CanCon

Would you call Walmart Canada a "Canadian" company? It's a much more complex question than it appears—but I think most of us would agree on the general answer. It's a Canadian subsidiary of a giant US retail behemoth. But when it comes to procurement spending from the federal government, often these are kinds of companies that can meet qualifications to describe themselves as "Canadian" and earn an edge over their competitors. It shouldn't be a surprise that government spending can get complicated, but it does raise a fascinating question: For the past year many of us have learned a lot about what makes a food item or a retail product Canadian—but what about a company? Vass Bednar, managing director of the Canadian Shield Institute, joins Jordan to puzzle through that question, and how our tax dollars are spent because of it. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

When the World Happiness Report first began scoring countries on their self-reported levels of happiness in 2012, Canada was consistently in the top 10. It felt right, we were pretty happy. Over the past several years, things have been changing, first slowly and now rapidly. In the recently published edition of the report, Canadians' happiness levels ranked 25th in the world, by far a new low. And that precipitous drop has been driven predominantly by one demographic... UBC Professor Emeritus and co-creator and editor of the World Happiness Report John Helliwell joins us to discuss what's changed, who's unhappy and what we know about how to generate happiness in our own lives from two decades of scientific research. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

In any other entertainment medium, a Canadian-made product winning the equivalent of a Best Picture Oscar would be historic, headline-grabbing news. But when Canadian-made games win Game Of The Year—and they have, multiple times—the country barely bats an eye. Games are big business in Canada, and we have some of the world's premier talent, in both massive corporate studios and tiny indie development houses. Yet unless you're really, really into video games, you'd never know. Why? Jonathan Ore of the CBC hops on the show to talk about video games in Canada, how good they are, and why nobody even knows where the games they play are made. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

One might've thought we'd learned our lesson in 2020. That being hit with waves of deeply ill patients that pushed our health care system—especially its front lines in hospitals and ERs—to the brink would have woken us up to just how close to disaster we were operating. Alas. On this episode of Cancon, Emergency Room physician, podcaster and author Dr. Brian Goldman takes us inside the ongoing low-level crisis that happening in emergency rooms across the country. Like any good doctor, he diagnoses the root of the problem, outlines the kind of long-term treatment it requires, and gives us some take-home instructions for the next time we find ourselves with a loved one in need of emergency care. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

The federal Liberals miraculous early-2025 comeback was one of the biggest sudden shocks in Canadian political history. In response to Justin Trudeau's resignation, Donald Trump's threats and tariffs and the ascendance of Mark Carney, Canadian voters flocked back to the party that had been in power for a decade. The party they appeared ready to abandon. In the wake of that, things seemed to settle into a new normal—something resembling a two-party system, with the Liberals and Conservatives neck and neck. But in the first two months of this year, the tides seem to have turned again, but not in a way many predicted. The political landscape in this country, at least according to the polls, is looking different by the day. And upcoming byelections could push the Liberals into a majority. What's happening here? How much of this is real? And what have we learned about Canadian polling at a time when misinformation is a major part of many people's news diet? Canadian polling expert Philippe J. Fournier, creator of 338Canada, joins Jordan for a conversation on the recent federal shift, what it tells us about the year to come, and the state of political polling in Canada. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

A little less than a decade ago, the podcast industry was ascendant in Canada. Independent shows were finding an audience, major media companies were starting podcast network and buying up podcast production houses, and it was assumed the medium would continue to grow alongside the American industry. Podcasting had arrived. Today, despite audience growth that surged during the pandemic and continues today, the industry is struggling. It's not for lack of quality, as Canadian shows win international awards and Canadian hosts and producers often go on to work on massive shows in the United States. So why is the industry shrinking in Canada? Do Canadian audiences want Canadian shows? And what does the future of the format in this country look like? Jordan sits down with longtime producer Kattie Laur, who runs Canada's podcast newsletter Pod The North, hosts her own show, Canardian, and has had just about every job there is in podcasting, as she explains just what happened to the Canadian podcast boom that never came. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

