EllenwoodTo learn more:Brainwashed by Michelle Shephard, Lisa Ellenwood & Chris Oke on CBC PodcastsThe Search for the Manchurian Candidate: The CIA and Mind Control by John MarksFat...2023-12-2841 min
COMMONSCULTS 10 - My Beautiful Dark Twisted FandomWe live in a world of obsessive fandoms. The Stans, Swifties, Potterheads, Beliebers, Trekkies, Bronies, Barbs and their ilk are everywhere to be found.But at what point does it go from being harmless entertainment and turn into something more sinister?Featured in this episode: Zoe Alderton, Robert LawsonTo learn more:“‘Snapewives’ and ‘Snapeism’: A Fiction-Based Religion within the Harry Potter Fandom” by Zoe Alderton in Religions“Andrew Tate: how the ‘manosphere’ influencer is selling extreme masculinity to young men” by Robert Lawson in The Conversation2023-12-2027 min
COMMONSCULTS 9 - Romana’s ReignRomana Didulo, the self-proclaimed Queen of Canada, is unlike almost any other cult leader Canada has ever seen. In an incredibly short amount of time, she’s been able to gain a mass following, despite her absurd claims and alarming rhetoric.At various points, she’s claimed to be a political leader, a monarch, an interdimensional being communing with aliens, and so much more. She’s urged her followers to take up arms and execute migrants on sight.And now, she’s taken up residence in a small Saskatchewan town that doesn’t know what...2023-12-1336 min
COMMONSCULTS 8 - The Eye of the PyramidMulti-level marketing isn’t based on rational business logic. It’s not even built on irrational business logic. It’s ideology. It’s faith.MLMs have become such a ubiquitous part of North American life that their tenets are rarely ever questioned. The sector holds enormous political sway. Millions of people join, leave and rejoin every year, almost all of them ending up poorer for the experience.And to call it a cult is not just a cute turn of phrase. The cultishness of MLMs is essential to their success.Featured...2023-12-0647 min
COMMONSCULTS 7 - Hey #Bossbabe!Nearly 1.4 million Canadians and almost 50 million Americans are involved in multi-level marketing. And that sheer volume of people makes it a near certainty that you’ve encountered MLMs in your life somehow.The promise of financial freedom can be an intoxicating lure. But MLMs, like so many other cultish enterprises, are about more than just money. They’re about transcendence.And in their wake, they often leave behind ruined livelihoods and broken lives. Featured in this episode: Julie Anderson, Amanda Montell, Robert L. Fitzpatrick, Marco Moukhaiber To learn...2023-11-2933 min
COMMONSCULTS 6 - Being a BlackmoreMary-Jayne Blackmore is one of the oldest children of Winston Blackmore, the most famous polygamist in Canada. For decades, her family has been the subject of intense media and legal scrutiny because of her father’s 27 wives and 150 children. Their lives have been dissected in documentaries and in court testimony.The name Blackmore has become synonymous with either faith-based persecution by the state or with cult-like religious fundamentalism that victimizes girls and women.But for Mary-Jayne, these kinds of black-and-white portrayals miss so much about what it’s been like being...2023-11-2249 min
COMMONSCULTS 5 - Alien SuperstarIn 1973, a French motorsports journalist claimed to have been visited by a UFO that revealed to him the secret origins of humanity. For the next half-century, the man known as Raël would go on to create a new faith with tens of thousands of adherents all around the world. The media have portrayed the Raelians as not just a cult, but a strange phantasmagoria of extraterrestrials, orgies and clones. But its followers insist it is the only true path forward for humanity.Featured in this episode: Nicole Bertrand, Susan J. Palmer, Harold He...2023-11-1534 min
COMMONSCULTS 4 - The Cult WarsAn explosion of new spiritual movements in the 1970s led to the creation of an entirely novel academic field. But right from the beginning, the discipline was riven asunder.The Cult Wars have been raging for decades. They’re fought not only in academic journals and conference seminars, but in the press, the courts and in legislative assemblies. And their battles continue to have enormous consequences.Featured in this episode: Michael Kropveld, Stephen A. Kent, Susan J. PalmerTo learn more:“Caught Up in the Cult Wars: Conf...2023-11-0843 min
