Shows
The Progress ReportThe Alberta NDP and LEAP—from the LEAP perspectiveWe're back! Jim rouses himself from his sick bed to deliver part two of our look into the conflict between the Alberta NDP establishment and the eco-socialist wing of the party that has been simmering ever since the LEAP manifesto arrived at convention in 2016. This time we chat with a someone from the pro-LEAP side—Breach Media managing editor & Avi Lewis advisor Martin Lukacs.
2025-11-2945 min
The Progress ReportMichael Janz on Edmonton's 2025 electionsJim and Jeremy interview Michael Janz, councillor for Edmonton's Ward Papastew, about his election campaign, the value of fighting to change public opinion, whether political parties at the muni level are good, and more.Support the Progress Report at theprogressreport.ca/patrons.For more from the Janz campaign, see the councillor's site at michaeljanz.ca.
2025-06-2750 min
The Progress ReportSeven GsPress Progress's Stephen Magusiak joins Jim and Jeremy to talk about this week's G7 conference—and not about the unimportant parts, like global geopolitics, but about what really matters: what Albertans were doing. Who was organizing around G7 locally and were they successful? The fellas get into it.Support the Progress Report pod by becoming a patron at theprogressreport.ca/patrons :)Stephen writes for Press Progress, which you can find at pressprogress.ca
2025-06-2142 minThe Progress ReportFasting for GazaJim and Jeremy speak with participants in an ongoing 40-day fast for Gaza about the present situation in Palestine, organizing back here in Edmonton, and the difficult task of grappling with power from a disempowered position.Please consider supporting this pod and/or subscribing to the newsletter at https://www.theprogressreport.ca/
2025-06-1148 min
The Progress ReportThe end of the Gillenium?The 20-year president of the Alberta Federation of Labour is up for re-election this Sunday. Jim and Jeremy take a look at the present situation, check out some Gil McGowan campaign literature, and speak to the AFL leadership candidate who didn't ignore our interview request.
2025-04-2754 min
The Progress ReportThe Alberta WorkerLabour journalist Kim Siever (The Alberta Worker) joins Jim and Jeremy on the pod today to chat about the AHS procurement scandal, the province's ongoing education strike, and his experience working the labour beat here in Alberta.Links and full show notes for this episode available at https://www.theprogressreport.ca/kim-siever-alberta-worker
2025-02-2447 min
The Galbraith PerspectiveRural Matters | Jim Smith, Alix Storrie & Robert YoungWhat do you get when you bring together a Lawyer, Accountant and Farmer/comedian? A Galbraith Rural Matters Podcast!
The latest episode sees a bumper panel discuss succession plans for the farm. There's conversations on diversification and Jim questions Alix, a Partner for Turcan Connell, and Robert, a Partner for EQ Accountancy on tax as they delve into the recent UK Budget announcement. We also chat about Jim's work with RSABI as a mental health ambassador and much more.
Make sure to give Galbraith a follow across social media...
2024-12-191h 20
The Progress ReportSarah Hoffman makes her pitchIn the first of our interviews with Alberta NDP leadership candidates, Duncan chats with Sarah Hoffman. Then, some analysis with Jim.Show notes and more content, including our ANDP leadership tracker, can be found at our website, The Progress Report
2024-03-2346 min
The Progress Report2023's Hottest Superspreader Event (feat. completely unhinged policy proposals)The Progress Report podcast is back and fellow Progress Reporters Jeremy Appel and Jim Storrie are around to break down the resolutions and the vibes heading into this weekend's UCP AGM. This is the first AGM with Danielle Smith at the helm and we'll see where her loosey-goosey leadership style plays with an increasingly bug-eyed UCP grassroots.
2023-11-041h 04
The Progress ReportMunicipal Election Roundtable ExtravaganzaMunicipal election day is almost here. Sprawl Calgary reporter Jeremy Appel joins Duncan and Jim for one final review of the races in Edmonton and Calgary.
2021-10-171h 30The Progress ReportMake this election a climate electionWhat should you be looking for in your municipal candidates this year? Alison McIntosh and Carter Gorzitza from Climate Justice Edmonton join us to explain what you should be demanding from the local politicians at your door this fall.
2021-08-291h 04The Progress ReportJason Kenney's Victims of Communism memorial received donations honouring fascists, Nazi collaboratorsThe Liberal government is spending $7.5 million dollars on a Victims of Communism memorial that was started by Jason Kenney 14 years ago. Dan Boeckner of the Bottlemen podcast joins us to discuss the bipartisan consensus on the controversial monument, the news that the organization behind the monument received donations honoring fascists and Nazi collaborators who were responsible for the massacres of hundreds of thousands of people in Europe during World War 2 and much more.
2021-08-131h 00The Progress ReportKinney 4 SenateNobody's actually going to get elected to the Senate this year. So why are the UCP holding a Senate 'election'? And why's Duncan Kinney in it? Featuring guest host Producer Jim
2021-08-0650 minThe Progress ReportPepper spray for all!How do we fix decades of state-sponsored, systemic anti-Muslim hate? According to Alberta's Justice Minister Kaycee Madu all we need is pepper spray. Dr. Muna Saleh and Haiqa Cheema join us to discuss the Alberta's government’s incredibly inadequate response to an epidemic of violent hate crimes against visibly Muslim women.
