True Crime & Dark Canadian History
Episode 343: This is our special Remembrance Day episode. Each year on November 11, Canadians pause to remember the sacrifices made by those who served in the armed forces, defending our country and our allies with incredible courage and resolve.
Last year, we shared the story of one remarkable Canadian soldier, Leo Major. Leo was a scout and sniper who, against all odds, single-handedly liberated the Dutch town of Zwolle in 1945. Moving under cover of darkness, he confused and intimidated German forces through a series of daring attacks, leading them to believe an entire Allied battalion was upon them. His incredible bravery and tactical genius not only saved the town but established him as a true legend.
This year, we’ll explore the stories of several more incredible Canadians who, like Leo, faced impossible odds with courage, ingenuity, and the unbreakable Canadian spirit. These people faced unimaginable odds, fought for our freedom and justice, and showed the world the strength of the Canadian spirit. Join us as we honour and remember these heroes—names that deserve a place in history and our hearts.
Sources:
Francis Pegahmagabow - Veterans Affairs Canada
PEGAHMAGABOW, FRANCIS - War Records
Francis Pegahmagabow National Historic Person (1889-1952)
Chief Francis Pegahmagabow, 1889-1952
Francis Pegahmagabow Monument - Veterans Affairs Canada
Ernest "Smokey" Smith - Record Detail | New Westminster Museum
Ernest Alvia Smith | Canada.ca
Sergeant (Ret’d) Ernest “Smokey” Smith, VC - Veterans Affairs Canada
Ernest 'Smoky' Smith: 'I was never afraid to shoot' | Macleans
Tommy Prince | Legion Magazine
Prince of Death: Canada’s Indigenous war hero | Legion Magazine
Tommy Prince | The Canadian Encyclopedia
Tommy Prince - Veterans Affairs Canada
NATIONAL INDIGENOUS HISTORY MONTH: Tommy Prince
Bizarre But True Facts: Canada in WWII
'If you don't get us out of here, we're all going to die': Heroes Among Us
The Canadian hero whose leadership prevented countless casualties in Afghanistan
History-April 27 1945: The crazy trio who helped a starving war-torn Holland
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Episode 342: In the quiet Yukon community of Carcross, a chilling tragedy unfolded on March 1st, 1992, forever changing the lives of those involved and leaving a lasting impact on the region. Krystal Nicole Senyk, a twenty-nine-year-old with her whole life ahead of her, was found dead in the doorway of her cabin, the victim of a brutal murder.
The prime suspect in this heinous crime was Ronald Jeffrey Bax, the husband of Krystal's friend Lynn. In the hours between Krystal's murder and the discovery of her body, Bax, charged with murder in absentia, vanished without a trace, setting in motion a decades-long search for justice.
This case, which has haunted the Yukon for over 30 years, is a tale of tragedy, mystery, and the relentless pursuit of truth. Despite the passage of time, Ronald Bax has never been found, leaving authorities, Krystal's family and the community with unanswered questions and a continuing need for closure.
Sources:
Wanted by the RCMP: Ronald Jeffrey Bax | Royal Canadian Mounted Police
WhatHappenedToRonBax.com | A Yukon mystery
I Got a Name: The Murder of Krystal Senyk
Woman is shot; RCMP hunt for murder suspect
International Arm Wrestling Results 1990
May 19, 1989, page 3 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com
Mar 04, 1992, page 1 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com
Mar 05, 1992, page 1 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com
Mar 06, 1992, page 9 - The Standard at Newspapers.com
Mar 06, 1992, page 15 - The Province at Newspapers.com
Nov 13, 1992, page 1 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com
Nov 13, 1992, page 2 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com
Mar 02, 1993, page 3 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com
Nov 20, 1995, page 1 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com
Oct 18, 2000, page 46 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com
Remember Krystal, remember them all
‘A mother should never have to go through this’
Writer at Dawson City residency comes full-circle on Yukon true crime story
Author delves into the life and tragic death of Krystal Senyk | CBC News
Transcript: Crime Story, Episode 20 | CBC Radio
Krystal Nicole Senyk (1962-1992)
https://destinationcarcross.ca/
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Episode 341: Welcome to a very special Halloween edition of Dark Poutine. This year, we’re also celebrating our seventh anniversary! Over the years, we’ve explored the darkest corners of Canadian crime and history, but tonight, we’re widening the lens to take you on a ghostly journey around the world. In the spirit of the spookiest time of year, we’ll dive into the eerie world of hauntings, ghosts and, of course, poltergeists—those noisy, mischievous spirits that have haunted homes, thrown objects, and terrified families across different cultures for centuries. Buckle up for a global tour of unsettling encounters and unexplained phenomena that have left their mark in folklore, history, and, for some, reality. Get ready to be both intrigued and chilled to the bone!
