The Hatchet

It’s so hard to know where to start a story. Choosing a starting point shapes the entire message and moral of whatever story you’re trying to tell.And that’s especially true when it comes to something like the recent Israeli and American bombardment of Iran.The simplest way to start would be to parrot what most Western governments and the mainstream media have been saying. For them, you need to begin with the fact that Iran was months, maybe even weeks, away from developing nuclear weapons. And that’s why Israel had to act. That of course ignores the fact that Rafeal Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, says that there’s no evidence they were developing an atomic bomb. But let’s ignore that for now.Instead, we could decide to start the story at another point, even a few weeks earlier. Let’s say June 3. That was when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began to be cross-examined during his corruption trial, which might see him land in prison. Netanyahu has succeeded numerous times in dragging out the trial, which has been going on for five years now, because he’s been leading the country, especially during times of war. However, this month, his coalition government appeared like it might fall apart. But while he’s at war with Iran, that’s certain to not happen.Maybe we could go back even further, say to 2022 when Iranian women were leading the largest protest movement in fifty years after a young woman, Mahsa Amina, was killed by the regime’s morality police. Will the bombardment by two hostile powers strengthen similar opposition movements or will it be the most hardcore and militaristic elements of the government that gain the upper hand? That’s not a question I see being asked by much of the media these days.Of course, we could go back even further. To 2018 when Donald Trump pulled the US out of an Iranian nuclear deal that had been working. To 2003 and George Bush’s Axis of Evil of speech and the invasion of Iraq. To the mid-90s when Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons, in all circumstances. To 1992, when Nentanyahu, then a backbencher, claimed that Iran was only a year away from developing a nuclear weapon.All the way back to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, that created this theocratic regime and caused millions of Iranians to flee the country. To the western-backed coup of 1953 that brought the hated Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi back to power because the democratically elected prime minister was planning on nationalizing the country’s oil reserves. Or maybe it would be best to start the mid-1800s, when Iran was so dominated by the Russian and British empires that they couldn’t even appoint their own cabinet ministers without foreign approval.Where you begin the story in some ways will determine what you think of it. And I think that helps me explain just how weird politicians and the mainstream media get when it comes to talking about this attack on Iran. They’re desperately grasping for any justification that they can get a hold of. At one moment, it’s all about ensuring that Iran doesn’t get nuclear weapons. Another, it’s retaliation for terror attacks and Iran’s support for Hezbollah or Hamas. Then all of a sudden it’s about regime change and freeing the Iranian people from tyranny. It reminds me so much of Iraq, which I’ve been thinking about a lot in the last few months. And while so far we haven’t heard any talk of a ground invasion, the Iraqi example is illustrative. Western governments and the media convinced themselves beyond any doubt that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Which of course wasn’t true. But if you had the temerity to suggest that it might not be, you were labelled either naive or heartless or an apologist for a monstrous regime.So during this moment, I wanted to talk a woman whose work I’ve followed for years, and who has been one of the most aggressive and thoughtful critics of the Iranian Regime. Samira Mohyeddin arrived in Canada as a child in 1979, one of so many refugees of the Islamic Revolution. She’s a longtime journalist whose work often focuses on highlighting the crimes of the Iranian government. But she’s also been an outspoken critic of Israel, especially the ongoing genocide in Gaza. So I wanted to know how a woman like Samira is thinking about everything that’s going on. And where the story starts for her.Featured in this episode: Samira MohyeddinTo learn more:“Iranians deserve a path to freedom that is also free from violence” by Samira Mohyeddin in The Globe and Mail“‘I urge you to hear the voices of the Iranian people.’ Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi remains unbowed” by Samira Mohyeddin in The Globe and Mail“IAEA chief: No evidence Iran is building a nuclear weapon” in Al-Jazeera News“Dragging Out Netanyahu's Trial Is a Delay of Justice for the Israeli Public” by Sami Peretz in HaaretzSupport us at hatchetmedia.substack.comThe Hatchet is a podcast and newsletter dedicated to exposing power and money in Canada. We deliver important, original and fascinating journalism about how this country actually works.Music: I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hatchetmedia.substack.com/subscribe

Arshy and Jordan sit down to give a quick update about how things have been going, a sneak peak at some upcoming projects, and the future of The Hatchet. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hatchetmedia.substack.com/subscribe

The discussion kicks off with an analysis of the recent Canadian government's actions post-election, focusing on resource development and law enforcement. Skepticism mounts around the optimism surrounding AI, with hosts questioning its promised benefits and drawing parallels to past tech hype. Ethical concerns and the dark side of AI usage are explored, highlighting its potential risks. Additionally, the podcast tackles the delicate issue of Canada-India relations, scrutinizing national sovereignty and the ramifications of cross-border collaboration.

In this engaging discussion, Krystal King, co-owner of Cora's Corner and the Rubber Duck Museum, shares her insights on the unique enclave of Point Roberts. She elaborates on the rubber duck's journey as a cultural icon and the challenges faced by this border community due to rising trade tensions. The conversation highlights the historic significance of Point Roberts and its vibrant new museum as a beacon of hope, aiming to revitalize local businesses while fostering cross-border connections and empathy amid geopolitical challenges.