2021-07-3050 minThe Progress ReportHappy Abolish Canada Day!As the numbers of unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools piles up Rob Houle returns to discuss happy and sad fireworks, what you're celebrating when you're celebrating Canada Day and we dive into the details of a couple of sites where it has long been speculated that there are mass, unmarked graves in Alberta.
2021-07-0157 minThe Progress ReportWinston Churchill was a genocidal mass murdererA statue of Winston Churchill in Edmonton recently got an artistic re-imagining. Nisha Patel and Najib Jutt join host Duncan Kinney to talk about the racist, murderous legacy of Winston Churchill and the British Empire and what it is to be done about the statue, squares and schools named after this mass murderer.
2021-06-2547 minThe Progress ReportOntario is not sending its bestWhere did Kevin J. Johnston come from? Independent journalist Kevin Metcalf digs into the history of this infamous Ontario and relatively recent Calgary transplant who has recently been locked up for a series of increasingly dangerous and aggressive anti-lockdown stunts.
2021-06-1847 minThe Progress ReportThe genocide defender has logged onUniversity of Manitoba history professor Sean Carleton joins us to break down Jason Kenney's long history of defending the genocidal legacy of Canada and its first prime minister John A. MacDonald, whether Canada Day is cancelled (it is) and the pros of tearing down the statues of the architects of genocide.
2021-06-111h 04The Progress ReportThe Never Ending InquiryUniversity of Calgary law professor Martin Olzsynski joins us to discuss the inquiry that never ends. Regardless of whether or not the Allan Inquiry meets its latest deadline the inquiry has been an omnishambles since it started—we break down why as well as what's going to happen with this mess.
2021-06-041h 00The Progress ReportSome of our favs may be implicatedYork University humanities professor Shama Rangwala joins us to dissect and discuss copaganda—everything from Adorno and Althusser to Brooklyn 99 and Falcon and the Winter Soldier as well as some examples from the local media and the local cops. And while we're bringing a critical and educational lens to this pod we need to be clear, this is a no-scold zone. You can still listen to this podcast and enjoy your shows.
2021-05-3159 minThe Progress ReportMaplewashing feat. Luke SavageWe have the originator of the term maplewashing, podcaster and Jacobin staff writer Luke Savage, on the pod to discuss the way politicians, corporations and the media sanitize and conceal Canada's violent, genocidal past and present by perpetuating the notion that Canada is somehow morally superior to other countaries.
2021-05-1957 minThe Progress ReportNora LoretoEvery day for the past 14 months independent journalist Nora Loreto has tallied up COVID deaths in residential care. We chat with Nora about her incredibly valuable but unpaid journalism, the long-term care disaster and the state of Canadian media. Don't miss it. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Links: Media Has Ignored The Anti-Vax Movement’s White Supremacist Roots Nora's spreadsheet tracking COVID deaths in residential care
2021-05-1257 minThe Progress ReportEnbridge's privately funded pro-pipeline police force in MinnesotaMinnesota is often called the most Canadian state in the U.S. and given the fact a pipeline corporation is working closely with the police to arrest and harass their political opponents we're inclined to agree. Alleen Brown of the Intercept joins us to discuss how Alberta-based pipeline corporation Enbridge is funding and supplying police in Minnesota in order to quash Indigenous-led resistance to the Line 3 pipeline. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Links: Local Cops Said Pipel...
2021-04-2736 minThe Progress ReportOrphan wells, $18 billion in federal subsidies and W. Brett WilsonJulia Levin of Environmental Defence joins us to talk about her recently released report that dives into just how much financial support the fossil fuel industry squeezes out of the federal government and we also have Jeremy Appel on to discuss his investigative deep-dive into the 16 orphan wells famous rich guy W. Brett Wilson was able to dump on the public. Would it surprise you to discover that these two are connected? Listen to the pod to find out how.
2021-04-2458 minThe Progress ReportPOD: GraceLife, carding, and MaduUbaka Ogbogu, a law professor with the University of Alberta, joins us to discuss the monster Jason Kenney has created with Gracelife church, carding legislation introduced by the UCP, Justice Minister Kaycee Madu's extraordinary and now-deleted statement about him and much more.
2021-04-1558 minThe Progress Report14 ways to make Edmonton safer for allRob Houle and Irfan Chaudhry were both a part of a task force started by the city of Edmonton as a reaction to wide-scale calls to start fixing the problem of racist, violent policing last summer. The task force's report has been submitted to council. We talk with Rob and Irfan about the report's findings, recommendations and how the only thing that really matters in the next municipal election is what a candidate is willing to do on the police budget.
2021-04-091h 01The Progress ReportThe racist, white supremacist foundations of the COVID denier movementAs the third wave of COVID-19 gathers steam the anti-mask, COVID denier groups have become more violent, more emboldened and are putting people in danger. We do a deep dive on the COVID denier movement with Kurt Phillips, the formerly anonymous author of Anti-Racist Canada and a founding board member of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network.
2021-04-0147 minThe Progress ReportThe other multi-billion dollar Alberta government oil scandal: Crude-by-railIndependent consultant and crude-by-rail expert Samir Kayande joins us to talk about the $2.3 billion dollars (and counting) the government of Alberta has lost on crude-by-rail. Is there a rail yard somewhere with thousands of empty rail cars? Quite possibly, the government has told us nearly nothing about this debacle. When they have told us anything about it, they've lied. We dig into this huge scandal.