Sources:
Society for Psychical Research
Difference Between Ghost and Poltergeist
Ghosts, poltergeists, and demons: What’s the difference?
The Ghost Glossary: The Difference Between Ghosts, Ghouls, Goblins, And More
Hauntings and Poltergeists | SPR
The Great Amherst Mystery, 1888
Mary Ellen Fire Spook - An Antigonish Haunting
The Hanging Cage That Held An Infamous Québec Murderess
Who is Marie-Josephte Corriveau?
The “Stone Tape Theory” of hauntings: A geological perspective
Family Ghosts: Bringing Back the Dead (Part II)
Reddit Users Share Their Experiences with the Paranormal
From the Ghosts community on Reddit
The Enfield Poltergeist | Psi Encyclopedia
This House Is Haunted: The Investigation of the Enfield Poltergeist by Guy Lyon Playfair
The Enfield Poltergeist Tapes by Melvyn J Willin
Watch The Enfield Poltergeist - Apple TV+ (CA)
‘The Enfield Poltergeist’: New doc explores the creepy, infamous haunting - National
Bill Wilkins — Investigation and Evidence
Enfield Poltergeist Real Voice Recordings (Bill) | YouTube
The Enfield Poltergeist RARE BBC FOOTAGE | YouTube
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Episode 340: In the early 1980s, a wave of fear with its origins in Canada, swept across North America, igniting what would become known as the Satanic Panic. This moral hysteria, fueled by sensationalized media reports and dubious claims of widespread satanic ritual abuse, had its roots in a controversial book published in 1980 titled “Michelle Remembers.”
As the panic spread, it manifested in several high-profile cases across Canada. One of the most notorious incidents occurred in Martensville, Saskatchewan, where unfounded allegations of ritual abuse at a local daycare center led to multiple arrests and a community torn apart by suspicion and fear. Other cases emerged in various provinces, each feeding into the growing narrative of a vast, underground network of satanic cults preying on innocent children.
Sources:
Michelle Remembers by Smith, Michelle | Internet Archive
Michelle Remembers — fiction disguised as fact
Devil Worship Exposing Satan's Underground [Geraldo Rivera] [1988] [VHS] | YouTube
[VHS] Law Enforcement Guide to Satanic Cults - (1994) | YouTube
UNCOVER SEASON 6- SATANIC PANIC: Transcripts | Listen | CBC Radio
Hell to pay: Revisiting the Martensville satanic sex scandal (2003) - The Fifth Estate | YouTube
1995 CanLII 4037 (SK CA) | R. v. Sterling | CanLII
2003 SKQB 559 (CanLII) | K. v. Miazga | CanLII
2007 SKCA 57 (CanLII) | Kvello v. Miazga | CanLII
Aug 12, 1990, page 8 - The Independent at Newspapers.com
Did Satanic Panic Influence The West Memphis Three Case? | Oxygen Official Site
West Memphis Three: What You Should Know About Their Wrongful Conviction
The Strange Origins of the Satanic Panic | CBC Arts
Believe the Children: Re-Reading the Satanic Panic Through Michelle Remembers
How a doctor and his patient sparked a global ‘Satanic Panic’
It’s Time to Revisit the Satanic Panic | NYT
Satanic panic: Documentary takes a new look at Michelle Remembers book
America's Satanic Panic Returns — This Time Through QAnon
We Believe the Children: A Moral Panic in the 1980s | Amazon
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This bonus episode of Dark Poutine is brought to you by MasterCard. In this special episode, we’re exploring a growing threat hitting more close to home than ever—cybercrime. We’ve dived deep into all sorts of dark tales before, but this one is a bit different because it’s happening right now, affecting people and businesses across Canada.