COMMONSCULTS 3 - MKUltraIn the 1960s and 70s, there was a fear that cult leaders were brainwashing young people into joining their new, strange movements. But is it even possible to “brainwash” anyone?At a psychiatric hospital in Montreal, one mad scientist, with the help of the CIA, tried to find out.Featured in this episode: Alison Steel, Lisa EllenwoodTo learn more:Brainwashed by Michelle Shephard, Lisa Ellenwood & Chris Oke on CBC PodcastsThe Search for the Manchurian Candidate: The CIA and Mind Control by John Mark...2023-11-0142 min
COMMONSCULTS 2 - Brother XIIThe story of Brother XII still fascinates and even frightens some people in and around Nanaimo.He’s often called the Devil of De Courcy Island for good reason.Brother XII prophesied about the coming apocalypse. But instead, his story would presage something different. He was a forerunner of the strange, new religions that would sweep over the western world.Featured in this episode: Bill Miner, Justine BrownTo learn more:Brother XII: The Strange Odyssey of a 20th Century Prophet by John Oliphant...2023-10-2531 min
COMMONSCULTS 1 - Speak in TonguesAs organized religion declines in countries like Canada, we’ve experienced an explosion of what some call religious movements and what others call cults.The idea of cults has become an omnipresent part of our discourse. But what even is a cult? And why have we become so intrigued by these groups?And the language of cults has moved beyond just religion into so many different spheres — everything from fitness, to politics, to work. Featured in this episode: Harold Henning, Amanda MontellTo learn more:Cul...2023-10-1831 min
A Field Guide to Gay AnimalsIntroducing COMMONS: CultsThe first episode from COMMONS newest season on cults. Click here to follow COMMONS, wherever your get your podcasts.As organized religion declines in countries like Canada, we’ve experienced an explosion of what some call religious movements and what others call cults.The idea of cults has become an omnipresent part of our discourse. But what even is a cult? And why have we become so intrigued by these groups?And the language of cults has moved beyond just religion into so many different spheres — everything from fitness, to poli...2023-10-1831 min
COMMONSBonus - Game MisconductIn this bonus episode, COMMONS producer Jordan Cornish sits down with Jashvina Shah to talk about her book, Game Misconduct: Hockey's Toxic Culture and How to Fix It. Featured in this episode: Jashvina ShahTo learn more:Game Misconduct Hockey's Toxic Culture and How to Fix It by Evan F. Moore and Jashvina Shah“No, this is not a watershed moment for hockey” by Jashvina Shah in The Globe and Mail Sex offences against minors: Investigation reveals more than 200 Canadian coaches convicted in last 20 years...2023-09-0626 min
COMMONSBonus - OvertimeIn this bonus episode, COMMONS producer Jordan Cornish sits down with host Arshy Mann to discuss our recent season on hockey. If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.You can listen ad-free on...2023-08-0217 min
COMMONSHOCKEY 7 - Blood on the IceDerek Boogaard made his living pummeling people on the ice. But outside the arena, he was soft-spoken and kind.Fighting was just his job. But it would end up taking everything from him.Hockey fights, and the numerous blows to the head that players have to endure, have become a moral crisis at the very heart of the sport. And the NHL is doing everything they can to deny the science and allow this gladiatorial combat to continue.And it’s enforcers like Derek Boogaard who end up...2023-07-0546 minCOMMONSHOCKEY 6 - The Problem Hockey Won’t NameThe Hockey Canada scandal has become one of the biggest stories in the country. And now, hockey appears to be in the middle of a reckoning. But this isn’t the first time. There was another moment, just like this one.Back then, people tried to warn the hockey world — they were ignored. And even today, the sport won’t name the very specific issue they face. Hockey has a gang rape problem. Featured in this episode: Alexis Peters, Laura RobinsonTo learn more:Crossing...2023-06-2830 minCOMMONSHOCKEY 5 - The Boys from BramptonMike Danton was playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the St. Louis Blues. And at the same time, he was trying to hire a hitman to kill his agent, David Frost.Danton’s arrest and conviction would become one of the biggest hockey scandals of all time. But this is not just some salacious true crime story. It’s an extreme example of everything that’s wrong with hockey culture; hazing and