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PODCAST

COMMONS

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

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

35:24

WORK 12 - The Crucible of Confinement

COMMONS ·

2024/06/05

In 2006, Zakaria Amara was arrested and imprisoned for planning what could have been one of the deadliest terror attacks in Canadian history. A ringleader of the so-called “Toronto 18,” he’s one of the most infamous Canadian convicts of the last few decades.This conversation is the first time he’s ever given an interview to a member of the press.But this won’t be an episode about the Toronto 18 terror plot. This is about what happened to one of the ringleaders after that plot was foiled. About his

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32:02

WORK 11 - The Way the Music Died

COMMONS ·

2024/05/29

♩♪ A long, long time ago, I can still rememberHow the music used to pay my billsI knew that if I got my breakThat I could be as big as DrakeAnd then I could stop shopping at No Frills ♩♪♩♪ But Spotify, it’s nearly killed usTicketmaster’s ground us to dustThe companies got too largeNow monopolies are in charge ♩♪♩♪ And the record labels I fear the mostHave all just merged and so now we’re toastDon’t you think it’s just so gross?The way, the music, died ♩♪Featured in this episode: Simon Outhit, Cory

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37:28

WORK 10 - Prison Labour Industrial Complex

COMMONS ·

2024/05/22

Acast: WORK 10 - Prison Labour Industrial ComplexWebsite: WORK #10 - Prison Labour Industrial ComplexPatreon: COMMONS: WORK #10 - Prison Labour Industrial ComplexSupercast: WORK 10 - Prison Labour Industrial ComplexPrison labour is largely invisible in Canada. Most prisoners who work do institutional upkeep, the kind of cleaning, cooking and maintenance that’s required to keep a prison running.But then there are prison industries. Not only do Canadian prisoners work for for-profit businesses, but

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40:31

WORK 9 - Working Behind Bars

COMMONS ·

2024/05/15

All labour exists on a spectrum, ranging from enslavement at one pole, to fully, freely given on the other.And, in Canada, at the most extreme end of that spectrum are prison labourers. Incarcerated people have few rights and fewer options when it comes to their working lives.If we want to truly understand our criminal justice system and Canadian labour, we need to examine how prisoners work.Featured in this episode: Jordan House, Asaf RashidTo learn more:Solidarity Beyond Bars: Unionizing Prison

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15:13

Introducing Pretendians

COMMONS ·

2024/05/14

Today we’re sharing with you a preview of the first episode of Canadaland’s newest show Pretendians.What do some of the most prominent and successful Indigenous artists, leaders and thinkers have in common? They aren’t Indigenous.From major universities, to the halls of power, to Hollywood, there are people claiming to be Indigenous in the interest of power, money, and status. There are dozens of outrageous cases of Indigenous identity fraud that we know about, and likely thousands that we do not.So

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35:47

WORK 8 - Make and Break Harbour

COMMONS ·

2024/05/08

In Newfoundland and Labrador, fishing is more than just an industry or a job. It truly is a way of life. It’s at the core of what has made this place what it is.Today, as fishers leave the industry in droves, all of that is at risk of dying.But is it even worth it to try to keep all of that alive? After all, there’s plenty of ways to make a living. And what kind of future is in store for the people who refuse to let go?Featured in this episode: Kimberly Orren, Leo Hearn, Jenn Thornhill Verma, Ryan

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27:25

WORK 7 - Merchants of the Rock

COMMONS ·

2024/05/01

The cod collapse is a harbinger of the many environmental disasters we’re about to face. But what happens to workers in the aftermath of that kind of catastrophe? In Newfoundland and Labrador, monopolistic corporations took advantage.The history of the Atlantic fishery can be understood as a power struggle between fishermen and merchants.And the merchants are winning.Featured in this episode: Glen Winslow, Ryan Cleary, Jenn Thornhill-VermaTo learn more:“Who Controls Fish Processing in Newfoundland

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44:51

WORK 6 - Emptying an Ocean

COMMONS ·

2024/04/24

The closure of the cod fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador was the most devastating mass layoff in Canadian history. And its impacts are still being felt to this day.The collapse of Newfoundland cod is a story of man-made environmental calamity that turned into economic devastation. It’s a story of a government ignoring the knowledge of working people, in favour of the so-called expertise of industry, to disastrous effect.But this isn’t just history. It’s prophecy. It’s a vision of what may come if

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48:18

WORK 5 - The Westray Disaster

COMMONS ·

2024/04/17

This episode was originally published on November 24, 2021.Twenty-six men were working underground when an explosion tore through the Westray Mine in Nova Scotia. Their friends and colleagues went into the wreckage to try to save them.The story of Westray is one of managerial malice and the heroism of everyday people. But why is it that governments let this happen over and over again, at the expense of so many lives?Featured in this episode: Vernon Theriault, Tom SandbornTo learn more:Westray: My

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41:33

WORK 4 - Reaping the Whirlwind

COMMONS ·

2024/04/10

Migrant farm workers are the backbone of Canada’s agricultural economy. But because they can be fired and deported at will, their voices are rarely ever heard in this country.But Gabriel Allahdua is one of the few who can now speak up. And the story he has to tell is startling.It’s a story of racism and labour exploitation that goes back decades, even centuries. And it’s a prophecy of what is to come — that the hardships inflicted on migrant farm workers are only a trial run for the rest of us.This

