
COMMONS
COMMONS is a documentary podcast that proves Canada is anything but boring. Each season, host Arshy Mann guides you through the country’s dark underbelly, bringing you stories about crime, corruption and all manner of misdeeds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Feb 13, 2017 • 2min
COMMONS returns!
Meet the new hosts of CANADALAND COMMONS: Hadiya Roderique, Ashley Csanady, and Ryan McMahon. New episode available Tuesday February 21 and every two weeks thereafter. Follow the show on Twitter.Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 25, 2016 • 1min
COMMONS host search
We're looking for new hosts. Please send demos (less than 4 minutes long) to: info@canadalandshow.comSupport COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 18, 2016 • 12min
A Message About the Future of COMMONS
Supriya, Vicky and publisher Jesse Brown deliver a message about the future of COMMONS. Follow @cndlndcmns for developments.Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 11, 2016 • 32min
Ep.67 - A Hodge Podge of Political Hacks: Inside the War Room
Today, we go behind the scenes in Canadian politics. How do the backroom dealings in Ottawa stack up to the kind of power games we see on shows like House of Cards or the West Wing? Warren Kinsella brought the American war room model to Jean Chrétien's campaign, making it his mission to drive rival politicians crazy and throw them off their game. Lisa Kinsella has also worked in Liberal war rooms, and is now a "dirty rotten lobbyist." They both currently work for Daisy Group.Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 4, 2016 • 26min
Ep.66 - A Hat Trick of Deceit: First Nations and the LNG Project
The Trudeau government made a lot of commitments in the last election, including improving relations with Indigenous people, fighting climate change and investing in infrastructure. Those commitments are starting to come to a head. This past week, they approved a massive liquified natural gas (LNG) project on Lelu Island, near Prince Rupert, BC. We check in with Indigenous communities, where support is split on the project. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, says the project will be destructive to the environment and local economies. Karen Ogen-Toews of the First Nations LNG Alliance points to the benefits the project can bring to surrounding communities and pleas for better understanding from all sides. George Hoberg, a professor at UBC's Liu Institute of Global Affairs, gives context to the scope of the project.Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 27, 2016 • 38min
Ep.65 - Drunk on Liberal Power / Kellie Leitch on Anti-Canadian Values
Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch really wants to talk about her proposal to screen out immigrants over anti-Canadian values, but takes issue with "specific questions" on the matter. But first, Bloomberg reporter Josh Wingrove drops in for a lookahead to the upcoming year in Parliament. What's gonna happen, who will start the first brawl and what would it take to end Trudeau's popularity?Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 20, 2016 • 41min
Ep.64 - Conservative Leadership Showdown Part 2: Tony Clement & Maxime Bernier
It's week two of our Conservative leader-a-thon. Today we bring you our conversations with leadership contenders Tony Clement and Maxime Bernier. Both men were longtime members of Stephen Harper's cabinet. Tony Clement says the Conservatives need to communicate better with young people and is now pushing tough-on-terror policies. Maxime Bernier is often called the Libertarian candidate. In addition to his support for personal freedoms, he wants to de-regulate or privatize a handful of industries.Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 13, 2016 • 33min
Ep.63 - Conservative Leadership Showdown Part 1: Michael Chong & Brad Trost
A bunch of people want to succeed Harper as leader of the Conservative Party. Whoever gets the vote won't just be gunning to be the next Prime Minister; they'll be leading the Opposition, with an aim towards keeping the government in check. Over the summer, we took some time to figure out who all these people are. We'll share those interviews over the next two weeks. Today, we hear from Michael Chong and Brad Trost. Michael Chong once resigned as a cabinet Minister over a disagreement with the Harper government. He believes the party needs to take a stronger stance on climate change and to do a better job appealing to immigrants and urban Canadians. Brad Trost is a social Conservative, so on top of being a champion of the free market, he's vocally pro-life and opposed to gay marriage.Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 6, 2016 • 26min
Ep.62 - When Your Councillor Spams You on Facebook
What do you do if you think a city councillor is exploiting his public platform to make money on the side? Listener Matt Alexander emailed us with this quandary. He points out that Greater Sudbury Councillor Robert Kirwan takes money from local businesses to write promotional posts for a Facebook group he runs. This raises a lot of questions for Matt, but he doesn't know what to do about it. We look into Matt's complaint and how potential conflicts like this one are dealt with. Go to our website for our full correspondence with Robert Kirwan.Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 23, 2016 • 37min
Ep.61 - When CSIS Comes Knocking pt. 2
Earlier this summer, we spoke to Monia Mazigh about CSIS agents making unannounced visits to Muslims. Now, one of those men joins us. After studying and teaching English in Egypt, Juned Moid* was visited by CSIS agents, denied entry into the US and had his passport renewal delayed. He doesn't know why. We also speak to Ken Stone, an activist and political commentator, who launched a complaint against CSIS after two agents showed up at his door, asking him about an op-ed he wrote in the Hamilton Spectator. He tells her about the three-year process of trying to resolve the complaint through the Security Intelligence Review Committee. *A pseudonym to avoid career problemsSupport COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.