Sources:
Mastercard Trust Centre | Cybersecurity Solutions for Every Business
webcrunchers.com | Wayback Machine
Mafiaboy’s story points to Net weaknesses
Meet Mafiaboy, The 'Bratty Kid' Who Took Down The Internet
'Mafiaboy' breaks silence, paints 'portrait of a hacker' | CNN
Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada | FinTRAC
Cyber attacks in Canada | Konbriefing.com
Why Canada has so many cyberattacks—and why we're all at risk | MacLeans
Cyber attacks are getting easier, experts warn after 3rd federal incident | GlobalNews National
Equifax hacked: Canadians among those exposed by credit monitoring company’s data breach - National
LifeLabs hack: What Canadians need to know about the health data breach | GlobalNews
Privacy breach alerts and information | Province of NS
Ticketmaster Data Security Incident
Cyber security and cybercrime challenges of Canadian businesses, 2017
The Daily — Impact of cybercrime on Canadian businesses, 2021
Canadian Small Business Cybersecurity Survival Guide - Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Nearly half of small businesses have experienced random cyberattacks in the past year | CFIB
Ransomware/ Cyber Incident | Toronto Zoo
Baseline cyber threat assessment: Cybercrime - Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
Cyber Attacks in Canada 2023: A Year in Review
Data Responsibility & Governance Practices | Personal Data Security
Cybercrime: an overview of incidents and issues in Canada | RCMP
Significant Cyber Incidents | Strategic Technologies Program | CSIS
National Cyber Threat Assessment 2023-2024 | Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
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On the night of September 6, 1958, Aaron “Bud’ Jenkins was stabbed to death as he slept in his barracks at the Naval base in Esquimalt on Vancouver Island here in British Columbia. A man named Leo Mantha confessed to the crime, was tried, found guilty of 1st-degree murder, and executed in 1959. He was the last person ever to be executed in British Columbia and the 3rd last to be executed in Canada. At the time, executions were rare, and most Canadian death penalty verdicts were commuted to life in prison. After revisiting the crime, the consensus among experts today is that anyone else would have been charged with manslaughter or 2nd-degree murder, and not 1st-degree murder. So why do Leo Mantha hang? The fact that Leo Mantha was gay was the only factor that made him stand out at the time of the crime. Was his a hanging by homophobia?
Sources:
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/506263024/
https://xtramagazine.com/power/leo-manthas-last-gasp-60415
https://www.nacdl.org/Content/Race-and-the-Death-Penalty
https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/lgbtq/background-contexte.html
https://www.westerncriminology.org/documents/WCR/v08n2/weinrath.pdf
https://www.statista.com/topics/2943/aboriginal-crime-and-justice-in-canada/#topicOverview
https://www.nathaniel.ca/2014/05/07/leo-manthas-last-gasp/
https://bcanuntoldhistory.knowledge.ca/1960/homosexuality-decriminalized
https://globalnews.ca/news/5238533/leo-mantha-last-bc-execution/
https://www.nathaniel.ca/2009/05/03/bcs-last-execution/
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Episode 338: The Great North American Ice Storm of January 1998 was a devastating natural disaster caused by five consecutive ice storms affecting eastern Ontario, southern Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, northern New York, and central Maine. Montreal and southern Quebec were hardest hit, with freezing rain from January 4th to 9th accumulating up to 100 millimetres, collapsing trees, power lines, and steel towers. Nearly 3.5 million Quebecers and 600,000 Ontarians lost power, with blackouts lasting up to 33 days. The storm claimed 34 lives and led to the largest Canadian military deployment since the Korean War. The disaster tested the resilience of residents, who endured extreme cold and isolation while demonstrating heroism and community spirit.
Sources:
Jan 07, 1998, page 1 - The Gazette at Newspapers.com
The 1998 ice storm that called for the deployment of 16,000 military personnel | Weather Network
Ice storm changes the way cities prepare for disasters
1998 Ice Storm – Operation Recuperation - Veterans Affairs Canada
Ice Storm '98 relived: A handful of Quebecers look back
Lessons learned from the ice storm of 1998
Timeline | Ice Storm 1998: Immersion in the Black and the Cold
25th Anniversary of the Devastating 1998 Ice Storm in the Northeast
The Worst Natural Disaster in Canadian History (Ice Storm 1998) | Discover Montreal
1998 ice storm led to better preparation for disasters in Quebec | Global News
Montrealers remember the ice storm of 1998, 25 years later | Global News
25th anniversary of ice storm brings back chilling memories for Quebecers | CBC News
25 years later: Quebec remembers ice storm that plunged province into darkness | CTV News
https://www.hydroquebec.com/ice-storm-1998/a-perfect-storm.html
January 1998 North American ice storm
David Pratt, "Ice Storm 1998" on Feb. 4th, 1998
Ice storm 1998: Lessons learned | Wayback Machine
https://www.hydroquebec.com/ice-storm-1998/
25 years later: Quebec remembers ice storm that plunged province into darkness
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On the evening of February 14, 1985, Valentine’s Day, at around 6:00 p.m., Bryan Hart of Colborne, Ontario, came home to a quiet house after work. He looked around the house for his wife, Betty, but could not find her. The couple’s 19-year-old son had already been home for an hour and a half. Michael said he hadn’t seen his mom but had noticed a pair of glasses she wore sitting on the landing leading into the basement. Thinking his mother was out somewhere, Michael picked up the glasses and put them on top of the refrigerator in the kitchen for safekeeping.