2021-03-2542 minThe Progress ReportLeg Day for LeftiesHow do we build working class power? How do we make the rich and powerful afraid of us instead of the other way around? We talk with Q. Anthony (formerly known as Andray Domise) a contributing editor with Maclean's and Brandon Love, co-secretary of the Toronto Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World to talk about this important question.
2021-03-191h 08The Progress ReportPublic interest law, the limits of the courts and why we need to stop skipping leg dayHuman rights lawyer Avnish Nanda and labour lawyer Adam Cembrowski join us to talk about Avnish's notable public interest law cases, winning and losing in and out of court with the Alberta government as well as a wide ranging conversation on the limits of the legal system when it comes to building power for social movements and the working class.
2021-03-1253 minThe Progress ReportBreezy For MayorEdmonton Public school board trustee Bridget Stirling and Speaking Municipally co-host Troy Pavlek join us to talk about the city council and school board elections in Edmonton coming later this year. With massive turnover coming to both institutions what are the races to keep an eye on and what kind of campaigns are we likely to see? And yes, two-thirds of the panel is on team Breezy Brian Gregg for mayor.
2021-03-041h 01The Progress ReportTechnically speaking, Jason Kenney's 2021 budget "sucks ass"Duncan and Jim were in the budget media embargo and sifted through hundreds of pages of facts and figures, tables and charts, spin and counter-spin and came to this conclusion: the 2021 Alberta budget sucks ass. They break it down and get into the details in the latest Progress Report podcast.
2021-03-0255 minThe Progress ReportTreaty Six Outreach, mutual aid and the anarcho-curiousRobert Miller and Tabitha from Treaty Six Outreach join us to talk about the grassroots, street outreach, mutual aid work their group does, the Edmonton Police kicking homeless people out into -30 degree weather and whether human beings are fundamentally decent or not.
2021-02-1949 minThe Progress ReportPray for Kenney but meet your neighbors with Normal Quest UNLISTEDTyler Ogilvie and Sean Willett of the Alberta Advantage join us to discuss a Youtube video encouraging Christians everywhere to pray for Jason Kenney even though, "he's been off his game lately," as well as a project they're working on called Normal Quest. It's a simple idea that could actually save the world – if we want to win we're going to have to log off and start talking to our neighbors and coworkers like normal people. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a month...
2021-02-1256 minThe Progress ReportAbolish the Senate? One brave senator says noWe sit down with Senator Paula Simons on what is to be done with the senate. Is it a vestigial structure from a bygone era – the coccyx of Confederation? Or is the newly reformed senate actually providing value to Canadians? Listen and find out.
2021-02-051h 15The Progress ReportThe pope, the pandemic, the premier and the Christian leftWe speak with Dean Dettloff about his recent piece on how Jason Kenney is at odds with the Pope on carbon pricing, austerity and how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. We also touch on the history and the reality of the Christian left in a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation.
2021-01-2941 minThe Progress ReportChief McFee on tape and on the recordChief McFee of the Edmonton Police Service answered the Progress Report's questions (kind of) on defunding the police, secret armoured vehicles, school resource officers and more. We break down his answers with Reakash Walters and Molly Swain.
2021-01-221h 03The Progress ReportB117 is coming. We are not readyThe B117 variant of COVID-19 is hyper infectious, currently rampaging through the U.K. and Ireland and is already here in Canada. It's only a matter of time before it gets to Alberta. We talk to Dr. Gosia Gasperowicz about the super strain and what Alberta needs to do to stop it.
2021-01-1637 minThe Progress ReportAloha means hello and goodbyeShannon Phillips, the NDP MLA for Lethbridge West, breaks down Alohagate with us. Producer Jim Storrie joins host Duncan Kinney to wrap up the pod and gets some things off his chest about this scandal.
2021-01-0556 minThe Progress ReportWho benefits from the "Alberta Model"?Jeremy Appel, the author of our recent investigative piece on the "Alberta Model" approach to the opioid crisis, joins the crew over at the Alberta Advantage crew alongside Garth Mullins, the host of Crackdown. They discuss Jeremy's piece as well as the wider sociological and ideological issues around the Alberta government's mishandling of the opioid poisoning crisis that has led to record amounts of death and destruction. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Links: The Alberta Model: Who...
2020-12-2246 minThe Progress ReportHow do you solve a problem like regular COVID-19 superspreader rallies?Content creator king Abdul Malik joins us to talk about what is to be done about the lack of enforcement at COVID-19 superspreader rallies, Kenney's bizarre Xmas message, prominent Alberta columnists engaging in centrist fanfic and the little matter of the government of Alberta giving the NHL $4 million for a "unique partnership."
2020-12-1652 minThe Progress ReportThe documentary the Calgary Police doesn't want you to seeThat headline is not hyperbole, a Calgary Police officer sued to try and stop the documentary No Visible Trauma from being screened. Thankfully the filmmakers won and we have Marc Serpa Francouer and Robinder Uppal on to talk about their case as well as their documentary that examines several cases of police brutality and explores just how broken of an institution the Calgary Police Service really is.
