Blueprints of Disruption

Defending Against Invasion: Lebanon

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Israeli Occupation Forces are attempting to annex Southern Lebanon. They are erasing towns from the map, blowing up bridges and roads, and telling the world they're about to redraw their borders...again.

Previous guest, Mohamad, returns to the studio to talks about the current situation in Lebanon, what it was like being back home during the latest escalation of violence, and how it felt to leave family behind.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Related Episodes:

Lebanon, Palestine and Resisting Colonialism (Jan 2024) Mohamad's first appearance - just before the 'ceasefire'.
Right to Resist (Oct 2024) Journalist and human rights lawyer, Dimitri Lascaris on Lebanon, the resistance and bringing down an apartheid state.

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CUPE Ontario: What's Next?

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:15:00 -0400

CUPE Ontario, is at a crossroads. Their next convention is just months away, and for the first time in 12 years, Fred Hahn won’t be on the ballot for President. In February, after two and a half years of intensified attacks, he announced this would be his last term leading the union.

What does this mean for the Province’s largest public sector union? Is this a blow for leftists in CUPE Ontario, or an opportunity? Maybe it can be both.

Katherine Grzejszczak and Krista Laing, two candidates for the next CUPE Ontario Executive join Blueprints to talk about where things are at right now, and their visions for their union’s future. They talk about the impact Fred has had, but also what they might do differently.

Despite public sector unions being under attack, both guests share hopeful signs that workers are becoming bolder and more eager to engage politically. They emphasize the need for a more member driven approach, spending fewer resources on electoral politics, and more ways to realize the power of 290,000 union members.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Related Episodes:

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Building Momentum: Canadian Federation of Students

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:15:00 -0400

Ontario's Premier, Doug Ford has had post-secondary students, and their unions, in his sights since he took office, but a new round of cuts to OSAP has taken them over the edge.

On March 14th, 2026, students mobilized at Queen's Park to demonstrate, only to be met by violence at the hands of the Toronto Police Services. This did not deter them.

Organizers with the Canadian Federation of Students talk about how we got to this point, and what work needs to be done in order for students to be the force of change they're meant to be - including what it will take for a student strike to actually be effective.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean, and produced by Santiago Helou-Quintero

Call to Action: Sign the No to OSAP Cuts Petition and Attend Day of ACTION MARCH 24th

Related Episodes:

Lessons from Student Encampments

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Boycott Indigo Books Because...

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0400

Although using a new URL, activists behind the boycott of Canada's largest bookstore still say that 'Indigo Kills Kids'.

A representative for the campaign talks about their choice of language, tactics and targets - most notably the CEO of Indigo Books, Heather Reisman. You'll hear how this Canadian oligarch has proudly poured millions into the HESEG foundation, which actively recruits soldiers for the Occupation Forces, and rewards them for their violence.

This connection to the genocide is important, not only in justifying the boycott, but to refute claims Reisman is being targeted for being Jewish.

The IKK campaign also respond to critics from the Left side of the political spectrum, and reflects on the work that still needs to be done.

Hosted by Jessa McLean and Produced by Santiago Helou Quintero

Calls to Action: Take the Pledge to Boycott Indigo and Demand CRA Revoke HESEG's Charitable Status

Related Episodes:

Machinery of Suppression: Bill C9 and the weaponization of antisemitism (jan 2026) Jews Say NO to Genocide break down the latest suppressive legislation from Carney and challenge the narratives being used to pass it.
Answering the Call: Labour for Palestine (jan 2024) L4P representative Anna Lippman on the call from Palestinian workers to disarm Israel and Free Palestine.

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Making Connections From Salish Sea to Palestine

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Sisters in film, Rawan Ramini and Jada-Gabrielle Pape were brought together for the film, From Salish Sea to Palestine. They joined Blueprints to talk about their use of the medium to make connections between movements, and tell the 'true stories' of their people.

Ultimately though, it is a discussion on what really builds solidarity.

The most obvious connections between Palestinians and Indigenous Peoples' in so-called Canada are that of colonialism and occupation. Rawan highlights so many of the shared tactics of land displacement, ethnic cleansing and of course, genocide that tie their fights together.

Despite shared mechanisms of oppression, Rawan and Jada's work serves as a reminder this ultimately, not what should define them and their people.

"Walking along in solidarity means seeing us as a whole people, not just as a people living in resistance" - Jada

100 Victoria Street: Community Under Attack w/KW Fightback

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Despite court rulings saying they could stay, the Region of Waterloo has spent considerable effort trying to remove people living at the 100 Victoria Street encampment in Kitchener.

Aaron, from Fightback KW! talks about the conflicts the Region, the Police and even social workers instigate to try to push residents out. From the denial of services, a carceral approach and continued court battles, activists have had their hands full organizing to defend the rights of their unhoused neighbours.

The discussion is about the community that exists at the encampment, and the deliberate choices 'authorities' are making to punish anyone surviving in ways that defy the capitalist model.

"The structures that be have a vested interest in the situation of the people at the very bottom to be as bad as possible” - Aaron, Fightback KW

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Produced by: Santiago Helou Quintero

Call to Action:

Donate to Fightback KW via e-transfer fightback.kw(at)gmail(dot)com, or
Drop off donations onsite or at Coven in Kitchener

Related Episodes:

Rabble Rant: Housing Half Measures (Sept 2023) On Waterloo Outdoor Shelter 'Community'
Resisting Toronto's Tactics Against the Unhoused (Sept 2024) Organizers with Voices for Unhoused Liberation share what they're doing to fight encampment evictions and against the war on the poor.
Voices for Unhoused Liberation (May 2024) On strategy building, the limitations of advocacy work and the need for escalated direct actions.

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Strategic Incapacitation: Toronto Police and Protests

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:15:00 -0400

Two Toronto based Legal Observers from the Orange Hats return to give us details on the tactics Toronto Police are using to try to bring down the Palestinian Solidarity Movement.

Tasked with keeping an eye on cops during protests and other actions, Gisela and Leon have lots of stories to tell. Together the group recently issued a 2025 Year-In-Review on Toronto Police Services conduct at protests. The report includes statistics on injuries and arrests; it warns of trends in policing; and it points to a clear strategy to suppress the activities of activists - and legal observers.

Its not all bad news. Thanks to their experience, the Orange Hats are a great source of advice for organizers and activists - or anyone coming into contact with Police.

Hosted by: Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean

Produced by: Santiago Helou Quintero

Call to Action: Support Legal Observers - Donate to the Orange Hats

REGISTER FOR ONLINE COURSE: Documenting Protests - Feb. 25 @6pm ET

Related Episodes:

Watching Cops: Advice for Activists (Feb 2025) The Orange Hats share how to stay safe at protests, and the tactics Toronto police use to harass, intimidate and brutalize activists
Exposing Toronto Police Tactics (Sep 2025) Activist and journalist Benjamin Nolan on the Toronto Police Services' violent responses to peaceful protests and their use of the knee-on-neck technique.

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All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Eyes on the Industry: Mining Watch Canada

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:15:00 -0400

Guest Jamie Kneen, of Mining Watch Canada gives an overview of the Canadian mining industry, while making the case its a continued colonial enterprise our politicians are more than happy to enable.

How is it that an industry so big, with so many established cases of human rights abuses, continue to operate with such impunity, and under the radar?

Jamie answers this, and talks about the work Mining Watch Canada does to support local efforts to resist resource extraction, share knowledge and in turn, influence policy here in Canada.

What is clear is the impacts of mining are devastating, and Canadian politicians are complicit.

Hosted by: Santiago Helou Quinter and Jessa McLean

Produced by: Santiago Helou Quintero

Related Episodes:

Canadian Mining Imperialism: Guatemala's 13 Brave Giants, Grahame Russell of Rights Action on a landmark legal case that exposed HudBay for horrific human rights abuses;
Canada's Colonial Imagination, Professor and author Tyler Shipley on the ideology used to justify the genocide of Indigenous peoples and shape foreign policy today.

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Neoliberals Unmasking with Aliya Pabani

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:15:00 -0400

Aliya Pabani, Organizer and Producer, joins us to help unpack the clear paradigm shift taking place in Canadian politics.

The episode examines the deterioration of Canadian media, with their obvious vitriol towards leftist politics. It also takes a look at Carney's now-famous Davos speech, and what that means for the neoliberal project, and for us.

What is our role now, as the façades of liberalism falls away? Pabani makes the point there are a lot of Liberals trying to navigate this disruption of their world view, and this could be a unique moment to reshape it.

Hosted by: Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean.

Call to Action:

Related Episodes:

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All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Rabble Rants: Canadian ICE

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0400

CROSSPOSTED FROM RABBLE RANTS - be sure to subscribe to this second podcast from the folks who brought you Blueprints of Disruption. One focused on the news, as it relates to our movements.

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ICE raids, mass deportations and communities resisting it all.

Will the images filling our screens serve as a cautionary tale, or will Canadians convince themselves that those kinds of abuses wouldn't happen here?

Hosts Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean try to answer that with discussions on recent Liberal legislation (Bill C12), the Safe Third Country Agreement we have with the United States, and the impact its already having on migrants.

Find our written piece to accompany this episode on our SUBSTACK

Calls to ACTION

Tell Senators: Vote No on Bill C-12 - Migrant Rights Network

Resources / Links / Referenced Material:

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Connecting North with South: Venezuelan Solidarity Coalition

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:30:00 -0400

With Venezuela in the spotlight, we called in Raul Burbano of the Venezuelan Solidarity Coalition to give us a run down of what people in Canada are doing to resist yet another chapter of U.S. imperialist aggression.

For almost a decade, organizers have been educating, advocating and mobilizing around the devastating sanctions and other forms of foreign intervention at the hands of the Canadian government. With Carney seemingly siding with Trump on the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife, activists here are working overtime to turn the tide.

Raul, himself a longtime activist, talks about the importance of building relationships between social movements and labour organizations across the Americas, and the shift the work has taken in the past few weeks.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero

Call to Action: Day of Action on January 24th, 2026

Related Episodes:

Venezuelan Chavistas vs. US Imperialism w/Geo Maher. Hear how the decades of struggle and the impact of the Bolivarian Revolution have made Venezuela ungovernable to anyone but the people.
Lessons from South America (Dec 2022) Learning from the social movements of Venezuela, and drawing comparisons to Canadian politics.

More Resources:

You can find even more content on our Substack.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Venezuelan Chavistas vs. US Imperialism

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Professor, activist, abolitionist and author of We Created Chavez, Geo Maher helps unpack what's going on in Venezuela from the often neglected perspective of the grassroots.

While the moves of state actors are to be watched and analyzed, Maher argues they alone do not hold the fate of Venezuela in their hands.

Semi-autonomous communities, mostly within the poorer barrios of the country, with roots older than even Chavez, wield a power that goes well beyond that of Maduro or the ruling Party. Maher talks about how those 'communes' and the history of the Bolivarian Revolution will be massive barriers to Trump's Imperialist agenda.

These 'experiments in democracy', as Maher refers to them, may hold some answers to the questions Canadians find themselves asking in the wake of Trump's threats against them. Namely, how do we best protect against US aggression?

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Contact Your MP and demand Canada lift all sanctions against Venezuela

Related Episodes:

Lessons From: South America, Alexander Moldovan on the social movements in Venezuela; stories of workers and communities fighting back while building networks of support.
Canadian Mining Imperialism, on a Canadian landmark legal case that exposed the industry's use of sexual violence, destruction, and death in Guatemala.

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Machinery of Suppression: Bill C9 and the Weaponization of Antisemitism

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 13:15:00 -0400

Activists from Jews Say NO to Genocide are working to challenge the coordinated narratives around the antisemitic violence at Bondi Beach in Australia - narratives that help pave the way for dangerous legislation like Canada's own Bill C9.

Louise, also of Independent Jewish Voices, goes over Carney's pending Act to Amend the Criminal Code, and its possible ramifications. From the new intimidation offence, to the vague wording around restricted spaces and symbols, the case is made that this is another tool for the powerful to suppress opponents at will.

Toronto based activist, Molly Kraft, also of SURJ Toronto, talks about how the prioritizing the feelings of some at the expense of the rights of others is all just part of the larger scheme to suppress dissent and benefit, not Jewish people, but white, Christian nationalists, Imperialism and ultimately, Capital.

Gur Tsabar, of the Movement Media Hub and spokesperson for the group, says we need to be asking the hard questions in the immediate wake of events like Bondi Beach and October 7th. He insists its in those moments the machinery working against us goes into overdrive to lay the "moral foundation" for the horrors that come next.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Say NO to Bill C-9 (Action Network Petition)

Related Episodes:

Jews Say NO to Genocide (Dec 2024) The organization's first appearance on Blueprints to talk about the Jewish identity crisis purposely being crafted by the Israeli lobby.
Weaponizing Canadian Law for Israel (Jul 2024) Martin Lukacs on Toronto Police's Project Resolute and the secretive committee tasked with cracking down on Palestinian solidarity activism.

More Resources:

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All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Agree to Disagree? Desmond Cole and Jessa McLean on Vetting, Yves' Campaign and the NDP

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Desmond Cole, acclaimed author and journalist at The Breach, sits down with host Jessa McLean to clear the air and contrast their positions around Yves Engler's campaign and the NDP's decision to block him.

While disagreeing on a substantive amount of items, they still manage to find common ground - moving through conversations on vetting, insurgent campaigns, the legitimacy of tactics and more, in a productive way.

Related Episodes:

Why They Came for Me (Nov 2022), Host Jessa McLean shares her journey through partisan politics, why the NDP is trying to silence her, and how this is part of a larger pattern to push out socialists and internal advocates.
Candidate Crisis (June 2022), how the Ontario blew an election by blocking candidates and meddling in the local nomination processes.
People's Party? (July 2022), Discussions with current and former NDP Party Executives proves quite revealing, demonstrating that like most politics in Canada, very few people are calling all the shots.

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Twice Betrayed: The NDP, the YMCA and Rana Zaman

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Halifax based community activist Rana Zaman has found herself in the midst of another smear campaign launched by Zionist lobbyists, and betrayed by the very institutions that once celebrated her.

Back in 2019, the NDP withdrew her hard fought nomination - citing a three year-old tweet and pressure from organizations like B'Nai Brith and the Atlantic Jewish Council. We hear that story firsthand from Rana, as well as the impact it had on her emotionally and professionally. Its sadly similar to many of the stories we've told on the show - and its happening to her all over again.

Her recent award, a Peace Medal from the YMCA, was quickly rescinded amidst a similar campaign from the AJC and other usual suspects. The YMCA did this despite already knowing Rana's history, and assuring her they would stand by her.

Its a personal story, but also an institutional one. The story is part of a larger pattern that has far reaching consequences for members, the social movements they create, and Canadian politics in general.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Sign a Petition Demanding the YWMC Reinstate Rana's Peace Medal

Related Episodes:

Being Pragmatic inside the NSNDP, on the removal of another NSNDP candidate over their support for Palestine, and a discussion on the pros and cons of staying in the Party;
Sidelining Socialism, Host Jessa McLean argues that the NDP and their failure to keep Left has shifted the Overton window in Canadian politics; or,
Get the whole INSIDE the NDP Playlist.

End Song Credit: Sean MacGillivray (with permission)

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Flooding the Zone: Police Raids on Peace Activists

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:45:00 -0400

World Beyond War Canada organizer Rachel Small's home was recently raided by Police - at 6 a.m., while the entire family was asleep. They seized all of her electronic devices, including those of her children. At the very same time, Police were also raiding the homes of some of her fellow activists, and preparing those press releases.

Their alleged crime? Peacefully protesting outside of what organizers had defiantly labelled, a "War Crimes Summit" - a gathering of Canada's weapons manufacturers, politicians and military brass. They'd gathered to help carve out more fortunes from the $89 billion in military spending coming their way.

The guest list was also a who's who of Canada's arms trade with the Zionist occupation, companies who had been featured heavily in World Beyond War's most recent report (co-authored by the Palestinian Youth Movement) on the 'loopholes' these companies use to hide their participation in the genocide.

Rachel describes what it was like waking up to officers in her house; how she prepared for this inevitability; how she explained it all to her children, and what supports she's had since the arrest.

Hear how activists are building up the very thing Police seek to tear down, community. This isn't the first Blueprints guest to speak highly of the Toronto Legal Support Fund and the good people who have helped create a network of arrestees, lawyers and others to lean on while going through the often complicated and drawn out legal processes these charges lead to.

What they don't often lead to is convictions. Rachel reminds us that despite the well over 150 charges laid against Palestinian solidarity activists, in the Toronto area alone, there has been only one conviction. Despite the injustice of the raids, and the increased criminalization of protestors, Rachel seems undaunted. Completely resolved in her mission. And we fully support her.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: DONATE TO TORONTO COMMUNITY LEGAL FUND

Related Episodes:

Arming Israel: Canada's Continued Role, (July 2025) Haneen from PYM and Rachel share a scathing new report.
Supports Amid State Suppression, members of the Toronto Legal Support Committee, discuss oppressive tactics being used by Police and their impact on individuals and the larger movement.

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All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Blocking Dissent: Updates from Yves Engler's Trial and Campaign

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0400

NDP Leadership hopeful Yves Engler gives an update on his campaign, and discusses the implications of his recent criminal trial in Montreal.

The arguments laid out by the Crown in his case, if successful, will reverberate throughout movements, particularly those who encourage followers to inundate state officials with emails. A guilty verdict also holds the potential to provide police officers with a level of anonymity that would make holding them accountable even more difficult.

While defending himself against these charges, Yves' is also in the middle of a heated contention for nomination. Its been almost a month since he's submitted his vetting papers to an expectant committee, but no decision has been made. However, he does describe a string of incidents that may serve as writing on the wall.

Hear what he thinks his chances are at being found not-guilty, and of passing the NDP vetting test...

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Related Episodes:

Yves Engler: Next Leader of the NDP? (July 2025) Journalist, author, and activist Yves Engler talks about his recent announcement to run for leader of Canada's NDP;
Weaponizing the Law for Israel (July 2024) Martin Lukacs from The Breach discusses his investigations into Toronto Police's Project Resolute and the secretive committee tasked with cracking down on Palestinian solidarity activism.
Inside the NDP Playlist

More Resources:

Be sure to check out our Substack for more even more content...

which is ALL FREE - but made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

War and Austerity: Unpacking Carney's 2025 Budget

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0400

With the 2025 Federal Budget vote looming, Ashwin from the International Solidarity Podcast joins Blueprints host Jessa McLean to breakdown some of the $141 Billion in new spending and the cuts that will pay for it all.

The biggest ticket item, $89 million for the Canadian Armed Forces, generates a discussion on global politics, the so-called 'elbows up movement' and the appetite for military spending the electorate seems to have.

Together they compare the budget to campaign promises, the Throne Speech and the demands of the political 'opposition'. Jessa and Ashwin also discuss the likelihood of the budget passing, and what that will mean for Canadian politics.

Related Episodes:

Carney's First 100(ish) Days in Office (July 2025) covers the priorities and first pieces of Carney's legislation with the International Solidarity Pod.
Draw the Line (Sept 2025) a discussion with organizers behind the movement to connect movements.

More Resources:

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Elected Socialists: In Hostile Territory with Sean Orr

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Vancouver City Councillor Sean Orr, an avowed socialist elected in April 2025, dishes on what its been like navigating a system hostile to him and his ideas. Sean is very candid on the limitations and pressures facing principled progressives once they're in office.

The struggle for socialists to simply exist in elected positions is clear, as is his determination to keep building on that win six months ago. Councillor Orr has some advice for New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on how to maintain the momentum of a campaign while building parallel power outside City Hall.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Related Episodes:

Get more insight into Vancouver politics and organizing in Basis of Unity, a discussion with the Vancouver Tenants Union.
Local Votes: Make Them Count (Aug 2022) Sam Hersh of Horizon Ottawa on the work being done to remove developer influence from local politics and more.

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Tenant Class Warfare: Fighting Back with YSW Tenants Union

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Tenants across Ontario were already mobilizing against Bill 60 when a bombshell dropped...Premier Ford floated an idea that would have stripped renters of almost all their rights.

