CANADALAND

Booze, bridges, and the fog of the trade war.
Canada’s booze boycotts are working, and Senator Adam Schiff says it’s unfair and devastating for the California wine industry. Isn’t that the point?

Meanwhile, Carney offers concessions to Trump on the Gordie Howe Bridge deal. Did we get bamboozled?

Plus, a Wall Street Journal deep dive paints Carney as the leader of the resistance against Trump.

Host: Jesse Brown
Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Tristan Capacchione (Senior Production Supervisor), Jesse Brown (Editor)
Guest: Douglas Soltys

Further reading:
Canada’s boycott of U.S. wines ‘causing devastating harm,’ California senator says - CTV News
Republican bill targets Canada's provincial booze bans | CBC News
U.S. “We demand Canada stop this alcohol boycott that isn’t working and also we don’t even care” - The Beaverton
Ontario runs $8M tab storing U.S. alcohol, as province's plans for stockpile still uncertain | CBC News
How will Gordie Howe Bridge profit-share deal work between Canada, U.S.? | Globalnews.ca
Canada gives share of Gordie Howe Bridge profits to U.S. to get Trump go-ahead - Financial Post
Truckers say Gordie Howe bridge changes everything - CTV News
42% of Canadian manufacturing companies have moved to the U.S. or are considering it, and Ottawa is running out of time to stop them - The Hub
John Ivison: Carney may lead the Trump ‘resistance,’ but Canadian casualties are mounting - National Post
The Reverse-Centaur’s Guide to Criticizing AI (05 Dec 2025) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
The First Chinese EVs Reaching Canada Aren’t The Bargains Buyers Were Promised | Carscoops


Join Jesse Brown at the University of Waterloo for:

Campus Town Hall - Civil Conversations
7pm | July 21st, 2026
University of Waterloo
Pearl Sullivan Engineering Building
PSE 7303
Supported by Heterodox Academy

Sponsors:

Fizz Mobile: Visit fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN40 to get 40$ 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 douglas.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! 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.

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Canada’s Access to Information Act was supposed to give Canadians a window into their government. But more than 40 years later, critics say the system is failing — with delays, redactions, and a culture of secrecy. Host Noor Azrieh speaks with transparency activist Ken Rubin, journalist Dean Beeby, and lawyer Matt Malone about the fight over the future of access to information in Canada, and why proposed changes could make it even harder to hold governments accountable.

Host: Noor Azrieh
Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Annie Tuba (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Tristan Capacchione (Senior Production Supervisor), Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Photo: Tony Wang

Guests: Ken Rubin, Dean Beeby, Matt Malone

Background reading:

Ottawa experts raise alarm over ‘regressive’ government proposals for access-to-information law – Ottawa Citizen
Information commissioner 'disappointed' by lack of federal ambition on access reform – The Canadian Press
Federal transparency law changes could shield government emails, text messages – The Narwhal
Off to a bad start: Treasury Board already wants to make access to information worse – The Hill Times
Liberal government's addiction to secrecy – Dean Beeby
Canada's Bad Boy of Freedom of Information – Dean Beeby
Open By Default – Investigative Journalism Foundation
Dean Beeby's FOI Tip Sheet

Sponsors:
Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca and use code CANADALAND for your first month free!

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

Did you know we have a monthly supporter-exclusive show?

Last week, on Off the Record, Sam Konnert asked Jesse Brown all about the state of the company and where we're going in 2026. Also, why did Jesse cave to the union's demands in contract bargaining?

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!) become a supporter at 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.

Make sure you’re up to date on our upcoming events by going to canadaland.com/live!

Can't get enough Canadaland? Follow us @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram and @Canadaland_Media on TikTok!

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Canada’s  Assisted Human Reproduction Act made it illegal to pay a woman to donate her eggs in Canada. The goal was to avoid incentivizing women to donate their eggs without fully understanding the risks of the procedure. But loopholes and a lax regulatory system have let a “grey market” prosper.