2020-12-0154 minThe Progress ReportMockdown analysis + literal corporate vampires coming soonSandra Azocar, the executive director of Friends of Medicare, joins us to analyze and breakdown Jason Kenney's new COVID restrictions as well as a recently passed bill that allows private, for-profit plasma farming operations to be set up in Alberta. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Links: What Is the Blood of a Poor Person Worth? A push in Alberta for “pay for plasma” distracts from bigger questions The Twisted Business of Donating Plasma Pay-for-plasma lobbyists showing up in l...
2020-11-2554 minThe Progress ReportDr. Hinshaw has sweeping powers to stop COVID-19 and she isn't using themUniversity of Calgary law professor Lorian Hardcastle joins us to talk about her controversial piece on Dr. Hinshaw and why Hinshaw needs to exercise her powers to stop the death and destruction that COVID is wreaking. We also talk about what the government of Alberta needs to do get this disaster under control If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Links: Politicians are failing. Canada’s chief medical officers need to step in. Former Alberta chief medical officer of he...
2020-11-2050 minThe Progress ReportAlberta: This is fineDave Cournoyer of Daveberta fame joins us to discuss Alberta's multiple overlapping crises. We talk COVID-19, Jason Kenney's $1.7 billion dollar whoopsie, conservative connected law firms making bank and how the smart money is on Joe Biden cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Links: Law firms with conservative connections doing big business under UCP government Kenney bet big on Trump and KXL – but Biden won Daveberta
2020-11-1259 minThe Progress ReportOne leftie podcast network to rule them allWe speak with Andre Goulet of the Harbinger Media Network about his plans to knock Ben Shapiro and Pod Save America off the Canadian political podcast charts. We also discuss Canadaland, the future of the CBC and what's next for the Progress Report.
2020-10-3044 minThe Progress ReportDefund2Fund is getting bigger and more organized every dayWe speak with Courtney Walcott and LJ Parker about their work with the Defund2Fund coalition on defunding the police in Calgary as well as psychopathic challenge coins, why so many teachers and principals think it's ok to use the n-word in school, domestic violence in the Calgary Police Service and more. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Further reading: Calgary police officer charged with domestic offences Calgary Police Service Firearms Training Unit challenge coin Longer thread on...
2020-10-2049 minThe Progress ReportWexit Nazis fuck offElizabeth Simons is the co-author of a new piece published by the Canadian Anti-Hate Network on a group of young men in the Wexit movement, the Alberta Separatist Youth League, who have big political aspirations and are also extremely explicit in their anti semitic, racist, and authoritarian beliefs in leaked private chat logs.
2020-10-0935 minThe Progress ReportSo you say you're an anti-racist organization? Prove itYodit Tesfamicael, an organizer with Students4Change and Black Women United talks with us about the work she's a part of to help improve black lives at Norquest College. An important starting point has been getting that institution to collect race-based data. Turns out you can't be an anti-racist organization if you have no idea how black people are doing. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Further reading: Edmonton Public Schools to become first Alberta board to col...
2020-09-2833 minThe Progress ReportStranger Danger 2020We have returning champion Laura Kruse on to discuss her latest Red String column. There is a huge effort going on to whitewash a dangerous and extreme right wing conspiracy theory and tens of thousands of well meaning folks are getting sucked in. And it's using child sex trafficking as the entry point. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Further reading: Stranger Danger! Stranger Danger! The Red String: #SaveTheChildren, human trafficking hysteria and the expansion of the pol...
2020-09-2243 minThe Progress ReportNo more blank cheques for policeWe are joined by Oumar Salifou of the Is This For Real? podcast to talk about Edmonton Police's militarized hardware show and tell, the media's poor coverage of police and the upcoming Police Act review. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Further reading: Edmonton Police show off their new armoured vehicle, drone fleet, and other militarized hardware Is This For Real? Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu calls push to defund police ‘ridiculous’
2020-09-1847 minThe Progress ReportThe Other 9/11This is a re-run from September 11, 2019. We speak with Ricardo Acuna and Sandra Azocar, two Chilean refugees, to listen to their stories of the CIA-backed coup that installed brutal Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and overthrew a democratically elected socialist government on September 11, 1973. Listen and subscribe on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts or just subscribe to the RSS feed If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Further reading: CIA still refuses to reveal everything it knows about Pinochet coup i...
2020-09-1154 minThe Progress ReportWildcatProgress Report host Duncan Kinney appears on the very good podcast 49th Parahell to talk about the NBA wildcat strike and what workers can learn from it, why Chrystia Freeland's Nazi collaborator grandfather matters in 2020, the Conservative Party of Canada's new leader Erin O'Toole and where the conservative movement in Canada is going.
2020-09-0245 minThe Progress ReportHow to change a racist football team nameWe speak with Inuk writer, professor and researcher Norma Dunning about her ultimately successful struggle to have the Edmonton CFL team change its racist and insulting team name. We also discuss Norma's powerful writing on Edmonton's actual historical relationship with the Inuit. Further reading: Edmonton’s historic relationship with the Inuit is one of death, loneliness and despair If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron!
2020-08-2452 minThe Progress ReportI Want To Believe 101 (part 2)We continue our conversation with Laura Kruse on conspiracy theories and Alberta. We dive into Laura's story for the Progress Report blog, McKinsey, 🍞📈, the UCP’s incoming evisceration of Alberta’s post-secondary system, and our favourite conspiracy theories. Listen and subscribe on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts or just subscribe to the RSS feed If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron!