abuse, sexual misconduct and the adult men who control the lives of teenage boys for their own monetary gain.F...2023-06-2145 minCOMMONSHOCKEY 4 - The Lonely End of the RinkJustin Davis was never a superstar. He was a journeyman player, one of tens of thousands, chasing the dream. And at almost every step, when hockey gave him something, it would also take something away.Hockey exacts a heavy toll on many boys and young men — on their minds and their bodies. And then they’re told not to talk about any of it outside the locker room.It’s enough to make you ask the question. Is this a sport? Or a cult?Featured in this episode: Justin Davis...2023-06-1435 minCOMMONSHOCKEY 3 - Iced OutThe NHL likes to call Willie O’Ree the Jackie Robinson of hockey. And no one can deny how significant it was when he became the first Black player on the ice in an NHL game in 1958. But what the league doesn’t like to talk about is what happened next. Because after O’Ree, the NHL didn’t admit another black player for sixteen years. So did the NHL resegregate? And why don’t we talk about the experiences of the players who broke hockey’s second colour line?Featured in th...2023-06-0736 minCOMMONSHOCKEY 2 - The Birth of Black HockeyOf the estimated 7000 people who have played in the NHL only around 100 of them have been Black. That’s an absurdly low number compared to any other major North American sports league.But what makes that statistic especially shocking is the fact that the modern game has its roots with Black players on Black teams.The Coloured Hockey League wasn’t just a sideshow to the main event of white hockey. And the way that league was targeted by the white establishment is reflective of the racism that Black players faced over the next...2023-05-3130 min
CANADALANDHOCKEY 1 - The Best Game You Can NameHockey is a hell of a lot of fun. But right now, the sport is going through a reckoning. Allegations of racism, corruption, sexual misconduct and so much more are rocking the game to its core.But the truth is that in Canada, hockey is more than just a sport. It’s a civic religion, with a billion dollar business attached to it.Over the next seven episodes, COMMONS will be digging into the cult of hockey, scrutinizing its doctrines and exposing its secrets.Featured in this episode: Ian Kennedy (Th...2023-05-2725 minCOMMONSHOCKEY 1 - The Best Game You Can NameHockey is a hell of a lot of fun. But right now, the sport is going through a reckoning. Allegations of racism, corruption, sexual misconduct and so much more are rocking the game to its core.But the truth is that in Canada, hockey is more than just a sport. It’s a civic religion, with a billion dollar business attached to it.Over the next seven episodes, COMMONS will be digging into the cult of hockey, scrutinizing its doctrines and exposing its secrets.Canadaland is turning 10! Fr...2023-05-2425 min
A Field Guide to Gay AnimalsIntroducing COMMONS: HockeyLove it or hate it, hockey is inescapable in Canada. But the sport has a dark side.From violence and racism on the ice, to corruption, cover-ups and abuse off of it. In the latest season of COMMONS, host Arshy Mann and producers Jordan Cornish and Noor Azrieh will be bringing you stories from inside the cult of hockey.The new season launches on May 24th. Follow COMMONS on your favourite podcast app.If you’re a Canadaland supporter, you can get access to episodes a week early! Become a su...2023-05-1002 minCOMMONSIntroducing our new season… HockeyLove it or hate it, hockey is inescapable in Canada. But the sport has a dark side.From violence and racism on the ice, to corruption, cover-ups and abuse off of it. In the latest season of COMMONS, host Arshy Mann and producers Jordan Cornish and Noor Azrieh will be bringing you stories from inside the cult of hockey.Our new season launches on May 24th.If you’re a Canadaland supporter, you can get access to episodes a week early! Become a supporter at canadaland.com/join2023-05-1002 min