The good news: organizations like York-South Weston Tenants Union had already put in the work and created a structure that could quickly gather folks together and harness the energy that it generated. They were able to get the Premier to back off, but the work is not done.

Hear from An, one of the organizers from YSW Tenants Union, about how they've mobilized hundreds of volunteers to not just push back against pending legislation, but to continue building the Tenant Class for more fights that are sure to come.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER IN THE FIGHT FORD'S WAR ON TENANTS (Ontario)

Related Episodes:

Blueprints of a Rent Strike Victory, with Bruno of YSW Tenants Union
Tenant Power Playlist: So much more on the fights AND VICTORIES of renters across Canada

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Doctors' Duty: Travelling to Gaza

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0400

After answering a call for general surgeons, Dr. Monica Chaudhuri, an Ontario doctor and activist, recently returned from Gaza. Dr. Chaudhuri shares what it was like working alongside the brave Palestinian healthcare workers, how cruel the Zionist entity can be, and reflects on what its been like returning to Canada while the genocide continues.

Dr. Chaudhuri also talks about the sense of duty many Canadian healthcare workers feel, being the only international professionals, and thus eyewitnesses, allowed into occupied Gaza. A duty that extends beyond her role as a doctor, and into her community where she organizes with Health Workers Alliance for Palestine, Simcoe County 4 Palestine, and the Sustain Campaign Network.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero

Calls to Action:

Related Episodes:

Name it. Stop it. Sanction It. Alex Neve, Dr. Dorotea Gucciardo, and Dr. Ben Thompson from United Against Genocide on their work to pressure Canadian politicians.
Arming Israel: Canada's Continued Role Haneen from the Palestinian Youth Movement and Rachel from World Beyond War share their scathing report.

More Resources:

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Canadian Mining Imperialism: Guatemala's 13 Brave Giants

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400

The Canadian Mining Industry is notorious for its patterns of aiding in regime change, displacing Indigenous peoples from their lands, and the horrific human rights abuses that go with all of that.

Activist and author Grahame Russell of Rights Action shares his firsthand experience with a landmark legal case. One that exposed HudBay's use of sexual violence, destruction and death at the Felix mine in Guatemala, but through Canadian courts. Its a story of perseverance, grassroots resourcefulness and pure courage in the face of corporate giants working hand-in-hand with governments, including our own.

Its also a discussion on Imperialism, Canada's role in the continued theft of indigenous land and what we can do about it.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero

Call to Action: When we asked our guest for a call to action for this episode, Grahame's reply was "Free Palestine'. We'd also encourage folks to read the entire 13 Giants Report.

Related Episodes:

Canada's Colonial Imagination (Oct. 2023) a discussion that ties modern day foreign policy and our own history of genocide, with professor Tyler Shipley.
Lessons from: South America, (Dec. 2022) on social movements in Venezuela and drawing comparisons to the Canadian situation.

More Resources:

You can find more of our content geared towards activists on our SUBSTACK

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Holding Institutions Accountable: TMU Lawsuit with Dimitri Lascaris

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Students from Toronto Metropolitan University have launched a $10 million lawsuit being launched against the school for falsely, and very publicly, labelling them antisemitic.

Human rights lawyer Dimitri Lascaris, one of the lawyers working pro-bono on this case, joins Blueprints Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero to dish on the details and talk about its wider implications.

Dimitri also shares updates from other related legal cases, including a historic challenge against the Canadian government's role in the genocide.

Run time: 36 minutes

Call to Action: You can donate to the Toronto Community Justice Fund or other local support initiatives that help activists navigate the legal system.

Related Episodes:

Right to Resist (Oct. 2024) Dimitri Lascaris on Lebanon, the resistance and bringing down an apartheid state.
Rabble Rants: ICJ Rules Against Israel (Jan. 2024), also with Dimitri Lascaris
Weaponizing Canadian Law for Israel (Jul. 2024) Martin Lukacs from The Breach discusses his investigations into Toronto Police's Project Resolute and the secretive committee tasked with cracking down on Palestinian solidarity activism.

More Resources:

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All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Wave After Wave: Freedom Flotilla

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400

The recent Freedom Flotilla ships seized in international waters by the IOF were not the first, nor the last to try to break the illegal naval blockade on the, now starving, population of Gaza.

Mskwaasin Agnew is aboard another vessel determined to draw attention to the issue and force western governments to act. She speaks about the need for risk and sacrifice, of making an impact and of how this is also part of the global Indigenous resistance to colonization.

Mskwaasin, is an Indigenous Harm Reduction worker and fierce activist based in Toronto.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Track and Draw Attention to the Conscience's Mission

Related Episodes:

Blockades and Bail Conditions (May 2024), also with Mskwaasin, who shares her experience of being arrested during a recent railway blockade in Toronto in solidarity with Palestine.
Freedom Flotilla Coalition (July 2025), Family physician and activist, Dr. Yipeng Ge, speaks from the deck of the Handala.

More Resources:

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Draw the Line: Connecting Movements

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Draw the Line isn't just a cross-country day of action on September 20th, 2025; activists involved have been building the structure and finding a basis of unity to bring together the movements in Canada who are all fighting the same thing - Capital.

Three organizers from Draw the Line join the studio to talk about the work that went into connecting groups big and small, and finding enough common ground to build around something bigger.

Hear about their five key demands, how they plan on turning this mobilization into sustainable mass organizing and what it means to "grow globally while acting locally".

Guests:

Willo Prince, Indigenous Climate Action
Karen Cocq, Exec Director, Migrant Workers Alliance for Change; and,
Nathan Prier, President Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE).

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Host Your Own Action for September 20th

Related Episodes:

Justice for Migrant Workers (Sept. 2023), a discussion on the conditions migrant workers face and the demands the movement is making to better protect them; and,
Leftist Alliances and Power Struggles: A History Lesson (Apr. 2023), a history lesson on Labour politics and alliances with Prof. James Naylor.

More Resources:

Our podcast is also available on Our Substack, along with articles and more resources for the movements.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Confronting Fascists at Christie Pitts

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Things are heating up at Christie Pitts, 92 years after the famous riot there.

In the first half of this episode, John Clarke and host Jessa McLean talk about the Swastika clubs that sprung up in Toronto back in 1933, how they were emboldened by the rise of Hitler and the Nazis, as well as legitimized, even encouraged by the establishment here in Canada. These clubs, furthering white supremacist ideology, attacking Jewish community members were allowed to roam around the City until the community decided they had had enough.

In the second half, Catherine Crockett of the General Defence Committee for the IWW reminisces on the 'lovely riot' of 1933, its long term impact on the community. They'll also share some of the details around the planned anti-immigration rally and what organizers of the counter protest planned for this Saturday, September 13th hope to see happen.

Call to Action: Register to Attend Community Rally

Related Episodes:

Making Mass Actions Count, John Clarke, Professor at York University and longtime organizer, compares the 2022 strike by CUPE workers to the 1995 Days of Action against then Premier Mike Harris.
Nationalism and the Working Class, Chris Fairweather, academic, activist and labour organizer, talks about the pervasiveness of nationalism and the impact is has on the working class.

More Resources:

Be sure to also check out our Substack - it has written material, resources, as well as all our podcast episodes broken down into playlists.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Exposing Toronto Police Tactics

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Activist and journalist Benjamin Nolan has witnessed a shift in Police tactics over the past two years, particularly in how they deal with Palestinian solidarity protestors. Toronto Police won't admit to any of it and mainstream media fail to tell both sides, which has left an obvious gap in report Ben wants to step up and help fill.

He goes over his recent piece in The Grind, Police Chief Plays Loose with the Truth in Call in Show, which opens up a lot of discussions about police violence, their use of the knee-on-neck technique and just what TPS thinks 'proportionate' responses are to peaceful protests.

Ben also provides firsthand accounts of Police overreaching their authority and not following the law, as well as reports back on the amount of injuries

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Calls to Action:

Support the Toronto Community Justice Fund; and,
Attend a Fundraiser Seminar in support of the Community Justice Collective, Copaganda: How Police and Media Manipulate our News

Related Episodes:

Unverified: The Grind Exposes New Lows in Canadian Media (Oct 2024), Dave Grey-Donald goes over his months long investigation into the reporting surrounding October 7, 2023;
Neighborhoods for Palestine (May 2024), Ben's first appearance on the show alongside four comrades organizing close to home for a Free Palestine.
Weaponizing Canadian Law for Israel (Jul 2024), Martin Lukacs from the Breach talks about Project Resolute and the secret committee that drives it.

More Resources:

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Demilitarize the AirShow

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

The F35 is back at the Canadian National Exhibition and its airshow - so are the peace activists.

For years peace activists, environmentalists, refugee advocates and even pet lovers have been protesting the annual four-day airshow that includes war planes over an urban centre, Toronto. However, there is a new sense of urgency this year, as well as new tools. A recent report revealed the extent of Canada's role in manufacturing components for the F35, the very plane delivering genocide from the skies over Gaza.

Three organizers, who are also part of the larger anti-war movement, talk about the shifts the campaign has taken over the years, the challenges they're overcomming and the coalition building that makes it all possible.

Guests:

Maya Bastian, artist, conflict journalist, filmmaker (AirShow),
Sharmeen Khan, World Beyond War, and.
Rama, Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) Montreal.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Contact and Call on Your City Councillor to Demilitarize the AirShow

Related Episodes:

Rabble Rants (Sept 2023) Stop the Air Show
Disrupting Canada's Arms Trade (May 2024), with World Beyond War
Return and Liberation (Oct. 2022), with the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM)

More Resources:

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

UNIFOR's Hot Cargo: Labour Internationalism

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

The work behind the Arms Embargo Now Report revealed that there are unionized workplaces in Canada making weapons destined for Israel. World Beyond War organizer called this information, along with a recent letter from Unifor's President "an opportunity" for positive action.

Activists from Labour for Palestine are going into this week's UNIFOR convention in Vancouver with this top of mind. They are working on a campaign to have any goods or services coming from, or going to Israel, declared 'hot cargo'.

They know the majority of Canadians, and thus UNIFOR members, are against the genocide, but that doesn't mean there aren't going to be obstacles in their way. In a political climate defined by fear and heightened nationalism, it has been a challenge getting workers to prioritize Palestine. Hear what work is being done to pave the way for more Internationalism not just inside UNIFOR, but within all Labour institutions.

Guests:

Pamela Arancibia, CUPE member, Labour for Palestine GTA
Shaheen Lotun, UNIFOR local 2025 President, Labour for Palestine

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Tell the CLC to Declare Israeli Goods 'Hot Cargo'

Related Episodes:

Answering the Call (Jan 2024) with Anna Lippman of Labour for Palestine
Nationalism and the Working Class (Mar 2023) with Chris Fairweather

More Resources:

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Defying Orders: Air Canada Workers on Strike

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 11:45:00 -0400

Over 10,000 CUPE unionized Air Canada workers defied the orders of the nation's labour board, stayed off the job and secured a tentative agreement.

Kim Siever, Labour Journalist for the Alberta Worker joins host Jessa McLean to talk about what led up to the strike, the Liberals' liberal use of back-to-work legislation and what this means for Canadian Labour.

They draw comparisons to other back-to-work orders and try to predict what might happen next...

Related Episodes:

CUPW, Right to Strike (Jan 2025) Strike Captain, Stop Steward and Mail Carrier Sera talks about the dealings with Canada Post bosses, the attempts to build militancy inside the union and more...
Making Mass Actions Count (Nov 2022), with organizer John Clarke. It compares Ontario's almost general strike to the Mike Harris Days of Action in the 1990s.
Carney's First 100(ish) Days: A Paradigm Shift, (July 2025) co-hosted with Ashwin from the International Solidarity Pod, a look at the neoliberal agenda being fast tracked under the new PM.

More Resources:

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

The West Bank: "We Don't Break"

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0400

A discussion on recent events in the West Bank with activist, Anna Lippman of Labour 4 Palestine.

Anna helps tell Awdah Hathaleen's story, one that is sadly, a case study of how ethnic cleansing has intensified in the West Bank at the same time Gaza has been under siege.

Instead of F35s and armed drones, the Israeli authorities aid and abet settler violence to remove Palestinians from their land using tactics reminiscent of the Nakba.

How are the people of Umm Al Khair, Awda's village resisting? What can you do to help? What does this mean amongst new promises to recognize a Palestinian State?

We attempt to answer these questions, as well as provide related geopolitical updates and news from the movement.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Cover Photo Credit: Emily Glick (used with permission)

Calls to Action:

In Memory of Awdah, Support Umm Al Khair
Hot Cargo Kills Campaign, Labour 4 Palestine

Related Episodes:

Arming Israel, Canada's Continued Role - with Haneen from the Palestinian Youth Movement and Rachel from World Beyond War Canada on their recent report.
Ceasefire! Now What? - with Anna Lippman and activist Fatima Saleh on what people need to be focused on in the wake of the January ceasefire.
More Episodes with Anna Lippman...

More Resources:

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Feeding the Beast with the Movement Media Hub

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Imagine a PR Firm for the movements...

Gur Tsabar from the Movement Media Hub joins Host Jessa McLean to talk about the work he does to help organizations get their message out there in an environment often hostile to their stories.

Whether it be through traditional mainstream media, or by using resources within the movement, Gur shares tactics that help amplify the work being done on the ground. He also talks about the forces he's often up against; the commodification of media, the Zionist lobby and complacent newsroom bosses'

Episodes done with the help of the Movement Media Hub:

Onboard the Handala: Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a discussion with Dr. Yipeng Ge from the deck of the most recent humanitarian vessel to try to break the siege on Gaza.
United Against Genocide, an interview with Alex Neve, Dr. Ben Thompson and Dorotea Gucciardo , Ph.D., on their work to get Canadian politicians to Name it. Stop it. Sanction it.
Suppressing Voices in the School Board, Labour 4 Palestine Ontario Education Workers' on their report on anti-Palestinian racism within school boards.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon.

We are also on SUBSTACK

When you share our episode, be sure to tag us on Instagram or on Bluesky

Arming Israel: Canada's Continued Role

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Representatives for the Arms Embargo Now campaign have released a scathing report that shows Canada has been actively arming Israel as recently as July 2025.

Haneen from the Palestinian Youth Movement and Rachel from World Beyond War, share details included in the report, including what kind of weapons we're sending, where they're going exactly and the routes these shipments are taking.

They also provide an inside look into their methodology, their motivations and what they'd like to see happen as a result - namely a "political crisis" for the Canadian government.

With this information, the activists behind the report will be helping to mobilize folks, including (hopefully) elements in Labour that have close connections to these weapons.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: REGISTER FOR URGENT MOVEMENT MEETING

Related Episodes:

Disrupting Canada's Arms Trade, with Rachel from World Beyond War
Return and Liberation, a discussion with the Palestinian Youth Movement from October 2022.
Vote Palestine! Organizers behind this campaign explain their approach to the 2024 Canadian Federal Election.

More Resources:

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Carney's First 100(ish) Days: A Paradigm Shift, with the International Solidarity Pod

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:15:00 -0400

In a joint episode with the International Solidarity Pod, hosts Ashwin and Jessa breakdown Canadian PM Mark Carney's first 100(ish) days in office.

Together they go over the details, context and implications of controversial legislation already passed, promised made and foreign policy positions taken by the banker turned politician.

Topics covered:

Bill C5 (@8 mins)
Bill C2, The Stronger Borders Act (@27 min)
NATO / Military Spending (@46 min)
Foreign Policy (@1h3min)

On top of highlighting what the Liberals have been up to, we go over the resistance mounting to these changes and what the Left's role could (or should) be.

More Resources:

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Freedom Flotilla Coalition: Onboard the Handala with Dr. Yipeng Ge

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Family physician and activist, Dr. Yipeng Ge answers questions about his current journey from deck of the Handala. The humanitarian aid vessel is the latest attempt by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition to break the naval blockade on Gaza by sea - something activists have been trying to do since at least 2007.

We ask Dr. Ge why he's chosen to travel to Italy and take the risk of engaging with Israeli forces, and what he hopes to get out of it all.

We also get to find out what it takes to prepare for and execute such a complex action, under such dangerous conditions. But despite all the risks being taken, Dr. Ge repeatedly refocuses the discussion back to those taking the most risks - Palestinians fighting for liberation, as well as migrants crossing the very same waters.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Ways to help the Freedom Flotilla Coalition

Related Episodes:

Student Hunger Strikes: Only a Matter of Time, is an interview with UBC and UBCO students using another extreme form of activism to add to the pressure for a free Palestine.
Answering the Call: West Bank. A discussion with jewish labour activist, Anna Lippman about her travels to the occupied territories to act as a protective presence against illegal settler violence.

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Yves Engler: Next Leader of the NDP?

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Journalist, author and activist Yves Engler talks about his recent announcement to run for Leader of Canada's NDP and what he's expecting to achieve from what is likely to be a contentious endeavor.

Will the NDP, notorious now for their mistreatment of activists, even allow Yves to run? What kind of barriers does he expect will be put in his way? How will he handle it?

What is the driving force behind Engler's run? What impact does he think he would have as the leader of a Party with only seven (7) seats? He answers all these questions and more with a candor we typically don't expect from politicians.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action:

Related Episodes:

Inside the NDP, an entire playlist of interviews and exposés on Canada's c-called progressive political institution.
Trying to Silence Yves Engler (March 2025) A discussion with Yves on his arrest and detention at the hands of Montreal Police.

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

United Against Genocide: Name It. Stop It. Sanction It.

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0400

What will it take for the Canadian government to recognize what is happening in Palestine as a genocide? This growing coalition aims to find out.

Three members of United Against Genocide join the studio to explain why that key word matters so much, and what they're doing to add to the pressure politicians must be feeling at this point. They share what its been like meeting with high ranking officials, and what their expectations of new PM Carney were heading into the G7.

They openly challenge the notion that this is simply a humanitarian crisis that needs better handling or funding by exposing the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's role in this horrific stage of the genocide.

Guests:

Dr. Ben Thompson, healthcare provider and cofounder of Eyewitness Gaza. Ben has visited Gaza almost annually since 2012 and been suspended from his job for advocating for peace.
Dorotea Gucciardo, Ph.D, Director of Development for GLIA, and cofounder of Eyewitness Gaza.
Alex Neve, International Human Rights lawyer and former Secretary General for Amnesty International Canada.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Tell PM Carney to Stop Covering for Israel (PETITION)

Related Episodes:

Courage Needed to Advocate for Palestine (October 6, 2023) with activist and scholar Ghada Sasa on navigating Parliament Hill for Palestine.
Disrupting Politics (December 20, 2023) with Dimitri Lascaris. A discussion on the role our politicians play and how they can be held accountable.

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

The Revolution Party of Canada

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Three candidates from the Revolution Party of Canada talk about the "high chaos" that comes with starting a new political party from scratch and what their aims are, beyond being an alternative to the NDP.

Kira Loughlin, Matthieu Labelle-Tassé and Troy Roberts join Host Jessa McLean to also talk about the lessons they learned in the last federal election, their expectations for the next and what exactly sets them apart from the NDP.

Related Episodes:

Wasted Energy, a discussion with Dimitri Lascaris on his time spent in the Green Party and the fruitlessness of partisan politics.
Reimagining Politics and Demystifying Communism, with the Atlantic Regional Communists on their efforts to build a new political entity.

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

A Tribute: My Father's Daughter

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Dedicated to Ian (John) McLean - January 5, 1952 - June 17, 2025

A discussion about passing down working class consciousness through generations and what we choose to do with that knowledge.

To pay tribute Host Jessa McLean's late father we are resharing their interview together from 2023. He shares how he too was politicized at a young age, and how his involvement in the trade union movement shaped how he understood power structures, politics and his own purpose.

Together, they sound off on their own experiences with the NDP, which are unsurprisingly similar.

Jessa would like to thank the great healthcare workers at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto for their care and compassion, as well as the many comrades who have sent their condolences and shared their own memories of her father in the good fight.

StopGenAI: Mutual Aid for a Coming Age

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Activists from StopGenAI.com provide a litany of reasons why they think we should be ridding ourselves of this pervasive technology altogether: Its environmental impact, privacy concerns, exploitation, and even detrimental impacts to our individual and collective abilities to think or create.

