COMMONS

An explosion of new spiritual movements in the 1970s led to the creation of an entirely novel academic field. But right from the beginning, the discipline was riven asunder.

The Cult Wars have been raging for decades. They’re fought not only in academic journals and conference seminars, but in the press, the courts and in legislative assemblies. And their battles continue to have enormous consequences.

Featured in this episode: Michael Kropveld, Stephen A. Kent, Susan J. Palmer

To learn more:

“Caught Up in the Cult Wars: Confessions of a New Religious Movement Researcher” by Susan J. Palmer in University of Toronto Press

“Life after Doomsday: Tracking cult activity from a Montreal storage locker” by Simon Lewson in The Walrus

Misunderstanding Cults: Searching for Objectivity in a Controversial Field edited by Benjamin Zablocki & Thomas Robbins

Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)

Additional music from Audio Network

Sponsors: Oxio

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.

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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.

The story of Brother XII still fascinates and even frightens some people in and around Nanaimo.

He’s often called the Devil of De Courcy Island for good reason.

Brother XII prophesied about the coming apocalypse. But instead, his story would presage something different. He was a forerunner of the strange, new religions that would sweep over the western world.

Featured in this episode: Bill Miner, Justine Brown

To learn more:

Brother XII: The Strange Odyssey of a 20th Century Prophet by John Oliphant

All Possible Worlds: Utopian Experiments in British Columbia by Justine Brown

Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)

Additional music from Audio Network

Sponsors: Canva, Douglas

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.

risis, 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.

“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

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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.