You know the joke about Canada being three (insert sector here) companies in a trench coat? Well, it's kind of always been that way. When Canadians complain about the lack of choices for consumers in so many industries, they're continuing a long tradition that began with the founding of our nation. Ever since the Hudson's Bay company was handed control of the fur trade and our railroad was built by Canadian Pacific we've had it in our DNA. But now, when global competition is supposed to define the landscape, little has changed. Why is that? And why has our government been so unsuccessful in stopping it? This week, Jordan is joined by Peter Nowak, host of Do Not Pass Go, a podcast dedicated to exploring monopolies across Canadian sectors to unpack why, exactly, a nation that recently claimed to be beefing up the powers of its competition bureau struggles to offer its citizens real choices in their everyday lives. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Marshall Cohen is one of the last of the old masters. His job, for more than four decades, has been to personally select from the tons and tons of fresh produce that roll through the Ontario Food Terminal every day, the best and freshest fruits and vegetables possible. It's an art form, and he's widely regarded as the best around.The terminal itself, the largest fruit and vegetable wholesale market in Canada, is a uniquely fascinating place, offering a glimpse into how massive supply chains operate to bring food from Canadian farms and international sellers to local grocery stores—and eventually to your fridge. But the game has been changing, and Marshall Cohen's well-earned, hands-on wisdom is being replaced by more modern, "efficient" methods.Last year, Jake Edmiston, a business reporter at the Toronto Star, shadowed Cohen as he made his rounds. Jake takes us inside how the terminal works, what makes Cohen a "legend" (just ask anyone who's worked with him) and how the old masters of the food terminal may give way to whatever comes next... Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

As you may have heard (over and over again), travel to the United States by Canadians is way down. Other countries are also avoiding the US, whether due to political stances or security concerns. But Canadians, Europeans and others are still part of the post-pandemic travel boom. So where are they going? You got it!Canadians are looking to explore their own country more than ever before. Foreigners are still looking to visit North America, just maybe not ... you know. All this has created the best chance Canada has had in decades to supercharge its growing travel industry. The only questions are if we're ready to seize it, and how we go about doing that...Jordan speaks to Erin Hynes, a longtime travel industry expert and the host of Curious Tourism: A Responsible Travel Podcast, about what the past year has taught us about Canadian travel and where it might be headed this year. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

You may wonder, in the middle of a trade war, why Ontario's premier was pouring out a gigantic bottle of Crown Royal whisky, the spirit perhaps associated with this country more than any other. And why Doug Ford is now threatening to remove Crown Royal products from the shelves of Ontario's liquor stores. Well ... it's complicated. Part of it is political theatre, of course. Part of it is intimidation. And part of it is perhaps because Crown Royal is not as Canadian as you might think, and there's a decent chance that, whatever your preferred brand, your favourite Canadian whisky isn't either... In Episode 2 of Cancon, Jordan Heath-Rawlings is joined by Emily Osborne, a policy research associate at the Canadian SHIELD Institute, for a deep dive into exactly who makes what in Canada when it comes to the booze the rest of the world sees as "Canadian". Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Decades ago, our government, and the body that oversees Canadian broadcasting, decided that homemade content was in danger of being overwhelmed by the vast flood of music, television, and film coming from the United States. The solution? A policy that required broadcasters to fill a certain amount of their programming with Canadian-made content, or "CanCon" as it came to be known. But the media landscape looks very, very different today than it did in 1991. And while Canadian-made content still manages to break through (see: Rivalry, Heated), and the CRTC has periodically updated the regulations, there's no question the CanCon policy no longer covers all it was intended to. Should it change? Did it work? Is it still needed? Not at all, or more than ever? Michael Geist is the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, and one of the country's foremost experts in media policy in the digital age. He joins Jordan to explain 35 years of CanCon, and if we need 35 more. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Welcome to CanCon!From (most of) the team that brought you Elbows Up, comes a show dedicated to telling Canadian stories, rather than focusing our energy on the rhetoric of our neighbours. These are conversations about who we are, how we got here, and where we're going. We hope you'll join us. Episode 1 debuts in two weeks, on Jan. 28, 2026. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

This summer, given ... everything going on down there, Canadians are more interested in exploring their own backyard than traveling to the United States. And since we've spent four months exploring everything about this country we need to fix, we wanted to spend Canada Day looking around at everything we don't. No matter where you live, this episode will give you some incredible ideas for your next getaway.Bestselling author Robin Esrock (The Great Canadian Bucket List) takes us on a tour from coast to coast to coast, starting in the North, then moving from West to East. There are so many beautiful, meaningful, fun and just plain weird places in this country that we thought we'd try to celebrate them all. Later, Esrock shares travel tips for everyone from those with the money for a cross-country train ride to those who need to stick closer to home, and their budget.After that, Jordan, Laura and Mat share the podcast's plan for this summer and beyond. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