It is also replacing jobs at incredible rates, albeit inadequately. But this is of no concern to the technocrats pushing GenAI or the politicians prioritizing it.

This is where mutual aid comes in. Guests Kim Crawley and Neha share the creative ways they're also raising funds for folks most impacted by the expansion of GenAI.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: StopGenAI Fundraising Initiatives

Previous Episodes with Kim Crawley:

COVID Conscious Under Capitalism, looks at individual human behavior, the response of our governments and how the greed of our 'capitalist overlords' plays into it all.
To Vote or Not to Vote, where Kim talks about her political transformation from libertarian to an NDP Convention delegate to someone disillusioned with the entire system.

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Suppressing Voices in the School Boards

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Labour 4 Palestine Ontario Education Workers issued a scathing report in April 2025, on anti-Palestinian racism within the Province's school boards. The report, School Delegations for Palestine, documents and analyzes months of delegations given to Trustees across the Province that mostly went ignored.

Four Education Workers from various backgrounds talk about their personal experiences with suppression, weaponized antisemitism and other ways their workplaces are unwelcoming to any displays of humanity towards Palestine.

They also talk about the work being done to pressure school boards to cut ties with the problematic organizations that are largely responsible for fostering an environment of fear and anti-Palestinian racism.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Stay in Contact with Labour 4 Palestine

Related Episodes:

A Space to Exist, a discussion with Toronto Palestinian Families and Toronto Jewish Families
Our interview with Jews Say No to Genocide, on their work to dispel the Zionist narrative and advocate for a Free Palestine.
Answering the Call: Labour for Palestine. A discussion with Anna Lippman on why this IS a Labour issue.

More Resources:

Intro Clip Source: Critiquing the TDSB Israel Proposal: A Jewish Perspective | TikTok

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

The Skeptical Leftist Meets Blueprints of Disruption

Wed, 28 May 2025 09:00:00 -0400

A cross-posted episode from The Skeptical Leftist podcast that features Blueprints of Disruption Host, Jessa McLean.

Together with Cory Johnston, they discuss the NDP collapse, the rise of another corporate technocrat and more reactions to the Canadian federal election results.

Also on the table: why the left keeps falling for electoral traps, what the NDP's collapse means for the broader left, and why organizing outside the system is more urgent than ever.

Related Episodes:

Nourishing Community with Krish Dineshkumar; and,
Inside the NDP Playlist, a collection of interviews that help explain just what happened to the NDP.
Skeptical Leftist Podcast (YT)

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Nourishing Community

Tue, 13 May 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Migrant workers in the gig economy are arguably the most exploited labour force in Canada.

Derailing Dignity, an art installation and sound piece opening May 16th, encourages people to make the connection between the convenience of online food delivery services and the human beings making it all happen. The exhibit opens May 16th, and is part of the 40th annual Mayworks Festival in Toronto.

It was created by Krish Dineshkumar, a cook, sound producer, activist and artist, who is constantly looking for creative ways to build empathy. He joins the Blueprints studio to share his creative process, the motivation behind using art as a tool of engagement and the other ways he works on nourishing the community.

He calls it 'heartwork', and makes the caring case that its something we could better prioritize when we think about organizing.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Support Gig Workers United

Related Episodes:

Our interview with Justice for Migrant Workers
Rabble Rant from August 2023, on the Temporary Foreign Workers Program

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Layton’s Legacy and the Decline of the NDP

Tue, 06 May 2025 09:00:00 -0400

In order to best understand what happened to the NDP in the 2025 federal election, one has to learn about the decisions made under Jack Layton.

Who better to help us do this than historian and author of From Layton to Singh, Matt Fodor. This is a follow up to Matt's first appearance on the show where he explained in great detail how the team responsible for the Orange Crush deliberately and possibly permanently changed the course of the Party.

Hear why a leadership change just won't do and what Labour's role in all of this has been. Its essential listening for anyone considering reforming the NDP, as is the rest of the Inside the NDP playlist.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Related Episodes:

Matt Fodor's first interview on Blueprints, A Deliberate Turn to Centre.
Host Jessa McLean's deeply personal account, Why They Came for Me.

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Cutting Through the Knot of Social Investment with Tom Fraser

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 00:15:00 -0400

Did you know that some public sector pensions, like the Ontario Municipality Employees Retirement System (OMERS) invests in the very companies that contribute to the exploitation of retirees and the commodification of aging?

That is just one example of 'social investments gone awry' that author and researcher Tom Fraser brings to our discussion from his book, Invested in Crisis, Public Sector Pensions Against the Future. He explains how we got to the point where (mostly unionized) workers are heavily invested in real estate across the globe, pipelines, privatized healthcare and water infrastructure, and other industries we're mobilizing against.

Good news is Tom also talks about potential solutions and ways out of this cycle of trying to secure power over industries by investing in them.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Support the Campaign to Divest Ontario Teachers Pension Plan

Related Episode:

The Tenant Class, with Ricardo Tranjan, where the subject of real estate investment trusts is raised and the barrier pensions present;

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Vote Palestine!

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:15:00 -0400

Find out why and how the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) chose to intervene in the 2025 Federal Election.

VotePalestine.ca is more than a listing of candidates who have signed onto the Palestinian Platform. Yara Shoufani of the PYM explains the strategy behind the campaign, their expectations of politicians and, its long terms goals around mobilizing power.

The discussion also provides a great overview of the work the PYM has been doing since we last spoke to them, and specifics on how they're continuing to build capacity and bring people into the movement for a Free Palestine.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Take the Vote Palestine Pledge

Related Episodes:

Our previous discussion with PYM, Return and Liberation;
Canada's Colonial Imagination, with Tyler Shipley helps explain Canada's reaction to the occupation; and,
Our entire Free Palestine Playlist

More Resources:

PYM on Instagram
Guelph News: Which federal candidates support the Palestine Platform? - An example of a local news outlet covering candidates' positions on the Palestine Platform.
Trends in International Arms Transfers (2021) - On Canada's growing prominence in the arms industry.
Vote Palestine FAQs

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📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

How to Take Down Amazon, with Jon Milton

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In January 2024, shortly after workers in their Laval location had unionized, Amazon announced the closure of its facilities in Quebec. In a most egregious union busting moves, Amazon left 2,000 people out of work and walked away from significant investments in infrastructure to make sure workers wouldn't get a say in their conditions.

Jon Milton, Senior Communications Specialist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, shares some of the ways Labour, the community and municipalities are fighting back against Amazon. Jon also has some tactics not yet deployed to 'bring down' this corporate giant AND its exploitive business model.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Boycott Amazon Canada

Related Episodes:

CUPW Right to Strike was recorded immediately after Canada Post workers were ordered back to work. Its a candid discussion on the state of what's often touted as Canada's strongest union.
Another guest from the CCPA, Richard Tranjan, with a discussion on The Tenant Class

More Resources:

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Lax’yip Firekeepers: Giving Voice to a Generation

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:30:00 -0400

The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Pipeline, if built, would transport Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) 800 km, across 1,000 different waterways. Its approval is based on an inadequate, outdated environmental assessment and the youth of the Gitz’an Nation are not having it.

Indigenous activist Drew Harris from the Lax-yip Firekeepers talks about stepping into a role she never imagined for herself after seeing an absence of young voices at the table. She takes us through her journey into activism, and how they've been working to bridge generation gaps, build knowledge and expand their capacity to do more.

Their beginning lay in fighting the pipeline, but the youth found that, once provided with a voice, a venue and receptive ears, they had goals way beyond resisting resource extraction.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Stop the PRGT Petition, via Dogwood BC

Related Episodes:

An interview with organizers from Change Course Canada. Drew mentions the supports they've received from this group in their campaign against the PRGT.
Climate Justice: Knowing Friend from Foe, is a candid discussion with Torrance Coste of the Wilderness Committee on having to battle even the most progressive politicians in British Columbia.

More Resources:

📺YOU CAN CATCH US LIVE EVERY FRIDAY AT 12pm E.T. on our YouTube Channel.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Student Hunger Strike - Only a Matter of Time

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Student activists at two University of Colombia (UBC) campuses have decided upon one of the most extreme forms of non-violent protest - a hunger strike. It wasn’t a brash decision by any means, and it is by far the first tactic they’ve deployed. In this episode, they detail just how they got to this point of escalation in their efforts to have their University divest from weapons manufacturers.

They also provide details on how they prepared for this act of defiance, how they’re taking care of one another during it and what it will take to end their hunger strike.

Other great takeaways are the many ways these folks utilize their campuses to build community and create space for more folks to step up into the fight. There’s also a lesson in leaning on those who came before you, to both better inform your plans and support you through the act.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Call on UBC to Divest from Corporations Fueling Genocide and Occupation

Related Episodes:

More on campus organizing with Change Course: Stigmatizing Capitalism on Campus
Reflections on the student encampments from the Summer of 2024
And more on the Palestinian Solidarity Movement in Canada, In Our Lifetime, a playlist.

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Basis of Unity: Vancouver Tenants Union

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

"The Tenant Class is Here" and they are a force to be reckoned with.

Vancouver Tenants Union organizers Asura Enkhbayar and Ben Ger provide insight into their work building power from below, some of it in neighbourhoods with the highest concentration of renters on the continent. The variety of campaigns they’ve got going on doesn’t just speak to the complexity of issues facing tenants, but also to the value of a decentralized organization that’s able to respond locally, as needed.

They also share the journey their organization has gone on over the past decade, and how tough lessons led them to a Basis of Unity and a new way forward.

Hosted and Produced by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Donate to the Park Beach Tenants Legal Fund

Related Episodes:

Shifting Gears is a discussion w/Climate Justice Toronto on their own transition from an environmentalist grassroots org to one focused on supporting tenant organizing in the City.
Voices for Unhoused Liberation is an interview with unhoused organizers and activists in Toronto.
Tenant Power: a playlist of episodes that would have landlords shaking in their boots.

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Refusing to Enlist

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Two Refuseniks from Tel Aviv talk candidly about Israeli society's reaction to their movement and the supports they've created to make it easier for more youth to refuse enlistment in the IDF.

Tal Mitnik and Einat Gerlitz share their story, while also acknowledging despite all they've been through during their stints in military prison, it can't compare to the situation of Palestinian youth their age.

Comparisons are made to Canadian settlers; both our states' being predicated on ethnic cleansing and colonial violence, and the struggle to decolonize spaces from within while understanding our role in maintaining that same colonial state.

Their assessment of Israeli society at the moment, and the possibilities for peace are instructive, but difficult to hear.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action:

Call for an #ArmsEmbargoNow
Follow the Refusenik Speaking Tour with Independent Jewish Voices
Keep talking about Palestine.

Related Episodes:

Support Systems Amid State Suppression a discussion with members of a legal support group in Toronto on the ways we can help each other navigate police state tactics.
Disrupting Canada's Arms Trade is an interview with activist and organizer Rachel Small of World Beyond War.
This episode has been added to our playlist, In Our Lifetime.

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Student Suppression By Any Means Necessary, with Jeremy Appel

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 00:15:00 -0400

Journalist Jeremy Appel has uncovered proof Danielle Smith's government set the stage for universities in Alberta to quickly and violently have student encampments cleared from their campuses. The timeline of evidence predates the protest, with numerous communications disseminating Zionist talking points and demonizing the Palestinian solidarity movement.

We then find out how the University of Calgary Staff, Police and the Province worked seamlessly to coverup the truth about the violent eviction of peaceful student protestors back in May 2024. That was, until Jeremy got on the case.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Organize a Gaza Unbreakable: Week of Rage a call from the United Student Front for Palestine

Related Episodes:

Student Encampments (May 2024), an analysis of the various encampments springing up across North America.
Stigmatizing Capitalism on Campus, a discussion on campus organizing with folks from Change Course Canada.
Lessons from the Peoples' Circle for Palestine (July 2024), on the University of Toronto student encampment.

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Trying to Silence Yves Engler

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:15:00 -0400

Episode 173

Journalist and Activist Yves Engler discusses the charges against him, the very thing Montreal Police tried to stop him from doing.

As Yves tells the story of his arrest and the five days he spend in jail fighting suppressive bail conditions, he reflects on the supports he received, Canada's history of attacking activists, and the deeper issues surrounding incarceration.

During the interview with Host Jessa McLean, Yves uses the phrase 'Zionist Lawfare' to describe the ways in which Canadian Law was weaponized against him at the behest of Pro-Israeli figures.

END SONG CREDIT: David Rovics, What's Going on Here Montreal? (2025)

Related Episodes:

Process as Punishment, an interview with Movement Lawyers on the tactics used by Police and Prosecutors against Palestinian solidarity activists in Ontario;
Watching Cops, a Toronto-based legal observer from the Orange Hats provides insight into the shifts in Policing protests over the past year and a half; and,
Blockades and Bail Conditions, an Indigenous Palestinian Solidarity activist talks about their experience being arrested at an action and the use of bail conditions to intimidate and sideline them.

Resources:

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A Space to Exist: School Boards and Anti-Palestinian Racism

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Toronto Palestinian Families and Toronto Jewish Families talk about their within the Toronto District School Board. Their most recent campaign was in response to a report submitted to and adopted by TDSB Trustees that explicitly conflates the political ideology of Zionism with Jewish identity.

Iman and Lev both testify to an environment rife with anti-Palestinian racism and misrepresentations of what antisemitism is, even before the presentation of the report. If implemented, political expressions for Palestine would be categorized as discrimination, leaving Palestinian/allied students and educators without a voice.

CALL TO ACTION: Join Toronto Palestinian Families

Related Blueprints of Disruption Episodes:

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Process as Punishment: Prosecution of Protest

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 00:45:00 -0400

Movement lawyers Nora Fathalipour and Arash Ghiassi have their hands full defending activists targeted by Police and prosecutors, particularly in Ontario where a Hate Crimes Working Group in the Attorney General's office has an explicitly racist mandate.

Hear first hand the process police and the Crown are putting people through in order to intimidate, silence and criminalize movements. Even though most charges are dropped, the ordeal of having a publicized arrest, bail conditions and the process to clear their name can take a toll on activists. This is why having legal representation that understands the broader issues at play is so important.

Political interference and anti-Palestinian racism are setting the tone for Police and prosecutors, but the community, together, is learning how to navigate it all so our comrades can remain free to fight another day.

CALL TO ACTION:

Support the Toronto Community Justice Fund

Related Episodes:

Support Systems Amid State Suppression w/members of the Toronto Legal Support;
Weaponizing Canadian Law for Israel w/journalist Martin Lukacs from The Breach; and,
The IHRA, Fascism and Upholding Colonial Violence - on Canada's adoption of the weaponized definition of antisemitism.

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Resources:

Watching Cops: Advice for Activists

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0400

The Orange Hats join host Jessa McLean to share some of the knowledge they've acquired by documenting the Toronto Police harass, intimidate and brutalize activists at actions.

Hear stories from the front lines, learn some of the dangerous trends in policing, and get LOTS of tips on how navigate the tactics being deployed against our movements.

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Resources:

Ceasefire Now What?

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Unpacking the ceasefire and our feelings around it isn't easy, so who better to help us than Fatima Saleh and Anna Lippman? These two Palestinian Solidarity Activists have been at the front lines for a ceasefire for 15 months, a Free Palestine even longer. How are they feeling about seeing people return to the north of Gaza, or about Trump's comments about what's next for the region? Its a bit complicated.

While we can feel joy and relief in the moment, both our guests are clear - we need to keep up the pressure on politicians, continue our education and create more disruptions.

Guests:

Fatima Saleh, Palestinian activist based in Edmonton, AB; and,
Anna Lippman, organizer with Independent Jewish Voices and Labour for Palestine.

CALLS TO ACTION

Related Episodes:

Answering the Call: Labour for Palestine w/Anna Lippman

Disrupting Canada's Arms Trade w/World Beyond War's Rachel Small

Canada's Colonial Imagination w/Tyler Shipley

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More Resources:

Keywords: Palestine, ceasefire, Canada, politics, activism, mental health #cdnpoli, #ArmsEmbargoNow

Doug Ford's Toxic Relationship with Enbridge Feat. Fatima Syed of the Narwhal

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Frenzied communications, coordinated attacks on regulators, and a report withheld from the public...hear it all from someone with their eye on Ontario's energy portfolio, Investigative Journalist Fatima Syed of The Narwhal.

Fatima joins Host Jessa McLean for a deep dive into Ontario Premier Doug Ford's troubling relationship with natural gas and its provider, Enbridge; a relationship that dates back to his very first days in office and which really came to light when the PC government took the unprecedented move of overruling the Ontario Energy Board.

The latter part of the episode focuses on stories of resistance inside Ontario, spearheaded by Indigenous activists.

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Reimagining Politics and Demystifying Communism with ARC

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 09:00:00 -0400

An interview with the Atlantic Regional Communists who were founded through a disillusionment with the 'bourgeoise Canadian political system'. Rather than simply starting a new Party, they have created something entirely different.

With so many of us looking for alternative ways to engage in politics, this discussion is great for those trying to decide where to start. As Comrades E and M discuss their journey as a group, it opens up further discussions on the concept of a vanguard party, intersectionality and Marxism, Land Back, centralized authority, and more.

Song Credit: Ain't Done Nothing if You Ain't Been Called a Red, Faith Petric. Performed LIVE in 1984.

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Want even MORE content from these creators? We go LIVE with RABBLE RANTS every FRIDAY at NOON E.T. on the Blueprints of Disruption YouTube Channel. Our hosts unpack the mostly Canadian news items of the week.

Resources:

Keywords: Marxism, politics, settler socialism, methodology, democracy, organizing, communism, anarchy

CUPW: Right to Strike?

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:15:00 -0400

After almost five weeks on the line, a 96% strike mandate and many concessions, Canadian Postal Workers weren't able to have a say in their contract, yet again.

What does it mean when one of the strongest unions in Canada hasn't been able to negotiate a fair deal in 12+ years? Find out from the rank and file what happened and where they can go from here.

Strike Captain, Stop Steward and Mail Carrier Sera sits down with Host Jessa McLean to talk about the dealings with Canada Post bosses, the attempts to build militancy inside the union and more...

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End Song Credit: "What Unions Did for You", Dave Pomeroy

Resources:

CBC: Labour minister asks Canada Industrial Relations Board to step into Canada Post contract dispute

Jews Say No to Genocide

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Two organizers from this growing coalition unpack their recent action on Parliament Hill, and the identity crisis being purposely crafted by the Israeli lobby to thwart the work being done to liberate Palestine.

Serena Sairan and Lauren Moses-Brettler, both from Jews Say No to Genocide, join Host Jessa McLean, for a discussion about individual responsibility, group decision making in a fluid political environment and finding new ways to keep the pressure on Canadian politicians to realize an #ArmsEmbargoNow

CALL TO ACTION: Sign the Petition to End the Arms Embargo Now

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Resources:

Rabble Rants: Deny, Defend, Depose

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0400

What are we to think of the public's response to United Health CEO Brian Thompson's death?

Cross-posted from our Rabble Rants feed: Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero provide a class analysis of the case and the media frenzy around it. They also give insight into just how bad a company United Health is, and what our reactions should be to social murder.

Song credit (end of episode): Jesse Welles, via TikTok

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Change Course: Stigmatizing Capitalism on Campus

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Climate justice organizers talk about the changing landscape of campus organizing across Turtle Island, divestment as a tactic and the increasingly heavy hand of university administrators in so-called Canada.

Celine, Levi and Evelyn all came to Change Course from different backgrounds and with slightly different political priorities, as we all do, but they have found common ground for growth in targeting the big banks for their role in the systems that oppresses us.

Included are reports from Western University and University of Ottawa on their escalations against student demonstrations, and a workable list of skills we could all be working on.

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Resources:

Being Pragmatic: Inside the NS NDP

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0400

The Nova Scotia NDP recently removed a candidate over their support for Palestine. This isn't the first time, not for the NS NDP or its counterparts across Canada. This episode provides insight into why so many members choose to stay and what the detriments of that are.

For an even deeper dive, check out our podcast playlist, INSIDE THE NDP.

