CANADALAND

Get the App

CANADALAND

Jesse Brown

37 minutes 19 seconds

The Murder of Nancy Grewal
In February, controversial Sikh YouTuber Nancy Grewal told CBC News that she feared for her life. Days later, she was stabbed to death outside of Windsor, Ontario.

Was her murder related to her criticism of the Khalistan movement?

San Grewal of The Pointer joins to unpack the political pressures and misinformation shaping the reporting of the case.

Host: Jesse Brown
Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)
Guest: San Grewal

Further reading:
Sponsors:

Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today. Visit do uglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer.

Fizz: Visit fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

BetterHelp: Visit BetterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month.

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 at our store, 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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11 March 2026, 10:30 am
39 minutes 8 seconds

Why Governments Want to Ban Kids From AI and Social Media
AI chatbots are encouraging violence, social media is hurting kids, and Ottawa is still trying to figure out how to regulate the harms of the internet after two very public failed attempts. Host Noor Azrieh and Taylor Owen, professor and member of the federal task force on AI and online safety, dig into the federal government’s latest Online Harms push.

Why does regulating the internet, especially its nastier corners, keep proving so hard to actually do?

PLUS, we hear from Thomas Juneau, former defence analyst and current professor of Middle Eastern security & intelligence, on what a possible Canadian intervention in the region could look like.

Host: Noor Azrieh
Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Mia Johnson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Taylor Owen, Thomas Juneau

Background reading:
- Canada could be the next nation to ban social media for kids – POLITICO
- Online harms bill needs framework for reporting threats in AI chats, experts say – The Globe and Mail
- Justin Ling: Canada has studied the problem of online harms enough. Now we need to solve it – Toronto Star
- The world wants to ban children from social media, but there will be grave consequences for us all | Taylor Lorenz – The Guardian
- Canada’s rhetorical support for the war on Iran has an audience of one: Donald Trump– The Globe and Mail
Sponsors:
Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadaland

Visit fizz.ca to learn more about Fizz mobile and its long list of added-value features, and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

Buy your next car today with CarGurus at cargurus.ca to make sure your big deal is the best deal.

Did you know we have a monthly supporter-exclusive show? We just recorded an episode about rabbit holes, deep dives and obsessions.

If you want to hear that (or if you want to catch up on all the great episodes of Off The Record you’ve missed!), you can listen to these amazing, support-exclusive episodes for cheap RIGHT NOW by going to canadaland.com/join.

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.

Can't get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10 March 2026, 10:30 am
24 minutes 49 seconds

A Reality Check with Iranian-Canadians
Canada is home to one of the largest Iranian communities outside of Iran in the world. There are over 280,000 Iranian Canadians living here.

The rallies they've held in recent months have been some of the largest that Canada has ever seen. According to the CBC last month, 350,000 people took to the streets in Toronto. And that was before the war had even begun.

Today we’re checking in with three Iranian-Canadians as they watch history unfold.

Host: Jesse Brown
Credits: Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)

Fact checking by Julian Abraham
Additional music by Audio Network
Photo: Sima Ghaffarzadeh

More information:
- An estimated 350,000 people rally in Toronto in support of Iran protests, police say — CBC
- Iranian-owned gym in Thornhill hit by gunfire — Global News
Sponsors:

Fizz: Visit https://fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

Article: Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit https://article.com/canadaland and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

BetterHelp: Visit https://BetterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month.

What is Happening Here: Travis Dhanraj in Conversation with CANADALAND's Jesse Brown

Can’t get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more.

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 at our store, 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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
9 March 2026, 10:45 am
35 minutes 24 seconds

Why India Thinks Canada is Soft on Terrorism
Carney travels to India and strikes a landmark deal with Modi, but what about all those allegations of foreign interference by Indian agents in Canada?

A senior official in Carney’s government says India is no longer targeting Canadians, but CSIS and other Liberal MPs insist it’s still ongoing.

Plus, a new Globe and Mail investigation offers a detailed portrait of the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Correction:

In a previous version of this episode, the driver of the Humboldt Broncos bus, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, was referred to as a temporary foreign worker. He was a permanent resident at the time of the accident.

Host: Jesse Brown
Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)
Guest: Rupa Subramanya

Further reading:
Sponsors:
Fizz: Visit fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today. Visit do uglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer.

Squarespace: Check out Squarespace.com/canadaland for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch use code canadaland to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

If you value this podcast, Support us! Sign up now and get 3 months of Canadaland premium and ad-free for 70% off. 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 at our store, 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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
6 March 2026, 11:30 am
1 minute 29 seconds

BONUS: Extreme Body Mods, Christian Nationalists, and Other Rabbit Holes

As journalists, our job is to dig deep into stories. And sometimes, we dig far deeper than we ever thought possible. And those deep dives will often become our most interesting stories.