2020-08-1757 minThe Progress ReportI Want To Believe 101We kick off the inaugural edition of the Red String, a monthly column from Laura Kruse on conspiracy theories and Alberta, with a bit of theory and history on conspiracy theories in Canada. From Freemasons to aliens to Q and everything in between. Also, please read Laura's story on one of our favourite conspiracy theories that isn't a conspiracy theory titled McKinsey, 🍞📈, and the UCP’s incoming evisceration of Alberta’s post-secondary system. If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Further r...
2020-07-271h 05The Progress ReportWhy Bill 32 is actually good + Down the Ukrainian Nazi collaborator rabbit holeOur guest Abdul Malik makes the case for why the UCP's new union busting bill is actually good. Plus Duncan follows up on his story about the Ukrainian Nazi collaborator war criminal statue by going down the Ukrainian Nazi collaborator rabbit hole. Listen and subscribe on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts or just subscribe to the RSS feed If you like this podcast and you want to support it go to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Further reading: Opinion: Alberta labour needs the UCP’s union busting bill Ukraini...
2020-07-1158 minThe Progress ReportCalgary/Edmonton Municipal RoundtableThe UCP have dramatically changed the rules around municipal elections in Alberta making it easier for conservatives to win and for big money to sway elections. We dissect the rule changes and the upcoming municipal horse races in Edmonton and Calgary with Romy Garrido.
2020-07-011h 00The Progress ReportAbolish the police (in Calgary, too)We discuss the the organizing and struggle to end police brutality in Calgary and rural Alberta with comedian, public speaker and organizer Adora Nwofor.
2020-06-261h 02The Progress ReportAbolish the policeWhat does society look like when community safety isn't handled by armed cops authorized to kill people? In part two of our conversation on disarming, defunding and dismantling the police with Reakash Walters and Molly Swain, we discuss the abolitionist position.
2020-06-161h 05The Progress ReportDefund the policeEdmonton and Calgary spend nine times more on the police than they spend on housing the homeless or social programs. Combined the two cities spend $750 million a year on cops. We talk with Reakash Walters and Molly Swain about how to divest from police and invest in the community.
2020-06-081h 00The Progress ReportHow a young mother and former foster kid is fighting the UCP (and winning)The UCP are trying to snatch away financial, social and education benefits from 2100 former foster kids. It's incredibly cruel and totally needless and A.C. and her lawyer Avnish Nanda have taken the government to court and won to keep these benefits – for now. We talk about this case with Nanda and Jenn Prosser an organizer and campaigner who grew up in foster care and kinship care during the aftermath of Klein's cuts.
2020-06-031h 06The Progress ReportManitok. Meatpacking. Postmedia. ManifestoWe have friend of the pod Jeremy Appel on to talk about how his latest story for the Progress Report, The Manitok Manoeuvre, as well as the Sprawl getting shutout of the media bailout, the Herald caring more about "big beef days" than dead meatpacking workers and the Progress Report's transition to a full-time media organization. Show notes at www.theprogressreport.ca/jeremy_appel_manitok_meatpacking_postmedia_manifesto
2020-05-191h 01The Progress ReportAlberta's most expendable workersFilipinos in Alberta are bearing the brunt of COVID-19 in Alberta as outbreaks in meatpacking plants and continuing care facilities hit our province. Around 60-80% of the workers in the Cargill meatpacking plant, the largest workplace outbreak in Canada, are Filipino. And now they're feeling unfairly blamed because of the government's and even Dr. Deena Hinshaw's statements on the matter. We talk about this and the Healthcare for All campaign with Migrante Alberta director Marco Luciano. Full show notes at www.theprogressreport.ca/filipino_community_and_covid_19
2020-05-0444 minThe Progress ReportAIMCO WTFLearn how Alberta's most incompetent pension fund manager, AIMCo, vapourized $4 billion of pensioner's and Heritage Trust Fund money and how they've shovelled more than $1.1 billion towards likely to fail oil and gas companies with more than $3 billion in environmental liabilities. Our guest this week is Greg Meeker, former chair of the Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund, and one of Alberta's most knowledgeable and outspoken commentators on pensions.
2020-04-2757 minThe Progress ReportEmergency ep: Jason Kenney's 26,000 surprise layoffsJason Kenney just committed the biggest mass layoff in Alberta's history in the middle of a pandemic. It's the kind of cruel and contemptible behaviour we've come to expect. To help us process and understand the fallout from the brutal decision to fire 26,000 education workers we have Edmonton Public School Board trustee Bridget Stirling on the pod.
2020-03-3144 minThe Progress ReportGrocery store workers are critical infrastructureThe pandemic has only just begun but the folks working overnight to stock shelves and spending exhausting days on their feet dealing with panicky, frazzled customers are absolutely essential workers. They are keeping our society together. And yet the workers at your local Safeway in Alberta have been fighting for a fair contract for months with an employer that wants to roll back wages and cut benefits for these heroes. To discuss the issues facing unionized grocery store workers in Alberta during this emergency health crisis we talk with Tom Hesse, president of UFCW 401.
2020-03-2433 minThe Progress ReportAIMCO and Alberta's orphan well crisisWith the global economy in freefall thanks to the one-two punch of coronavirus and an oil price war we explore a very relevant subject in the months and years to come – AIMCo's investments in oil and gas companies that will likely go bankrupt and drop billions of dollars worth of environmental liabilities on the public. We have Regan Boychuk of the Alberta Liabilities Disclosure Project on to discuss the subject.