COMMONSBonus - Do Not Pass GoIn this bonus episode, COMMONS producer Jordan Cornish sits down with host Arshy Mann to talk about the grocery CEOs testifying at Parliament, their thoughts about the Monopoly season coming to an end, and what listeners can do to make change.Sponsors: USW, Free Lunch, Gardisil If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a pa...2023-03-1519 minCOMMONSMonopoly 12 - OverdrawnNot only do the Big Five banks get away with charging exorbitant fees for basic services. Not only do they block any competitors by controlling Canada’s payment infrastructure. Not only are they totally entwined with the federal government. But the Big Five banks are about to get even bigger.Featured in this episode: Colin Deacon, Keldon Bester, Alex VroncesTo learn more“How blocked mergers foiled banks' ambitions — and forced the Big Six to innovate” by James Bradshaw in The Globe and Mail“How the pus...2023-02-0120 minCOMMONSMonopoly 11 - Flight RiskIt’s been a hard few years for Canadian air passengers. And while no one blames the airline oligopoly for COVID or winter storms, air travellers have had to put up with a lot.But Canada has consumer protections to make sure that when something goes wrong, there’s a fair process in place to make sure everyday Canadians don’t get screwed over, right? Right??!Featured in this episode: Gábor Lukács, John GradekTo learn more“Canadian airline regulator’s stance on refunds aligned with execs’...2023-01-2530 minCOMMONSMonopoly 10 - The Way the Music Died♩♪ A long, long time ago, I can still rememberHow the music used to pay my billsI knew that if I got my breakThat I could be as big as DrakeAnd then I could stop shopping at No Frills ♩♪♩♪ But Spotify, it’s nearly killed usTicketmaster’s ground us to dustThe companies got too largeNow monopolies are in charge ♩♪♩♪ And the record labels I fear the mostHave all just merged and so now we’re toast2023-01-1830 minCOMMONSMONOPOLY 9 - Diamonds of AttawapiskatThis episode was originally published on December 21, 2021. Attawapiskat has become famous across Canada and around the world. Not for the natural beauty that surrounds it, or for the Cree culture of the people who live there. Instead, it’s become a byword for the toxic legacy of Canadian colonialism.But while Attawapiskat faced crisis after crisis, the community was sitting on a literal diamond mine run by the world’s most famous mining company.So why is it that a community rich in diamonds is so poor? And why did the g...2023-01-1142 minCOMMONSMonopoly 8 - Raining Cats and DollarsWhen you look at your pet, you probably see an adorable furball that you’d do anything for. A private equity firm sees dollar signs.Ever so quietly, faceless, big money firms have been consolidating Canada’s veterinary clinics. And vets are just the beginning.Featured in this episode: Michael Mossop, Denise HearnTo learn more“Inside the corporate dash to buy up dentists’ offices, veterinary clinics and pharmacies” in The Globe and Mail by Chris Hannay“Private equity groups spot profit in UK's nurseries” i...2023-01-0421 min
CANADALANDCOMMONS: Against the WINDThis episode was originally aired on December 7, 2022WIND Mobile, now known as Freedom, was a small company that tried to break through Canada’s telecom oligopoly. It did not have an easy ride. WIND faced numerous hurdles from regulators, it was subjected to dirty tricks from the telecom oligopoly, and was eventually sold to Shaw. But it also helped lower cell phone rates and brought in unlimited data and U.S. roaming, changing the wireless market permanently.This is the inside story of WIND Mobile, from the people who were there. ...2022-12-2933 min
A Field Guide to Gay AnimalsCOMMONS: Monopoly #1 - Lost in the SupermarketWe wanted to share an episode with you from another show on the network, COMMONS! This season they are digging into monopolies and asking, is there something special about Canada that makes it especially hospitable to monopolies? To listen to the rest of the COMMONS: Monopoly season, use this link or search COMMONS in your favourite podcast app. Canadians are being squeezed at every end. When it comes to cell phone bills, grocery bills, housing, entertainment, we’re all paying more than ever before.But a small number of companies that dominate their indu...2022-12-2728 min
