COMMONS
CANADALAND
5.0
(1)
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.
This season, the dark side of hockey. We will examine the past, present, and future of the game and leave you wondering what you really know about Canada’s national pastime.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
3 Listeners
All episodes
Best episodes
Top 10 COMMONS Episodes
Best episodes ranked by Goodpods Users most listened

Monopoly 2 - Big Milk
COMMONS
11/16/22 • 28 min
Some say that they’re a shadowy group that are the true power behind our elected officials, wielding enormous influence that they use to either benefit their friends or crush their enemies.
Others claim that they’re a bulwark against oligopolies, ensuring that rural Canada doesn’t turn into an empty, corporatized hellscape.
But what’s not up for debate is that Big Milk is a big deal.
Featured in this episode: Marlene Haley, Justin Ling, Bruce Muirhead
To learn more
“Cheddargate” by Justin Ling in Maisonneuve
“Milk mystery: As prices soar, dairy farmers plead poverty” by Ashleigh Stewart in Global News
“Critics of supply management are milking the argument” by Bruce Muirhead in Maclean’s
Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer and Reporter), André Proulx (Production Coordinator)
Additional music from Audio Network
Sponsors: Douglas, Rotman, Canadian History Ehx
If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.
You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Listener

06/07/16 • 27 min
“Are these... 18th century working conditions?” Gabriel Allahdua asks. Gabriel came from St. Lucia to work on a farm as part of the Temporary Foreign Worker program.
He describes the long hours, difficult working conditions and his disappointment over speaking to a Parliamentary committee that’s reviewing the TFW program.
Justicia for Migrant Workers put us in touch with Gabriel.
Are Canadian politicians bending gender norms? Jerald Sabin, a research associate at the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation, talks about a study on masculinity in the last election, co-authored by Kyle Kirkup.
And a new segment where Supriya gets mad at Twitter.
Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2 Listeners

01/18/23 • 30 min
♩♪ A long, long time ago, I can still remember
How the music used to pay my bills
I knew that if I got my break
That I could be as big as Drake
And then I could stop shopping at No Frills ♩♪
♩♪ But Spotify, it’s nearly killed us
Ticketmaster’s ground us to dust
The companies got too large
Now monopolies are in charge ♩♪
♩♪ And the record labels I fear the most
Have all just merged and so now we’re toast
Don’t you think it’s just so gross?
The way, the music, died ♩♪
Featured in this episode: Simon Outhit, Cory Doctorow
To learn more
Chokepoint Capitalism: How Big Tech and Big Content Captured Creative Labor Markets and How We'll Win Them Back by Rebecca Giblin & Cory Doctorow
“'A public relations nightmare': Ticketmaster recruits pros for secret scalper program” in CBC News by Dave Seglins, Rachel Houlihan & Laura Clementson
“We went undercover as ticket scalpers — and Ticketmaster offered to help us do business” in Toronto Star by Robert Cribb & Marco Chown Oved
“Is Live Music Broken? It’s Not Just Ticketmaster, It’s Everything” in The Ringer by Nate Rogers
A Statement From Live Nation Entertainment
Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator)
Sponsors: Douglas, Athletic Greens
If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.
You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Listener

Monopoly 12 - Overdrawn
COMMONS
02/01/23 • 20 min
5.0
Not only do the Big Five banks get away with charging exorbitant fees for basic services. Not only do they block any competitors by controlling Canada’s payment infrastructure. Not only are they totally entwined with the federal government.
But the Big Five banks are about to get even bigger.
Featured in this episode: Colin Deacon, Keldon Bester, Alex Vronces
To learn more
“How blocked mergers foiled banks' ambitions — and forced the Big Six to innovate” by James Bradshaw in The Globe and Mail
“How the push to modernize Canada’s payment systems went off the rails” by Jon Victor in The Logic
“How the Big Five banks control how money moves in Canada” by Alex Vronces in Policy Options
“RBC-HSBC banking merger is a slide to monopoly – Canada should just say no” by Keldon Bester in The Globe and Mail
Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor)
Sponsors: Rights Back At You, Athletic Greens
If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.
You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Listener
1