2020-03-1858 minThe Progress ReportJason Kenney owes us $2000The UCP government tried to stop us from reporting on their no-good, very bad 2020 budget. They called us an advocacy organization and tried to keep us out of the media lockup. But we didn't back down, we took the government to court and won and now Jason Kenney owes us $2000. We talk with Heidi Besuijen, Progress Alberta's lawyer, about the case and Jim and Duncan break down the worst parts of the 2020 budget.
2020-03-091h 00The Progress ReportReconciliation is dead and Jason Kenney helped kill itHow did reconciliation die? Arresting peaceful land defenders so a corporation could build a pipeline through unceded Indigenous territory at the end of RCMP-held assault rifles didn’t help but Jason Kenney played his part too. He stoked the flames of petronationalism for political gain and continues to use the time-tested settler tactic of divide and conquer. We get into the specifics of Kenney’s reconciliation strategy with Rob Houle. For full show notes visit https://www.theprogressreport.ca/reconciliation_is_dead_and_kenney_helped_kill_it
2020-02-2056 minThe Progress ReportThe News BoysWe talk with Scott Schmidt and Jeremy Appel of the Medicine Hat News. We learn how they carved out a space for themselves in the Alberta political discourse as two of the only members of the mainstream media willing to say that THERE! ARE! FOUR! LIGHTS! when it comes to Jason Kenney’s regime. For the full show notes, head to www.theprogressreport.ca/the_news_boys
2020-02-181h 23The Progress ReportFree transit for allEverybody's talking about it. It's the latest, best policy idea to come from the left since public healthcare and public education – it's free (and good!) public transit. We don't pay to go to the park, we don't pay to ride elevators, we don't have toll roads – so why do we pay for public transit? We already pay for most of the costs of public transit, "free" transit is just properly funding transit with public money, which we get by taxing the rich. When we eliminate fares for everyone we reduce carbon pollution, traffic and the cost of living not to m...
2020-02-1035 minThe Progress ReportFrom Green to orangeProgress Alberta speaks with the only person to provide even a halfway amount of drama in Alberta during the last federal election – Michael Kalmanovitch. He was the Green candidate for Edmonton-Strathcona who, just days before the federal election, threw his support behind NDP candidate Heather McPherson the only non-Conservative elected to parliament in Alberta. We talk about why he did it, what the Greens can learn from this and what's next for the Green part as Liz May steps down. Also, should Progress Report host Duncan Kinney run for leadership of the Greens? Email him at duncank@progressalberta.ca an...
2020-02-0327 minThe Progress ReportSo you want to have a general strikeJason Kenney’s brutal class warfare on Albertans on behalf of the rich means people want to fight back. And one of the biggest tools working folks have to fight back is the general strike – but it’s not to be undertaken lightly. We talk to Sam Gindin about the lessons learned from the Days of Action in Ontario in the ‘90s fighting Mike Harris and what folks who are considering a general strike today need to to think about.
2020-01-2741 minThe Progress ReportThe Esso cover-upDocuments from the Glenbow Museum Archives show that Imperial Oil, a subsidiary of Exxon, knew about the catastrophic effects of climate change before anyone. Instead of telling the world and transforming their business they suppressed their research, started a climate denial PR war and started building dossiers and surveilling climate activists. We talk to Murtaza Hussain of the Intercept about his story on the Esso cover-up and on Iran and his investigative journalism on the Iran Cables.
2020-01-2137 minThe Progress ReportA giant in every way (the Jason Nixon episode)Stanned by Herald columnists, protected by the old boys' club, and allegely able to disintegrate a grown horse with a single strike: on today's pod Duncan and Mav Adecer delve into the wild history of UCP deputy house leader Jason Nixon. Further reading: "Judge bars media from accessing video of UCP MLA Jason Nixon, siding with party lawyers" Sundre horse shooting trial adjourned Sundre man not guilty of threatening wildlife officer Alberta Conservative house leader fired single mother after she complained of sexual harassment Wildrose MLA Jason Nixon faces expulsion motion from students’ union Mav's fr...
2019-12-1044 minThe Progress ReportExclusive: Kenney's corporate tax cuts are much worse than we thoughtWhile Albertans suffer from brutal austerity corporations in Alberta will collectively pocket $4.7 billion dollars from Kenney’s corporate tax cut - at least that’s what the government of Alberta and the media is telling you. But when you dig into what these companies are telling their shareholders you find something else entirely. To help us sort through this we have Angella Macewen, senior economist with the Canadian Union of Public Employees. If you like our podcast and want to support it head to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Further readi...
2019-12-0541 minThe Progress Report21 The racist Liberal who stole Western CanadaMeet Frank Oliver, the man who tried to block black people from coming to Canada, created modern western Canada by stealing massive amounts of land from Indigenous people and personally profited from the whole thing. If you like our podcast and want to support it head to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron :) Further reading: First Nations Land Surrenders on the Prairies Frank Oliver and the Michel Band A tax-eating proposition : the history of the Passpasschase Indian Reserve Details on land surrenders from the Government of Canada No Means No...
2019-11-2756 minThe Progress ReportFolks, we got himDon Cherry is finally off the air. We run through some of his greatest hits Rock‘Em Sock‘Em style but instead of brain damage and sweet goals it's racism, misogyny and climate denial. And to help us process the news of this hockey commentator cut down in his prime we turn to comedian Mav Adecer and writer and hockey dad Tej Swatch.