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Masking as a Revolutionary Act

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0400

COVID AWARE ORGANIZING

If we're going to build accessible, safe spaces to organize, that needs to include ways to reduce COVID transmissions amongst our comrades. Shira Lurie, a COVID aware activist with Protect our Province Nova Scotia (POPNS) and Mask for Mask Queers, joins host Jessa McLean to give easy, affordable precautions we can incorporate into our organizing and event planning.

Filling in the gaps where our governments have failed to protect us isn't new to progressives. Neither is having to buck popular trends, or create new ones. So why the resistance to masking and other initiatives around air quality? We unpack that and how we can start to bring more people along, even after five years.

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Resources:

The IHRA, Fascism and Upholding Colonial Violence

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Canada recently adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which is nothing but unmasked anti-Palestinian racism that looks to criminalize criticisms of Israeli State. The Ontario Progressive Conservatives are going to pay organizations like CIJA $550 million to teach that definition in schools. Our hosts remind us all of this is coming at a time where the Canadian state is spending unprecedented resources on weaponizing the legal system against activists. The repercussions are already being felt.

Within days of the adoption of the IHRA, the Crown dropped charges against a woman, not because she didn't commit the violence she was accused of, but because it was justified by the mere mention of a Free Palestine.

Why is Canada so invested in defending Israel's occupation and genocide of Palestinians? People may not like the answer....

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Democrats Lose. Our Plans Stay the Same.

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0400

We will remember this 5th of November. A bonus Rabble Rants for the Blueprints of Disruption audience in response to the 2024 U.S. Presidential election.

While some blame voters and activists, our hosts examine how the DNC is to blame and what the results mean for the movements we feature on the show.

To be sure you don't miss another Rabble Rants, subscribe here.

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Be sure to catch more RABBLE RANTS on its dedicated feed.

You can also follow us on Instagram

Activate the Tenant Class with the Neighbourhood Organizing Centre

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0400

This installment of the TENANT POWER series features three members of the Ottawa Neighbourhood Organizing Centre (NOC) and their work supporting tenants in their fight against landlords, and of course, capitalism.

The work of the NOC began in the most organic way. By going into their community and talking to as many people as possible. Listening to their neighbours and finding common ground. Overwhelmingly, people needed and most importantly, wanted to fight, as tenants.

Hear how they continue to learn from one another and build power where they are. Quite literally going door by door, building by building and block by block to Activate the Tenant Class.

Guests: Seema Shafei, Shivangi Misra, Ethan Mitchell

CALLS TO ACTION:

If you are a tenant organization, please reach out to NOC through their Instagram, or email us at bpofdisruption@gmail.com
Donations can be made to the Bank Block Tenants here

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Resources:

Defending Against Demovictions w/Bank Block Tenants

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The wealthy bought up the neighbourhood like their own personal game of Monopoly. Now they want to tear down some of the only affordable units in Ottawa - places where some of called home for 40 years.

Demovictions, like renovictions are eating away at the bottom of the housing market, targeting low cost rentals and turning them into places most people can not afford. Even with new renoviction bylaws in place, there is seemingly no help coming from City Hall for the tenants on Bank Street.

We interview Ben Emond from Bank Street Tenants and ask about their beginnings; how they came together after all receiving N13s (eviction notices). We hear about the resistance they've faced from their landlord, the rubberstamping approvals process at City Hall and the tactics the these tenants are using to push back against it all.

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Resources:

Support Systems Amid State Suppression

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Support Systems Amid State Suppression with Dalia Awwad and Rachelle Friesen, both members of the Toronto Legal Support Committee.

Toronto Police have escalated their harassment and surveillance of Palestinian solidarity activists across the City, with arrests nearing 100. Our guests provide firsthand accounts of the oppressive tactics being used and the impact they are having on individuals and the larger movement. But not to worry...

Just as the tactics used by Police, the Crown, the media and politicians have been multi-faceted, so has been the response of these activists. Rather than go underground, stay quiet and 'out of trouble', they have risen up and created a community around the arrestees that goes way beyond legal support.

CALL TO ACTION

Donate to the Toronto Community Justice Fund

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Resources:

The Right to Resist

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Journalist and human rights lawyer, Dimitri Lascaris on Lebanon, the resistance and bringing down an apartheid state.

After returning from his fourth trip to Beirut in the past year, Lascaris describes the changes he's seen in Lebanon, laments on the depravity of our politicians and the need to reassert the right to armed resistance for the Palestinian people.

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Resources:

Unverified: The Grind Exposes New Lows in Canadian Media

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Unverified: The Grind Uncovers New Lows in Canadian Media

Journalist Dave Gray-Donald from the GrindTO spent months analyzing Canadian media reports and attempting to hold his follow journalists accountable for repeatedly printing unverified claims about October 7th, 2023. His piece, Global News and Postmedia Refuse to Correct Oct. 7 Falsehoods exposes some of the most horrific failures of our legacy media - but its not getting the exposure it needs...

...so we also discuss how to combat the impacts of shoddy, even malicious reporting by supporting independent media and good reporting when we see it.

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Resources:

Global News and Postmedia Refuse to Correct Oct. 7 Falsehoods - The Grind Magazine

Shifting Gears: Climate Justice Toronto

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 18:00:00 -0400

Decades of climate organizing hasn't really produced many victories to feed off of. Why?

Climate Justice Toronto took a hard look at the environmentalist movement, studied Labour organizing models and decided to undertake a major shift in their work. One that focused on actually challenging points of power while building their own.

Hear how they went from a class-based climate organization to one that is almost entirely dedicated to tenant organizing, without compromising the end goal of defending the planet.

CALL TO ACTION: Sign up for Climate Justice Toronto October 2024 Orientation - Action Network

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Harm Reduction and Safe Consumption

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Harm reduction advocates have their work cut out for them in this current political climate that has Provincial governments targeting their services using dehumanization language and legislation. Ola Skudlarska, of the Leslieville Harm Reduction Coalition helps myth bust some of the commonly used narratives to criminalize and displace people who use drugs.

Safe consumption facilities have been the focal point of moral panic that is playing out in harmful legislation aiming to shut them down. Hear how people are coming together to defend these sites in their communities that provide support, connection, and a pathway to recovery for individuals who use drugs.

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Resources:

Reclaiming Social Housing with 230 Fightback

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0400

230 Fightback has been battling over a crucial piece of real estate in downtown Toronto for a very long time. A real estate investment company, Kingsett Capital is who owns the building, but their fight has been just as hampered by Toronto City Hall.

Hear how the campaign persisted through organizational changes, set backs and discouragement from their own City Councilor.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

CALL TO ACTION:

Contact KingSett Capital and Toronto City Councilor Chris Moise to protest against the redevelopment of 214-230 Sherbourne.

On ADHD

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Our hosts get personal with their lived experiences with ADHD.

Its a very candid discussion on how ADHD impacts their lives, the accommodations that help them thrive and the politics behind preventing us from realizing more inclusive spaces for neurodivergent folks.

The episode was largely left uncut to better demonstrate some of the very characteristics people associate with ADHD, but also to challenge the misconceptions that are out there.

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Blueprints of a Rent Strike Victory

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Hear a story of tenants forming a union to fight back against a slumlord, going on Rent Strike and winning!

Bruno, an organizer with York-South Weston Tenants Union is back to share a victory from an unlikely place, the Ontario Landlord Tenant Board. We previously heard from Bruno on one of our favourite episodes, Blueprints of a Rent Strike.

We don't just get the story - we get the blueprints of how they did it.

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And be sure to check out our other podcast:

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Haiti's Multinational Security Problem

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 00:30:00 -0400

Canada's has deep ties to Haiti's current political dilemma, and deep pockets when it comes to meddling in their democracy. Since 2022, that is $300 million and counting.

Teacher and writer Travis Ross, of the Canada-Haiti Information Project gets us up to speed on what is happening on the ground in Haiti right now and how we got there. It includes a foreign policy discussion, but also explains from a local perspective the various coalitions and classes battling it out on the streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Learn more on this topic:

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Exposing Lies about Canada's Arms Trade with The Maple

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 00:30:00 -0400

Alex Cosh, Managing Editor at The Maple joins us to talk about their work holding the powerful accountable. Their most recent story, ignored by Canadian media, is explosive, as it proves Trudeau has been lying about an arms embargo with Israel. There is lots to learn about the Canadian arms trade if we're going to shut it down.

We also talk about the importance of finding the truth and exposing it - especially as it related to the work of the movements to disarm Israel.

CALL TO ACTION: Get involved with #ArmsEmbargoNow

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Unicorn Riot: Decentralized Media

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Not only does Unicorn Riot put out impressive, badly needed content that covers our movements - but they do it using a decentralized, non-hierarchal model that we could all learn from. A model that frees their members, pulls in as many people as possible and gets a lot done with little resources.

We get to talk to three members of Unicorn Riot about how they work with contributors from all over the globe to tell previously untold stories of resistance, state suppression and more. For example, they are the folks imbedded in the protests we're seeing around the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

They certainly do provide, Blueprints of Disruption.

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Resources:

Unicorn Riot's Legal Defense Fund

No Arms in the Arts: Beyond the Craft and Into the Streets

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 00:15:00 -0400

Despite what they'll tell you, Scotiabank is feeling the heat from No Arms in the Arts, a coalition of cultural sector workers who have deftly weaponized the banks own PR machine to get them to divest from Israeli weapons manufacturers.

Aliya Pabani from Canlit Responds and Michael DeForge of Writers Against the War on Gaza (W.A.W.O.G) talk about how they were able to turn Scotiabank's sponsorships of things like the Giller Prize and Hot Docs into liabilities as a means of pressure.

Its also a discussion about creating, activating and structuring coalitions, encouraging folks to go beyond their craft and look beyond the typical leverage points.

Resources:

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Zero Tolerance: Responding to Racist Violence

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:15:00 -0400

Groups of White Nationalists took to the streets around the U.K. in a wave of racist, xenophobic violence in early August 2024. Although they attempted to capitalize on a tragedy to target mostly the Muslim Community, their numbers were small and the show of force against them daunting.

Our hosts discuss the possibilities of this occurring in Canada, and what our response should be.

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Don't miss our Rabble Rants; our newest podcast where hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero comment on current news from an anti-capitalist perspective.

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Resisting Toronto's Tactics Against the Unhoused

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

The City of Toronto evicted yet another encampment. When pressed for a reason, City Staff claimed it was at the behest of the organizers for Caribana. Marilyn Bell Park had been the home of several community members for the last year. Listen in as organizers with Voices for Unhoused Liberation tell that story and share what they're doing to fight back - not just against this latest eviction, but against the war on the poor.

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Resources:

Fundraiser by Unhoused Liberation : Support the Fight for Unhoused Liberation

Political Coalitions to Stop the Far Right?

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Would a coalition, similar to what we saw in France, stop Pierre Poilievre in the next election? This is a scenario independent journalist, political analyst and author Jeremy Appel lays out in his recent piece for the Tyee.

Jeremy joins host Jessa McLean to talk about the feasibility of a one-time political coalition to keep the Conservatives out of power, the need for electoral reform and the state of the electoral 'Left' here in Canada.

Is voting a tool for change or simply harm reduction? Let us know what you think.

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Recipes for Civil Resistance with Last Generation Canada

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Their name represents the fact we are the Last Generation with the ability to do something meaningful on climate change. We interviewed their two full time organizers, Laura Sullivan and Gillian Graham, and asked them about what they call their "recipe for civil resistance" and their calls for an international uprising.

These determined climate activists provide practical advice for other organizers, talk about their theories for change and discuss the organizations emphasis on non-violent disruptions.

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Be sure to catch our other podcast, Rabble Rants, where the same hosts give their take on Canadian news items.

Resources:

Last Generation Canada - Website

Weaponizing Canadian Law for Israel

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Investigative journalist Martin Lukacs from The Breach discusses his investigations into Toronto Police's Project Resolute and the secretive committee in the Ontario Attorney General's office tasked with cracking down on Palestinian solidarity activism.

A beefed up hate crimes unit is backed by a committee staffed with former Prosecutors who have openly declared their affinity for Israel and penchant for "leveraging criminal law for critical action". And we would have not heard anything about it had it not been for the tenacity of independent journalists like Martin and the mistakes of a local police board.

Hear the whole sordid story....

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Rabble Rants: Lessons from People's Circle for Palestine

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400

The University of Toronto student encampment, named the People's Circle for Palestine, dismantled their tents after an Ontario Superior Court judge ordered an injunction against them.

Our hosts break down the ruling, what it means for other encampments and bring up lessons learned from the end of just "one tactic in the toolbox" of students demanding their institutions disclose and divest.

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Forget Stonehenge - the Planet is on Fire

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Special Guest: Scott Martin

With special guest Scott Martin, we unpack the criticism and backlash faced by activists who disrupt and protest against climate change. In this case its Just Stop Oil, orange cornstarch and Stonehenge, but this conversation applies to all that disrupt the status quo.

The repetitive and disingenuous arguments used by politicians and media to discredit these actions just underscore the need for more revolutionary optics and diverse tactics. We also look at the criminalization of indigenous land and water defenders in Canada and around the world, and the lack of media coverage on these critical struggles.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

Resources:

Just Stop Oil homepage

Rabble Rants: Virtue Signaling?

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Virtue Signaling?

Subtitle: Red Keffiyehs and White Supremacists

Our hosts rant after a seemingly innocuous (yet viral) tweet of Jessa wearing a red keffiyeh triggered both zionists and white supremacists, who felt quite safe to air their anti-Arab racism, misogyny and affinity for violence.

As they unpack the response, they discuss individualism and lack of understanding of solidarity among right-wing ideologies, as well as the misconceptions around multiculturalism, cultural appropriation, and the complexity of the Palestinian resistance movement.

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Managing Narratives (or Not) - Livestreamed Event

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 09:00:00 -0400

An expert panel of activists and independent journalists talk media strategy when it comes to setting the narratives around our movements.

We find out from organizers Fatima Saleh (Edmonton) and Anna Lippman (Toronto) what its been like responding to the ridiculous claims levelled at the Palestinian Solidarity movement, and what they've been doing to make sure our opponents don't decide the talking points.

Journalists Dave Grey-Donald of The GrindTO and our very own Santiago Helou Quintero talk media strategies for activists - what works, who we don't talk to and ways to get your points across as effectively as possible.

This was from an event livestreamed from our YouTube channel on June 18, 2024. To be at the next one, be sure to Follow us on Instagram

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Rabble Rants: Mask Bans

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Two special guests, Kim Crawley and Bothered Boy, join host Jessa McLean to talk about the mask bans being introduced in the United States, the attitudes here in Canada and the recent uptick in activists being charged for wearing COVID protective masks during direct actions.

We keep us safe - wear a mask comrades.

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Breach of Peace

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 09:00:00 -0400

As we discuss and draw lessons from recent police actions at student encampments, peaceful protests and marches for genocide, it becomes clear exactly who is breaching the peace.

McGill students escalated their actions and occupied a building on campus, while York University students finished setting up their encampment. Both had the police set on on them by the very people tasked with ensuring their safety. We talk about anarchist organizing, the need for backup plans, and remind folks to never trust these University Presidents.

The discussion then moves to the Walk for Israel and the arrest of counter-protestors for breach of peace. This is contrasted with the egregious police violence at a Toronto rally that same weekend, where they stole a large Palestinian flag.

Beyond getting mad - our hosts provide constructive takeaways for organizers everywhere. They provide, Blueprints of Disruption.

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Always Shoot Down Range - Canadian Socialist Rifle Association

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 09:00:00 -0400

The Canadian Socialist Rifle Association makes it clear - they are nothing like the notorious NRA, nor are they some sort of militia. In fact, a lot of their focus is on things like mutual aid and community defences that don't involve guns. But they do insist that all of us (gun owner or not) should, at the very least, be familiar with them.

Listen in as we talk to CSRA Spokesperson Isla Jerowsky about fitting into Canadian leftist spaces, the misconceptions that come with 'rifle association', and the need to distinguish themselves as an exclusively socialist space.

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Resources:

Canadian Socialist Rifle Association – Canadian Socialist Rifle Association

Rabble Rants: Students and Labour United

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

CROSSPOSTED: From Rabble Rants Feeds

Topic 1: All Eyes on Rafah

We give an update for the week of May 24th, including the latest attacks on a 'safe zone', the lack of a US 'red line' and the creation of buffer zones that block the border with Egypt.

Topic 2: Students and Labour Unite at UofT Encampment

An Emergency Rally in the face of a possible injunction and police action saw Ontario Labour leaders pledge to "put their bodies between police and students". We give updates on the encampments, discuss the possibilities of escalation and vent about the hypocrisies of our politicians.

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Disrupting Canada's Arms Trade - World Beyond War

Thu, 30 May 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Rachel Small, World Beyond War Canada's spokesperson, discusses the organization's work to disrupt the military industrial complex and challenge the culture of war using a variety of tactics.

Lately, World Beyond War's focus has been on Gaza. They see their role as highlighting, Canada's complicity in the genocide via our role in the arms trade. Rachel shares details about their latest campaign, Arms Embargo Now, and the promise this moment holds for all movement.

The conversation also explores the deep-rooted nationalism in Canada, how it contributes to the support for war and conflicts with our perception we are a peaceful country.

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Neighborhoods for Palestine: PAL Solidarity Canada

Tue, 21 May 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Local Palestinian solidarity groups are popping up all over Canada. Organizing mostly by federal or provincial riding boundaries, they have been putting massive pressure on their elected representatives. But that isn't all they do...not even close.

Listen in as four activists from Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal and Oakville talk about doing their part to grow a global movement by organizing hyper-locally. Intergenerational knowledge sharing, creating police-free spaces, and mobilizing for further disruption are all on the agenda.

*Episode was recorded April 25, 2024.

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Student Encampments

Thu, 16 May 2024 06:45:00 -0400

As more student encampments spring up daily, our host talk about the divestment demands being made, and the responses from the Universities, the police and the public.

We inevitably make comparisons to the Occupy movement, all while noting the very unique circumstances facing students organizing against genocide.

*The opening sound is credited to Mike Litwack. It is taken from a video posted on Twitter (formally X).

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Blockades and Bail Conditions

Thu, 09 May 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Mskwaasin, a Dene activist, shares her experience of being arrested during a recent railway blockade in Toronto in solidarity with Palestine. She highlights many of the common struggles faced by Indigenous communities in so-called Canada and Palestinians, both under settler colonialism.

Its clear Police were targeting Indigenous activists both with arrest and what Mskwaasin calls unconstitutional bail conditions. Despite the tactics used against her, she continues to encourages escalation in activism and unity among different movements for collective liberation.

Resources:

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No Pride in Genocide

Tue, 07 May 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Longtime queer rights activist Gary Kinsman resigned from Toronto Pride in April 2024 over their refusal to adequately address the genocide in Gaza. While telling his story to host Jessa McLean, Gary also provides a history of Pride, and its transition from a grassroots march to a corporately structured and funded cultural event.

Together with host Jessa McLean, they talk about the cost of that corporate funding, the event's continued collaboration with Police and how the Queer fight for liberation is tied to the liberation of all peoples, including that of Palestinians.

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Voices for Unhoused Liberation

Thu, 02 May 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Voices for Unhoused Liberation are folks experiencing homelessness or inadequate housing while organizing their community. Whether its against encampment evictions or the prison like conditions of the Toronto shelter system, these folks are getting things done under incredibly difficult circumstances.

The interview with Dredz Green and Nahum Mann, two community organizers with Voices for Unhoused Liberation, touches on strategy building, the limitations of advocacy work and the need for escalated direct actions. As they describe their lived experience and recent developments, it becomes clear the City of Toronto is actively, and purposely harming the unhoused members of our communities. Under attack, they vow to fight back.

*AUDIO NOTE* at approximately the 1hr mark, there are issues with Dredz audio that lasts about 10 minutes. We opted to not edit this out, so as to not lose any part of his message. There is a transcript available.

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Filmmaking Resistance

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Pier-Philippe Chevigny, writer-director of 'Richelieu', discusses how he uses his skills in filmmaking to shed light on social issues, particularly the exploitation of temporary foreign workers in Canada in his first feature length film, 'Richelieu'. The film follows a translator who sees this exploitation first hand and fights back against the bosses.