06/10/20 • 7 min
Support us at commonspodcast.com
We take a break from our PANDEMIC season with an extended interview with Damian Abraham, a guest from our episode about Canada's wrestling dynasty, The Harts. Damian explains the art of juggling the real and the fake, wrestling's dying language and how Canadians helped build World Wrestling Entertainment.
Damian Abraham is the host of Turned Out A Punk Podcast, the creator and host of The Wrestlers, and a member of Toronto hardcore band, Fucked Up.
Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PANDEMIC 7 - The Frontline
COMMONS
06/03/20 • 22 min
Support us at commonspodcast.com
Long-term care workers are in the vanguard in the war against COVID-19. They’re not the kinds of workers who get movies or TV shows made about them. In fact, their stories are rarely told. But not only are they battling heroically against this pandemic. They’re fighting for recognition and respect within a system built to marginalize them.
COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada.
Featured in this episode: Joadel Concepcion, Joanna Bulatao, Lisa Burke, Naomi Lightman, Zaid Noorsumar
To learn more:
“‘We are dropping like flies,’ says Ontario home care nurse” by Zaid Noorsumar in Rank and File
“Fear and exhaustion: Working as a PSW in long-term care during the coronavirus” by Alanna Mitchell in Maclean’s
“Comparing Care Regimes: Worker Characteristics and Wage Penalties in the Global Care Chain” by Naomi Lightman in Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society
This episode is sponsored by Freshbooks
Additional music from Audio Network
Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PANDEMIC 10 - Burn It Down
COMMONS
07/08/20 • 31 min
Support us at commonspodcast.com
Jonathan Marchand is one of the thousands of young disabled people living in long-term care. But Marchand doesn’t want to fix the system. He doesn’t think it can be reformed. Marchand is an abolitionist. For a century and a half, Canada has hidden away disabled people in institutions where they were neglected and abused. Is long-term care just the latest incarnation of this dark history?
COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada.
Featured in this episode: Jonathan Marchand, Sharon J. Riley (The Walrus), Kenneth Jackson (APTN News), Madeline Burghardt, Dustin Galer
To learn more:
“When Is a Senior No Longer Capable of Making Their Own Decisions?” by Sharon J. Riley in The Walrus
“‘Sitting duck’: Disabled woman, 27, lives in Toronto seniors home with COVID-19 outbreak” by Kenneth Jackson in APTN News
Working Towards Equity: Disability Rights Activism and Employment in Late Twentieth-Century by Dustin Galer
Broken: Institutions, Families, and the Construction of Intellectual Disability by Madeline Burghardt
This episode is sponsored by Freshbooks
Additional music from Audio Network
Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

05/13/20 • 25 min
Over 1700 Ontarians have already been killed by COVID-19. And the vast majority of them died in long-term care. But if you live in a private, for-profit home, you’re much more likely to die from this virus. The for-profit long-term care industry is politically powerful and deeply entrenched. Is this their moment of reckoning?
COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada.
Featured in this episode: Sharleen Stewart (SEIU Healthcare), Natalie Mehra (Ontario Health Coalition)
To learn more:
“Party of Profits: Ontario Tories and the profit motive in long-term care” by Zaid Noorsumar in Rank and File
“For-profit nursing homes have four times as many COVID-19 deaths as city-run homes, Star analysis finds” by Marco Chown Oved, Brendan Kennedy, Kenyon Wallace, Ed Tubb and Andrew Bailey in The Toronto Star
“40 Ontario nursing homes with the highest rates of reported abuse” by Valérie Ouellet, Dexter Brown in CBC Marketplace
This episode is sponsored by WealthBar
This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter.
Additional music:
I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque
“Clean Soul” by Kevin Macleod, adapted.
Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PANDEMIC 8 - Hunger Strike
COMMONS
06/17/20 • 22 min
Support us at commonspodcast.com
Innis Ingram’s mother is his hero. But today, she’s living in one of the worst hit long-term care homes in Ontario. She has a terminal illness. Dozens and dozens of people around her have died, including her friend and roommate. And she’s had minimal human contact for three months. But even though he can’t be there with her, Innis is determined to get her the care she needs.
COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada.
Featured in this episode: Innis Ingram, Nathan Stall
To learn more:
“Ontario LTC whistle-blower saw many incidents of verbal abuse and forced feeding” by Jill Mahoney and Karen Howlett” in The Globe and Mail
“It’s time to let families visit long-term care homes” by André Picard in The Globe and Mail
“Some Ontario doctors, families worry rules for care home visits causing harm to residents” in CBC News
This episode is sponsored by Freshbooks
Additional music from Audio Network
“Western Shores” by Philipp Weigl, adapted
Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

05/20/20 • 22 min
Here's where you can support us: commonspodcast.com
Tracy Rowley lost her surrogate mother to COVID-19 in a long-term care facility. But she’s determined that Shirley Egerdeen doesn’t become just another statistic. Tracy’s suing the company that runs the home. But one of the strangest things in this story is exactly who owns them.
COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada.
Featured in this episode: Tracy Rowley, Sherina Harris (HuffPost Canada), Emma Paling (HuffPost Canada), Zaid Noorsumar To learn more:
“COVID-19 Has Killed 164 At Revera's Care Homes. Their Families Want Answers” by Emma Paling and Sherina Harris in HuffPost Canada “Is it Time to Care Yet?” by Zaid Noorsumar in Rank and File
“It is time to forget the profits and fix long-term care” by Geoffrey Stevens in The Waterloo Region Record
This episode is sponsored by Freshbooks and The Jerry Cans
Additional music from Audio Network
Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Show more

Show more
FAQ
How many episodes does COMMONS have?
COMMONS currently has 223 episodes available.
What topics does COMMONS cover?
The podcast is about News, Society & Culture, History, Canada, Storytelling, Documentary, Podcasts, Sports, Hockey and Politics.
What is the most popular episode on COMMONS?
The episode title 'Monopoly 2 - Big Milk' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on COMMONS?
The average episode length on COMMONS is 32 minutes.
How often are episodes of COMMONS released?
Episodes of COMMONS are typically released every 12 days, 7 hours.
When was the first episode of COMMONS?
The first episode of COMMONS was released on Apr 8, 2015.
Show more FAQ

Show more FAQ
Comments
5.0
out of 5
1 Rating
Review or comment on this podcast...
Post
External Reviews
Imported reviews from Apple Podcasts.
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this
Copy