On learning about the glasses from Michael, Bryan felt compelled to check the basement. It was the only place he hadn’t checked yet. In the cellar, Bryan discovered Betty lying on her side in a vast pool of blood. She was unresponsive. Bryan raced back upstairs and told his son to call an ambulance.
Marguerite Elizabeth (Betty) Hart, 46, was dead. Among Betty’s many injuries, her throat had been slashed. Early on, the OPP presumed Betty’s wounds to be self-inflicted, but not all was as it appeared.
Sources:
1987 CanLII 124 (ON CA) | R. v. Moran | CanLII
SCC Docket | Donald Philip John Moran v. Her Majesty the Queen
Mar 09, 1985, page 3 - The Toronto Star at Newspapers.com
Mar 12, 1985, page 2 - The Toronto Star at Newspapers.com
Mar 13, 1985, page 2 - The Kingston Whig-Standard at Newspapers.com
Mar 14, 1985, page 2 - The Toronto Star at Newspapers.com
Apr 30, 1985, page 7 - The Toronto Star at Newspapers.com
Jul 23, 1985, page 5 - The Toronto Star at Newspapers.com
Jun 06, 1985, page 2 - The Kingston Whig-Standard at Newspapers.com
Jun 28, 1985, page 6 - The Kingston Whig-Standard at Newspapers.com
Jan 08, 1986, page 7 - The Hamilton Spectator at Newspapers.com
Jan 08, 1986, page 32 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com
Jan 09, 1986, page 15 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com
Jan 16, 1986, page 62 - Waterloo Region Record at Newspapers.com
Jan 16, 1986, page 10 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com
Jan 17, 1986, page 8 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com
Jan 18, 1986, page 8 - Waterloo Region Record at Newspapers.com
http://images.ourontario.ca/Partners/CTPL/CTPL002508964pf_0156.pdf
http://images.ourontario.ca/Partners/CTPL/CTPL002508964pf_0155.pdf
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In November of 2002, friends and family of 25-year-old Fort McMurray DJ Robert LeVoir became concerned that they hadn’t heard from him in over two weeks. Although he’d been a troubled guy, struggling with drugs, cocaine in particular, it wasn’t like Robert to be out of touch for so long. They worried about his welfare and began searching for him, eventually involving the RCMP.
To Robert’s family, the RCMP appeared to be doing little to find their loved one. However, behind closed doors, investigators were working on a tip from a man claiming Robert’s roommate, Dax Richard Mack, also a DJ, had murdered Robert LeVoir and disposed of his body.
Sources:
2006 ABQB 324 (CanLII) | R. v. Mack | CanLII
2007 ABQB 182 (CanLII) | R. v. Mack | CanLII
2012 ABCA 42 (CanLII) | R. v. Mack | CanLII
SCC Appeal File No. 35093 — 2013
2014 SCC 58 (CanLII) | R. v. Mack | CanLII
Supreme Court upholds Fort McMurray murder conviction
Top court upholds Alberta conviction in boost for ‘Mr. Big’ tactics
Mr Big Operations: Innovative Investigative Technique or Threat to Justice?
Mr. Big: Undercover Sting Operations
Revisiting “Mr. Big” Confessions: R v Mack
“Mr. Big” Operation: SCC constrains but doesn’t eliminate the practice.
2022 ABQB 522 (CanLII) | Mack v Warden of Grande Cache Institution | CanLII
A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF MR. BIG OPERATIONS BY CANADA’S POLICE by Chanel J.
Mr. Big — Brilliant police strategy, or dangerous and coercive?
Robert Cecil William LeVoir (1977-2002) - Find a Grave
Shocore - Bonecracker | YouTube
Apr 23, 2004, page 6 - Edmonton Journal at Newspapers.com
Jul 06, 2004, page 6 - Edmonton Journal at Newspapers.com
Apr 26, 2006, page 23 - Edmonton Journal at Newspapers.com
Apr 26, 2006, page 7 - The Daily Herald-Tribune at Newspapers.com
Apr 22, 2004, page 3 - Fort McMurray Today at Newspapers.com
Apr 26, 2006, page 3 - Fort McMurray Today at Newspapers.com
May 10, 2006, page 7 - The Daily Herald-Tribune at Newspapers.com
Feb 21, 2008, page 6 - Star-Phoenix at Newspapers.com
Feb 21, 2008, page 23 - Edmonton Journal at Newspapers.com
Killer DJ appeal turfed | Edmonton Sun
High court upholds Mr. Big conviction
Shocking the Conscience: Public Responses to Police Use of the “Mr. Big” Technique
Mr. Big — Brilliant police strategy, or dangerous and coercive? | Edmonton Sun
Gangsters Out Blog | The Dirty Few MC
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On December 18, 2014, 101-year-old Ernest Côté, a decorated World War II veteran, became the target of a violent home invasion. The assailant, Ian Bush, gained entry to Côté's secure condo building using fake City of Ottawa identification. Bush proceeded to rob and terrorize the elderly war hero, binding his hands, taping his mouth shut, and leaving him to suffocate with a plastic bag over his head. However, Côté's remarkable strength and presence of mind allowed him to break free, cut a hole in the bag, and call for help.