Chevigny's focus on systemic issues rather than demonizing individuals, allows the message to resonate to audience of all political persuasions. Although he shies away from the activist label, his films share themes of resistance and are created with purpose.

Be sure to check out the Mayworks Festival, where Richelieu will open on May 1st. The festival runs the entire month of May and its exhibits include endless mediums artists have used to connect people with social issues.

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Pharmacare: We Almost There?

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Are we there yet?

In the wake of the Liberals 2024 Budget, we pulled Nik Barry-Shaw into the studio to unpack what it all means for the long fight for Pharmacare in Canada. Nik is a campaigner with the Council of Canadians.

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Unlawful Assembly While Masked

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

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Episode Summary:

Anna, an activist with Labor for Palestine and Independent Jewish voices, discusses her recent arrest and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian solidarity. She was arrested for participating in a peaceful sit-in at AWZ Industries, a company profiting from the Israeli occupation.

The conversation looks at the tactics used by Police to intimidate and scare activists, and highlights the importance of not letting them intimidate the movement. One key lesson from the discussion is the how and why of people fighting these unjust charges and bail conditions, when possible.

The Toronto Community Justice Fund is one of the movement’s tools that helps thwart these legal barricades put in our way. Please donate if you can: www.tcjf.ca

Chapters:

Introduction and Background
Focus on Genocide and Solidarity
The Long-Term Fight for Justice
Police Tactics and Arrest Experiences
The Need for Escalation

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Resources:

Colonial Settler Urbanism

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Summary

Andrew Crosby, a postdoctoral researcher at Carleton University, discusses his book Resisting Eviction and focuses on the case study of Herring Gate in Ottawa, which is labeled as the largest urban eviction in Canadian history.

The conversation explores the role of municipalities and the financialization of housing, the detachment of home as an investment, and the settler colonial aspect of property and wealth in Canada.

Key Takeaways:

The case study of Herring Gate in Ottawa sheds light on the largest urban eviction in Canadian history and the resistance efforts of tenants.
Tenant organizing and solidarity can yield positive results in the face of powerful entities like financialized real estate investment firms.
The financialization of housing and the detachment of home as an investment have detrimental effects on communities and the social fabric.
The settler colonial aspect of property and wealth in Canada is intertwined with the housing crisis and the displacement of Indigenous peoples.
Tenant organizing and direct action are powerful tools for challenging unjust housing practices and advocating for tenant rights.
Municipalities have a responsibility to consider the impact of their policies on communities and should involve tenants in decision-making processes.
A praxis of refusal, refusing to accept unjust conditions and using unconventional tactics, can lead to positive change.
The right to return is an important aspect of addressing displacement and should be protected and advocated for.

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Resources:

Keywords: resisting eviction, Herring Gate, tenant organizing, tenant rights, housing justice, financialization of housing, settler colonialism, property, wealth, housing, affordability, gentrification, commodification, displacement, tenant organizing, direct action, municipalities, policy-making, praxis of refusal, right to return

Rabble Rants: Destabilizing and Delegitimizing, Iran and Israel

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

The conversation explores the current situation in Israel and Palestine, focusing on the goals and actions of the Israeli government, the role of the US, and the potential consequences of the conflict. It discusses the unwinnable battle Israel is fighting in trying to eliminate Hamas and the need for a way out to avoid looking like their actions were in vain. The conversation also touches on the economic and global implications of the conflict, the delegitimization of leaders as a distraction tactic, and the rise of extreme fascism in Israel. It emphasizes the importance of education and counter-education in the anti-imperialist fight.

Key Takeaways:

Israel is fighting an unwinnable battle in trying to eliminate Hamas and needs a way out to avoid looking like their actions were in vain.
The conflict between Israel and Palestine has economic and global implications, and the US is concerned about protecting its assets and maintaining its superpower status.
Delegitimizing leaders is a distraction tactic used to shift the focus away from the systemic issues and maintain control.
The rise of extreme fascism in Israel is a concerning development, particularly among the younger generation.
The anti-imperialist fight is a long one that requires continuous education, counter-education, and re-education.

Chapters:

Introduction and Background
Religion as a Unifying Factor
Iran's Response to the Embassy Strike
Economic and Global Implications of the Conflict
Delegitimizing Leaders as a Distraction Tactic
The Long Fight: Anti-Imperialism and Continuous Education

Resources:

https://blueprints-of-disruption.captivate.fm/episode/rabble-rants-destabilizing-and-delegitimizing-iran-and-israel

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Canada's Era of Rebellion

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Canada’s Era of Rebellion: 1837 - 1885

Its always much easier to understand Canada’s behaviours’ now when we hear its real story of inception. As we go through the years before and after Confederation, clear patterns emerge that imitate a lot of what we are seeing today - here in Canada, and over in Palestine.

The episode includes stories of brutal suppression of resistance, land theft, executions of indigenous leaders. It explains why the retelling of history is so important to the powerful.

Content creator and history buff, Bothered Boy covers the early rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada, the Red River Resistance and the Northwest Rebellion. He tells a story of Canada's "creation" that is steeped in political violence and indigenous resistance.

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Rabble Rants: International Law?

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Multiple UN Bodies Pass Motions Against Israel to No Avail

After rulings by the ICJ, and motions passed at the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council, Israel has continued its onslaught of Gaza and its many violations of human rights and international law.

Host Jessa McLean gives updates on the latest rulings and examines the history of the U.N., its failure to prevent other genocides and its true purpose.

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Photographing the Front Lines

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Street photograph Joshua Best has been front and centre for the escalation of police violence against protestors in the City of Toronto. He joins the hosts to talk about his his experience, his intriguing photography and what drives him to document disruption.

It's also a discussion about police brutality, the resultant radicalization of participants, of solidarity and street level battles for a better world.

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Rabble Rants: Renters' Bill of Rights

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

***Please subscribe to the Rabble Rants feed to keep getting these episodes. Its available anywhere you get Blueprints of Disruption.***

Liberals Announce Plans for a Renters' Bill of Rights

In an attempt to sway young voters, mostly renters, Trudeau and the Liberals have announced what they are calling a Renters' Bill of Rights. It includes some funding for legal aid, plans to tie rental payment history to credit scores and other measures aimed at the landlord/tenant relationship.

Host Jessa McLean goes through the plans, their viability and flags some of the ways these measures could actually harm tenants and their ability to push back against bad landlords and sky high rents.

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Social Justice in St. John's

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400

The Social Justice Co-operative in St. John's Newfoundland/Labrador has a long as resilient history. Our interview with co-chair Kerri Claire tells of a personal political journey and an organizational one. Both of which have led to an impressive collective making a meaningful impact.

With limited resources, these folks are able to contribute to wide array of local initiatives. And most importantly, they do this in a way that value members' voices and set models for community care.

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Rabble Rants: Liberals Target Migrants

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400

RABBLE RANTS are now available on their own feed. Be sure to subscribe wherever you're listening from.

TOPIC: Liberals introduce caps and other policy changes related to temporary foreign residents.

In an attempt to further scapegoat immigrants for the 'affordability and housing crisis', federal Liberals in Canada have introduced caps on migrant workers, international students and asylum seekers.

We go over the details of the changes being made and the impact they'll have. We highlight the realities facing 'temporary residents' and the demands advocates have been fighting for, for years. Things like Status for All, an end to deportations and the regularization of undocumented people in Canada.

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An Anarchist Collective: CrimeThInc.

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Our discussion with anarchist collective CrimethInc. participant 'B' was full of lessons for how we can better organize our movements. How to form true collectives that value each and every voice, not just symbolically, but in how they make decisions. B describes how there is a way to find harmony without requiring complete unity.

This episode helps to better define anarchism as it is in these times; a collective project for self-determination. It is completely compatible with the work we are already doing, and may hold key answers to the questions that hive stagnated many movements.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

Resources:

CrimeThInc. Homepage

Rabble Rants: U.S. Seaport in Gaza

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400

United States Pledges to Build a Seaport in Gaza.

In his State of the Union Address, President Biden called for a six-week ceasefire and promised to build a seaport to deliver aid to Gaza.

The project will be lead by U.S. troops and a company no-one has heard of until now. Wait until you find out who runs that company and what their aims in the Middle East are.

We also discuss what all of this mean for the Israeli blockade on Gaza and geopolitics in general?

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Fighting Renovictions Locally with Ontario ACORN

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Ontario ACORN just released a report on renovictions in the Province, and the findings are beyond alarming. The good news is there are plenty of people organizing around the issue, with some victories already under their belt.

Our hosts are joined by local ACORN organizers Lorne MacMillan (Hamilton) and Even Bury (Ottawa) to talk about the impact of renovictions on renters, the community and the housing market.

Tenant organizing is growing steadily in Canada, and it has been serving up victories for some time. Listen in for ways to resist renovictions and bad landlords.

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Rabble Rants: Events Cancelled for Palestine

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Direct actions work. The past two weeks have seen multiple Palestinian solidarity actions shut down Liberal fundraisers and galas with fascists. They have drawn attention to illegal land sales, Canadian companies arming Israel, and the racist violence of Zionists here in Canada.

Our hosts go over some of these actions, the tactics they used, the responses and the results.

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Mulroney: Class Traitor (a proper farewell)

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Special Guest, John Clarke joins Host Jessa McLean to give a proper (hostile) send off to Brian Mulroney, Canada's Prime Minister from 1984 to 1993.

Frustrated by the Parliamentarian/respectability politics that saw the leader of the workers' party give a glowing tribute to a man that was a sworn enemy of the working class, they go through the true 'legacy' of the man who ushered in an unchecked era of heightened exploitation.

Throughout the episode the audience is also given a crash course in exactly what neoliberalism is and why its entrenchment in Canadian politics is nothing to honour.

Here is our previous episode with John Clarke, Making Mass Actions Count. December 2022.

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Rabble Rant: Deceptively Dangerous

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 00:30:00 -0400

Don't forget to get our Rabble Rants on their own feed now: https://podfollow.com/rabble-rants

With the federal Conservatives in full campaigning mode, we thought we'd take a moment to highlight some of the more dangerous aspects of Pierre Poilievre.

Even before he was leader of the CPC, his ambitions were clear, and so were his politics. Anti-democratic, anti-Indigenous, hostile. Now his tactics, coupled with his growing platform, make his approach outright dangerous.

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Resources:

Pierre Poilievre defends the Fair Elections Act

The Tenant Class

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0400

What if we told you there is NO housing crisis?

The author of The Tenant Class, Ricardo Tranjan joins hosts Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean to talk about the housing market, its purpose and the use of policies that don't challenge the narrative of shelter commodification and land ownership.

Tranjan presents the landlord / tenant divide as a more useful class analysis for our times. He encourages us to reframe our approach to housing advocacy, in ways free from the confines set by Capital.

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Resources:

The Tenant Class – Between the Lines Books

Extreme Sacrifice

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0400

The Death of Aaron Bushnell

His last words were "Free Palestine". 25 year old Aaron Bushnell livestreamed what he called an extreme form of protest. In front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, the US Airman and self described anarchist doused himself in an accelerant and lit himself on fire.

In these dark times, many folks may be feeling desperate and looking for ways to make a bigger impact. Our hosts unpack those feelings, share some writings on the issue and implore the audience to find other ways to fight that keep us alive.

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Big Pharmacare Deal

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Pharmacare announcement from the NDP

After weeks of leaked deadline ultimatums, Jagmeet Singh announced he'd reached a deal with the Liberals on what he is calling universal pharmacare.

Should people in Canada celebrate this as a first step? Our hosts suggest we hold our applause for the moment.

We go over details of what is included in the deal, what isn't - and exactly what the status of the legislation is. As with all political announcements, we consider the timing and the fact the NDP are describing "intense negotiations" to get to even this point, despite Pharmacare being a part of CASA since March 2022.

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Resources:

CBC: Liberals NDP Pharmacare Deal

Who Keeps Us Safe? with Desmond Cole

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:15:00 -0400

Desmond Cole, journalist, organizer, activist and author of The Skin We're In, provides a thoughtful analysis on where the Defund the Police movement is right now. It is hard to hear at times, but incredibly constructive. It is more of a discussion of where we need to go than lamenting on past political choices.

Although, we do start off by asking Desmond how he feels about Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow's decision to aware the Toronto Police Services every penny they asked for. Considering the article he wrote for Ricochet right after the election, we weren't all that surprised by his answer.

Find out if he thinks enough was done between Chow's victory and the first budget, and what needs to be done next.

We also discuss the harm police do, both with their violence and the suppression of tactics used to keep power in check. It specifically includes just some the stories of the many young men in Canada harmed at the hand of Police, like Devon Fowlin and Sammy Yatim.

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Rabble Rants: Publicly Funded Catholic Schools (no thanks)

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Publicly Funded Catholic Schools in Canada

Only three provinces still publicly fund Catholic Schools...why?

After yet another Catholic school board in Ontario refuses to fly the Pride flag, our hosts discuss the merits of fully dismantling the Catholic school system.

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Rabble Rants: Deadly Distractions I Rafah

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Toronto Mount Sinai Hospital becomes a major distraction to Canadian Media

Rather than talking about the hospitals in Gaza under attack, Canadian media chose to focus on the erroneous statements of Canadian politicians to again smear peaceful pro-Palestinian protestors.

Host Santiago Helou Quintero was at the Hands Off Rally in Toronto, and has much to say on how the narrative was stolen from the organizers.

Topic 2: Rafah Under Attack

Updates on the situation in Gaza, and the stories of Hind Rajab and Sidra Hassouna.

Topic 3: Egypt Building a Wall

With a second Nakba happening in Palestine, reports were coming in about a wall being built by Egyptian authorities near the border with Gaza. Satellite images have confirmed this developing - which confirms the fears that the displacement of Palestinians to the Sinai desert is imminent.

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Uncovering Social Murder

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Journalist Jack Ross joins hosts Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean to discuss his new investigative piece for In These Times, As Fentanyl Overdoses Soar, LA City Crews Toss State-Funded Narcan from Encampments.

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Jack Ross' Portfolio

Rabble Rants: Turning up the Heat on the Political Elite

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Canadian political elites worried?

Relentless pressure from activists was too much for the BC NDP to handle, forcing MLA Selina Robinson to lose her position in the Cabinet. This has politicians and their inner circles closing ranks around and pushing back against the more aggressive tactics being deployed by grassroots activists.

What has them so worried?

Topic 2: Nicaragua Put Complicit Countries on Notice

With the possibility of another ICJ trial in the news, this time with Canada as a target has our hosts looking at International Law and its obvious limitations.

Topic 3: Canada's Special Visa Program for Gaza

This is not the humanitarian gesture it was sold as. The shortcomings, paired with other foreign policy moves this week seem very performative.

Our hosts discuss these and other updates related to the siege on Gaza.

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Rabble Rants: Anti-Palestinian Politics & Protest Safety 101

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: BC NDP MLA Selina Robinson's recent remarks on Palestine

One could have thought that what MP Robinson has said and tweeted the last 120 days would have landed her in hot water, or perhaps removed from caucus. As of recording - only a couple of NDP elected have said anything about it.

Why do those upholding these openly Anti-Palestinian views get to operate with such impunity? Our hosts breakdown why what she said is a problem and why it is we haven't seen a stronger backlash from the political class.

Topic 2: Yuk Yuk's Holds a Fundraiser for 'Friends of the IDF'

We give a little background on the recent protest outside of Toronto's flagship comedy venue in an attempt to stop a pro-Israeli fundraiser last week. While Santiago provides a firsthand account of that action, it brings up the discussion of...

Topic 3: Protest Safety

Throughout the episode we give practical advice for organizers and participants of disruptive actions on how to best handle police, counter protestors and right-wing media figures.

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Targeted Scapegoating

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The episodes starts off with the story of Skigh Johnson, a Toronto resident who taped handwritten posters onto her local Starbucks to protest their support of genocide and their attack on workers who voiced pro-Palestinian views. What happens next is almost unbelievable - except it isn't and its how many activists are being targeted and made examples of.

What happened to Skigh helped spark positive connections in her community as well. Out of it all a group formed, Eglinton-Lawrence and Don Valley for Palestine. They called it that because its made up of folks from those two electoral ridings who initially wanted to work together to pressure one of their local MPs, Marco Mendicino.

But it became about more than that - it became about asserting their right to exist in their own neighbourhood.

Listen in as five comrades talk about the police ban on protests, the confrontations they've had to endure, the media's failure and the very personal impact it has had on all of them.

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Rabble Rants: Electoral Reform? / Housing and Immigration

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Electoral Reform

Special Guest Matt Kerch , a political commentator from British Columbia, joins hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero to dish on the potential benefits and prospects of electoral reform here in Canada.

Topic 2: Immigration and Housing

We help debunk the xenophobic rhetoric being amplified that blames immigration numbers for the housing crisis we're in. National media, Conservative leaders and Liberal Ministers have us all looking away from the actual culprits - investors and developers.

Episodes that feed into this discussion:

Rabble Rant: Temporary Foreign Worker Exploitation; Billions for Billionaires and Battleships; Our Leaders are all Landlords

A Developers Democracy

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Rabble Rant: ICJ Rules Against Israel

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:15:00 -0400

The word ceasefire may not have been included in the provisional ruling issued against Israel by the International Court of Justice on Friday, January 26th, but it was a ruling against them nonetheless.

With demands to end mass killings, bodily and mental harm, as well as ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid - the ICJ has essentially told Israel to end hostilities against the Palestinian people. They told the world Israel's claims were without merit and that it was plausible genocide was happening.

Dimitri Lascaris joins the hosts Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean to give a thorough analysis of the ruling, the measures Israel's been ordered to follow and what this all means for global and Canadian politics.

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Answering the Call: The West Bank

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0400

In our second interview with Labour activist Anna Lippman, we get to hear all about her recent experience volunteering as a protective presence in the West Bank, Palestine. With villages under constant harassment and attacks by both the IDF and Israeli settlers, a call went out to allies to travel to the West Bank, stay with families and use their presence as a deterrent for more unchecked colonial violence. Anna again, answered that call.

She talks about using her 'good passport' and Jewishness to first gain access to places in Palestine her comrades only dream of returning to, and then to protect farming families from being run off their land.

If you missed our first episode with Anna - you can get it here: https://pod.fo/e/214c7d

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Answering the Call with Labour for Palestine

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0400

An interview with Labour for Palestine representative Anna Lippman on Answering the Call from Palestinian workers to disarm Israel and Free Palestine.

She speaks tothe responsibility we have in Canada and to the power of workers outside AND inside weapons manufacturers to end the siege on Gaza.

We hear a bit about the work Labour for Palestine was doing before October 7th and what happened when urgency took on a whole new meaning. The rank and file support for Palestine has now swelled - how can that be harnessed for a long term solution?

Stay tuned for the next interview with Anna airing next week. Be sure to subscribe.

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Rabble Rants: Police Crackdown Across Canada

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0400

With activists and journalists being accosted and arrested across Canada last week - we thought it was time to reinforce that all cops are bastards (and tools of Capital) always. And that we can not, for a moment, make space for police responses to people trying to hold the powerful accountable.

We cover:

Journalist Brandi Morin arrested covering an encampment eviction in Edmonton, and the use of Police to clear eight sites in frigid temperatures;
The arrest of a certain right-wing journalist while trying to question Deputy Minister Chrystia Freeland - and what our collective response SHOULD have been;
Toronto Police declare an area of the City off limits to Pro-Palestinian protestors saying its a threat to the local Jewish community; and,
Ottawa Pro-Palestinian activists have been getting $490 fines from the City for breaking a noise by-law.

These open up discussions of police power and budgets, the criminalization of protests of any kind, the limiting of access to politicians and the attempts of the powerful of what is an acceptable protest.

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Rabble Rant: Israel on Trial / Algoma Students' Victory

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Algoma International Students Strike to Win

After hundreds of international students at Algoma University in Ontario received a failing grade for an online course, they got no explanation. For most of them, the course is mandatory and it wasn't the first time they had been failed without knowing why.