One of the biggest problems Canadians face—that anyone faces—is the onslaught of misinformation online. Plenty of studies, including a new Reuters News survey, have shown that social media has passed traditional media as the go-to source of news for most Americans and plenty of Canadians. So we can talk about it all day, but what are we doing about it?Canadian journalist Kevin Newman—who has also anchored American news broadcasts—is one of the leads behind a new venture called Get Fact, a non-partisan coalition of volunteers that applies traditional fact-checking principles to AI tools, to offer news consumers a way to determine the veracity of what they're seeing in their feeds, or anywhere else. Jordan and Kevin discuss the state of journalism, the problem of misinformation and disinformation and what we can do beyond simply lamenting a past that's never coming back. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Millions of Canadians are voting with their feet, and their wallets, refusing to travel to the United States this summer—or even cancelling plans they've already made. But not everyone has that luxury. Some travel may not come with cancellation options. Some Canadians need to travel south, for work or to grow their business. And others may have family across the border they need to see. Some of those might even be dual citizens, wondering when they can go home again.Between tariffs and the threat of immigration officials—one arm of which has inspired a week-long protest in Los Angeles, which the Canadian government has advised travellers to stay far away from—the prospect of crossing the border can be daunting. In this episode, Jordan and Laura discuss what, if anything, it would take to get them heading through customs, then Jordan speaks to Canadian immigration lawyer Cindy Switzer, who works with MKS Immigration Lawyers and is the Chair of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Immigration Law Section, on what you need to consider if you have to—or want to—make the trip. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

It's been a few months now since the United States placed the first in an ever-changing series of tariffs on Canadian products. And our economy, so far is doing ... alright? Not great, of course, but Canada has not yet been plunged into a recession. Does that showcase our resilience? Might we not suffer as much as originally thought? That's still to be determined.The next couple of months will tell us a great deal about the impact of Trump's tariffs, and meanwhile the American president himself is coming to Canada next week for a G7 meeting. With that milestone approaching, and new economic data on the horizon, Jordan speaks to Jim Standford, an economist and the Director the the Centre for Future Work, to get a sense of what we might see over the next few months, how we can prepare for it, and what the Canadian government should hope to achieve at the G7—in spite of the presence of Donald Trump. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Canada's new defence minister has promised an effort unseen since World War II to replenish and revitalize our military. How serious is he? Canada has a history of talking about improving its defence but doing very little to make it happen. Is this time different?After Jordan and Laura wonder why we're even pretending to entertain President Trump's latest and greatest attempt to add 'gold' to something, Jordan interviews Stephen Saidman a Carleton University Political Scientist in the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs and Director of the Canadian Defence and Security Network, about what this new government needs to do to change the narrative around Canada's military. How do we meaningfully increase our capacity, in terms of equipment and actual boots on the ground. And, yeah, we ask him to explain the Golden Dome, too.All that, and listener feedback, too! Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

For a whole lot of Canadians outside the prairie province—and a good number of Albertans, too—the province's recent flirtation with an independence referendum seems ... unhelpful, to put it mildly. At a moment Canadian unity has never been more important, Alberta's premier seems to be undermining that effort. Is this a cheap political ploy? A well reasoned approach to real provincial greivances? Or something else?Jordan and Laura discuss how the rest of Canada is feeling about Alberta these days, then Jordan interviews Senator Paula Simons to get to the bottom of what's really happening in the province. The independent senator has a long career as a journalist, a fierce love of the province and a view that accounts for the whole of Alberta, not just the loudest voices. So where is this coming from? Why now? And will it actually amount to anything? Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Canada has a doctor shortage. Many of you are living it right now. For most of the past few decades, the brain drain for physicians has gone one way: Canada to the United States. It's not the only reason so many of us can't find a family doctor, but it's been a big part of the problem.The past couple of years, however, have shifted that. From restrictive abortion legislation to a near-total disregard for medical science from the Trump Administration, thousands of American doctors are looking for somewhere else to practice. And for a lot of them, Canada is a preferred destination. John Philpott, CEO and founder of CanAm Physician Recruiting joins Jordan and Laura to explain why we've lost so many doctors, what physicians and medical professionals are looking for right now, and how Canada can set our health care system up for a generation by making sure we're their destination of choice. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Last week's meeting between Canada's new prime minister and his counterpart in Washington was, by recent standards, civil and non-confrontational. Mark Carney was firm in his dismissal of the 51st state rhetoric, and Trump was mostly accepting of that reality. Broadly speaking, nothing much happened, though it was good to hear a simple, "No. Never," from Canada's leader.But if you happened upon social media in the hours following the summit, that's likely not what you saw. Depending on your platform and feed, Carney was either a Canadian hero slapping down a bully, or a pathetic clown who was "owned" and "humiliated". Canada gets vast majority of its media from the United States. And that media, especially the social kind, has become increasingly distorted and unreliable. Meanwhile, our own media struggles with resources and—increasingly—public distrust. How can we protect our citizens from the distortions they're exposed to every time they—by accident or necessity—venture beyond a handful of reliable Canadian sources?After Jordan and Laura break down the Oval Office meeting, Jordan speaks to Taylor Owen, the Chair in Media, Ethics and Communication at McGill University, the founding Director of The Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy and principal investigator at the Media Ecosystem Observatory, to try to get a handle on the firehose of falsehoods we're blasted with today. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