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34:48

WORK 3 - Bitter Harvest

COMMONS ·

2024/04/03

The creation of the Canadian Farmworkers Union, as it would come to be called, was the first step in a struggle that continues to this day.Because even now, farmworkers have far fewer rights than almost any other class of worker. And even today, the men and women who grow our food are subject to horrific working conditions and racial discrimination.But to understand why the situation remains so bad, we need to go back in time to a moment when there was progress and hope. A moment when it looked like

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28:17

WORK 2 - State of Emergency Rooms

COMMONS ·

2024/03/27

Across Canada, emergency rooms have been shutting down, leaving desperate people in the lurch. And at the heart of this health care crisis, is a labour crisis.Nurses are leaving their jobs in droves, leaving hospitals understaffed and sometimes unable to carry out their most basic obligations.In this episode, we'll tell you how nursing went from a profession hailed as heroic to one in an utter state of crisis, all through the eyes of a woman who lived through it all.Featured in this episode: Nadira

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32:30

WORK 1 - The War on Workers

COMMONS ·

2024/03/20

Labour has undergone a seismic shift over the past decade.The rise of gig work and temp agencies have made employment more precarious than ever. In the interest of profits, companies are turning more and more towards temporary foreign workers and international students for minimum wage jobs. And even for those with seemingly secure employment, wages and benefits continue to be squeezed.One thing seems clear: workers are getting screwed.This season of COMMONS will dig into the fascinating history and

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2:36

Introducing our new season… Work

COMMONS ·

2024/03/06

Labour has undergone a seismic shift over the past decade.The rise of gig work and temp agencies have made employment more precarious than ever. In the interest of profits, companies are turning more and more towards temporary foreign workers and international students for minimum wage jobs. And even for those with seemingly secure employment, wages and benefits continue to be squeezed.One thing seems clear: workers are getting screwed.This season of COMMONS will dig into the fascinating history and

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25:01

Bonus - Everybody Loves Romana

COMMONS ·

2024/02/07

In this bonus episode, COMMONS producer Noor Azrieh sits down with Peter Smith to discuss his reporting on right-wing conspiracy groups like Qanon and Romana Didulo.Featured in this episode: Peter SmithTo learn more:“Lead in the head”: Self-Declared Canadian Prime Minister and QAnon Adherent Calls for Executions of Officials Who Refuse Her Cease and Desists” by Peter Smith in The Canadian Anti-Hate Network“Self Declared Queen Of Canada Calling For US Supporters To Invade Canada And Prepare To

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38:51

CANADALAND #914 Stock Buybacks: How Grocers Eat...

COMMONS ·

2024/01/03

This episode was originally published on August 28th, 2023.Listen to Monopoly 1 - Lost in the Supermarket and Monopoly 17 - Food FightIn the past several years, Loblaws, Metro and Empire have spent billions on their own stock – And at a time of food price inflation and grocery workers on strike.Why are they doing it? And why do some economists say stock buybacks should be abolished?Featured in this episode:William Lazonick, professor emeritus of economics at University of MassachusettsJim Stanford,

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38:19

RATFUCKER Chapter Two: The Brethren

COMMONS ·

2023/12/27

This episode was originally published on November 7th, 2022.Listen to episodes 1 & 3Richard Marsh was born into the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. He got out of the group he calls a cult and has made it his mission to expose the Brethren for their alleged abuses. Now he’s on the run from Brethren members who’ve been searching for him for years. The man hired to hunt Marsh down? David Wallace.Written and reported by Jesse Brown and Cherise SeucharanAudio editing and sound design by Tristan

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27:35

CULTS 10 - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fandom

COMMONS ·

2023/12/20

We live in a world of obsessive fandoms. The Stans, Swifties, Potterheads, Beliebers, Trekkies, Bronies, Barbs and their ilk are everywhere to be found.But at what point does it go from being harmless entertainment and turn into something more sinister?Featured in this episode: Zoe Alderton, Robert LawsonTo learn more:“‘Snapewives’ and ‘Snapeism’: A Fiction-Based Religion within the Harry Potter Fandom” by Zoe Alderton in Religions“Andrew Tate: how the ‘manosphere’ influencer is selling extreme

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36:54

CULTS 9 - Romana’s Reign

COMMONS ·

2023/12/13

Romana Didulo, the self-proclaimed Queen of Canada, is unlike almost any other cult leader Canada has ever seen. In an incredibly short amount of time, she’s been able to gain a mass following, despite her absurd claims and alarming rhetoric.At various points, she’s claimed to be a political leader, a monarch, an interdimensional being communing with aliens, and so much more. She’s urged her followers to take up arms and execute migrants on sight.And now, she’s taken up residence in a small

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47:38

CULTS 8 - The Eye of the Pyramid

COMMONS ·

2023/12/06

Multi-level marketing isn’t based on rational business logic. It’s not even built on irrational business logic. It’s ideology. It’s faith.MLMs have become such a ubiquitous part of North American life that their tenets are rarely ever questioned. The sector holds enormous political sway. Millions of people join, leave and rejoin every year, almost all of them ending up poorer for the experience.And to call it a cult is not just a cute turn of phrase. The cultishness of MLMs is essential to their

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