As international students, their status is precarious and depends on completing school. Their financial situations are also typically strained, often the targets of exploitation by employers and landlords. They couldn't afford another go at the over $3,000 course - and they just knew something wasn't right.

So they started a strike - and they won. Listen in to find out how.

Topic 2: Israel on Trial

Israel is at the Hague, in the International Court of Justice to defend themselves against charges of genocide in Gaza.

Our hosts provide a rundown of the South African case against Israel, and the defence presented on Friday January 12th.

We also talk about the recent strikes in Yemen and Canada's involvement in it all.

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Lebanon Palestine and Resisting Colonialism

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Lebanon and Israel

Just as the siege on Gaza didn't start on October 7th, Israel's attacks on Lebanon didn't start with the recent assassination of a Hamas leader in Beirut.

Special guest, Lebanese educator and activist Moe Ramadan joins Host Jessa McLean to give a debrief on the history of Israeli occupation and aggression in Lebanon and an update on the current situation.

The similarities between Lebanon and Palestine are impossible to miss - and the patterns of global responses are also disappointingly the same. Displacement, unlivable conditions, collective retribution and of course, colonialism and liberation.

Topic 2: Refugees and Displacement

As the topic of internal displacement comes up, so does the issue of refugees and the push to further displace Palestinians across the globe. One can't argue with the need to evacuate people from a war zone - but, is the global community actually more interested in aiding in the permanent displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, forever?

What is Canada's role in all of this? As usual, its not good and its not new.

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Disrupting Politics with Dimitri Lascaris

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Lawyer, journalist and advocate, Dimitri Lascaris joins hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou to talk about holding Canadian politicians accountable for their role in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. He and his comrades have been disrupting fundraisers, asking hard questions at press conference, interrupting other political functions to get attention on the issue of Gaza.

We ask him why they employ these tactics, if it makes them nervous, and what they hope to achieve by posting up the videos of these interactions.

The episode starts with Dimitri recalling a recent interaction with MP Marc Miller, who asks him "What can Canada do?". We breakdown the response to that often heard question.

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Dimitri Lascaris homepage

Rabble Rants: F*ck Landlords and Documenting War Crimes

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: F*ck Landlords

In Toronto, a notoriously bad landlord attempts an unlawful eviction and the York-South Weston Tenants Union shows them what people power looks like. An occupation, legal appeals and amazing acts of solidarity ensured the tenant wasn't put out on the street - and we all learned a great lesson in organizing our communities.

Evictions are happening right across Canada. Police, politicians and landlords and making deliberate choices that would see housed and unhoused people with no shelter at all. The only thing stopping them is us.

Topic 2: Documenting War Crimes

The siege on Gaza in unprecedented in both its horrors and the media's defence of it. Some horrific updates from the last two weeks, hostages killed waving white flags, sick and injured Palestinians bulldozed, civilians sheltering in churches and UN schools shot, videos shared of prisoners being mistreated - all at the hands of the IDF.

Although its emotionally fatiguing witnessing this genocide - it is important that we continue to share the stories coming out of Gaza. To both honour the courage of the journalists putting their lives on the lines and to make sure everyone responsible is held accountable. An analysis of the Canadian media shows how complicit in genocide many of our 'most trusted' outlets are.

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To Vote or Not to Vote?

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Who is there left to vote for? What good does it do?

Many people are struggling with these questions after witnessing the NDP trend to the political centre and attack activists within its own ranks. There is no political party in Canada that truly represents leftist values or that can be trusted to act in good faith.

We've already made the case that the NDP does not deserve free labour from the very people it will turn around and demonize, or evict. So what does one do on election day then? What would the impact be if one side of the political spectrum stopped voting entirely?

Preventing the worst-case scenario appears to be the only reason most people can justify giving any politician their vote of approval. In fact, most people feel their vote is against something, than towards something better.

Author and cybersecurity expert Kim Crawley wrote a recent blog called Don't Vote. She expands on her own political transformation from a libertarian to an NDP Convention delegate to someone disillusioned with the entire system.

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Don't Vote: Kim Crawley Substack Blog

Rabble Rant: Fascism is Here

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0400

It's here. It's been here for a while.

Fascism is a dominant ideology in the West that requires us to be constantly resisting. The problem is, it's not always obvious in appearance.

Fascism rarely presents itself through swastikas and tiki torches, though that, too, is on the rise. More often it is disguised as democratic and hides in plain view of the Overton window.

The question is, how do we resist the rise of Fascism?

Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero explore this and more.

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Rabble Rant: Reporting on Genocidal Warfare

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Reporting on Genocidal Warfare

Flooding tunnels with sea water, targeting hospitals and the bombing of safe zones. The latest updates from Gaza are horrific following the short lived humanitarian truce. The hosts examine some of these tactics, the Dahiya Doctrine of disproportionate violence and the mentality it takes to carry these acts out.

An analysis of Canadian media seems to show a shift happening regardless of the firings and memos to staff we've been reading about. It is becoming harder to repeat the IDF talking points with all the images and notices of death circulating the glove.

Much of that evidence has been shared by the brave Palestinian reporters still in Gaza - many of them finding themselves war time reporters not by choice or profession, but by necessity.

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Ontario's Ministry of Dangerous Labour

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Topic: Ontario's Ministry of Dangerous Labour

Host Jessa McLean on Doug Ford's latest attack on construction workers. He's ended mandatory coroner's inquests into deaths on construction sites - the most dangerous place in the Province to work.

By looking at his history with the industry and the inventions made on behalf of employers (developers), it becomes clear Doug Ford and the Ontario Progressive Conservatives are willing to risk worker's lives for wider profit margins.

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The Ghost Gurney Project to #SaveHealthcare

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0400

We interview Patricia Chartier and Sandra Hughes of the Ghost Gurney Project in Ontario. Their goal is to save public healthcare from Doug Ford. They do this by using social media to tell the stories, bust the myths and deliver the facts - in hopes that people will wake up and push back.

They share their process of gathering people's health stories and getting them seen on social media and how they've created a supportive team. We also hear what its been like travelling the Province's healthcare system and hearing so many devastating first hand accounts of how it has failed people.

A key area of focus for the small group is the privatization of healthcare, in particular the use of Bill 60 and the corporatization of the system. In the episode there are plenty of details on just how this is happening and what the implications have already been.

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Rabble Rants: Dismantled and Dispersed; Prisoner Exchanges but no Peace

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Dismantled and Dispersed

The City of Toronto, aided by Police, evicted an encampment community in the Kensington Market area of the city from a tiny parkette outside a church that welcomed them. The excuses used by the City and local Councilor Diane Saxe don't fly with our hosts or housing advocates.

Topic 2: Prisoner Exchanges but no Peace

We give updates on the release of hostages and prisoners, and a short term truce that is anything but. Those updates, plus a look at just how many children are imprisoned by Israel, what their conditions are and what generally puts them there.

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Resisting from Belfast to Gaza with Danny Morrison

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0400

We interview former political prisoner Danny Morrison to help compare and contrast the Irish nationalist movement of the 1960s-1970s, which most notably included the IRA, to the modern day Palestinian resistance. The historical, political, social and economic similarities are seemingly endless.

Many lessons can be drawn from Danny's 50+ years experience fighting against the British empire by any means necessary. He talks of a peoples denied every other means of 'home rule' or self determination. Of a movement created to defend their communities against both state and sectarian violence. And of how the Irish were politicized, organized and mobilized to victory.

Inevitably the discussion turns to the demonization of resistance, and how one should respond.

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Danny Morrison's website

Rabble Rants: Witnessing Genocide; Ontario Paying for Private Surgery Profits; Exploiting Post-Secondary Students

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Witnessing Genocide in Gaza

We check in with each other and the audience in terms of the emotional toll of watching ethnic cleansing happening in real time, and reaffirm the need to keeping talking about Palestine. Reports from a WHO visit to Al-Shifa Hospital, verification of certain reports and political responses globally are all part of the discussion.

Topic 2: Ontario Paying for Private Surgery Profits

Doug Ford's government has confirmed reports that they are paying private (for profit) clinics in the Province premium rates to perform public surgeries. Surgeries that Ontario hospitals have the ability to perform are being sourced out to units run by giant corporations who are getting paid more than twice the amount.

We talk about the implications to the healthcare system, the hypocrisy of a private outsourcing costing twice the amount and the many ways in which the Ford government will try to spin this in their favour.

CORRECTION: The Www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca has found that many clinics are charging patients above and beyond the OHIP fees.

Topic 3: Exploiting Post-Secondary Students

Reports of students at Humber College suffering from malnutrition, with some fainting, triggers a discussion on the vulnerable economic position students in Canada find themselves in. The pressures put on them and the many ways in which these educational institutions facilitate their exploitation.

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Criminalizing Palestinian Resistance

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Various media figures, organizations and politicians have been sharing, in some cases creating, misinformation with seemingly malicious intent.

Bad faith actors stoking and weaponizing people's fears. But to what end?

Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero give their takes on some of the worst offenders from this week's attacks on the pro-Palestinian movement, including Ben Mulroney, Bob Rae, CIJA, Jesse Brown, Toronto City Council and of course, the Police.

Justin Trudeau does not come off unscathed in this episode either. We discuss Canada's hardening position around a ceasefire and the illegal occupation and our abysmal record at the UN.

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Disarming Imperialism

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Globally, workers ARE taking a stand, and refusing to transport Israeli weapons, or refusing to offload them at major ports. They are answering calls from Palestinian workers to disarm Israel and stop the siege on Gaza.

This episode's guests are part of some of those actions, which are at their core - economic disruptions aimed to isolate Israel politically and cut off their well funded supply of arms. We hear first hand what its like holding the line at this high tension actions, and what it takes to get there.

We also talk about the different forms of Palestinian resistance and why it must continue. This of course, brings up the difficult subject of a ceasefire - and why that may not be the way to Palestinian liberation.

As an added bonus, one of our guests gives a brief overview of the resistance to imperialism in the Philippines, and draws parallels to the movement to Free Palestine.

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Rabble Rant: Shifting the Narrative with Jeremy Appel

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0400

We start off by asking Jeremy Appel what the last three weeks have been like for him both as a journalist and a Jewish person demanding a Free Palestine.

He also shares his thoughts on the state of global reporting in Canadian media, and the political implications of leaders so out of step with everyone else.

Does he think the tide is turning on the narratives around the occupation? What does he see his role as?

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Rabble Rant: Shutting it Down for Palestine

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0400

As Israel continues to bombard Gaza and perpetuate violence in the West Bank, millions of people across the world are escalating their efforts to Free Palestine.

The Canadian government may not want a ceasefire, but activists and polls across Canada are telling a different story. Coordinated sit-ins of MPs offices, massive rallies and blockades of weapons manufacturers are sweeping the nation.

This episode gives you a run down of the different tactics and calls to action out there, while highlighting the urgency to DO SOMETHING. ANYTHING.

Also discussed:

Land Grab: Is this really about Hamas, or another colonial land grab and genocide? Recent Israeli leases for oil and gas extraction and attacks on villages in the West Bank throw key narratives into doubt.
More than Canadian Complicity: What exactly is our role in all of this? Canadian military boots on the ground tell only a part of the story.
Labour: What has the response been from organized Labour in Canada and beyond? Demands for a General Strike brew again.

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Building from the Ground UP

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Labour Activist Ramzi Abdi and Community Organizer David Alton from Ground UP Waterloo give practical advice on how small community groups can do big things.

Like how to effectively deploy community defences against hate, or garner the support of your local labour unions. We also talk about why these things are so important to securing victories and to the larger movement.

We also talk about what it means to hold politicians accountable outside of the ballot box.

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Rabble Rant: Suppression, Solidarity and MPP Sarah Jama

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Our hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero let it all out on the Ontario NDP, Doug Ford's censuring of MPP Sarah Jama, and the attempts to silence Palestinian advocacy.

We give a run down of the solidarity being shown and share some key reactions to the Ontario NDP kicking the courageous MPP from their Caucus. What will the political implications be for the Ontario NDP? What is the point of the NDP?

More importantly, the discussion turns to the larger pattern of vilifying Palestinian solidarity, movements and tactics in order to drive away calls for a ceasefire.

Resources:

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Canada's Colonial Imagination

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Tyler Shipley, Professor and author, starts the episode off by explaining just what the term 'colonial imagination' means. He tells us how it was used to justify the genocide of Indigenous peoples here, and how it STILL shapes how Canada interacts with the world.

He gives countless examples of Canada's modern day colonial interventions in the global south, often with our eyes on resource extraction. Repeating the same patterns of land grabs, assimilation and violence. The mining sector being at the heart of many of the worst human rights violations encouraged or even facilitated by the government of Canada.

How do we retain such a squeaky clean image on the world stage? A lot of states-craft and nationalist propaganda helps - as does the colonial imagination that we've collectively retained as settlers.

Tyler also pushes back on the notion Canada is seen as peacekeepers anymore. The mask is slipping, and the Liberals seem fine in playing war hawks and coup supporters with the world watching.

The discussion necessarily turns to Palestine and how the colonial imagination plays out, not just in the occupation, but in how Canadians are reacting to it all back home.

At the end Tyler reminds us that part of the battle is simply education and revealing some of the parts of our history that may challenge how people see Canada. So be sure to share the episode with a friend.

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Manufactured Consent: Palestine

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0400

The work to manufacturer consent around Israel's collective retribution of Palestinians is in high gear. The media, our politicians have all lined up behind one another - and there have been considerable efforts to silence dissenters to genocide.

With Gaza under a full siege and the death toll climbing, there are activists across the globe doing what they can to shift the narrative around Palestine.

We give an update on the crisis and look at the global responses, as well as some closer to home, like protestors at the recent NDP Convention and Trudeau's latest statement.

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Uncomplicating the Conflict: Palestine and Israel

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0400

With the conflict in Palestine and Israel at a fever pitch, emotions are running high. We challenge some of the more dangerous narratives emerging, give updates on peoples’ reactions and do our best to provide the context needed.

But unpacking the conflict between Palestine and Israel doesn't start with the devastating attack on civilians by Hamas in early October 2023. 75 year occupation, the conditions in the Gaza strip and the West Bank, and the repeated denial of non-violent avenues need to be part of the discussion.

As does the power imbalance that exists. There is no ending violence without understanding where it came from.

Solidarity with the people most impacted by this. Free Palestine.

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The Stakes of the Great Return March

Courage Needed: Advocating for Palestine

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 00:15:00 -0400

In our interview with Ghada Sasa of McMaster University it becomes clear that advocating for a Free Palestine requires nothing short of courage. Whether that is the diaspora forced to live abroad or the many fighting the occupation on the ground.

Ghada is pursuing her PhD on Israel's use of colonial greenwashing to erase Palestinian land. She is a long time advocate in her community and has experienced her fair share of push back, but also victories. Her focus right now is on the case of Ahmad Manasra, a political prisoner held in solidarity confinement for over 700 days in an Israeli jail.

Lobbying for change in a foreign government such as Israel, while living in Canada, means at some point you're going to need to appeal to politicians. What does an ally for Palestine look like in the partisan world of politics?

Academic Institutions and the racism built into them also prove to be combative spaces to speak up on Palestine. Hear what that's like and how Ghada found supports in the community.

Its also a discussion about allyship and the personal impact of doing this work.

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Rabble Rant: Reconciliation and Resistance

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0400

To mark Truth and Reconciliation Day, hosts Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean discuss some of the many acts of Indigenous resistance happening across so-called Canada.

The Land Alliance to stop mining in the Ring of Fire marched on Queen's Park in Ontario last week. Doug Ford is using typical political maneuvering and false claims of consultation to push another dangerous project through. Five First Nations have banded together to stop it.

The Fairy Creek blockade has been the biggest act of civil disobedience in Canada's history. The logging company that won an injunction there is also suing Haida Gwaii for the right to log old growth there, despite the decision of the land stewardship Council.

The demands to Search the Landfill and the resistance at Camp Morgan has spread across Manitoba, and gone from coast to coast. It has now become an election issue.

With this being just a sampling of the battles going on, both in the court room and on the Land, what does this mean about the state of 'reconciliation' with Indigenous peoples?

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COVID Conscious Under Capitalism

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 01:45:00 -0400

We are over three years into the COVID pandemic, is anyone even paying attention anymore? As we see health officials start to wear masks again, it seems a good time to talk about the COVID conscious community who has never stopped taking precautions.

Host Jessa McLean sits down with Kim Crawley, a cyber security expert who has gone through great lengths to prevent exposure to the virus that has not only claimed immeasurable numbers of people worldwide, but has been labelled the single most debilitating event in history. As noted throughout the episode, it takes incredible privilege and acquired knowledge to effectively avoid COVID. However, even with all the resources available, many folks who should do and know better, haven't.

From a class analysis, this episode looks at individual human behavior, the response of our governments and how the greed of our 'capitalist overlords' plays into it all.

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Rabble Rant: Holding the Line Against Hate and Nazi Gate

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Holding the Line Against Hate

On Wednesday September 20th thousands of people across Canada geared up for confrontation. The so-called 1 Million March for Children were targeting school board buildings with a clear anti-lgbtq agenda. Knowing this, community groups, social movements and labour teamed up to organize counter-protests to send an entirely different message.

Was it a victory for the Left? Who are the people behind the hate-filled actions? And what do they really want?

Topic 2: Nazi Gate

Liberals invited a known Nazi veteran to be recognized and applauded in the House of Commons this week. As shocking as it may seem, this isn't the only time Canada has honoured Nazis - we've got memorials scattered across the country and streets named after them.

What exactly happened? Was it even a mistake? What does it have to do with the additional $650 million being pledged to help arm Ukrainian forces?

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Resources:

Rabble Rant: Housing Half Measures

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Waterloo Outdoor Shelter 'Community'

Although 50 individuals in the Region of Waterloo now have a roof over their head, the purposeful isolation of unhoused people and the model of building shanty towns as a solution isn't going to cut it.

From the dangerous narratives it reinforces and the politicians it lets off the hook, these new camps being installed outside urban centres remind of hosts of the Hoovervilles that sprung up during the Depression of the 1930s. These are patterns we want repeating.

Topic 2: Liberals' Affordability Plan = More Profits for Developers

A caucus retreat and a big announcement from the Liberals on how to make life more affordable was a huge let down, but not surprising. They're going with a trickle down approach to housing that will cut of revenue sources for municipalities and Provinces while not doing a thing for those being priced out of a home. Framing the housing issue as a supply problem also brings a host of other issues, namely the scapegoating of immigrants.

We know better.

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Resources:

Justice for Migrant Workers

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 00:15:00 -0400

Listen to longtime migrant rights activist, Chris Ramsaroop detail many of the ways Canada's Temporary Foreign Workers' Program amounts to indentured slavery, how workers are fighting back and what we need to do as allies to help.

Organizing as unprotected workers isn't easy and it comes with heavy repercussions. Chris talks about the different tactics and supports used by Justica /Justice for Migrant Workers.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

Resources:

Rabble Rant: Bakery Workers Fight to Win; Binding Teachers to Arbitration (OSSTF)

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Bakery Workers Fight to Win

In Mississauga, non unionized workers are using every tool at their disposal to pressure bosses into paying back stolen wages. Meanwhile...

Topic 2: Binding Teachers to Arbitration (OSSTF)

Union Executives for the OSSTF (Ontario High School educators) are pushing binding arbitration on their members. We examine this capitulation to power within the context of what happened with educator unions in Ontario last year.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

Resources:

Rabble Rant: End the Air Show; Protecting Trans Students; Unaccountable Ford Nation

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: End the Air Show

For five days straight Torontonians have been subjected to the roars of warplanes overhead their city. For many years folks have been calling for an end to this noisy, costly display of nationalism, aviation and implied violence. So why does it continue?

Topic 2: Outing Trans Students

Provincial politicians in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and now Ontario are telling schools to report any change in a students name or pronouns to parents, putting untold numbers of children and youth at risk. Generations of students have fought to create safe spaces within their schools, only to be attacked from adults who should know better. What can be done to push back?

