For years, the Mitchikanibikok Inik First Nation community has fought to keep mining off of their territory. In an important ruling, the Superior Court of Québec has recognized that the Québec government failed for decades in its constitutional duty to consult the Mitchikanibikok Inik First Nation when mining claims were granted on its territory. Lawyers from Ecojustice and the Centre québécois du droit de l’environnement argued that the Quebec mining act violated the constitution, and they won. We speak with Joshua Ginsberg, the lawyer for Ecojustice who represented Mitchikanibikok Inik First Nation in this case. <from Nov 2024>

First Nation in Quebec wins court battle over mining in its territory (encore)

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the federal government introduced a special program to allow Ukrainians to temporarily work, study and stay in Canada until it was safe for them to return home. Nearly 300 thousand people have since arrived through that program. In late 2023, Canada announced a similar program to help Canadians get family members out of Gaza. 10 months later, it is unclear whether the program has facilitated the exit of any Palestinians from Gaza. We speak with immigration and refugee lawyer Randall Cohn. <from Nov 2024>

Gaza Family Reunification Program failing to bring relatives to Canada (encore)

Non-disclosure agreements were originally a mechanism for protecting trade secrets. But they are now increasingly used as a matter of default in settlement agreements for all kinds of civil disputes, including those related to sexual misconduct, harassment and discrimination. We speak with Julie Macfarlane of Can't Buy My Silence, a campaign to end the misuse of NDAs. <from Dec 2024>

Non-disclosure agreements used to silence victims of harassment, abuse (encore)

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, we saw a global reckoning on anti-Black racism. In response to this uprising and demand for action, universities across North America scrambled to make public commitments to racial justice.  But some Black scholars in Canada say these pledges now face a challenging landscape. We talk with Dr. Cornel Grey, assistant professor in the Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies at Western University. He joins me now.

The future of Black hiring at Canadian universities

Think globally, act locally is an old adage, but one that might be relevant as Canada works to strengthen our national economy. With US economic aggression shaking the economy, everyone is searching for ways to bolster businesses and industries here. Dr. Heather Hachigian says Canada’s policy makers need a renewed approach to economic development  – one that focuses on the local. Hachigian is an assistant professor in the Masters of Global Management Program at Royal Roads University.

Economic development in face of tariffs needs local focus

PACE Society is a peer-driven organization located in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver that provides support, advocacy, and education for current and former sex workers. In late February, they announced they were temporarily suspending services and programming and laying off most staff. PACE’s announcement followed a string of closures and service reductions at other organizations serving sex workers and other marginalized women. Jennie Pearson joins us to talk about why these closures happened and what’s needed to support women in the Downtown Eastside. She is a PhD Candidate in the Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program at UBC. She is also a volunteer with PACE Society.

Peer-driven sex worker organizations face uncertain future in Vancouver

Canada Council director Michelle Chawla says Canadian decision-makers need to acknowledge that the arts have a vital role to play in these uncertain times. In response to the threats of annexation by the U.S. and the tariffs aimed at weakening the Canadian economy, there has been a major rise in nationalistic cultural expression.  Musicologist Rosheeka Parahoo says that when it comes to radio play, funding and recognition, the promise of diverse Canadian music has seldom matched the reality. And that needs to change.

Time to broaden the definition of what counts as Canadian music

Patriotism has surged across Canada in response to Donald Trump’s attacks on our economic stability and sovereignty. In the midst of all this rallying behind the flag, Alpha Abebe says it’s a good time to consider who and what is being obscured in the current surge of Canadian patriotism. She is with the Faculty of Humanities and the Lead for Africa and Black Diaspora Studies at McMaster University.

 Who and what is left out in current surge of Canadian patriotism

The Nechako River was one of the main tributaries of the Fraser until the Kenney Dam was built in the 1950s. The dam diverted most of the river’s flow to power Rio Tinto Alcan’s aluminum smelter in Kitimat, severely impacting the lives of the local Stellat’en and Saik’uz Nations. Nechako is a new film that documents years of resistance by the two Nations, including a groundbreaking legal proceeding against the Canadian government and Rio Tinto Alcan that continues to this day. We speak with writer and director Lyana Patrick of the Stellat’en First Nation.

Nechako: It Will Be a Big River Again

The English Language leader’s debate on April 17 ended with the abrupt cancellation of standard post-debate scrum.  At the centre of the incident was the accreditation of right-wing Rebel News and tensions between them and journalists at the event. We talk with the Tyee's Jen St. Denis about what happened that evening in Montreal.

Why the media scrum was cancelled following second Leaders’ Debate

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