And finding those stories usually follows a pattern.

Something catches your eye, it draws you in. You start doing a little research on it.

Then you find something that makes us go, “Huh…”

You start pulling the thread, follow the bread crumbs, and slowly you find out just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

And so we wanted to know, what rabbit holes all of you have gone down? We thought it might be things like wellness influencers, grifts, maybe some MLM scheme. But, the reality was both a lot more normal, and to be honest, a little bit weirder.

Host: Sam Konnert
Credits: Tristan Capacchione (Producer), Tony Wang (Executive Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Publisher)
Photo: Tony Wang
Additional music by Audio Network

This show is available exclusively to Canadaland supporters. To become one, go to https://canadaland.com/join/. 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 at our store, 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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 March 2026, 11:45 am
35 minutes 29 seconds

Carney's Position on War with Iran: Sure, Why Not?
Carney’s support of the US and Israel’s attack on Iran raises questions around Canada’s “principled pragmatism” approach to foreign policy. Is it consistent with what he said at Davos?

Plus, the Iranian-Canadian response to the killing of Ali Khamenei isn’t as mixed as the headlines suggest.

Correction: in a previous version of this episode, a statement was erroneously attributed to Quebec’s Minister of Education, Sonia Lebel. It was made by Parti Quebecois MNA Pascal Paradis.

Host: Jesse Brown
Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)
Guest: Rupa Subramanya

Further reading:
Sponsors:

Fizz: Visit fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today. Visit do uglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer.

CarGurus: Buy your next car today with CarGurus at cargurus.ca

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 at our store, 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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 March 2026, 11:30 am
31 minutes 38 seconds

Carney Cuts The Scientists Who Test For Toxins
More than 24,000 federal public servants have received notices that their jobs could be at risk. That is on top of the 9800 public service employees who were already let go last year. Host Sam Konnert takes us inside the government, specifically, inside a single lab within Environment and Climate Change Canada. A lab tasked with making sure our water is clean and our food is plastic-free. A lab that could go from nine PhD-level scientists, down to one.

What happens to the country when these workers get cut, and entire labs are decimated? Who pays the price?

Host: Sam Konnert
Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Mia Johnson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Shirley Tagalik, Christine Bishop

Background reading:
- 25,000 public servants warned their jobs could be at risk. Here is the latest on federal job cuts – CTV News
- Five charts to help visualize public service job cuts – Ottawa Citizen
- Feds target hundreds of Environment and Climate Change Canada workers putting 'public safety and the environment at risk' – Canada’s National Observer
- Carney’s government is cutting hundreds of environment and science jobs. Here’s what that means for Canadians – CBC News
Sponsors:
Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadaland

Visit fizz.ca to learn more about Fizz mobile and its long list of added-value features, and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

Your emotional well-being matters. Find yours and feel lighter. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/Canadaland

Did you know we have a monthly supporter-exclusive show? We just recorded an episode about rabbit holes, deep dives and obsessions. What’s a rabbit hole you fell (or almost fell) into?

If you want to hear that (or if you want to catch up on all the great episodes of Off The Record you’ve missed!), you can listen to these amazing, support-exclusive episodes for cheap RIGHT NOW by going to canadaland.com/join. You’ll get 70% off your membership for a limited time.

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.

Can't get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
3 March 2026, 11:30 am
35 minutes 58 seconds

Scoop: AI Slop Training for Aircraft Mechanics
By some estimates Canada will soon be short thousands of trained aircraft mechanics. The people who keep our flights safe. The government came up with $25 million dollars to help.

A whistleblower came to Canadaland to allege that the money bought training materials that were plagiarized, then run through ChatGPT. Those materials resulted in AI slop that included AI hallucinations.

Our reporter Gemma Boothroyd brings us her investigation.

Host: Jesse Brown
Credits: Gemma Boothroyd (Reporter), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)

Fact checking by Julian Abraham
Additional music by Audio Network

More information:
- Grants and Contributions: Industry Led Training for the Aviation and Aerospace Sector — Government of Canada
Sponsors:

Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today. The Free bundle now ALSO includes a down-alternative duvet and cover! Visit https://douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer

Fizz: Visit https://fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

Article: Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit https://article.com/canadaland and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

BetterHelp: Visit https://BetterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month.

Can’t get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more.