Topic 3: Unaccountable Ford Nation

Ontario Housing Minister Steve Clark was found to have breached multiple ethics rules. The Provincial government was advised to reprimand him. They refused. Ontario's Premier, Doug Ford, remains smug and defiant - even attacking reporters who dare press the issue of the Greenbelt. What can voters do about this lack of accountability? And what does that mean for a Canadian 'democracy'?

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

Corporate Farming and Food Insecurity

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Ethical, sustainable agriculture and corporate interests are just not compatible. In Canada, the bulk of our farmland is dedicated to monocropping, cash crops we don’t even eat. More and more farmers are leaving the business, selling their land to developers or their farm to large corporations. The results are an increase on food imports and higher prices at the grocery store.

Ashley, a newbie Farmer and Socialist talks about her experience starting and running a non-profit farm despite all of the recent trends that would have small farms disappear. With hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero they talk about the impacts an aging farming population, sprawl, monocropping, GMO seeds and the notorious agricultural Market Boards have on farmers, our environment and our food supply.

It becomes clear that cooperative, not competitive agriculture is the only solution.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

Resources:

Ashley on TikTok

Rabble Rant: Temporary Foreign Worker Exploitation; Billions for Billionaires and Battleships; Our Leaders are all Landlords

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: Temporary Foreign Worker Exploitation

Jamaican Migrant Farm Workers in Ontario have long been decrying the poor working and living conditions they face as part of the longstanding Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SWAP). A recent one day protest by workers on a farm in Norfolk County resulted in 6 being sent home to Jamaica early.

We look at the whole Temporary Foreign Worker Program, its impact on workers and the movement fighting to secure the rights of migrant workers in Canada.

Topic 2: Billions for Billionaires and Battleships

The Irvings, already the second richest family in Canada secured the largest single purchase in the Canadian governments history, the CSC Project. If that wasn't enough, the Liberals just handed them an additional $463 million to 'modernize' the facility tasked with building the warships Canadians will pay almost $400 billion for in the end.

The money for war is always there, rarely questioned. What is the political reasoning behind this? And what is at the root of these bailouts for billionaires?

Topic 3: Our Leaders are All Landlords

With the recent disclosure that the wife of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh purchased an investment property and became a landlord during a housing crisis, 4 of the 5 federal Party leaders are now landlords. Why do we keep electing wealthy people to lead the working class? Is this what Representative Democracy looks like?

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

Resources:

Encampments, evictions and resistance

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Advocate and Community Worker, Diana Chan McNally unloads on all of the anti-homeless rhetoric and harmful policies that make living on the street even harder.

Rabble Rant: Evacuated

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0400

The entire city of Yellowknife was evacuated after wildfires that have been burning nearby for weeks got too close to leave anything to chance. This massive fire in the NWT has already razed communities to the ground and shows no signs of slowing. The remoteness of the area and the lack of control we have over our resources means long delays, difficult displacements and very little supports for people in crisis.

Residents in Kelowna, B.C. and surrounding areas have also been ordered to leave their homes behind as fire nears. And we are just two weeks from the deadly fire in Maui.

These fires and their evacuations laid bare just how capitalism has failed to structure us in ways that will allow us to best survive the climate crisis upon us.

Community Defences

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0400

The Peace Country Progressive Alliance are a small network of activists with the daunting task of "fighting hate" in their rural community.

That fight utilizes a variety of tactics, including physically standing up to venomous right-wing protestors outside drag story time events. Why do they do it? How do they mobilize in remote parts of the country with very little resources?

What does defending the lgbtq community have to do with building working class solidarity? A lot!

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

Resources:

Rabble Rant: Corruption, Green and the Greenbelt

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0400

The Greenbelt and the Auditor General Report

The Ontario Greenbelt's history has been a contentious one. From its creation, it has been resisted by developers whose sought to make obscene profits from unended sprawl. The Greenbelt Act in 2005 did not deter them, only increased their involvement and investment in Provincial politicians.

Ford Nation also has a complicated history with the Greenbelt and political resistance to his plans to carve it up and hand it over to his biggest donors. But now, the receipts are official in the form of the Auditor General's report on the land selection process by the Ontario Progressive Conservatives. And it is scathing.

As people are process on these details, environmentalists are feeling validated and extremely frustrated. Their warnings and calls to action largely went unheard.

The time comes to decide what our collective response needs to be. Some are calling for the OPP's involvement, others for resignations. What can stop this development from happening now?

All of these discussions and more in this latest Rabble Rant brought to you by the same folks producing Blueprints of Disruption.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

Resources:

Rabble Rants: A Coup in Niger / Summer of Strikes

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Topic 1: A Coup in Niger

The recent coup in Niger has garnered some pretty strong responses from nations like France and the United States, as well as the EU. What is at the root of the global political reaction, and why should we care?

There are hints of another proxy war at hand. Imperial interests in African natural resources, namely uranium are huge factors in how sides are shaping up in this latest coup in North West Africa.

Topic 2: Summer of Strikes

Workers and tenants are fighting back from coast to coast.

Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero give a rundown of the many locals on strike, as well as the reaction from politicians and the acts of solidarity from the community.

Be sure to catch all our other Inside the NDP episodes to get the full picture.

All our content is made possible through our Patrons. To support the show: patreon.com/bpofdisruption

Resources:

Intercepted: U.S.-Trained Officers Have Led Numerous Coups in Africa - Referenced in episode.

Inside the NDP: Corporate Lobbyists Running the Workers Party?

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 00:15:00 -0400

Martin Lukacs, of the Breach and the Guardian, gives the inside scoop on his recent article Lobbyists run today’s NDP—and they’re warping the party’s politics. This investigative report details the roles of the Party's inner circle and the connections they have to corporate lobbying firms advocating for big oil and companies like Air BnB.

Why are the 'day jobs' of some of the key players in the NDP's biggest campaign important? Because their rise in the Party coincide with a clear right turn in the policies and platforms being churned out and packaged as progressive.

Martin talks about the impact of this trend on Canadian politics and gives us stories and insight from his many experiences with the Party.

Be sure to catch all our other Inside the NDP episodes to get the full picture.

All our content is made possible through our Patrons. To support the show: patreon.com/bpofdisruption

Resources:

Rabble Rants: Loblaws Makes a Killing / Scarborough Transit

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Rabble Rants Week 2:

Topic 1:

Loblaws posted record second quarter profits again this year while Canadians are lining up at food banks. Did you also know they (Choice Properties) are also the largest real estate investment trust (REIT) in Canada? And that they are expanding more into residential / rental buildings?

Banking, pharmacies, food and shelter - all commodified to the benefit of the wealthiest.

Topic 2:

After the derailment of a train on the Scarborough light rail network highlights the chronic underfunding of transit, particularly in marginalized neighbourhoods. Many are calling the new Mayor of Toronto, Olivia Chow, a champion of transit - does this mean things are looking up for commuters? Listen in and find out.

References:

Blueprints of a Rent Strike

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Rent strikes are just one tool in the chest of the York South-Weston Tenant Union in Toronto. Bruno, one of the organizers with the union provides a step by step guide on how they got to where they are now - on strike, withholding rent from landlords who clearly underestimated the collective power of their tenants.

Connecting neighbours, finding common ground, overcoming apathy and fear and standing up for their rights. These tenants are "fighting for their right to home".

We find out they aren't the only tenants on a rent strike in Ontario - each group working with one another and giving the rest of us the inspiration we need to do the same.

Resources:

Rabble Rants: Search the Landfill and 129 Peter Street

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0400

In this weekly roundup, hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero cover:

Search the Landfill:

Camp Morgan is a place of resistance - a blockage of the road leading to the private landfill where Police and community members expect to find the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran. The authorities have failed the families and have refused to search the landfill or even stop continued dumping in that location.

Hosts cover the anti-Indigenous racism prevalent in this stories as well as the stories of resistance at the blockade and the use of injunctions to stop peaceful protests.

129 Peter Street

In an attempt to limit access to the shelter system, the City of Toronto defied their own sanctuary City policy and started turning away asylum seekers. This lead to a large number of people sleeping on the sidewalk outside of 129 Peter Street in an attempt to access services.

We talk about the inadequate shelter system, attitudes towards migrants and the unhoused community and the various efforts of mutual aid in response.

References and Resources:

Housing & Homelessness Research & Reports from City of Toronto
Lorraine Lam Linktree - This includes a link to the ongoing needs for the folks at 129 Peter Street.
Diana Chan McNally (Community Worker) on Twitter - Diana provides some updates and first hand accounts of what is happening in the shelter systems, outside Peter Street and a lot of the other work being done with the unhoused community in Toronto.
Resistance to injunction
News on Injuction

Be sure to catch all our other Inside the NDP episodes to get the full picture.

All our content is made possible through our Patrons. To support the show: patreon.com/bpofdisruption

Work or Die: Disabled Under Capitalism

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0400

What does Doug Ford mean when he says "every able bodied person should be working"? What is the impact of those words and the legislation behind them?

Host Jessa McLean and Disability Advocate Jay Woodruff unpack some of the recent developments in Canadian politics that reinforce the narratives so prevalent under capitalism.

Topics include:

The passing of the Canadian Disability Benefits Act and the inadequate Provincial support programs that prompted the demands the federal government do something.
Meritocracy and the stigma attached to people on social assistance.
Eugenics and the expansion of MAiD, or assisted suicide, in Canada.

The Fight for Toronto

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0400

A post election wrap up of the Toronto Mayoral election that saw the progressive front runner, Olivia Chow win by a slim margin. Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero discuss the tone of the election, examine some of the larger campaigns and breakdown what the results mean for politics in Toronto.

We talk about Olivia Chow's "platform", Chloe Brown's impact, the right wing candidates egos and what their results mean.

Voter turnout, Provincial politics, the organizing behind the campaigns and the prospect of a progressive Mayor are also big parts of this discussion.

All our content is made possible through our Patrons. Thank You.

If you can support our work, please consider a small monthly donation.

If you have a story idea, email us at bpofdisruption@gmail.com

Resources:

Inside the NDP: Sidelining Socialism

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Despite its roots in Socialism, today's NDP have drifted to the centre in an attempt to appeal to the masses. Needless to say it hasn't worked, and the damage to the political spectrum as been done.

Host Jessa McLean lays out an argument that the NDP and their failure to keep Left has shifted the Overton window in Canadian politics. The episode touches on the structure of the Party, its policies, its use of power and social media to demonstrate just how socialism is being sidelined.

Be sure to catch all our other Inside the NDP episodes to get the full picture.

All our content is made possible through our Patrons. To support the show: patreon.com/bpofdisruption

My Father's Daughter

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 07:00:00 -0400

For Fathers' Day, host Jessa McLean invites her Dad to talk about what politicized him as a youth and how his involvement in the trade union movement shaped how he understood power structures, politics and his own purpose.

The two sound off on their own experiences with the NDP, which are unsurprisingly similar.

Its a discussion about passing down working class consciousness through generations and what we choose to do with that knowledge.

To follow Jessa on Twitter Jessa 🎙CHECK OUT MY PODCAST (@Jessa_McLean) / Twitter

Fire is Catching

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Can you still smell the smoke?

Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero discuss the wildfires that have been raging across Canada this spring.

They discuss climate anxiety, community responses and the disruption needed to prevent further damage to the environment.

The Fight for Public Transit: TTC Riders

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Two transit activists, Jamie and Herman, join host Jessa McLean to dish on the fight for public transit in Toronto. With service cuts the norm, fares rising and a Mayor's race to influence, the volunteers at TTC Riders have a lot of work to do.

The guests talk about their favourite tactics, which levers of power they need to pull and why the fight for more accessible, free transit is critical to the movement for equality and climate justice.

Burnout: Episode 2

Mon, 29 May 2023 00:15:00 -0400

On this second episode of Burnout, Host Jay Woodruff talks with Anthony Marco, President of Hamilton & District Labour Council, about what burnout means and how he tries to balance his activism with work, and the importance of artistic expression and solidarity in preventing burnout.

They also discuss how the normalizing of burnout starts in our education system and follows us throughout our lives.

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Inside the NDP: Controlled Convention

Thu, 25 May 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Political Conventions aren't for everyone. Literally.

Hosts Jessa McLean, Jay Woodruff and Santiago Helou Quintero talk about the orchestrated and controlled ways in which the NDP gather (some of) their members every two years.

Once you understand the purpose of Conventions, you start to get a picture of what political partisanship really is.

Most people will be suprised at the accounts from NDP federal council member Kristine Wickner and former BCNDP member Chris, who give first hand accounts of authoritarian and undemocratic practices that exist in Canada's 'workers' party.

Making Movements IrRESISTible

Thu, 11 May 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Labour rights activist and community organizer, Pam Frache from Justice for Workers joins host Jessa McLean to talk about what its like organizing against the likes of Doug Ford.

The discussion centres on how to bring enjoyment and equity to movements, and how to make sure they can sustain the steady political onslaught.

Formerly knows as the Fight for $15 and Fairness, the folks working out of the Workers Action Centre have a lot of experience securing victories and maintaining their momentum in tough times. This episode features some practical knowledge sharing and storytelling that give a picture of what its actually like on the ground advocating for better.

Comparisons are made to partisan spaces in terms of approach, experience and output.

The title of the episode is from a quote that resonates with Pam to "make your movement irresistible".

Justice for Workers website

Candid Candidate: Interview with Chloe Brown

Sun, 07 May 2023 09:00:00 -0400

In a crowded field of candidates for Toronto Mayor, Chloe Brown’s grassroots campaign stands out as one of the most unique.

Chloe ran an impressive campaign last October finishing 3rd with an incredibly efficient dollar-to-vote ratio of only $0.20.

In this interview, Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero talk to Chloe about her experience as a Policy Analyst, how this campaign is different from last time, her platform and whether is she running to win.

Chloe Brown for Mayor Campaign Website

Rabble Rousers on: The Race for Toronto Mayor Candidates 101

Thu, 04 May 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Toronto residents have a lot of candidates to chose from. Rabble Rousers Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean breakdown the top six candidates in the Race for Toronto Mayor.

They go through the platforms, messaging and political records trying to makes sense of this crowded ballot of candidates.

The episode starts off with what the hosts consider the front running right-wing candidates, current councillors Brad Bradford, Ana Bailão and former Police Chief Mark Saunders. They then discuss three more choices for Mayor that progressives might be eyeing, Olivia Chow, Chloe Brown and Josh Matlow.

Social Media as a Revolutionary Tool?

Mon, 01 May 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Can Social Media be used for effective change?

Matt Dusenbury from the Communications Firm, Smoke & Felt joins the studio. We discuss the importance of leveraging these free tools, but also their limitations.

Other items discussed:

The accessibility social media provides to movements.
The kind of work progressive communications firms do for campaigns.
Striking balance between online engagement and in person organizing
Are all platforms created equal? What is most effective for getting the message out?
Why does it appear the Right's narrative gains so much traction online?
How can the Left do better at using these tools?

To find out more about Matt:

Doug Ford's Police Pipeline

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0400

With the recent announcement by Ontario Premier Doug Ford that he intends to create a police pipeline to keep people safe, it was time for another discussion around defunding the police.

Points of discussion include:

Actual numbers around crime and policing
Free tuition and post secondary requirements for Police
Contrasts between need for nurses and funding for police recruits
The end of a nursing program in Toronto
The dangerous law and order rhetoric being hyped up by TO Mayoral Race
Capital’s need for police in end stage capitalism
Doug Ford’s special relationship with Police
The repercussions of a heavily funded and armed police state

Sources:

Burnout: A MiniSeries

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0400

In this first episode of the miniseries, host Jay Woodruff interviews fellow Rabble Rouser, Jessa McLean in a frank and deeply personal discussion about Burnout. What is it? How does it impact our lives and our movements?

The condition of perpetual exhaustion, brought on by various stressors, impacts a lot of activists. Why? What is it about the systems we live in that causes to many people to become overwhelmed?

Join us as we attempt to normalize these discussions around mental health and our movements.

Leftist Alliances and Power Struggles: A History Lesson

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Author and Professor James Naylor gives hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero a history lesson on Labour politics and alliances of the past. They look to moments of heightened working class consciousness and unrest for lessons to apply to today’s Canadian political climate.

Topics include the United Farmers of Ontario (UFO), the Winnipeg Strike, the formation of the CCF, Socialist purges and power struggles.

One of the major questions we try to answer goes at the political divide that appears to exist between rural and urban voters. And that is “Why can’t the NDP capture the rural vote?” Prof. Naylor’s answer to that surprises us.

In the end we see a lot of parallels between the history our guest provides us and the current Canadian political situation. Maybe just not the ones we wanted to see…

To read more from James Naylor:

Decriminalizing Sex Work

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:15:00 -0400

Sex Workers in Canada face incredible barriers in their lives due to the criminalization of their work. Jenn Clamen, National Director of the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform, describes the impacts this has on the daily lives of sex workers and the various ways in which their coalition has been fighting back.

The discussion centres on a recent Constitutional challenge working its way through the courts that will serve to decriminalize sex work, and the alliance's history fighting for the rights of sex workers in Canada. Why did they choose the courts as their field of battle? Where are they getting support from? And who is getting in their way?

For more information:

Disruptive Dialectics: Coalitions, Canadian Democracy & Selective Representation

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero try to answer the question of whether or not parties should represent a certain demographic. The topic comes up amidst a broader discussion on coalitions and the urban / rural electoral divide that has frustrated the Canadian Left.

Nationalism and the Working Class

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0400

We know what kind of Nationalism we don't like, but is that enough?

Guest Chris Fairweather, academic, activist and labour organizer, talks about the pervasiveness of nationalism and the impact is has on the working class with host Jessa McLean and co-host/producer, Santiago Helou Quintero.

Together they examine the work it takes to shape Canadian nationalist pride (statescraft), how its weaponized, and the ways it erases class lines, state violence and international solidarity.

Let Them Eat Cake

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Together with Santiago Helou Quintero, Jessa McLean breaks down what happened during the Agricultural Committee hearings featuring the grocery giant CEOs. Its a discussion on Canadian politics (populism), food insecurity, and the need for a class analysis from the electoral Left.

A Community Union: ACORN Canada

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0400

An interview with Alejandra Ruiz Vargas, National Representative and East York Chapter Leader, for ACORN Canada. Alejandra is a also a front line housing worker, longtime advocate and former political candidate.

She shares just how Acorn grows it membership and determines its priorities. Acorn is membership based, and almost entirely funded by those members. We explore the impact of their approach and the values that drive their work.

Alejandra shares some of the victories ACORN has experienced, recently and historically - and reminds us of the importance of celebrating gains we make.

Find out More About ACORN Canada

Biased and Based Journalism

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Producer and Journalism Student, Santiago Helou Quintero dishes on what went down at Toronto City Hall during a February 2023 protest over John Tory's budget. It opens up a larger discussion on what the role of media should be, and the inherent bias that exists in all publications. Activist journalists are becoming more visible, but that hasn't been without consequence.

LIVESTREAM: Fighting Legislated Poverty - A Panel

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Canada has left disabled people behind. Provincial support programs do anything but. The result is Legislated Poverty. Disabled advocates from across Ontario join this panel discussion on the ways in which people are fighting back.

Included in the discussion is a critique of Bill C22, a debate on tactics and an exploration of a way forward. Panels include: Rabia Khedr, Disability Without Poverty; Isabella Gamk, Toronto Mayoral candidate and activist, Kemal Ahmed, ONDP Disability Co-Chair and Accessibility Expert, and Christine Calvert, disabled activist and caregiver.

Leadership Cults in Politics

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Why do we put so much emotional stock and resources into 'leaders'? And what is that costing us politically?

Host Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero make the case that the focus and energy we spend on leaders, both our own and that of our opponents, is a detriment to the movement - a distraction from actual problems and policies to fix them. They discuss the trappings of playing to the leader vs. leader narrative, why they exist and how we can move away from these 'leadership cults' in politics.

Inherently Political: Street Nurse

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Guest Cathy Crowe has spent years as a street nurse, an inherently political job. She works with people who live at the intersection of failed housing policies and a crumbling public healthcare system.

After years learning from the unhoused community and advocating not just for their needs, but to an end to homeless itself, Cathy knows how imperative this fight is and where we are falling short.

