Wag The Doug

After six years of Doug-wagging, Allison and Jonathan have learned a few things.Like how “Ontario,” as a concept, is even more inscrutable than “Toronto” or “Canada.” And how most disasters are not just foreseeable but have in fact been foreseen.But perhaps most disconcerting of all: that Doug Ford actually knows what he’s doing — or conversely, that he doesn’t have to know what he’s doing, because he understands this province better than any of us.Hosts: Jonathan Goldsbie, Allison SmithCredits: Sam Konnert (Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief), Max Collins (Production Manager), Nathan Burley (Music)Sponsor: DouglasYou can listen ad-free on Amazon Music - included with Prime.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. Socials:Jonathan Goldsbie on Bluesky: @goldsbie.bsky.social Allison Smith on Twitter: @queensparktoday

Live (on tape) from the intersection of Richmond and Spadina, it’s the fifth annual(ish) Douggie Awards, celebrating the most surreal and mendacious moments of the past year in Ford.What was the Most Blatant Conflict of Interest? Who offered the Best Spin? Like the Emmys, we take things that actually aren’t that funny at all and stuff them into comedy categories for your convenience. And with yet another Ford offspring expressing interest in politics, will we once again see a clean sweep for succession?Hosts: Jonathan Goldsbie, Allison SmithCredits: Sam Konnert (Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief), Max Collins (Production Manager), Nathan Burley (Music)Sponsor: DouglasYou can listen ad-free on Amazon Music - included with Prime.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. Socials:Jonathan Goldsbie on Bluesky: @goldsbie.bsky.social Allison Smith on Twitter: @queensparktoday

Who doesn’t love an ice-cold beer from a bar, a pub, a liquor store… a gas station?There could soon be up to 8,500 new places to buy low-alcohol drinks in Ontario, thanks to a new plan to speed up an agreement between the province and Beer Store. The cost? At least $225 million of taxpayer money.Is this accelerated effort to “modernize” the alcohol market simply a play for political points ahead of a possible early election call?This month, Allison and Jonathan crack a couple of cold ones and pore over the booze clues.Hosts: Jonathan Goldsbie, Allison SmithCredits: Sam Konnert (Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief), Max Collins (Production Manager), Nathan Burley (Music)Background reading:Doug Ford's change to booze sales could cost far more than $225M - CBCUnder the influence: Doug Ford and the strange history of Ontario’s liquor laws - The Globe and MailOntario has announced big changes to alcohol sales. Here’s how it’ll work - GlobalSponsor: DouglasYou can listen ad-free on Amazon Music - included with Prime.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. Socials:Jonathan Goldsbie on Bluesky: @goldsbie.bsky.social Allison Smith on Twitter: @queensparktoday

When the Speaker decreed that keffiyehs were verboten at Queen’s Park, even Doug Ford agreed that that was a bad call. But that came in the midst of a hotly-contested by-election in the 905 — and now that it’s finished, so is his party’s long nightmare of uncharacteristic open-mindedness.In the eighth month of Israel’s war in/on Gaza, Allison and Jonathan examine how Ontario’s government is cracking down on expressions of Palestinian solidarity, in more ways than you probably realize.Hosts: Jonathan Goldsbie, Allison SmithCredits: Sam Konnert (Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor in Chief), Nathan Burley (Music)Sponsor: DouglasFor a limited time, get 6 months of exclusive supporter benefits for just $2/month. Go to canadaland.com/join to become a supporter today. 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.Socials:Jonathan Goldsbie on Bluesky: @goldsbie.bsky.social Allison Smith on Twitter: @queensparktoday

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 why do these so-called “Pretendians” do it? How do they pull it off? And what happens when they are exposed?  To hear more follow Pretendians in your podcast app or click here.

The next provincial election is two years away, but to turn on your TVs, you’d think we were in the midst of one. Flush with cash, Doug Ford’s party is taking out ads attempting to cast the premier as cuddly and contrite. Meanwhile, the Ontario NDP is going all in on the weird side of TikTok, churning out videos so assertively surreal as to approach the level of art.This month, Allison and Jonathan don their leotards and consider Ontario politics’ new experimental era.Hosts: Jonathan Goldsbie, Allison SmithCredits: Kattie Laur (Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor in Chief), Nathan Burley (Music)Sponsors: DouglasYou can listen ad-free on Amazon Music - included with Prime.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. Want your audio story on CANADALAND? Submissions for the Local Correspondent Audio Contest are now open! To learn more, visit canadaland.com/audiocontest and follow @CanadaLabs on Instagram to stay in the loopSocials:Jonathan Goldsbie on Bluesky: @goldsbie.bsky.social Allison Smith on Twitter: @queensparktoday

Judicial independence is a foundational principle of Canadian democracy. Doug Ford sees it as an obstacle to be overcome. Because if he can’t appoint “like-minded” judges to mercilessly punish criminals, then is it really justice? Why should judges have discretion to… judge?This month, Allison and Jonathan look at the itty-bitty constitutional crisis that Doug Ford has sparked, through his doubling, tripling, quadrupling, and even quintupling down.Hosts: Jonathan Goldsbie, Allison SmithCredits: Kattie Laur (Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor in Chief), Nathan Burley (Music)Sponsors: DouglasYou can listen ad-free on Amazon Music - included with Prime.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. Socials:Jonathan Goldsbie on Bluesky: @goldsbie.bsky.social Allison Smith on Twitter: @queensparktoday

At this time of year, we’d normally pine for spring. But nowadays, that means wildfire season. And it’s only a matter of time before British Columbia’s new normal becomes Ontario’s as well — yet we’re not nearly as well-prepared.Doug Ford’s not too big on acknowledging a connection with climate change. But even more surprising is that his government has barely spoken about wildfires at all, let alone adequately invested in fighting them.As Allison and Jonathan look out toward our orange, hazy future, they talk to Noah Freedman and Mark Belanger, forest-fire veterans with leadership roles in OPSEU, about what it will take to restore the fire-fighting capacity that Mike Harris incinerated.Hosts: Jonathan Goldsbie, Allison SmithCredits: Kattie Laur (Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor in Chief), Nathan Burley (Music)Sponsors: DouglasYou can listen ad-free on Amazon Music - included with Prime.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. Socials:Jonathan Goldsbie on Bluesky: @goldsbie.bsky.social Allison Smith on Twitter: @queensparktoday

Doug Ford plans to uproot the Ontario Science Centre from the iconic Don Mills home it’s occupied since 1969. But what is the Science Centre other than its iconic Don Mills home?On a blustery afternoon, Allison and Jonathan traipse up the DVP to learn whether the dreams of their 90s childhoods are still alive in North York. They say you can’t go home again, but they will sell Science Centre tickets to childless adults.Hosts: Jonathan Goldsbie, Allison SmithCredits: Kattie Laur (Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor), Nathan Burley (Music)Sponsors: DouglasYou can listen ad-free on Amazon Music - included with Prime.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. Socials:Jonathan Goldsbie on Bluesky: @goldsbie.bsky.social Allison Smith on Twitter: @queensparktoday