In her investigation Gemma Boothroyd spent months meeting egg donors, doctors, researchers, lawyers — the long list of people working, often unseen, to make a baby for intended parents.

Host: Gemma Boothroyd
Credits: Gemma Boothroyd (Reporter), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), Chad Galloway (Audio Editing & Production), Tristan Capacchione (Senior Production Supervisor), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)

Fact checking by Lucie Laumonier
Additional music by Audio Network

More information:
What 53 Egg Donors Said They Wish They Knew…
Alana Cattapan’s research team’s work on egg donors in Canada
Canadian assisted reproductive technologies registry CARTR PLUS annual report
The Human Egg Trade | The Walrus
The Business of Egg Transactions and Need for Improved Regulation of the Fertility Industry in Canada | Alberta Law Review
Egg donor self-reports of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: severity by trigger type, oocytes retrieved, and prior history - PMC
First prosecution under Assisted Human Reproduction Act ends in conviction - PMC

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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.

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Canadian newsrooms are hesitant to embrace A.I. but new tools offer the potential to revolutionize workflows and expand the capacity of individual journalists. Rather than a threat to journalism, Kevin Newman joins Julian Abraham to explain why A.I. should be viewed as an opportunity for newsrooms to create new business models and do more in-depth reporting.

Host: Julian Abraham
Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Tristan Capacchione (Senior Production Supervisor), Jesse Brown (Editor)
Guest: Kevin Newman

Photo: igovar igovar

Additional music by Audio Network

Students and new-to-audio reporters: Canadaland is launching another year of our Audio Journalism Fellowship!

If you’re a journalism student or audio storyteller looking to gain some invaluable experience, this is a really unique opportunity. Find out more:
https://www.labs.canadaland.com/

Further reading:
Journalists pushing AI into newsrooms are practicing terrible journalism - Halifax Examiner
The way I briefed myself six months ago is now laughably obsolete - Alex Panetta [Substack]
AskLaura.ai - AI Fact Checking
ABC will trial using AI for journalism. What are the risks and benefits? - The Conversation
AI in Canadian newsrooms: media engaging cautiously - J-Source
Empowering newsrooms with AI and advanced technologies - Reuters
Opinion | The Star tried something with AI it had never done before. Then, we pumped the brakes. Here's why - Toronto Star
The New York Times Got Caught Using AI Hallucinations in Its Reporting | The Walrus
Iran Is Trolling Us and We’re Not Doing Anything About It - The New York Times
‘Horrendous’ Toronto police scandal allegations linked to Ryan Wedding cocaine case in new Project South documents - Toronto Star


Sponsors:

Fizz: Visit fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN40 to get 40$ off and 10GB of free data.

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.

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 douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer.


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.

A new strictly Canadian social media platform is promising a friendlier alternative, but is it too Canadian to succeed?

Gander Social launched on Canada Day with an ambitious plan to “fix” social media with a bot-free, less divisive approach that includes moderation based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

But, do people really want social media that “makes them smile”?

Host: Julian Abraham
Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Tristan Capacchione (Senior Production Supervisor), Jesse Brown (Editor)
Guest: Kevin Newman

Additional music by Audio Network
Image Credit: Cedric Fauntleroy

Students and new-to-audio reporters: Canadaland is launching another year of our Audio Journalism Fellowship!

If you’re a journalism student or audio storyteller looking to gain some invaluable experience, this is a really unique opportunity. Find out more:
https://www.labs.canadaland.com/

Further reading:
Canadian social-media platform Gander officially launches this week, promising data sovereignty - The Globe and Mail
Investor Outlook: Gander Social expands with Canadian data focus [Bloomberg]
- Arlene Dickinson and Amber Mac sever ties with Gander Social | BetaKit
Luke Lebrun Thread [Bluesky]
Welcome to the Mark Carney major projects sweepstakes - The Globe and Mail
The Biggest Tell That Something Was Written by AI - The Atlantic

Sponsors:
oxio: Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca and use code CANADALAND for your first month free!

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 douglas.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! 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.