We hear the different tactics being employed to secure the most basic rights for people living Street nursing was a profession meant to be temporary, but is now needed more than ever. on the streets, a job that got harder to do during the pandemic. As we find out, homelessness isn't just a denial of housing, but often of healthcare as well.

Street nursing was a profession meant to be temporary, but is now needed more than ever.

Challenging Canadian Imperialism

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Canadian foreign policy is not what most Canadians think it is.

The narrative had for a long time been one of peacekeepers. Our approach now clearly one of open aggression, with the impact of Canada’s weapon sales, resource extraction industry and outright participation in right wing coups being felt across the globe, but are Canadians in large partaware of all of this?

Special Guest, Yves Engler answers that question and more. He’s an expert in Canadian foreign policy and an activist in his own right and has written extensively on Canada’s complicit and often violent foreign policies and its hypocritical approach to international relations. Haiti, Ukraine, Venezuela and more examples are discussed.

Yves makes an argument that some of these issues are just as urgent as the fight for climate action and workers’ rights. He also discusses the tactics he uses to raise the profile of some of these issues, alongside the consciousness of Canadians.

Find more of Yves Work:

Community Based Journalism

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Kevin Taghabon of the Hoser joins the team at Blueprints for a discussion on Community based journalism, specifically the work of the Hoser, an independent media outlet based out of Toronto. Their "hyper local" approach allows them to produce quality, in depth reports that feature the voices of the marginalized. Voices often left out of main stream media.

We get the scoop on some of the Hoser's top stories, a hint of what's to come and a bit of current politically commentary.

You'll also hear how a few comrades formed a collective that now includes a podcast, a website and a monthly printed newspaper - without charging a dime or capitulating to advertisers. Most importantly, we discuss how all of this work plays into the larger progressive movement in Canada.

Pushing the Green Party Left

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Canadian Partisan politics strikes again.

Looks like the NDP isn't the only Canadian political party making life difficult for eco-socialists. Longtime Green Party of Quebec leader Alex Tyrell joins host Jessa McLean to talk about the energy he's spent trying to push the Green Party Left, both on the Provincial level and federally, the barriers put in his place and why being openly socialist is critical to making space for more leftist politics.

A Developer's Democracy

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0400

With the passing of Bill 23 by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, it is becoming even more clear to voters that developers run the Province. Their sphere of influence goes beyond the carving up of the Greenbelt.

This episode uses Ontario examples to show how detrimental the relationship between ultra wealthy developers and politicians is to the wellbeing of our communities.

It isn't just campaign donations, developers are wining and dining politicians, founding and funding right-wing third party 'advertisers' and clearly writing policies that cater to their every need.

Resources linked to the show:

Who Control's Toronto - ACORD Report - “In the 2018 Toronto Municipal Election, 34% of all campaign contributions came from people with ties to the development industry” Doesn’t think any other industry is as heavily invested in municipal politics Toronto 9 out of 9 Planning and Housing Committee took funds (25%) Pasternack 59% of the funds raised
Follow the Money Report - Horizon Ottawa - Nearly half of donations came from folks tied to developers Chair of planning Committee had 96% raised this way Results in bylaws and other things under the control of the local governments to be created/changed to suit developer needs - and contrary to public good. Already normalized rezoning and bylaw amendments. Now they don’t even need to do that - leaving local officials unable to push back on critical items (affordable housing, green initiatives) Bill 68 (banned union/corporate donations) BUT: raised individual limits and allowed for 3rd Party Contributions (see ONTARIO PROUD)
Ontario Proud's Election Advertising Was Mostly Funded By Developers - Sold as some grassroots campaign to defend Ontario values - really just a few very wealthy donors (87%) “Mattamy Homes, at $100,000; anti-union contractors association Merit Ontario, at $50,000; Nashville Developments, also at $50,000; Opportunities Asia Ltd. at $30,000; and Shiplake Properties Limited at $25,000. Seventeen other companies, mostly related to housing development, donated $10,000 apiece.” Ontario Proud: Takes credit for Doug Ford’s win. Boasting that unions spent so much more and got a lesser result. Had ads, lawn signs “Unplug Wynne”. They only need to declare what they raised and spent during a specific time period. Outside that time they can do anything (and do).
INVESTIGATION: Developers with ties to Ford government stand to cash in on Hwy. 413 | Canada's National Observer - -Lots of very powerful developers set to profit big time from Highway 413 (which has fierce opposition from environmental critics “Four of the developers are connected to Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government through party officials and former Tory politicians now acting as registered lobbyists.” Article details these relationships and highlights the key players. All donors of Ontario Proud as well. Project will cost upwards of $10B to save folks (MTO says) 30 minutes of travel. Just so happens one of these developers takes Ford and Lecce to a Florida Panthers game, in a box (but swear no government business was discussed) Provide a map where it shows how PC top donors dot the land associated with the highway. I don’t think this points to collusion between the PC Party and developers but of one between capital and anyone in power.
Architects respond to Ontario’s proposed Bill 23 - Ford says “ proposed legislation is to accelerate the construction of 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years to address our housing crisis.” What it actually does: Lowers affordable housing requirements for developers 20% to 5% inclusion for affordable housing Length of time it has to be ‘affordable’ 99 years to 25 Removes need for public consultation prior to building subdivisions Lessens involvement of Conservation Authorities “removed from their oversight will be watershed planning and management, coordinated flood protection, conservation of green lands and biodiversity, which are all core to climate change mitigation” Removes involvement of City Planners * Summary: Removes all levels of consultation and accountability for developers.

Lessons From: South America

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0400

With Canadian politics void of real resistance to Capitalism, the show looks to South America for some revolutionary lessons. Guest Alexander Moldovan shares some of what he learned while studying social movements in Venezuela, much of it by way of telling the stories of workers and communities fighting back while building networks of support. While examining the ways in which movements play a role in shaping the political landscape in South America, hosts Santiago Helou Quintero and Jessa McLean draw comparisons to Canadian situation.

Making Mass Actions Count

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Ontario's General Strike never did materialize, and in the aftermath there's a lot of analysis to do. John Clarke, Professor at York University and longtime organizer, joins host Jessa McLean to compare the 2022 strike by CUPE workers to the 1995 Days of Action against them Premier Mike Harris. They discuss some of the trappings that exist in these moments, and how they too often lead to a de-escalation that benefits the ruling class.

A big part of the discussion is on how we can collectively capitalize on these sometimes very temporary shifts in power to center social movements and achieve real gains for the working class.

Climate Justice: Knowing Friend from Foe

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Most of us realize the climate crisis at hand requires urgent, transformative action. If everyone knows, then what is stopping us? Who exactly is getting in the way of Climate Justice in Canada? Besides Big Oil and Gas Executives of course.

Torrance Coste of Wilderness Committee helps us wade through the politics around climate action, and the different relationships that complicate the matter. With an NDP government in B.C. one would have thought environmentalists had found an ally. Sadly, this has not been the case.

Real tensions exist, even on the Left, on just what a Just Transition means. This episode explores various narratives surrounding the move away from fossil fuels and the greenwashing that can be pervasive.

Inside the NDP: Why They Came for Me

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 12:30:00 -0400

After coming under attack from the Ontario NDP for criticizing the Party, host Jessa McLean jumped into the studio to record a response. It is a deeply personal account of her journey through partisan politics in an attempt to explain why the NDP is trying to silence her, and how this is part of a larger pattern to push out socialists and internal advocates.

To read the letter from the Ontario NDP referenced in the episode in full, Jessa has included it on her Twitter feed:

Jessa McLean (Host) on Twitter

Disability Justice: Left Off the Agenda

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0400

If there is one area the Left needs to improve, it is around Disability Rights. Some of the policies coming out of the NDP are problematic, some even detrimental to disability justice. We focus on ODSP, MAiD, the Federal Disability Benefit and of course, the response to COVID.

NDP Disability Co-Chair, Jay Woodruff provides an inside perspective on what its like trying to advocate for better policies and meaningful accommodations within Canada's progressive party. It isn't just electoral politics failing disabled people. This episode explores the many ways in which many movements have left disability justice off their agendas.

Ontario Fights Back - Building up to a General Strike

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0400

With 55,000 CUPE Education workers walking off the job in defiance of legislation which made any job action illegal, there have been renewed calls for a Provincial wide General Strike. Host Jessa McLean and journalist/producer Santiago Helou Quintero discuss the core issues at stake in Ontario. With the use of the Notwithstanding Clause to override Charter Rights, and the push to destroy public services, this fight has become more than just a demand for fair wages. Premier Ford has started something...but what? And will Labour seize this moment effectively and inclusively? Lots of possibilities to discuss.

Additional Resources:

CUPE Ontario - Picket Finder and Updates

Diminished Democracy: featuring David Moscrop

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0400

What exactly is the impact of low voter turnout? What is behind people's exit from electoral politics in Canada? Political columnist, author and podcaster David Moscrop sits down with host Jessa McLean to look at the root causes of low voter turnout - and what that means for a representative democracy. They look at why democracy shifted away from more direct participation to what we see today - alienated voters and bad representation. Solutions are explored, as well as alternatives. They also ask the question: If voter turnout continues to decline - at what point does a liberal democracy become illegitimate?

To keep up to date with David Moscrop's work:

Return and Liberation: The Palestinian Youth Movement

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 02:45:00 -0400

Return and Liberation is an in-depth discussion with members of the Palestinian Youth Movement, a transnational organization dedicated to a Free Palestine.

Laura Khoury and Moe Alqasem share what pushes them to keep going in such a combative area of advocacy, and how they do so much with the resources they have.

The discussion also examines the current situation in Palestine, including the status of the resistance and updates on political prisoners held by Israeli forces. We also look at the state of Canadian politics and explore why leadership on the Left so often feels out of touch with its base on the issue of Palestine.

To stay in touch with the Palestinian Youth Movement:

Democracy Denied: The BCNDP and their Fear of an Eco-Socialist Grassroots

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0400

The recent leadership race for the next Premier of British Columbia has the democratic process of the NDP under scrutiny again. Host Jessa McLean and Producer Santiago Helou Quintero go over just what happened with the BCNDP and the disqualification of Anjali Appadurai. Together they examine the claims against the grassroots campaign that was set to challenge the acclamation of David Eby for the next leader of the BCNDP, as well as the larger issues it raises in the movement to get eco-socialism into electoral politics. The tensions between Labour and environmentalists over old growth logging in the province seems to have struck quite a nerve with NDP members across Canada. Where do eco-socialists now turn? What is next for the BCNDP? And what does this all mean for the electoral Left in Canadian Politics?

Inside the NDP: A Deliberate Turn to Centre

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0400

We often speculate about what has happened to the NDP in Canada. With its origins in Socialism and grassroots membership, the Party has seemingly drifted to Centre while alienating its biggest supporters. Author and political scientist Matt Fodor joins host Jessa McLean to discuss the themes that come up in his upcoming book From Layton to Singh: The 20-year Struggle for the NDPs Soul. Matt is about to reveal just who made the decisions to sideline members and when party brass decided they would abandon its socialist values in favour of neoliberal policies. Matt describes the new NDP as 'Orange Liberals' - power hungry, with little interest transformative politics.

Resources:

Abolishing the Monarchy: Now or Never

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

With the passing of the Queen, it is no wonder the discussion around abolishing the monarchy has been reignited here in Canada. Many pundits have declared the endeavor impossible - but is it really? Host Jessa McLean, alongside New Left Media and Blueprints of Disruption producer, Santiago Helou breakdown what's involved with severing our ties with the Crown, what the political challenges are and many reasons why that shouldn't stop us from ending this colonial relationship once and for all.

Whatever it Takes: Land Back

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Indigenous Land Defenders across Canada are under attack. All attempts to rightfully reclaim land back and protect the water have been met with resistance and police violence. Yet they persist. There are folks like guests Layla Staats and Skyler Williams, both of Six Nations of the Grand River, willing to do whatever it takes to ensure their communities can survive. Living through trauma, both current and generational, these courageous activists put everything on the line, defying incredible forces so that their children, and ours, may do something as simple as drink from a clean river. Hear their stories, get inspired and through it all explore what your role is in the fight to save the planet and bring about true Reconciliation.

Resources:

Wasted Energy: Partisan Politics

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

So many of us are dismayed with Canadian partisan politics, especially those on the Left looking for real change. Some have fought to change the so-called progressive parties like the NDP and the Green Party from the inside. Special guest Dimitri Lascaris and Host Jessa McLean, who have been in the middle of those fights, discuss their experiences, the gatekeeping involve, and just what they think of electoral politics as an avenue for change.

Fighting More Than Food Insecurity with Paul Taylor

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Food Insecurity impacts almost 6 million people in Canada. With the cost of everything, including food rising, we can expect this to get worse. What do we do about it? Are Food Banks the answer? Paul Taylor of Food Share Toronto is on a mission to "put food insecurity in the history books" - he joins host Jessa McLean to discuss just what that means, and why charity alone won't be enough to make sure our community members don't go hungry.

PROOF Report on Food Insecurity (2021) - We reference a lot of statistics from this report. Some notable ones - 1 in 4 renters in Canada experience food insecurity vs. 7.6% of home owners - 16% of households have experienced food insecurity - Nunavut being the highest Province and/or Territory with 57% - Indigenous and racialized households experience far greater rates of food insecurity - 65% of people accessing food banks are employed
Good Food Box | FoodShare
Paul Taylor's Bio
FoodShare Website

Health Coalitions: Original Defenders of Our Public Healthcare

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Tommy Douglas surely anticipated the likes of Premier Doug Ford when he founded Health Coalitions to defend public healthcare in Canada. These groups have been standing guard over our public healthcare since its inception, but they've never had a fight like this on their hands before. Made up of folks like you and I, our Health Coalitions are very likely the key to taking collective action to stop the privatization of healthcare in Canada. Hear Peter Bergmanis explain what they are, what their mission is and just what is standing in their way. Can they wake up Canadians in time to save our healthcare? Listen in.

More info on Health Coalitions:

Canadian Media: Contested Territory

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

What is Independent journalism and what role does it play in Canadian Politics? How do they complete with mainstream media? What is it like trying to sustain your work so you can have the freedom to say what needs saying? This episode of Blueprints is a discussion with Jeremy Appel, a freelance writer, podcaster and Canadian politico. He takes us through us journey to independence and provides great stories of what its like being a critical leftist surrounded by Conservative politicians. Jeremy leaves us hopeful that the media is not a lost cause - it is still contested territory that hold potential for political change.

Independent Media Sources:

The Culture of Co-Operatives

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Democratic workplaces, community owned assets and credit unions. Co-operatives offer a range of solutions to the issues facing us today. But what are they exactly? Erin Morgan of the Ontario Co-Operative Association joins host Jessa McLean to discuss the basics of co-ops, their roots and why we could use a whole lot more of them. Whether it be credit unions, co-operative housing or even utilities - a more co-operative approach provides more possibilities for a cultural shift away from Capitalism.

Learn more about Ontario Cooperatives Association here!

Stolen Wages - Featuring the Naujawan Support Network

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 07:00:00 -0400

What would you do if your wages were stolen? What if you were new to Canada and your immigration status depended on that employment? The folks within the Naujawan Support Network (NSN) in Peel are self-organizing to get those wages back and to better protect workers in their community. Their tactics are bold. They go after bad bosses - naming and shaming them in very public ways. Simran and Arin of NSN Peel teach host Jessa McLean about the resistance that exists within workers, and how they persevere in the face of lawsuits while fighting for what they're owed.

Follow the Naujawan Support Network on Facebook
NSN Legal Defence Fund - Please donate if you can.

Local Votes: Make them Count

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 07:00:00 -0400

Local elections are getting a lot more interesting with organizations like Horizon Ottawa helping empower and equip progressive local campaigns. Organizer Sam Hersh chats with Host Jessa McLean about why these elections matter so much, and how Horizon Ottawa is working to even the playing field against the influence of developers. The episode will leave you hopeful for the possibilities for local politics and better equipped to influence their outcome.

More resources here:

Open Source Organizing

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Organizing on the Left often requires we do a lot with very little. Hear from one of the most versatile and creative organizers out there, Tim Ellis. A rave DJ by night, a rabble rousers always - continues to share what he knows in the hopes of building a mass movement for change. His approach to bringing people together for maximum political impact is something we could all learn from.

More resources:

Inside the NDP: The People's Party?

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Absolute power or Executive Power? Who actually runs the electoral Left? Discussions with current and former NDP Party Executives proves quite revealing, demonstrating that like most politics in Canada, very few people are calling all the shots.

We hear what that means for members, and what its like trying to navigate these tightly controlled inner circles of partisan politics.

Akuah Frempong, a first time Executive member of the Ontario NDP, talks about her experience trying to advocate within the inner circle and how uncomfortable that often is.

Tara, a former Executive for the ONDP, gives very specific examples of democratic efforts being thwarted by a single person, time and time again. She also talks about the repercussions of being labelled an advocate within the Party.

Jay Woodruff, Disability Co-Chair, testifies to the obstacles put in his way by central staff to limit his ability to organize disabled members of the Party.

Reproductive Justice: the Canadian Situation

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 08:15:00 -0400

With the recent overturning of Roe vs. Wade in the United States and reproductive rights seemingly under attack, Host Jessa McLean chats with Robyn Schwarz about what Reproductive Justice means and what its current state is here in Canada.

Keep up with Robyn's work:

Holding Space: A discussion on allyship

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Activist, educator and ally Anna Jessup discusses the important of holding space for folks to share their experiences, connect with likeminded people, and fight back against police violence and colonial oppression. She highlights the work of Fund our Communities, Defund the Police, a community activist group in downtown Toronto.

Alongside host, Jessa McLean, Anna talks about what a good ally does, how to be more inclusive and the importance of consistency when trying to reach as many people as possible.

Reimagining Leadership – A discussion with Duncan Pike

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

A lot of people know what they want to change, but they just don’t know where to start. Organizer and ICL Facilitator Duncan Pike goes through some of the basics of how to mobilize people while he tells his own story of self as an activist. We learn how the Institute for Change Leaders assists other movements in their goals, and all about the Theory of Change.

More resources:

Institute for Change Leaders Website

Autistic Resistance: The Foundations

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 00:01:00 -0400

Autistic advocate and academic Lulu Larcenciel sits down with host Jessa McLean to challenge misconceptions surrounding autism, discuss the need for massive shift in how we accommodate for neurodivergent community members, and take a critical look at so-called progressive policy that is impacting disabled people.

Lulu put together an amazing resource tool here:

Autistic Resistance Foundations Resources

Inside the Ontario NDP - Candidate Crisis

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0400

An insider discussion on just how the Ontario NDP blew the election against Ford by suppressing local democracy in order to hand pick candidates.

Host Jessa McLean sits down with Jay Woodruff, NDP Disability Committee Co-Chair and local Riding President to dispel myths about the Party and give folks an idea of what its really like inside the Left's electoral party.

Hear how local favourites were blocked from running or met with dirty tactics from ONDP headquarters. The results at the ballot box were devastating, but the impact on their grassroots base will be felt even longer.

Related Episodes:

Twice Betrayed: The NDP, The YMCA and Rana Zaman (Dec 2025) Community Activist Rana Zaman talks about the rescinding of her YMCA Peace Medial and how the NDP set the stage for what she's going through now.
Democracy Denied, The BCNDP and their Fear of an EcoSocialist Grassroots (Oct 2022) On the disqualification of Anjali Appadurai in the BC NDP leadership race.

More Resources:

Ontario Election Results 2022

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Solidarity and Supports with Des and Tigra-Lee

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 00:01:00 -0400

Two comrades from Lloydminster/Vermillion, Tigra-Lee Campbell and Des Bissonnette, share stories of finding solidarity and creating meaningful supportive spaces in rural Alberta and Saskatchewan with host Jessa McLean.

Keep up with the guests here:

We Keep Us Safe

Thu, 26 May 2022 09:00:00 -0400

If we're going to disrupt the system, we must make sure the movements we create are safe. In the show's premier episode, Host Jessa McLean chats with Community Activist, Noodle, to discuss how we protect ourselves and our comrades, and how doing that builds a much richer community for activists to thrive in.

Noodle provides practical tools and also deeper perspectives on what it means to keep the community we work with safe.