More than 120,000 Canadians work in Canada's auto industry...for now. As tariffs imposed by the US President kick into gear, only to change and then change again, plants and shifts are adjusting by the day, and some have already shut down some production lines, at least temporarily. Right now, we're at the mercy of these tariffs, as our production is so entwined with the US and Mexico's that cars cross the border several times before they're finished.But does it have to be that way? What does Canada need to make our auto industry less dependent on America? Could we even, perhaps, make our own cars here at home? The whole car, from start to finish? Or is that an impossible dream. Jordan talks to Lorraine Sommerfeld, a longtime auto journalist about how to keep Canadian jobs safe from American tariffs, and how to keep our plants running despite the trade war—including the possibility of a totally Canadian-made automobile.Then, Laura grills Lorraine about how, exactly, a Canadian needing a new car should navigate the current situation. Buy now? Wait a while? Go used? Forget the whole thing? This is your guide to auto tariffs, from the macro down to the micro. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

These might feel like unprecedented times, with the US President dropping his latest annexation proposal on Canada's election day—but in truth, we have been here before. Sort of. While the chaotic, bullying approach of the current administration may be unique, Canada's faced threats of tariffs leading to financial ruin and eventual annexation before. And we survived. We've faced down America on a few occasions without blinking, and as some newly elected MPs and their parties get ready to do it again, Jordan and Laura are sitting down with Craig Baird, host of Canadian History Ehx, to learn a few thing we might have forgotten—and yes, to talk about that whole 'burning down the White House' thing.(Note: this episode was recorded before this weekend's horrifying tragedy in Vancouver cast a pall over final days of the election.) Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

The past five years have featured one global upheaval after another, so it's no surprise every Canadian's nerves were a little frayed even before Donald Trump began to talk about annexing Canada. But now that the Prime Minister has said the relationship is "over", and since the White House has refused when given the opportunity to back off the 51st state rhetoric, we think it's a good time to try to process this new reality.Our guest today is Stefanie Peachey , a therapist and mediator whose specialties include divorce, intimate partner violence and workplace mental health—all of which are applicable in their own way to what Canadians, and some Americans, are dealing with right now. So in the middle of an election, it's worth breaking out the big feelings and trying to grapple with them. Because this isn't going away, and it's not gonna get easier when our next government has to reengage with the White House...Also, Laura and Jordan discuss the assertion that asking about Trump's recent rhetoric is "provoking" the administration, if the divorce metaphor actually applies, and JHR breaks down our very first one-star review! Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

If you've seen American television discussing Canada's response to the Trump administration's trade war and annexation rhetoric, you've probably seen Charlie Angus. The longtime NDP MP (who chose to step down this year rather than seek reelection) has been the face of Canada's defiance to many Americans—and especially to his fellow Canadians. Angus has been meeting thousands of his fellow citizens at events around the country, encouraging them to stand strong and united.What have they heard from him? What kind of message does he want us to send to Americans? How do these kind of events come about, and how can anyone organize one? Jordan and Laura speak to Charlie and ask him everything Canadians need to know about what he calls "The Resistance".You can learn more about The Resistance at Charlie Angus's Substack: https://charlieangus.substack.com/ Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Have you seen a lot of Maple Leaf stickers and signs in your grocery store lately? Maybe even next to products you know are sold by American companies that are "prepared in Canada"? Wondering what that actually means? There are any number of designations that can be placed on food products, but only a couple of them are specific and actually mean a food item was what we would think of as truly "made" or "produced" in Canada. In a minisode of Elbows Up, Laura quizzes Jordan, who has been studying the government guidelines, about just what all these claims mean and how companies can use them to 'Maplewash' your grocery shopping.For reference:The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's guidelines around identifying the origin of food products: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-labels/labelling/industry/origin-claims#s1c5The Department of Canadian Heritage guidelines around the use of the official Canadian Maple Leaf on commercial products: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/commercial-use-symbols-canada.htmlThe CFIA's Frequently Asked Questions around product origin claims and labelling: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-labels/labelling/industry/origin-claims/frequently-asked-questions Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