2019-11-1636 minThe Progress ReportWe remember Canada's anti-fascist veteransThere's a group of Canadian veterans often overlooked on Remembrance Day--the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion who fought the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. Kaarina Mikalson of the Canada and the Spanish Civil War Project joins us on the pod to tell us the story of Canada's original anti-fascists. Further reading: Canada and the Spanish Civil War Quill and Quire: Generals die in bed Jim/Jean Watts
2019-11-1126 minThe Progress ReportThe voice Jason Kenney doesn't want you to hearAlberta has deliberately designed its economy to be reliant on oil and gas production--which means the international climate change crisis matters here more than almost anywhere else. But you won't hear much on that subject from Alberta's monolithic, corporate media establishment. On this special episode of the Progress Report, taped live at the University of Calgary on November 4th, we interview climate activist and former Oil Sands Advisory Group member Tzeporah Berman to understand the climate debate beyond the narrow perspective and shallow discourse we get here in Alberta.
2019-11-051h 02The Progress ReportEdmonton's Nazi-collaborator statueOutside of the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex in north Edmonton is a statue of Roman Shukheyvych--a Nazi collaborator who took part in the mass murder of Jews. Local activist Paula Kirman and host Duncan Kinney discuss Shukheyvych’s historical legacy with Per Anders Rudling, an expert on the Ukrainian far right.
2019-10-3029 minThe Progress ReportEmergency Budget PodThe UCP have dropped their first budget and it's the cruel and brutal austerity they promised. Producer Jim steps out from behind the mixing board to join us as we sift through this awful budget to bring you everything you need to know.
2019-10-2826 minThe Progress Report#elxn43 reacts--and the Kenney ConspiracyThe $30 million war room. A $2.5 million public inquiry. And untold amounts of hate and fear whipped up by Jason Kenney. All based on a lie. Climate activists have not sabotaged Alberta’s economy or landlocked Alberta’s oil - in fact Alberta barely rates as a blip on the worldwide global climate activism stage. And it took Sandy Garossino to debunk it. We have her on to discuss her National Observer story and to discuss #elxn43 results. If you like our podcast and want to support it head to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly...
2019-10-251h 01The Progress ReportGreta is comingGreta Thunberg is coming to Alberta. And while she’s been the centrepiece of a massive youth led climate uprising no one does this work alone. There are Greta Thunbergs all over the place and we were lucky enough to speak with a couple of amazing young Alberta based climate activists this week on the podcast. If you like our podcast and want to support it head to https://www.theprogressreport.ca/patrons and become a monthly patron! Further reading: CBC: Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg of Sweden 'doesn't understand' Alberta, environment minister says Da...
2019-10-1757 minThe Progress ReportAlberta's slave cropWhen something terrible and racist happens you often see well meaning folks go on about how “This isn’t us,” or “This isn’t Canada.” But when you scratch the surface and dig into the history of Canada you quickly find that’s not the case. In this episode we dig into Alberta’s not-so-secret and extremely problematic past with guest co-host Bashir Mohamed. Further reading: St. Albert Fire and Rescue Chief Suspended For Wearing Blackface At Party In 2016 Officials apologize after staff member at Alberta Christian school appears in blackface for event Twitter thread on how Prince Ruper...
2019-10-1038 minThe Progress ReportThe Trudeau FormulaJustin Trudeau sucks, folks. Author Martin Lukacs' recently released book The Trudeau Formula: Seduction and betrayal in an age of discontent, is a fantastically written and well reported exploration of how Justin Trudeau's style of individualized, hyper image-driven, symbolic statecraft is just a fig leaf for maintaining the status quo for Canada's rich and powerful. From Trudeau's complicity in the genocide to Yemen, to the Liberal Party's history of corruption and deep financial connections to corporate Canada, to the details on how Justin's "reconciliation" agenda was derailed by Indigenous folks this book is a must-read for when anyone tries t...
2019-10-021h 01The Progress ReportSleeping With The EnergyDespite what Jason Kenney (and Rachel Notley) say, our neighbors in BC are not our enemies. There has been so much hype and misinformation around the pipeline debate that we reached across the Rockies to dispel some of the myths. Kai Nagata of Dogwood speaks with us about left wing populism, why he's fighting the Trans Mountain pipeline and the political realities on the ground in B.C. Further reading: Dogwood EcoJustice throws down the gauntlet; Kenney responds with bravado; stand by legal action in 30 days Amnesty International urges Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to abandon ‘Fight Ba...
2019-09-261h 07The Progress ReportWhite supremacist dumbass hourWe’re breaking down organized white supremacy like a beat-em up side scroller – starting with the easiest baddies and moving on to the biggest and scariest villains at the end. We’ve also got a healthy dose of media criticism as we discuss the baffling decision by the Globe and Mail to platform Ezra Levant and the troubling trend of mainstream media getting played like a fiddle by Nazis. Further reading: Edmonton police investigating blog posts targeting LGBTQ gym Patriot Pride Canada Wide Why Are So Many White Nationalists 'Virulen...