Jen Gerson, co-founder of The Line and keen observer of Alberta's political scene, dives into the tumultuous world of Danielle Smith. They dissect Smith's odd alliances with figures like Trump and her controversial proposal for a referendum on Alberta's independence. Gerson critiques the rising separatism, examining its historical roots and implications for both Alberta and Canada. The conversation raises pressing questions about political manipulation and the future of Alberta's identity amidst increasing tensions.

The last time we spoke with John Rapley, economic columnist for the Globe and Mail, it was right after Chrystia Freeland resigned as finance minister, creating a crisis for the Trudeau government.Remember that? It feels like quite a long time ago.Here’s some of what’s happened since then — Justin Trudeau announced his resignation, Donald Trump began to joke about Canada as the 51st state, and then everyone realized that he wasn’t joking, Mark Carney creamed Chrystia Freeland in a Liberal leadership race and became Prime Minister, Trump announced across-the-board tariffs against Canada and Mexico, Trump delayed the across-the-board tariffs against Canada and Mexico, Trump tariffed our aluminum and steel industries, he announced tariffs against the entire world, almost tanked the global economy in the matter of a week, and then delayed his global tariffs, and we had a federal election, with Mark Carney winning a fourth-in-a-row government for the Liberals.In other words, it’s been a crazy few months.So we wanted to catch up with Rapley and talk through all of this stuff and about where Canada goes next.To learn more:“God save Mark Carney, the man with the simple job of completely remaking Canada’s economy”, “Why Canada must align with Europe, the new boomtown” and “Perhaps more trade with China is not a bad idea after all” by John Rapley in The Globe and MailSupport us at hatchetmedia.substack.comThe Hatchet is a podcast and newsletter dedicated to exposing power and money in Canada. We deliver important, original and fascinating journalism about how this country actually works.Music: I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hatchetmedia.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit hatchetmedia.substack.comFinal thoughts on one of the strangest elections in Canadian history from the team at The Hatchet. If you’re in Toronto, make sure to drop by our election watch party at the Dock Ellis.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit hatchetmedia.substack.comFor the first and only time this election, the major federal party leaders (and Yves-François Blanchet) stepped onto a stage and debated each other in English. None of the major parties have released a fully-costed platform. And both Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre have done everything possible to avoid being subjected to the indignity of being interviewed by real journalists in their native language. And so for the majority of Canadians, this debate was their only real opportunity to see the candidates in an environment that wasn’t controlled by their staffers and attendants. So how did they do? What did Canadians learn about how they’d run the country? Will Pierre Poilievre buy me a house? Why doesn’t Mark Carney fight Donald Trump in the octagon? Is Jagmeet Singh enrolling in medical school in order to strengthen our healthcare system? And is Yves-François Blanchet more handsome and charming than Gilles Duceppe? You’ll find out the answer to at least one of those questions in this paid subscriber-only, debate-edition of The Hatchet.

Brookfield has been in the news constantly over the last few weeks. The Conservatives attacked the company for moving the headquarters of one of their subsidiaries to New York City. The NDP have accused it of avoiding taxes through offshore havens. And Prime Minister Mark Carney, the former chairman of Brookfield Asset Management, has found himself on the defensive because of his association with the company.But what these political attacks miss is a far more important story. It’s a story of a company that has been central to Canada’s history and economy for more than a century.So what exactly is Brookfield? That’s a question that we here at The Hatchet have set out to answer.What we found was a company that almost defies description.Brookfield has been a financial universe unto itself, operating by a different set of cosmic laws and fundamental forces than other corporations.It’s a company that’s shown an almost unparalleled talent for reinvention. Over its 125-year-history, it’s morphed from a neo-colonial experiment to Canada’s most ruthless corporate raider to a seemingly boring storehouse of our collective pension earnings.Now it is one of a tiny handful of financial entities that sit at the very centre of the global economy.And so that’s why we’ll be spending this series focusing exclusively on this incredibly important and yet rarely understood company.We’ll be digging into its epic history, its contentious present and what the continued domination of firms like Brookfield could mean for everyday people.In this first episode, we shine a light on it’s first incarnation — Brazilian Traction, Light and Power — and how it managed to dominate the people of South America’s biggest nation for most of the 20th century.Featured in this episode: Tyler ShipleyTo learn moreCanada In The World: Settler Capitalism and the Colonial Imagination by Tyler ShipleyThe Brass Ring: Power, Influence and the Brascan Empire by Patricia Best & Ann ShortellLet Us Prey: The Practices and Profits of Canadian Corporations and Businessmen edited by Robert Chodos & Ray MurphyThe Light: Brazilian Traction, Light, and Power Company Limited, 1899-1945 by Duncan McDowallSupport us at hatchetmedia.substack.comThe Hatchet is a podcast and newsletter dedicated to exposing power and money in Canada. We deliver important, original and fascinating journalism about how this country actually works.Music: I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hatchetmedia.substack.com/subscribe

Chaos reigns within the Conservative Party as internal conflicts overshadow the federal election campaign. High-ranking staffers are criticizing their own leaders, calling for a major strategy shift. The episode dives into how these tensions mirror a civil war within the party, revealing the implications for Canadian politics. There's also a critique of the trivial tactics used against opponents, emphasizing a need for more substantive political discourse. The backdrop of turbulent polling forecasts adds to the intrigue of this ongoing saga.