Wag The DougCOMMONS: Monopoly #1 - Lost in the SupermarketThis episode is from our friends on the CANADALAND network, COMMONS! This season they are digging into monopolies and asking, is there something special about Canada that makes it especially hospitable to monopolies? To listen to the rest of the COMMONS: Monopoly season, use this link or search COMMONS in your podcast app of choice. Canadians are being squeezed at every end. When it comes to cell phone bills, grocery bills, housing, entertainment, we’re all paying more than ever before.But a small number of companies that dominate their industries are reaping in...2022-12-2128 minCOMMONSMonopoly 7 - Canada’s Competition CopSupport us at www.commonspodcast.comMatthew Boswell is the Competition Commissioner. And he's the last man trying to stand in the way of the mega-merger between Rogers and Shaw. But even he acknowledges that Canada's antitrust laws aren't just inadequate — they're weighted in favour of the monopolists.A frank discussion with Canada's top competition cop.Featured in this episode: Matthew BoswellCredits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator)Sponsors: Douglas,2022-12-2128 minCOMMONSMonopoly 6 - The Urge to MergeRogers and Shaw are getting ready to tie the knot. But before they can consummate their less-than-holy union, they have to get the approval of Canada’s competition tribunal and the federal government. And even though most Canadians would find this union highly objectionable, it’s likely to be approved.Because for 150 years, Canadian politicians have been talking out of both sides of their mouths. They claim they want to promote competition. And then they pass laws that do the opposite.Featured in this episode: Vass Bednar, Keldon BesterTo lear...2022-12-1423 minCOMMONSMonopoly 5 - Against the WINDWIND Mobile, now known as Freedom, was a small company that tried to break through Canada’s telecom oligopoly. It did not have an easy ride. WIND faced numerous hurdles from regulators, it was subjected to dirty tricks from the telecom oligopoly, and was eventually sold to Shaw. But it also helped lower cell phone rates and brought in unlimited data and U.S. roaming, changing the wireless market permanently.This is the inside story of WIND Mobile, from the people who were there.Featured in this episode: Simon Lockie, Bri...2022-12-0731 minCOMMONSMonopoly 4 - TeleconnedThey’re the most hated companies in the country. And yet, they’re unavoidable. The telecom oligopoly seems to rule Canada’s economy with an iron fist. Canadians are paying more and more for our cell phones, cable and internet. So how was it that we ended up in this situation? And was it inevitable that things would get so bad?Featured in this episode: Ben Klass, Dwayne Winseck, Keldon Bester, Dale EislerTo learn more“A Social History of Canadian Telecommunications” in Canadian Journal of C...2022-11-3031 minCOMMONSMonopoly 3 - The Hudson’s Bay CompanyToday, it’s a department store where you might go to buy perfume or cookware. But the Hudson’s Bay Company was Canada’s first, and its most powerful, monopoly. It grew from a largely insignificant enterprise into one of the most dominant forces in North America.The story of the HBC reveals just how deeply embedded monopoly is in Canada’s very fabric. Featured in this episode: Stephen R. Bown, Jean TeilletTo learn moreThe Company: The Rise and Fall of the Hudson’s B...2022-11-2327 minCOMMONSMonopoly 2 - Big MilkSome say that they’re a shadowy group that are the true power behind our elected officials, wielding enormous influence that they use to either benefit their friends or crush their enemies.Others claim that they’re a bulwark against oligopolies, ensuring that rural Canada doesn’t turn into an empty, corporatized hellscape.But what’s not up for debate is that Big Milk is a big deal.Featured in this episode: Marlene Haley, Justin Ling, Bruce MuirheadTo learn more“Cheddargate” by Justin Ling in Mais...2022-11-1628 minCOMMONSMonopoly 1 - Lost in the SupermarketCanadians are being squeezed at every end. When it comes to cell phone bills, grocery bills, housing, entertainment, we’re all paying more than ever before.But a small number of companies that dominate their industries are reaping in enormous profits.This season of COMMONS we’ll be digging into all of the monopolies, oligopolies and cartels that dominate our lives. And for our first stop, we head to the supermarket.Featured in this episode: Vass Bednar, Marco Chown Oved (Toronto Star)To learn more...2022-11-0932 minCOMMONSIntroducing our new season… MonopolyFrom broadband to banking to blueberries (yes, even blueberries), life in Canada is ruled by monopolies. In the latest season of COMMONS, host Arshy Mann and producers Jordan Cornish and Noor Azrieh will bring you the stories of how these monopolists bullied their way to the top, strangled their rivals, and cornered their markets with help from the government.Our new season launches on November 9th. If you’re a Canadaland supporter, you can listen to the first episode now! Become a supporter at canadaland.com/join Hosted on Acast. See...2022-11-0202 min