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 at our store, 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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2 March 2026, 11:45 am
34 minutes 16 seconds

NDP: the Quest for Relevance
Sparks were markedly absent from the final NDP leadership debate, replaced instead by “violent agreement” amongst candidates. Meanwhile, the federal Liberals’ rightward shift leaves a wide gap on the left side of the political spectrum. What does the NDP need to do to shake off the sleepies, and meet the current political moment?

Freelance journalist Luke Savage joins host James Nicholson to give Canada’s traditionally left-leaning party pointers.

Host: James Nicholson
Credits: James Nicholson (Host), Kallan Lyons (Associate producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio, Producer), Jesse Brown (Editor)
Guest: Luke Savage
Additional music by Audio Network

Further reading:
Sponsors:

Squarespace: Check out Squarespace.com/canadaland for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch use code canadaland to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Fizz: Visit fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today. Visit do uglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer.

For a limited time, get 70% off your Canadaland subscription. You can become a supporter at canadaland.com/join
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
27 February 2026, 11:30 am
36 minutes 30 seconds

Could OpenAI Have Stopped Tumbler Ridge?
" What in the Silicon Valley ethos of move fast and break stuff would make us expect that they are going to have any real safety concerns at all?"

A new report from the Wall Street Journal reveals the U.S. tech company OpenAI knew of troublesome ChatGPT usage by Jesse van Rootselaar, months before the Tumbler Ridge shooting, and did nothing. The news stoked ongoing calls for better guardrails on A.I. chatbots and beyond.

Will Canada’s A.I. Minister Evan Solomon decide to “ignore all previous instructions” from Silicon Valley, and ramp up regulation of A.I.?

Freelance journalist Luke Savage joins host James Nicholson to discuss.

Host: James Nicholson
Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)
Guest: Luke Savage

Call in to Off The Record and tell us about your research rabbit hole on and Thursday Feb 26th from 4:30pm to 6:30pm EST by going to callinstudio.com/show/canadaland or dialing in at 888-401-7056

Further reading:
Sponsors:

Fizz: Visit fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today. Visit do uglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer.

BetterHelp: Visit BetterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month.

If you value this podcast, Support us! On sale for 70% off for the next 3 months. $10 total, $3.30/month. Sale runs from February 23rd to March 7th.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 at our store, 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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
25 February 2026, 11:30 am
45 minutes 14 seconds

Carney Brokers a "Mega Anti-Trump Alliance"
Mark Carney is busy trying to Trump-proof Canada with a flurry of trade deals and whispers of a mega anti-Trump alliance linking Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Trade researcher Stuart Trew joins host Noor Azrieh to argue that more free trade isn’t a master plan; it’s diminishing returns with nicer branding.
Plus, Ottawa reporter Sam Konnert breaks down Canada’s newly released Defence Industrial Strategy: 70% Canadian content, massive growth targets, and a promise to rebuild both the military and the domestic defence industry at the same time. The catch? Canada’s notoriously slow procurement system, and big questions about bureaucracy, “maple-washing,” and whether Ottawa can actually move at the speed it’s promising.
Host: Noor Azrieh
Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Mia Johnson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Stuart Trew

Background reading:
- Carney constructs a mega anti-Trump trade alliance – POLITICO
- Trump forces a rewrite of Canada’s trade strategy – POLITICO
- John Ivison: Canada's pivot to Europe for trade gains traction as Trump loses momentum – National Post
- Deconstructing the Defence Industrial Strategy - Philippe Lagassé’s Substack
- U.S. Supreme Court decision on Trump's tariffs could bring more trade uncertainty to Canada – CBC News
- Canada’s defence industrial policy would rather Buy Canadian than Buy the Best – The Globe and Mail
- Canada’s New Defence Strategy Is Bold and Unprecedented. Will It Work? – The Walrus
Sponsors:
Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadaland

Visit fizz.ca to learn more about Fizz mobile and its long list of added-value features. Activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

Did you know we have a monthly supporter exclusive show?

On the next episode of Off The Record, we’re asking you - what’s a rabbit hole you dove into or just know a lot about, because of something you saw in the news or online? Was it a conspiracy? Wellness? Crypto? Culture war issues? What pulled you in? And are you still down there???

Call in and let us know on Feb 26th - That’s THIS Thursday - from 4:30pm to 6:30pm EST by going to callinstudio.com/show/canadaland or dialing in at 888-401-7056 when the time comes, so mark your calendars!

You can listen to these amazing, supporter-exclusive episodes for cheap RIGHT NOW by going to canadaland.com/join. You’ll get 70% off your membership for a limited time.

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.

Can't get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 February 2026, 11:30 am
More Episodes? Get the App