Little did anyone know that Côté's bravery would not only save his own life but would also lead to the resolution of a gruesome unsolved triple homicide from 2007. The evidence Côté preserved, particularly the duct tape used to gag him, provided the crucial DNA link that connected Bush to the murders of retired tax court judge Alban Garon, 77, his wife Raymonde Garon, 73, and their friend Marie-Claire Beniskos, 78. These three victims, all in their 70s, had been found hogtied, beaten, and suffocated in the Garons' luxury condo, leaving investigators baffled for years.
Sources:
"Alban Garon" - Search - Newspapers.com™
Ernest Adolphe Côté | The Canadian Encyclopedia
Riviera One and Two - 1500 and 1510 Riverside Dr
Remembering the life of Marie-Claire Beniskos
Marie-Claire Beniskos | News, Videos & Articles
Ernest Cote | News, Videos & Articles
D-Day 70th Anniversary: Battle by the numbers | YouTube
Ian Bush Charged in 2007 Triple Homicide | CBC Youtube
Ian Bush - Search | National Post
Gruesome details by pathologist in Ian Bush triple-murder trial
Man guilty in murder of Ottawa tax judge | Calgary Herald
Guilty verdict in 'brutal, gratuitous' Ottawa triple murder | CBC News
2017 ONSC 422 (CanLII) | R. v. Bush | CanLII
2017 ONSC 7426 (CanLII) | R. v. Bush | CanLII
2017 ONSC 7627 (CanLII) | R. v. Bush | CanLII
2024 ONCA 245 (CanLII) | R. v. Bush | CanLII
‘I was mad as a wasp,’ says 101-year-old war vet home invasion victim
Ernest Côté: 101-year-old veteran who survived home invasion dies - National
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Episode 334: In this episode, we look at a tragic case of domestic violence that shook the small community of New Germany, Nova Scotia. On June 30, 2010, the quiet parking lot of a local grocery store became the scene of a horrific crime that would forever change the lives of the Eisnor family. Wayne Paul Eisnor, driven by jealousy and an unwillingness to let go, confronted his estranged wife, Tina Mae Illingworth-Eisnor, as she sat in her van. In a shocking act of violence that unfolded in broad daylight, Wayne shot Tina twice in the head, ending her life and then turned the gun on himself. Wayne, although he suffered brain damage, survived his wound.
Here, we explore the events leading up to this devastating moment, the aftermath of the shooting, and the complex legal proceedings that followed, including Wayne’s claims of amnesia, shedding light on a case that left a community in disbelief and a family deeply torn.
Sources:
Obituary: Tina Mae "Illingworth" Eisnor | Sweenys Funeral Home
Tina Illingworth-Eisnor | Facebook
New Germany, Nova Scotia Canada
Holland's Carriers Limited | New Germany NS
Alleged Killer in New Germany Shooting Asks for Lawyer | CJHK
2013 NSSC 241 (CanLII) | R. v. Eisnor | CanLII
2013 NSSC 263 (CanLII) | R. v. Eisnor | CanLII
R. v. Eisnor (W.P.), (2013) 336 N.S.R.(2d) 381 (SC) | vLex
2015 NSCA 64 (CanLII) | R. v. Eisnor | CanLII
R. v. Eisnor (W.P.), (2015) 362 N.S.R.(2d) 157 (CA) | vLex
Search Results: Tina Eisnor | Global News
Search Results: Tina Eisnor | CTV News
Search Results: Tina Eisnor | CBC News
Gender Based Violence in Canada | Learn the Facts
Victims of police-reported family and intimate partner violence in Canada, 2021
Intimate partner violence: Experiences of young women in Canada, 2018
Our Work | Funding For Violence Prevention Programs | Getting Women Out Of Violence
Resources: Family and Intimate Partner Violence in Canada
Wayne Eisnor guilty of 1st-degree murder | CBC News
Tina Eisnor's children 'deeply conflicted' after father's guilty verdict
Atlantic News | Local Breaking | CTV News Atlantic
Appeal dismissed in case of man who shot himself in the head, causing amnesia
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