From intelligence services to border control to the military and everything in between, Canada has designed its national security infrastructure to work in concert with the United States, not in opposition to it. It's now clear this could be a really big problem. This episode is about how Canada can stand on its own two feet and plan to protect ourselves.First, Jordan and Laura examine just how many Americans now see Canada as "unfriendly" or an "enemy". Then (4:00) Stephanie Carvin, a national security expert, former government analyst and the author of Stand on Guard, walks us through how entwined our two countries are, what that means to Canada if the US truly does become a threat, or (14:33) if this will all go away tomorrow. We also (25:21) discuss what role Canadians can play and (28:55) the unthinkable conversations she's been having with people in her field.Also (20:00)...do we need our own secret agents? We should have some, right? Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Whenever the prospect of "51st state" is mentioned, many Canadians wonder what would happen if it really came to that. Others wonder what they'd do in that situation? How could they help? Could they really fight for their country? The easiest way to be ready should anything—emergencies, natural disasters and, yes, a hostile neighbour—threaten Canadians is to join the country's reserve forces. But many Canadians don't understand that process. How big are our reserve forces? Who serves in them? What kind of commitment is it? What kind of test to you have to pass? And how might your skills apply to what they do?A number of listeners told us they'd been wondering if they'd qualify, and how to do it. So we're speaking to Commander Paul Smith (6:49), Commanding Officer of HMCS York, which is Toronto’s Naval Reserve Division, to learn everything you need to know about the reserves.Afterwards (23:28), we read listener emails and tease some upcoming episodes. And (32:26) we've got another song for you...For more information about the reserves, including jobs that are currently available, you can visit https://forces.ca/en/reserve-force/. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

A stated objective of President Trump's trade war is to cause Canada economic pain, in an apparent effort to bully Canada into becoming the 51st state. That strategy assumes there is a level of financial hardship at which Canadian resolve will weaken. The tactic is designed to cost the country—and more importantly, every person in it—money, in lost jobs, lost sales, higher prices and in many other ways.So far, Canada stands strong. A massive push to #BuyCanadian has us squinting at the fine print on every purchase. But it shouldn't stop there. Nor should it break your budget.After Jordan and Laura trade their own tips on keeping their spending on this side of the border, Jordan interviews Jessica Moorhouse, the author of Everything But Money, host of the More Money podcast and an accredited financial counselor, about how to Buy Canadian and how to thrive in difficult economic times(3:19), how to manage your emotions when it comes to your money in a volatile economy (13:07) and what to do with big purchases and investments and the feeling this is all going to hell (21:48).Afterwards (29:11), Laura joins Jordan to introduce what will hopefully be the first of many original, patriotic Canadian songs recorded during the current crisis. Today, Lark of Canada, by Chris Rawlings. (Yes, that's Jordan's dad.) Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Basically everything Canadians send digitally, even just to one another, runs through huge American tech companies—Microsoft, Google, Apple, Amazon, and dozens more. We've never had to worry about that. Now we do. So what are we going to do about it?On an individual and national level, we need to get serious about protecting our digital infrastructure. The good news is that it's a lot easier for this country to win a technological or media war than a physical one, and there's real opportunity here. Canada's tech talent, from developers to hackers and everything in between, is among the world's elite. We have everything we need to not only secure ourselves, but to become an option for the rest of the world when they no longer trust American technology. Let's get going.Host Jordan Heath-Rawlings and producer Laura Palmer speak with Canadian technologist and futurist Jesse Hirsh about getting serious about security and winning a tech war. Intro: 0:00Welcome Jesse: 3:31Participatory cybersecurity: 11:35Every Canadian's role: 21:41Listener emails and sign off: 33:49 Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

Countries like Sweden and Finland, that live near a hostile power, have made huge investments in civil defence, preparing their citizens to respond to any emergency, from an environmental catastrophe to foreign interference and even invasion.Canada has done this in the past as well, just not for decades. What would a modern Canadian Civil Defence Corps look like? Host Jordan Heath-Rawlings and producer Laura Palmer speak with Peter MacLeod, principal of MASS LBP and the author, with Richard Johnson, of Democracy’s Second Act (out this fall from the University of Toronto’s Aevo Press).First, Jordan explains what made us make Elbows Up, what you can expect from it and how you can help us shape it. Then (10:26), Jordan and Peter discuss exactly what a new era of civil defence would mean, and (27:00) how Canada can achieve it. Finally, the three of us share our thoughts on why so many Canadians are feeling moved to action now. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].

The world is shifting under our feet. This is a podcast about how Canada can stay strong and free, forever. And what exactly we need to do that. Feedback from listeners is so, so welcome. If you have something to say, email us: [email protected].