2019-09-1955 minThe Progress ReportThe other 9/11Ricardo Acuna and Sandra Azocar visit the pod to tell their stories of the CIA-backed coup by brutal Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet--the other 9/11. The one that America did. Further reading: CIA still refuses to reveal everything it knows about Pinochet coup in Chile Canada’s support for the right wing coup in Chile Allende’s last words to the people of Chile Documenting U.S. Role in Democracy’s Fall and Dictator’s Rise in Chile Declassified American intelligence documents on American involvement in Chilean coup Chile...
2019-09-1154 minThe Progress ReportEpisode 7 - The Corpse PanelThe overdose epidemic killed 2 people a day in Alberta last year. It's an emergency akin to a house on fire but instead of helping the people caught up in it Jason Kenney has frozen three planned safe consumption sites and brought in a new panel to review the "socio-economic impact" of these life-saving facilities. In this episode we examine the causes of the overdose crisis and the history of civil disobedience and direct action in harm reduction in Canada as well as the latest news from the front lines in Lethbridge. Further reading More than 4,300 overdoses reversed at...
2019-08-281h 04The Progress ReportEpisode 6 - Labour organizing, for normiesWith guests Bruce Fafard and Saba Mossagizi In this episode we give you a look at how real union organizing works with two organizers who worked on successful certifications for two different worksites in Calgary. If you don’t know what card check or CLAC means or how to help workers build power you will by the end of the episode. Further reading: Unifor grows in Kenney’s Alberta YYC security guards win union On The Line: The Struggle of Alberta’s Packing Plant Workers Rebel Diaz - Which...
2019-08-211h 04The Progress ReportEpisode 5 - White derangement theoryFaisal Khan Suri was giving his suggestions to the Justice Committee in the House of Commons on how to combat online hate when Conservative MP Michael Cooper confronted him by reading from the Christchurch shooter's deranged manifesto. We explore that moment and its fallout, and share a broader discussion on the ideology and goals behind white supremacist terrorism as well as how to defeat it. Further reading The Guardian: The 'white replacement theory' motivates alt-right killers the world over Hansard of Justice Committee meeting with Faisal Khan Suri CBC pr...
2019-08-151h 09The Progress ReportEpisode 4 - OkiebertaAlberta has a doppleganger state down in the US but it's not the one you're thinking of--it's Oklahoma! They've got nearly the same population, same dependence on oil and gas and same reactionary conservative politics we have here in 'Berta. This week on the pod we've got a real live Okie in the flesh to talk about what can we learn from this near failed state. Also, we accidentally break some news about AIMCO divesting from private prison companies that were making money off of Trump's concentration camps.
2019-08-0755 minThe Progress ReportEpisode 3 Bonus Content: Abdul Malik on photojournalism in AlbertaMore from Abdul Malik of Kino Lefter as he and Duncan chat about photojournalism in Canada. Enjoy!
2019-08-0117 minThe Progress ReportEpisode 3 - Alberta's left wing podcast all stars team upIt’s a team up show with two of Alberta’s best left wing podcasters. Abdul Malik of Kino Lefter is on for a wide ranging chat about the rise of the Christian Right and the culture and films they produce and Kate Jacobson of the Alberta Advantage is on to break down both the terrible Calgary arena deal but also the UCP’s stunning loss in court to the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. Links: Kino Lefter with Abdul Malik Alberta Advantage with Kate Jacobson
2019-07-3152 minThe Progress ReportEpisode 2 - "Kerry Diotte sue us bitch"Is conservative MP Kerry Diotte a racist? You'll have to listen to find out. Bashir Mohamed and Avnish Nanda guest co-host with Duncan Kinney. We also chat about the state of play in Alberta's painfully white media and how bad they are at talking about racism, how white supremacists use free speech arguments with a clueless media and we wonder out loud why conservative MP Michael Cooper just happened to have the manifesto of the Christchurch shooter in his pocket. Further reading Kerry Diotte + racist Twitter search Gypsy immigrants should get a job first. Column by Dio...
2019-07-2438 minThe Progress ReportEpisode 1 "Cruel Summer"Shama Rangwala guest co-hosts the first episode of the Progress Report with Duncan Kinney. We discuss the Summer of Repeal/Springtime of Renewal and all of the damage done by the Kenney regime in their short few months in office. We also talk about the twin debacles that are Safe City YEG and Slum Town. Also, why does Licia Corbella hate horses so much? Further reading and listening: Bell: Drug sites no answer, says Alberta addictions boss SafeCity YEG Slum Town Corbella: Rodeo animals love what they do and...
2019-07-1639 minThe Progress ReportEpisode 0Chronicling Alberta's descent into the conservative hellscape. A project of Progress Alberta (progressalberta.ca) Launching this July!
2019-07-0401 min
Raging Bullets : A DC Comics Fan PodcastRaging Bullets Episode 253 : A DC Comics Fan PodcastEpisode 253: This episode: We discuss Zatanna 11, Superman 710, Batman and Robin 22 and Birds of Prey 11. We also have some fantastic listener voicemails and a great interview with writer Paul Storrie on his upcoming work from C2E2.
Special congrats to contest winners: Eli, Joel and Mike. I will be contacting you this week!
Show Notes:
Sponsors: http://www.summitcitycomiccon.com, http://www.DCBService.com, http://www.Instocktrades.com
0:00 Show opening, http://www.heroinitiative.org, our ongoing contest (Ragingcontest@gmail.com), senseiofwhatnot@gmail.com, http://www.nycomiccon.com, http://w...
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